Hi

The '94 FD I recently bought came with AutoMeter Sport Comp gauges, boost and water temp, mounted in an A-pillar dual pod. I want to relocate them to a center channel pod.

I disconnected the boost gauge without problem, but the water temp gauge connection at the back of the unit seems to be crimped on there. Can anyone tell me if I can disconnect at the gauge, or do I need to disconnect at the other end, and completely reroute the wiring? Or is there another connector in line so I don't have to do all that?

Thanks

 

If it's crimped on to the back of the gauge and you can't remove it, I would cut the wire down in the footwell where it enters the cabin, and crimp on some insulated spade connectors so you can hook it back up again after you've moved the gauge.

If you need extra length, then you could place an additional piece of wire in where you make the cut.

I would try and avoid re routing the wire through to the engine bay - that's a PITA!

 

Uhh...Everybody routes these a little different...Its a case by case situation. Do what you thinks best.

 

Thanks for the advice.

Not be an "electrics" kind of guy, any possibility that the spade connection might introduce some resistance that alters the reading?

 

Nope. Good spade connections with a tight fit are excellent conductors.

I would be more concerned with the ground wire - if you have a multimeter, check the resistance between the ground of the thermosensor and the ground of the gauge (I think the Autometers rely on the car's ground plane for this).

dave

 

This is probably way off base, but it is an electrical guage, right??

IIRC, most of the older guages had a hard, flexible, mechanical connection which I doubt you'd be able to fit back together if you cut it...

 

Actually, very good question. It does have a very hard, flexible connection. I'll check the model number.

You think I couldn't mate the cut ends with connectors?

 

I doubt it ...

I think you'll need to feed it back up from the engine bay..

Although I've never cut one, maybe somebody else has?

 

Ah, yes I probably have the same exact pair of gauges. The boost gauge has a hard plastic hollow line that runs all the way to the center of the firewall in the engine bay. That's where it meets a fitting that connects to the rubber hose.

I would just take the time to re-route that plastic tubing.

Dave

 

It's mechanical, model 3331, http://www.autometer.com/cat_gaugede...id=2897&sid=15

So, what's that mean for relocating it?

 

I don't think you can spice the capillary tube of a mechanical temp. gauge, I'd pull it all the way out and reroute it.

 

That's what I figured. Thanks all.

 

I had to T my hard plastic vac line for my boost and boost controller. I wound up cutting the plastic line under the dash and feeding it into some tight fitting silicon vacuum hose and p-tieing the 2 together. also put a dab of sealant at the junction. put a few thousand trouble free miles on it that way.

 

That is a mechanical w/t gauge. You cannot cut the capilary tube and re-connect it.

That is one of my major complaints about the mechanical w/t gauge from Autometer (I'm actually using the same one at the moment, as I'm too busy to put in the Defi Link unit I've had for going on 3 years now!)

Personally, I'd ditch the mechanical gauge ($40 +/-) and go with an electrical. It is a 90 degree sweep instead of the 270 degree, but install is WAY easier. Better yet would be to go with Defi Links. Once you've installed a set of those it is hard to go with anything else!

Of course, YMMV.

Regards,
Frank