Fitting gauges.

Post by **wanderinstar** » Fri Dec 31, 2004 4:51 pm

I have finally got round to fitting my gauges. Help reqd. re wiring. I presume the live for the electrical temp, gauge comes from the voltage stabilizer on back of speedo. But where do you take a feed from for battery condition indicator. Also is it possible to get a higher oil pressure switch, say 20psi.

Cheers,
Ian.

Post by **Kevin** » Fri Dec 31, 2004 10:15 pm

But where do you take a feed from for battery condition indicator.

The Battery if its easiest.
Why do you need a higher pressure oil switch, they are designed to come on at lower pressures 6lbs if I remember and are standard across the whole `A` series engines.

Post by **wanderinstar** » Fri Dec 31, 2004 11:15 pm

Because by the time the warning light comes on at 6psi the damage is done.Whereas if it comes on at say 20psi you have a chance to stop and save possible damage.

Post by **Kevin** » Fri Dec 31, 2004 11:36 pm

But thats why you should fit an oil pressure guage if you are worried, because if the oil pressure switch plays up as mine did earlier in the year the only way to be sure is to replace it, unless the engine is starting to rattle more than usual.

Post by **Willie** » Sat Jan 01, 2005 9:37 am

If you fitted a 20 lbs oil pressure switch then it would be most likely
'on' when you were on tickover after a run on a hot day if your engine
is well used? A warning light which is on too often tends to be ignored!!

Post by **Alec** » Sat Jan 01, 2005 3:49 pm

Hello WS,
correct for the temperature gauge, if it is a standard Smiths instrument.
Connect your battery condition indicator to an ignition switch supply, (white wire). Probably the easiest is a connection to your fuse block.

Alec

Post by **wanderinstar** » Wed Jan 05, 2005 5:07 pm

Hello Alec,
Thank you very much,this was what I thought ,but its nice to have it confirmed
Ian.

Post by **gluck** » Sat Jan 08, 2005 1:42 pm

another question related to gauges
Where do you fit them in the car?

Post by **Pyoor_Kate** » Sat Jan 08, 2005 4:14 pm

That rather depends

You can fit two small ones next to the speedo, I believe, and I think one of the specialists sells a replacement bit of alloy for the alloy-dashed cars, with holes in.

Otherwise: You can hang them on the shelf under the heater (seen that), or make up a panel and put them behind the steering wheel (a shot of mine just before I fitted it is here: http://www.pyoor.org/photos/cars/rebecca_new_dash.jpg) which is also a fairly popular location.

Post by **bigginger** » Sat Jan 08, 2005 4:45 pm

...like what Cam did too.
a

Post by **wanderinstar** » Sat Jan 08, 2005 5:46 pm

Kate,
Where did you get the glove box lid from or is it the original frame that you have welded a panel over.
Ian

Post by **woo** » Sat Jan 08, 2005 5:48 pm

WanderStar,

I fitted a Temperature, Ammeter and Oil Pressure Gauge here and connected them to the switched side of the slide switch that can turn off the main Instrument panel.

Post by **Pyoor_Kate** » Sat Jan 08, 2005 6:57 pm

Where did you get the glove box lid from or is it the original frame that you have welded a panel over.

It's one from a scrap minor which I've brazed an insert into and then filled....quite a lot. I want to redo it now I've got a welder, 'cos I wasn't at all happy with the quality. Also, I've learned that I can use about another half inch of the space left blank; 'cos the iPaq sits higher up than I expected....

Now all I need is a GPS addon and a harddrive and my car will be the first StrongARM powered minor ;-)

Post by **Cam** » Sun Jan 09, 2005 12:53 am

bigginger wrote:...like what Cam did too.
a

Like mine:

http://potteries.mmoc.org.uk/Members_Ca ... rris30.JPG

Which I made fom 3mm Aluminium shaped to fit and attached in the same way as the original (bolts/screws from underneath). Then just primed and painted.

Post by **wanderinstar** » Tue Jan 18, 2005 9:28 pm

Kate,
Do you remember back in Oct, New Gauges, Electrical.

You and Kevin were giving me so much hassle when I said that I had done the self same thing you have now done.

All I can say is "na na na na na "

Ian.

Post by **les** » Tue Jan 18, 2005 9:59 pm

If you've messed with a minor, fair enough, but if it's standard don't you think the beauty lies in the fact that the minor doesn't need them? No gauge, no worries! Perhaps a bit controversial, but it's a mind thing! I bet all who have gauges fitted to a car are always looking at them.

Post by **guydenning** » Wed Jan 19, 2005 1:10 pm

Cam wrote:
Like mine:

http://potteries.mmoc.org.uk/Members_Ca ... rris30.JPG

Which I made fom 3mm Aluminium shaped to fit and attached in the same way as the original (bolts/screws from underneath). Then just primed and painted.

...ere Grommett. That's a bit techno-trousers isn't it? makes my old man's smartcar sportster thingy look like trabant

Post by **Cam** » Wed Jan 19, 2005 3:51 pm

That's a bit techno-trousers isn't it?

Post by **Chris Morley** » Wed Jan 19, 2005 7:14 pm

but if it's standard don't you think the beauty lies in the fact that the minor doesn't need them?

Yep, I fully agree. Somehow I've managed without any warning guages over the last 5 years.
What's the point of having an oil pressure guage for example? Either there's enough oil pressure or there isn't - it's going to be obvious very quickly if things are going wrong by the engine note and / or lack of power. Plus the oil light on the speedo should illuminate when it's low on oil.

Post by **Pyoor_Kate** » Wed Jan 19, 2005 9:14 pm

Guy Denning wrote:...ere Grommett. That's a bit techno-trousers isn't it? makes my old man's smartcar sportster thingy look like trabant

Uh, well, see, I thought to myself "I've got this iPaq I bought when I was ill, and I'm not using it now".... and then I thought "it could be a music player in the mog..."... and then... well, then it just spiraled. That plus the set of gauges from a Reliant Scimtar.

Chris Morley wrote:What's the point of having an oil pressure guage for example? Either there's enough oil pressure or there isn't - it's going to be obvious very quickly if things are going wrong by the engine note and / or lack of power.

Weeelll, see, I get this flickering oil-pressure light at idle when I dash off the motorway in hot weather, and I've always wondered how bad it was... and see, Rebecca *came* with a dash insert, and no glove box. So I'm kinda keeping her the way she was originally. Just um, tider, and with instruments actually connected to things as opposed to just sat there. Oh, and a clock

I also love having a Rev Counter. Makes me feel all sporty ;-)