71 F100 351 swap - can this be wired to factory gauges?
#1
71 F100 351 swap - can this be wired to factory gauges?
Hello, pretty new here and may not be searching the right terms to find the answers I need. If anyone can help with this I'd greatly appreciate it, thanks!
I have a 71 f100 with a 351w swap that's wired to aftermarket gauges for the fuel, oil pressure, water temp, and voltage, has a tach with shift setting ability, and has an MSD ignition. I'm wondering if I can ditch the aftermarket gauges and wire everything back to the factory dash without being too invasive. I bought the truck with the swap and gauges and am very new to wiring so I'm not sure what to look for or what to expect.
If there's a better resource or already existing thread that you can point me to that'd be great too, thank you!
I have a 71 f100 with a 351w swap that's wired to aftermarket gauges for the fuel, oil pressure, water temp, and voltage, has a tach with shift setting ability, and has an MSD ignition. I'm wondering if I can ditch the aftermarket gauges and wire everything back to the factory dash without being too invasive. I bought the truck with the swap and gauges and am very new to wiring so I'm not sure what to look for or what to expect.
If there's a better resource or already existing thread that you can point me to that'd be great too, thank you!
#2
The stock gauges can probably rewired to work again but aftermarket gauges (good ones at least) are far more accurate than the factory indicators. The OEM gauges, given your familiarity, will only indicate what is "normal" whereas aftermarket gauges will actually provide numerical indicators.
Meaning, how hot is "hot" with the OEM Kentucky windage gauges versus "oh, the water temp is 195° all day in stop 'n go traffic on a 70° afternoon".
It's a bit premature at this point to say how much work it will require. Ya gotta pull the instrument cluster and evaluate how much invasiveness has already occurred and whether the stock wiring is still intact.
Meaning, how hot is "hot" with the OEM Kentucky windage gauges versus "oh, the water temp is 195° all day in stop 'n go traffic on a 70° afternoon".
It's a bit premature at this point to say how much work it will require. Ya gotta pull the instrument cluster and evaluate how much invasiveness has already occurred and whether the stock wiring is still intact.
#4
Originally Posted by HIO Silver
The stock gauges can probably rewired to work again but aftermarket gauges (good ones at least) are far more accurate than the factory indicators. The OEM gauges, given your familiarity, will only indicate what is "normal" whereas aftermarket gauges will actually provide numerical indicators...
Thank you for your response!
#5
#6
Buy stock sending units(for a 71) and put the old dash back in. Oil pressure is not big thing, water temp isn't either. Depending on which cluster you get is if you have idiot lights or actual gauges.
The tach is not necessary for any function of the vehicle. If you don't want one, leave it off.
The tach is not necessary for any function of the vehicle. If you don't want one, leave it off.
#7
Originally Posted by Freightrain
Buy stock sending units(for a 71) and put the old dash back in. Oil pressure is not big thing, water temp isn't either. Depending on which cluster you get is if you have idiot lights or actual gauges.
The tach is not necessary for any function of the vehicle. If you don't want one, leave it off.
The tach is not necessary for any function of the vehicle. If you don't want one, leave it off.
I'm not sure why they put the tach on. The truck looks a lot like Sloppy on the /DRIVE YouTube channel and I think whoever was building it was moving in that direction of appearance. Thanks for your advice!
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Glockem45
Pre-Power Stroke Diesel (7.3L IDI & 6.9L)
5
11-02-2008 02:21 AM