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triple gauge install question

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triple gauge install question *updated w/pics*

Pics are now at the bottom of this page. Muddytazz also posted a pic of his tranny temp gauge.


I am installing a cheap mechanical Summit triple gauge set in my '79 K20. I put them where the factory gauges were and they look cool (like you care, right? :rolleyes: ) Anyway, the directions that came with them are of little help. I will try to find the wire in the wiring harness that went to the factory volt gauge, but if I can't find it then where should I connect the B+ wire? And if there is a bunch of air in the plastic tubing for the oil pressure gauge will this affect the reading?
 
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You can hook the voltmeter up to any 12volt source, tap in anywhere, it just monitors how much voltage you have at that point. And good luck with the plastic tubing. It has given me a hot foot before when it broke under the dash, and if you kink it , it WILL leak. I think the manufacturers advise against it but I use 1/8 copper line. I slide it though some old fuel line or vacuum line to protect it at wear points, and to avoid any shorts if you get close to anypositive wires.
good luck
bob
 
I had an oil slick too....

Ditto on the plastic tubing--ditch it and get 1/8 copper tubing,or you can use adapters to use 3/16 brake line instead,and using the rubber hose is a good idea too..and the air trapped in the line is normal,wont affect the readings...

I put a triple gauge setup in a 75 K5 I had,I mounted them in the dash,where an A/C duct normally would have been if it had A/C,right above the ashtray--they looked great,and were easy to read there!--my K20 has a CB mounted in the same spot,real handy and it looks custom too..:crazy:
 
just make sure you tap your volt gage to a source that is controlled by your ignition switch.

you could tap into the momentary power on your radio.
 
MOABDADC22 said:
Got any pics of the gauges in the factory dash? I was going to do the same thing.
Click to expand...



I don't have any pics yet. I will take some though and send them to ya'.
 
MOABDADC22 said:
Got any pics of the gauges in the factory dash? I was going to do the same thing.
Click to expand...
On a side note but somewhat on topic, I installed a tranny temp gauge in the factory clock location. Turned out pretty slick :cool1:
 
RootBreaker said:
got a pic??
Click to expand...
Not the best pic, I can get a better one if you'd like tho

5586IMAG00021.JPG
 
That looks cool how you did it by putting it behind the factory plastic like the other gauges. I did mine the easy way and flush mounted them in the factory locations, but it looks good enough for my old pile. :D
 
Here are a couple pics of my elcheapo Summit 270 degree sweep gauges. They aren't centered perfectly because of the way the dash bezel is made, but it's good enough for me. Note my incredible oil pressure? That's at an idle at 1000 rpm!





1864712-28-04_011.jpg


1864712-28-04_005.jpg
 
oil pressure ok

The 400 SB in my 74 K20(actually a 78 motor from a burb)has had no more than 8-12 lbs of oil pressure at idle for 15 years now--it runs quiet,no lifter noise or tapping when first started--many chevy motors dont have much pressure at idle-
-I was suprised to see the 305 I put in my 79 C10 has 30- 35lbs at idle,and buries it past 60psi at 2500 rpm--I did put a new oil pump and screen in it,and a timing chain when I put the motor in--but it had the same pressure with the original pump (113,000 miles)and half clogged screen(full of nylon cam gear teeth!)as the new one!--maybe that motor is "tighter" than the 400,or more likely,the 400's oil pump is pretty worn,and I would not doubt if it has a screen clogged with nylon teeth too:blush: .

I see you overfilled the gas tank!!(actually,you probably have a broken wire to the sending unit,or ground wire from the sender to the frame,or a bad sending unit in the tank)...I've had a dozen or so GM cars and trucks,and only 5 or 6 had a working gas gauge!:mad: .The gauges look good in the dash,and are much easier to read than the originals(at least they have bulbs that are brighter than candles!). :crazy:
 
it's the gauge the stock one's are not very good, Mine did the same thing so I put the new gauges and now I have around 30lbs at idle, and it was never running as hot as I thought, and it is charging at around 13.6volts. the stock gauges were way off.
 
I wish that my motor was quiet, it makes a lot of knocking noise - warm or cold. I have a 454 at the machine shop so hopefully the sb will last. And yep, it's a missing wire on the fuel gauge. I had to remove it when I was putting in my divorced t-case and haven't gotten off my lazy a$$ to fix it yet... maybe one of these I'll get around to it... :rolleyes:
 
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