This is exactly why I "need" the four holes---thought to install several mini switches to bounce between senders. Use a blank out plate and probably get up to 3 switches---could be used to control or trigger anything. Good idea we both had! LOL

 

now thats brilliant

 

Very nice! I even have another spot for such a gauge, check this out!




Here's my F650 dash with 6 uplifter switches and room for two more gauges. The color doesn't match the rest of my dash so I took it to a automotive paint shop to match it to the rest of my dash. As you can see It's not painted yet but will provide me a spot to add a multi use gauge. Maybe read engine oil and rear diff. temp. I'll double check on the sensors for you and post back...I beleive they are the same.

 

I just returned from a trip to the mountains and wanted to give an update how the gauges worked. First, I do not even look at the stock OEM gauges anymore…they are useless. As expected the gauges rise and fall with weather or driving conditions providing real-time feedback as the OEM gauges just stay in the same position. The most interesting was the transmission gauge information…probably because I didn’t have a tranny gauge before I installed this one. The highest temperatures observed were not pulling the 9,300 ft. mountain summit but in a small town that had a bunch of stop signs. I was surprised to look up and see 200 degrees on the tranny while towing through the maze of stop signs. It normally ran 180-190 degrees depending on the driving situation. The water temp was the second most interesting…I observed 210 degrees with the A/C running and pulling some of the mountain passes. This was the highest temp…most of the time it was running 200, this was higher then expected but normal according to other at FTE. The higher temps could be the location of the sensor in the block? The oil pressure wasn’t a surprise as I’ve been running a mechanical oil pressure gauge for a while. However, if you don’t have a “real” gauge the oil pressure can be as high as 85 psi when cold, run about 60 psi while cruising down the road, and idle at 25 psi. Your stock gauges just don’t tell you anything! The fuel pressure gauge was cool for the first few weeks…now its just boring as another FTE member mentioned earlier. The idle pressure runs about 32, cruising about 38, and hits 40 psi if you get on it.

 

Nice report once again!

Slow speeds and the TC being unlocked with lots of shifting will definitely spick the transmission temps.

 

Great job nice and clean.
~Gage~

 

Could you please tell me how to wire the Autometer Dimmer? I have the C2 Cobalt gauges and they are too bright at night. I have it hooked up as "Option 1" on the instructions which is wired to the OEM dimmer control and it doesn't work. So, I guess I have to go to "Option 2" which says to hook up the violet wire to a switched 12V source. So my question is, by using a switched 12V source should I be using a source that only turns on when the lights come on? I'm guessing whichever wire gives the power to the light switch will work? I hope I just answered my own question, but wiring has never been my strong suit!

 

I’ll make some assumptions that ALL Auto-meter gauges have the same wiring color. Also, black on the gauges and the dimmer control are ground. Besides black the gauges have two other colors Red and White. Red is “Key ON” hot, meaning when you turn the key on it provides power to run the gauges. White is “Lights ON” hot, meaning when you turn your lights on it provides power to the gauges. If you have the “Lights ON” hot connected to your truck dimmer I would relocate it somewhere other then the dimmer. Now, simply splice the 9114 dimmer into the White wire connecting the violet on the power side and the dimmer 9114 white to white, done. Make sure you have the ground wires secure. Hopefully my assumptions are correct. Let me know if you have any further questions. Be sure to provide an update after the install.

 

Thank you. Hopefully I'll have some time this weekend to get to it, and I'll let you know if I was successful or not! It will be really nice to get this working as night driving feels borderline dangerous with those lights-I have the pillar column and making left hand turns is especially awkward since I can't see anything to the left!

 

I understand mine were VERY bright...the dimmer really works well and allows adjustment to match your stock gauge brightness level, you'll love it.

 

I finally had a free minute after work tonight and got this going! Thank you so much for the instruction-exactly what I needed!

 

Awesome tech, Mr-Pipeline! Thanks!!

I can't figure out where that oil pressure sender is though. Can you describe that location?

I'm also struggling to fit warning light switches. Your locations are great for the 1/8" pipe senders for the gauges, but to fit a T and the fat warning light switch is a whole other thing. ANy input would be appreciated.

BTW, it's a 99 F53 motorhome chassis.

thanks!!
kevin

 

I haven't crawled around a motorhome V10 but would be surprised that it's much different than an F-series engine. The stock sender is located on the oil cooler extension on the driver side of the engine. This is the part your oil filter screws onto. Look toward the front of the engine and you should find the stock oil sending unit. This is 1/4"...if you look closely to the picture I installed a 1/4 tee, then down to 1/8" for the autometer oil pressure unit, theirs two sensors in the same location. Hope this helps!

 

This photo may help locate the oil pressure sensor location:

Looking upwards and to the rear, front crossmember is to the extreme right.

HTH

 

Thank you both for the help!

In the motorhome chassis, that location is directly above the front crossmember and next to the frame rail, so it's not nearly so convenient or roomy. But once I swap my 1/2" NPT switches for some 1/4" NPT switches, I think I can work with it.

For now, I gave it back to the owner with the gauges working, but not the warning lights.

On my test drive, oil temp at the upper rear of the driver's side cylinder head (pipe plug in the passage feeding the rear cam journal) was equal to water temp or 10-15 deg above water temp, with a max of ~225.

Water temp was measured at the pipe plug below the block heater location on your truck (just a freeze plug on the MH, no heater). Max was ~210 or so.

Trans temp at the test port was maybe 185-190 on the highway at 75 MPH, 170-ish on a 55 mph state route.

Outside temp was low 90s, 60% humidity.

This motorhome is a Winnebago Adventurer, maybe ~34', on a 99 F53 chassis. Only 31K miles, so it should be in good shape. Had ~80 PSI in the tires when I got it; I pumped it up to 100 PSI. It is the WORST-DRIVING thing I've ever driven!!! How the hell do people drive those things all over the country?!?!?

I drove a 26' rental truck, fully loaded and hauling a car on a trailer from MD to FL. Half-ton truck, loaded, pulling a car, MD to NC. E350 pulling a ~24' travel trailer. 1970 Dodge D600 crew cab with 26' box, race car inside. Dually truck with 26' gooseneck. Fairmont Wagon pulling a T-Bird Turbo Coupe on a dolly across FL. I've driven a tractor trailer a couple of miles on the road (not legal), and a whole bunch in a parking lot. I can back a 53' trailer around a corner and park it. Triaxle dumptrucks and $500,000 fire trucks in parking lots, backing up, parking, parallel parking - no problem. I've owned a whole bunch of worn-out $300 cars.

I'd rather do any of those one-handed and without my glasses than drive that motorhome again!

Dayum!