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View Full Version : problems with my gauge install (any suggestions?)


bobafett
02-19-2005, 02:41 PM
ok i went ahead and installed all of my gauges finally..

i have voltage, water temp and oil pressure, all electric, none are mechanical...

the gauges all have:

s: source from sending unit
i: 12v switched power
g: engine ground

as i understand it from the instructions these all came with:

the voltage gauge doesnt need anything hooked up to the S post, as it reads its voltage directly from the power source
the gauges need +12v positive power, i tapped mine from the radio power wire (this seems to be an acceptable spot for most gauge installs from what i have read).

for my ground however, i tapped into the black stereo wire, i think this is where i went wrong, as i think i need to ground to the chassis...

here are the symptons with my gauges:
when i turn ignition on my volt gauge comes alive up to 12v, working the way it should, and my water temp gauge need budges a slight bit, the oil temp sender is not hooked up, so that gauge does not respond yet.

when i start the car the volt gauge takes a few seconds and it settles down at 14v and stays there, even when im idling, and when i rev, it doesnt change at all, and when i turn on AC or headlights it doesnt drop at all... from what i understand this doesnt sound right, in my accord the gauge would idle at like 12v and when i had my subs pounding it would drop, and any other electrical load would affect the gauge, but it doesnt appear to.
my water temp gauge doesnt move even when the stock gauge reads warm and my fans come on. (electric fans)...

do you think that simply changing the ground could fix this?

also my lights get REAAAAAAAALY hot, so hot they browned the outside of the gauge case, this is not normal, because i have had the gauges hooked up in other cars and it didnt do that...

i have power for the lights and for the "I" on the gauge coming all from the same source (radio switched power), and the grounds are going to what i assumed to be the radios ground wire.

im hoping that by changing the ground it will fix it, but i want your input on the "proper" way to install these before i redo the wiring and then decide to redo it another time based on your suggested methods....

where did i go wrong? (other than using autometer gauges lol)

sdtouge
02-19-2005, 04:58 PM
if oyu have an electric water temp you need to ground the sender, the adapter (wich i assume you used to put the sender in) hgas a spot for you to grtound it, you could also not have the right sender (maybe you orderd a stock one or something...

bobafett
02-20-2005, 02:17 PM
im not sure i understand...

the water temp sending unit that i have, is the one that came with my autometer gauge... its not the stock one.

the "adapter" is this:
http://www.splparts.com/Parts/Universal/Hardware/Fittings/GreddyWaterTempAdapter.jpg

it has one threaded hole in it which came as 1/8 BSPT, which i had to tap to 1/8 NPT -27 in order to fit my autometer gauge into it.

according the the autometer instructions, the water temp sender does not need to be groudned seperately, the fuel pressure guage instructions DO show they want a seperate ground, but not on the water temp gauge (they have instructions for all electric type gauges on the intructions)

on the autometer sender i dont know how i would hook up a ground unless i just stacked the 2 ring terminals and grounded one of them, i guess i can try it, but im not convinced it really needs one....

projectRDM
02-20-2005, 02:38 PM
There is no ground in the OE radio harness. Ground them to the chassis. That's your problem.

HyperTek
02-20-2005, 03:26 PM
reading higher then 12v on the voltmeter just shows your charging system in effect.. I think too high of a reading means your altenator is dying.. A better place to tap it woulda been in the steering column, one of the wires that comes off the ignition would be perfect.

sdtouge
02-20-2005, 04:33 PM
they say it does not need to be seprarttly grounded for the sender because they think you putting it into your block where ther you wouldnt need to ground it, not something thats surround3ed by rubber.

you know how there is 2 holes with screws? the second ittle one is for you to ground it. i promise you if you ground it it will work, it will cost you like 3 dollars in supplies if you dont already have them, i just drilled a little hole in frount of the radiator and bought a nut/screw sut to tightne that down, but i would recomend grounding it around the screw were you bolt on the radiator, its a 10mm bolt and really easy, and the wiring can be done neatly.



TRUST ME GROUND IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

sdtouge
02-20-2005, 04:35 PM
you have to have a ground for the gauge, a postive (ignition or sothing'0mfor the gauge, then the last one goes to your sender that you put in your rad. hose... you can also get grounds and positives (for the actual gauge) from thr back or your circuit board on your speedo.

good lucck and lmk how that works for you, i am 99.99% shure that i will work aewsome now.

projectRDM
02-20-2005, 06:35 PM
reading higher then 12v on the voltmeter just shows your charging system in effect.. I think too high of a reading means your altenator is dying.. A better place to tap it woulda been in the steering column, one of the wires that comes off the ignition would be perfect.

Voltage should be between 11.8-14.4 V, a bad alternator would register lower than that, or badly fluctuate.