Aftermarket gauge wire up

[516MA]

Im going to be buying some gauges in the near future and as this is a race car i will only have 3 tacho/water temp/ oil pressure now me the di*ckhead thought that when i get aftermarket ones i wont need the standard ones and cut the wires.

now how do i wire them up? i no where they go under the bonnet but im stumped as to where they wire up to under the dash.


now as its a race car i have taken the indicator/ wiper switch out, does this mean i need to have a switch on the inside for the gauge lights? is it possible to wire them up so i can have them on whenever the ignition is?

Thanks

Nick

[mooey1232003]

I recently connected an oil pressure gauge and connected it to the wires that connect to the clock(Black, red, green/white). I connected the negative of the gauge to the black wire and positive to the green/white. The gauge lights turn on when the dash lights are turned on.

[516MA]

yea but my point is that i dont have the factory dash light switch

Nick

[mooey1232003]

oh i see. I dunno how to connect it without the switch.

[75wagon]

If you want the lights to work just hook them up to an ignition positive. Then they will turn on every time you turn on the ignition.
Why do you want them on, are you going to be racing at night?

now how do i wire them up? i no where they go under the bonnet but im stumped as to where they wire up to under the dash

Got a workshop manual? Look at the wiring diagrams, it will have wire identification by colour and that will take the guess work out of it.
When you get the new gauges, (if they are new), they will come with wiring diagrams to show how to hook them up.
Just make sure you buy the right ones. Let them know if your car is fuel injected or electronic ignition, it may make a difference for the wiring.....

[81GL]

Alternatively... purchase the water temp & oil pressure as a mechanical gauge, no wiring.

if you already have a dash board fitted tacho, whats wrong with that? if not, your running a new signal cable to the coil anyway

Nick.

[516MA]

yea no mate thats my plan is to run mechanical gauges... can u run them inside the car?

I dont have a dash tacho so im getting new one still dunno whether to 5 inch with shift light or 3 3/4 inch with shift light.

I no theres no wiring but there is for the lights... thats what i need to no.

Nick

[panda]

I dont have a dash tacho so im getting new one still dunno whether to 5 inch with shift light or 3 3/4 inch with shift light.Nick

I have several 'tacho' dashes for GJ-GK-GN if youre interested, cheap. Manual or Auto. You don't need a shift light, just change up when it feels good. ;)

panda

[81GL]

just change up when it feels good. ;)

Thats what the rev limiter indicates doesn't it

Yeah, course you can run em into the car, just be sure to use rubber grommets going through the fire wall.

So all you need to know is how to wire up the lights in the gauges by the sounds?
GE/GH: should have a reasonable size relay mounted near the battery which controls your lights. interior/dash lights are taken from the same place as the tail lights.
how stripped is the car? should be able to trace a wire back to the relay (match up the colours)
-get a work shop manual for a GE, have a GH one here, but not sure if the colouring is compatible.

Nick.

[516MA]

could i do what 75wagon suggested? put them into the positive on the ignition?

where does the negative go?


Nick

[516MA]

and just so u no its very very stripped u can look here: http://www.sigma-galant.com/viewtopic.php?f=48&t=2141

Nick

[75wagon]

The negative gets earthed to any part of the body.

[75wagon]

So all you need to know is how to wire up the lights in the gauges by the sounds?
GE/GH: should have a reasonable size relay mounted near the battery which controls your lights. interior/dash lights are taken from the same place as the tail lights.
how stripped is the car? should be able to trace a wire back to the relay (match up the colours)
-get a work shop manual for a GE, have a GH one here, but not sure if the colouring is compatible.

Only the headlights run through a relay, they draw too many amps to be drawn through a switch.
Taillights and dash lights are just run through a fuse in your fuse box.
(At least every other car I've ever worked on has been that way)

You can eliminate the need for a switch by running off the ignition positive, just put a fuse in. The amount of amps 2 little globes will draw, to light up 2 gauges wont be a problem at all.

[516MA]

so hang on from what i understand ur saying is from the gauge the negative goes to a part of the body and the positive i just cut a bit open on the positive of the ignition and wire it in?

Nick

[75wagon]

yes, that's right, that's what I'm saying.
Just put an in-line fuse on the positive, not a permanent positive but an ignition positive.
You can even put an in-line switch in it if you want.
The body is a common earth, touch any part of it and it's a negative.

[516MA]

so is the ignition positive a wire off the ignition barrel? soz but im a real noob at this stuff lol

do u no what colour lol

Nick

[75wagon]

let me introduce you to a test light, they are a wonderful thing.
You can buy one or make one.
12v globe with 2 wires, good to put a small sharpened nail on one end.
Put it to both terminals on your battery and if it works it's a test light.

to test an ignition positive is easy.
put the end without the nail to the body of the car, undoing a bolt, putting the wire in and re-tightening the bolt is good.
place the nail end into the wires coming from the ignition.
(you must test each wire with the ignition in the on and off positions)
-If it lights up when you have the ignition off then look for another wire.
-If it doesn't light up at all find another wire.
-What you are looking for is the light globe to light up when the ignition is on, and turn off when the ignition is off. When you find this then that is your wire.
Have fun. If you blow the globe then you'll need another. You could use a meter as well, but the globe or test light is very effective.

[516MA]

what do u mean by inline fuse??

Nick

[75wagon]

It's a fuse in an insulated holder with a wire from each end. Like the ones that come on the back of your stereos.
It's like a one fuse, fuse box.

Google it.

[75wagon]

Here's one
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index ... Id=2102784

[516MA]

oh alright mate could i just get these things from supercheap?

Umm on more question do i wire the gauge positives together from the 3 gauges or have them all individually?

Nick

[75wagon]

together should be ok....