When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Hi all - I installed my after market -temp, volt, oil gauges I used the original screw holes for the underdash a/c valance one for tach (yet to hook it up) and one for the right side of the three pack gauges (was thinking about using two sided 3M tape to secure the three pack housing with just one screw on one side so I don’t alter my original dash - I’ve got a good ground for the light in them - but I really don’t know what I’m doing as far as hooking the lights up - is this the proper way to do it?
This is how I have the gauges mounted - need to add the two sides tape to secure the three pack cluster better. Is this the correct way to do it? Order these and... Install in the “inst lps” fuse and run a jumper to the after market gauges? Or is there a better way? (This isn’t my fuse panel - found it online)
Last edited by 72442455; September 18th, 2019 at 03:44 PM.
This is my fuse box - see how “ign” in the center has a blade? (Think it’s called a spade connector but not sure) And battery and accessory has no blade? (I put a test light in there and they have power when off (bat) ... key on (accessory) and ign is key on as well (I assume and running?) the red big deal at the top is my power windows I believe This is plugged into the blade at “ign” and PO spliced it into two - I’m using it for volt gauge and electric fan now I believe. Is this just a female spade connector inside a fancy white plastic box or something else? Here’s it plugged in - what goes into the bat and accy slots to create that blade? I believe I want my tac plugged into ign and volt gauge into accy and phone charger lighter into bat and fans on accy - that sound right? Please post pic or part number of what does in the slots to create blade if able - and female connector for it as well? Once I get that squared away I still need to figure out how to link after market gauges into dash dimmer lighting
You don't want the fans running off of any fuse block terminals, you need a relay. Your volt meter can tap off any key'd source, it draws nothing. Lighting you can tap into any gray wire under the dash. You can tie the tach and the HEI power together. You can use the mounting screws for ground.
You don't want the fans running off of any fuse block terminals, you need a relay. Your volt meter can tap off any key'd source, it draws nothing. Lighting you can tap into any gray wire under the dash. You can tie the tach and the HEI power together. You can use the mounting screws for ground.
Not sure I “sold it” well enough when I was explaining how little I know about electrical - not sure how I wired my fan originally but I put a toggle switch under dash to turn it on and off - have to research that. I’ll google “relay” and see what that entails
Any keyed source? So using that splitter in the center fuse from “ign” is a good deal?
Tapping into any grey wire? So pull the fuel gauge cluster and look for any grey wire dangling there and hack saw it in half and slide a butt connector on one end and run both wires into the other half? Actually five wires (the other end of the original wire and four separate wires to the four gauge lights)
I’m pretty sure I’ve got the gauges right - not an hei so ground straight to battery - power to ign in fuse panel - green to ignition coil (have to read which side again) sound about right? but the white wire for light is again where I don’t know - sounds messy just hacking into the grey like that... open for ideas on how exactly to attach to grey wire?
and also ... any info on those missing blades for accy and bat in center of fuse panel?
Last edited by 72442455; September 18th, 2019 at 04:55 PM.
You don't want the fans running off of any fuse block terminals, you need a relay. Your volt meter can tap off any key'd source, it draws nothing. Lighting you can tap into any gray wire under the dash. You can tie the tach and the HEI power together. You can use the mounting screws for ground.
Just read up on fan relays - yeah sounds like my toggle switch is an electrical no-no. I’ll have to address that - one disaster at a time please 😜 - the heat sensor for the relay... does that require a submerged temp sensor to go into the intake manifold like the after market temp gauge? And thanks for the reply by the way!
Actually - it says to wire tac up to “bat” does that sound right? Constant power? (Actually reading further it says “ign” just a poor diagram) And it said I should run neg all the way back to battery’s ground due to other locations being “electrically noisy” (thoughts?) green goes to my ignition coils negative - then diagram shows splice connector for (in my case grey) dimmer wire. Going to read up on splice connector - never used one
The terminals used in the factory wire harness are not hardware store spade terminals. They are Packard 56 terminals. You can buy them from a number of vendors (and even NAPA and AutoZone now).
Be aware that there are a lot of really crappy Chinesium versions of these terminals out there. DO NOT use them. Get correct ones that look like this. Waytek Wire and Del City are also good sources.
These are examples of ones to avoid:
The gauge light wire should be tied to the grey instrument illumination circuit wire. That runs behind the dash cluster and feeds the stock instruments and other illumination lights. There is a pigtail behind the clock location in the dash, which is usually a good place to connect to.
DO NOT use those stupid blue ScotchLok squeeze connectors. They should be outlawed. Use solder and shrink tubing.
The terminals used in the factory wire harness are not hardware store spade terminals. They are Packard 56 terminals. You can buy them from a number of vendors (and even NAPA and AutoZone now).
Be aware that there are a lot of really crappy Chinesium versions of these terminals out there. DO NOT use them. Get correct ones that look like this. Waytek Wire and Del City are also good sources.
These are examples of ones to avoid:
The gauge light wire should be tied to the grey instrument illumination circuit wire. That runs behind the dash cluster and feeds the stock instruments and other illumination lights. There is a pigtail behind the clock location in the dash, which is usually a good place to connect to.
DO NOT use those stupid blue ScotchLok squeeze connectors. They should be outlawed. Use solder and shrink tubing.
Thanks Oldscutlass, Joe and Vintage Chief - I have a few more questions ... These are the connectors del city has - is this what you said NOT to use? If not.. this is the part the connects to ... These back in the holes? If so? I don’t understand how they attach? (Sorry for being obtuse - it’s just not obvious to me) This is the female del city has - it look like one you said not to use - but curious how it would work - do you fold the four rectangles on the thin part over a wire?
lastly ... when cutting the grey wire - simply cut it in half? Then can I run all four red wires from the after market gauges together and run one wire up to the grey? Then just solder the three ends together and heat shrink over them? (Again apologize for such novice questions and I really appreciate your time and patience)
If you were to remove the fuse panel from the firwall, you would be able to insert one of those male Packard 56 terminals into the blank BAT and ACCY holes. Since your car didn't need them from the factory, those were not installed.
The male terminal from DelCity looks like a good one. The brass female terminal looks a little cheesy. I've had problems with the Chinesium terminals not fitting in the plastic connector bodies.
I would not cut the grey wire. I'd pull the grey wire off the back of your clock/tach and build a "Y" cable that plugs into that connector, attaches to the back of the clock/tach, and has a wire that connect to your gauges.
If you were to remove the fuse panel from the firwall, you would be able to insert one of those male Packard 56 terminals into the blank BAT and ACCY holes. Since your car didn't need them from the factory, those were not installed.
The male terminal from DelCity looks like a good one. The brass female terminal looks a little cheesy. I've had problems with the Chinesium terminals not fitting in the plastic connector bodies.
I would not cut the grey wire. I'd pull the grey wire off the back of your clock/tach and build a "Y" cable that plugs into that connector, attaches to the back of the clock/tach, and has a wire that connect to your gauges.
September 18th, 2019, 02:57 PM
