Do I install aftermarket oil/temp/volt gauges or not?

[Don C]

What you are seeing is normal for a properly operating alternator and regulator. You may see slightly lower voltages on loaded circuits, such as headlights or heater blower when they are on. If the voltage of other circuits is much lower, there may be a connection/corrosion/ fuse problem in that circuit. If you see more than 14.5 volts you may have a bad regulator.

 

[Stanglover]

What you are seeing is normal for a properly operating alternator and regulator. You may see slightly lower voltages on loaded circuits, such as headlights or heater blower when they are on. If the voltage of other circuits is much lower, there may be a connection/corrosion/ fuse problem in that circuit. If you see more than 14.5 volts you may have a bad regulator.

Thanks Don, I do appreciate your help. Like I've said many times, I'm pretty hopeless with electronic stuff. It does seem pretty steady at 14 volts and yes with the head lights on, it did drop a bit. It was flickering a bit though, maybe because I have Halogen bulbs without a relay which I knew nothing about until recently. Maybe I need to add one.

I also found the oil gauge reads 75psi with a standard oil pump, a bit high maybe? Water temp showed 190* after a short 3 mile run around the block with a 190 stat.

I did install the temp pick up in the correct location and mounted the old idiot light sensor where the vacuum temp switch went, no longer used.

Pics to come later, too damn tired now to do anything other than drink a beer........... or two.

Geoff.

 

[Don C]

75 psi sounds right for a standard oil pump, the bypass spring should start opening around 80 psi. It'll be interesting to see what it is after it warms up.

Nice to know what your temperature really is, isn't it?

 

[Stanglover]

75 psi sounds right for a standard oil pump, the bypass spring should start opening around 80 psi. It'll be interesting to see what it is after it warms up.

Nice to know what your temperature really is, isn't it?

 Interesting! The oil did drop to maybe 65-70 lbs after it warmed up. Kind of hard to see from the driver seat, not looking directly at it. And yes, it is nice to know what the temp is. I'm not sure how accurate these Bocsh gauges really are. Now I have to clean it for the 1st show this weekend if it doesn't rain.

Thanks for your help.

Geoff.

 

[Stanglover]

Ok it's done!! In and working fine. Hot, the oil reads 70psi, temp, 190f (192 stat) and volts at about 14V or maybe a little less, hard to tell from the driver seat.

Before anyone mentions it, I did mess up, just noticed when I took the pics. I installed the 'box' upside down!! Something to change if I ever take the dash apart again. I was getting really frustrated with this project and mistakes happen.

As for the tubes, I hid the copper oil feed in a rubber windshield washer hose for protection and looks and is barely noticeable. The temp feed is quite delicate, so I wrapped it with some plastic spiral wire wrap I had on hand. I then wrapped that with black loom wrap to the coil feed wires. The section from the coil to the pick-up sensor, I covered with that corrugated black plastic sleeve material. The result is nothing looks that out of place, which is what I wanted to achieve.

Job done!! I will post a few more pics when I get the car out later today with the engine hot and running.

Thanks to all for your input and help. It is very much appreciated and really what this great forum is for, helping each other.

Geoff.

 

[Don C]

Good job, they look good. ::thumb::

You can always tell critics that you put the box in upside down because you were tired of stuff flying out of it when you exercised the accelerator pedal. :whistling:

 

[Stanglover]

Good job, they look good. ::thumb::

You can always tell critics that you put the box in upside down because you were tired of stuff flying out of it when you exercised the accelerator pedal. :whistling:

 Thanks Don.

 Actually stuff is more likely to fly out of the box now, but too bad for now. Just something else to "fix" when I get bored!!

 

[73pony]

They look great. You have inspired me to finish up mine and get them installed now.

 

[Fabrice]

¡ǝɯosǝʍɐ sʞoo˥

 

[Don C]

Good job, they look good. ::thumb::

You can always tell critics that you put the box in upside down because you were tired of stuff flying out of it when you exercised the accelerator pedal. :whistling:

 Thanks Don.

 Actually stuff is more likely to fly out of the box now, but too bad for now. Just something else to "fix" when I get bored!!

But, less likely to put anything in it, looks like it would just slide out.

 

[Stanglover]

They look great. You have inspired me to finish up mine and get them installed now.

 Jason, Thank you.  Perhaps I can offer some tips!!!!

 

[Stanglover]

Final post on this subject.

Thanks to all who have inspired me to do it. I was on the fence, but now it's in, I'm happy I did it. Just a few small touch-ups needed.

Hers is a final pic or two of the gauges and my RCCI tach conversion running. Sorry for the glare.

Geoff.

 

[mach71351c]

A job well done.  ::thumb::

 

[secluff]

Looks good Geoff. Typical of the level work you perform and what everyone here is used to seeing from you! If anyone else on this Forum was on the fence about installing these type of gauges in the center cluster, this should push them the rest of the way.

 

[Stanglover]

Thank you Steve and Mike. Your compliments are very much appreciated.

Geoff.

 

[mudbilly]

Congrats........ :bravo: