after market gauges,

thunderbird89sc

Registered User
I was wondering how hard it is to replace/put in a new oil pressure gauge and water tepm gauge, and where is the best place to put them in the motor, i would like to use the oil sending unit hole if that is possiable, could some one please give me a step by step on how to do this, and pics, of where you places the sensors in the motor would help alot, thanks in advance,



Matt
 
I haven't much helpful to add, only that you probably can't use the original sending unit for the oil pressure guage.

It turns out that the stock oil pressure guage on a SC isn't a guage at all, but it's a switch. Either it reads all the way in the red (less than about 8psi) or it reads normal.
 
what i meant was...

can i use the same opening as the oil sending unit uses, not the unit itself, how ever i would like both the stock and after market gauges to work,


matt
 
OK...I CAN help you with this. I went through this about a week ago. I can give you a step by step if you'd like and pics too. First off....If you want yourstock guage to still work, you will need to plumb in two fittings for the stock, and the new sending units. The oil pressure guage...if the stock one isn't there, you will get a check gauge light on all the time. And you cant run two wires off the new sender, it will split the signal( if the pressure is 60...then both gauges will read 30). So...you need to wire both senders for at least the oil pressure gauge. I went with autometer sport comp. electric oil pressure and water temp. The new autometer sender is huge, and the stock one is tiny. So finding a place for it is tough. This is what i did after a lot of thinking and trial and error.
The stock sender has 1/4" pipe threads, but the new autometer sender is 1/8". But...they will give you a 1/8-1/4 adapter. This is what you need to buy if you want to step it up like mine and wire in both sender.
You will need
1/4"-1/8" adapter(comes in the kit)
1/8" nipple
1/8" t-fitting
1/8"-1/4" adapter(for the stock sender)
1 1/2" long 1/8" extension
and a 1/8" union

this is pretty simple. just getting the stuff in there is tough. You should take the belt off and get at the stock pressure sender easier. Go out and get a oil pressure sender socket. Take the old one out, but save it. Screw the 1/4" adapter in the stock location. Then put the 1/8" nipple into that adapter. Put the t-fitting on top of that. It should be postioned so that the "t" has an outlet on the top....the bottom...and one on the side. So in sense...it will be the letter T...on its side. After you get it positioned just right, make the side outlet facing towards the P/S pump. Screw the 1/8"-1/4" adapter into this side outlet. Then put the stock sender in that spot. Now for the new sender. This will only fit on the top because its so big. Put the extention....then put the union on top of that..then the new sender.
This might sound complicated....but its easy. Getting at these things to tighten might be tough....but keep at it. It took me a while to figure it out...but i did it. The spot is tought to get at...and you are limitted to what you can use to make things fit. Once everything is hooked up....you can now connect the wires. I had to make my stock sender wire a little longer. Start her up and check for leaks. Mine had none...and be sure to use some teflon tape on all connections. AS for the water temp..you could use a t-fitting here too....but i use swapped the stock sender...for the new one. I have a manual fan switch so i didn;t matter that the stock one was not there. Plus if you use a t-fitting...neither sender will be in dirrect flow of the water..so you wont get a good reading. ANyways..good luck and i can take pics APAP if you really need them...i'm just lazy at the momment. LOL....once again goodluck.
 
Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought I had heard that the Gauge in the SC was a true gauge, but it was the sendor that just sent a signal based on minimal pressure or not.

Thus a new sender could get the gauge working more like a real pressure gauge.

I might be getting this confused with my Ranger though. Ford likes to play games with the guages for some reason.
 
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