Hey while my motor is out getting built can I wire these gauges in without the motor being in?

They are autometer cobalt, all electrical.

Wideband
Boost
Oil Temp
Oil Pressure
Fuel Pressure

A shop wants $450 to wire in those 5 gauges and people are telling me I'm nuts and that it's easy. Do they just wire into the ECU?

 

im pretty sure the autometer gauges come with instructions. the gauges are going to run independently of your ecu or other sensors. you will need to find places for all the sensors and then wire power, ground and illumination.

oil press. - oil sandwich adapter or tee off stock location
oil temp - bung on bottom of oil pan
boost - line of IM or tee into other vac source
wideband - replace o2 sensor
fuel presure - at the filter or at the rail

kinda generic but research what others have done and it shouldnt be to hard. also i always try to solder and shrink wrap all connections

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by dpetro1 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">im pretty sure the autometer gauges come with instructions. the gauges are going to run independently of your ecu or other sensors. you will need to find places for all the sensors and then wire power, ground and illumination.

oil press. - oil sandwich adapter or tee off stock location
oil temp - bung on bottom of oil pan
boost - line of IM or tee into other vac source
wideband - replace o2 sensor
fuel presure - at the filter or at the rail

kinda generic but research what others have done and it shouldnt be to hard. also i always try to solder and shrink wrap all connections</TD></TR></TABLE>

Thinks for the help man. I would definately solder in all the wires, just wanted a feel if I could go ahead and wire them in now while the motor is out or not. It seems like I can wire up most of the wires on the gauges? Just leave the ones that need the sensors I guess until the motor is back in...

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by dpetro1 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">oil temp - bung on bottom of oil pan

kinda generic but research what others have done and it shouldnt be to hard. also i always try to solder and shrink wrap all connections</TD></TR></TABLE>
The bottom of the pan might not be ideal since you could rip it off But yea, definitely solder your connection...never use half-assed butt connectors.

I definitely wouldn't pay $450 for a shop to do it. You'll have no idea what quality you are getting...plus that's a lot of money for a simple afternoon's worth of work on your part. Just get the motor in there and then wire in the gauges.

 

Yea that is what I figured, I just was confused on how you know which wires off the ECU to splice into? Is there a diagram I need to install these guages?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Dunc &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
The bottom of the pan might not be ideal since you could rip it off </TD></TR></TABLE>

LOL, meant low on the pan but in the side.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by totsie7944 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Yea that is what I figured, I just was confused on how you know which wires off the ECU to splice into? Is there a diagram I need to install these guages?</TD></TR></TABLE>

you could wire everything up and wait to attach sensors once the motor is in. i wouldnt even tap into the ecu. i try to stay away from the ecu harness as much as possible. just fine some power/ground under the dash somewhere.

 

So for oil temp do I need to weld anything or have any special tools?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by totsie7944 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">So for oil temp do I need to weld anything or have any special tools?</TD></TR></TABLE>

drill a hole in the pan, screw on compression fitting, attach wire. Hands a drill and wrenches and you're good!

 

for the oil temp and pressure, just use a greddy sandwhich adapter. you can use both adapters on that thing

 

Sweet....I didn't think about those sandwhich adapters! Thanks