My winter project is to put in new Autometer Phantom gauges. I'm starting to read old threads about the installation but have not seen how to actually wire up the small gauges in the bezel.

I know you can't use the old connectors. Just looking to see how you guys did your wiring.

I'm thinking that I should unhook the old connectors and tape them up so they can be used later if I ever want them to go back to being factory. If I use brand new wiring for everything, should I run one hot from the fusebox and run a splitter off that to get to each gauge? Then all new wires into the engine bay?

Lastly, is there a trick to the fuel gauge? Getting a 0-90 ohm gauge. I've read in some old threads that some have issues with the gauges not reading right. Can we use the original sender with autometer gauges? Just put on a new tank last winter and don't want to take off the sender if I don't have too.

 

I used the existing fuel sending unit and just put a flat connector into the stock wiring connector, no problem, reads fine. Oil I used the factory wiring harness but replaced the sending unit with the Autometer. Water temp I ran a new wire from the dash to the sending unit mounted next to the water outlet in the intake. Volts I grabbed a 12v power supply from under the dash. Trans temp I ran a line to a sending unit I put in the rear of the pan.

Lights - I used one of the factory bulb sockets and a ground wire. I connected all of the autometer wires inline and it works fine. One thing with the Sport Comp II gauges is they are LED lights and super bright so I bought the Autometer dimmer switch to lower the brightness.





.

 

I made up my own wiring harness for power, ground, and lights complete with inline fuse holders for the small fuses recommended for each gauge. Had to use glass barrel fuses as I couldn't find the blade type in the small size required (1 amp if I remember correctly). I built the harness so that the fuse holders are mostly behind their respective gauges including the new speedo and tach but still fairly easy to get to should a fuse blow.

I did as you suggest and just taped up the factory wires for future use, except that I connected the output of the new fuel gauge to the factory fuel gauge wires. For the rest, I used the new wiring that came with each gauge.

I didn't have an issue with the fuel sending unit. Like palmbeachvette76, I used Auto Meter Sport Comp IIs. I was able to pick a full sweep fuel gauge model that worked with a factory GM sender. I looked at the Phantom gauges but disregarded them for some reason which I now can't remember. Just make sure with Auto Meter the fuel gauge you pick is set up for a factory GM sender. They likely have several versions of the gauge to work with various sending units.

I'm now going to have to pick up one of the Auto Meter dimmer switches mentioned by palmbeachvette76. Mine are not horribly bright but I'd like to dial them back to about 90% of full brightness.

Good luck.

DC

 

Thanks for the replys.