I'm installing a set of mechanical gauges consisting of oil press. water temp. and an ammeter. I still want to use my factory gauges, so I'm looking for a T fitting that I can use. Does anyone know of a good parts supplier I can find some fittings from. Autozone didn't have anything that matched up to mine.
WrenchHead

1979 F-150 Custom. 302 V-8 4-spd 2WD. 125,000 Miles

 

On my 77 with a 300, all of the factory gauges are electrical... there was an electric sending unit for both the coolant temp and oil pressure, both of which I replaced with the mechanical sending units. So basically, if the senders are anything like the ones on my six, there is nothing to tee off of. I would say just get rid of the factory gauges. They don't even give a worthwhile reading anyway.

 

Find someone with a selection of *Weatherhead Fittings*



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Find someone with a selection of *Weatherhead Fittings*

if you find that person, you will find every fitting under the sun, not many people stock stuff like that anymore, sad really, not many people repair their own cars anymore, napa will set ya up, or try the plumbing department of a hardware store, any mom and pop auto parts store could probably help ya out to, autozone or any other major chain parts store is basicaly worthless for anything like that

 

I put Ts on my mustang's 351C so I could use electrical guages and the stock idiot lights. I got the supplies from my local hardware store and everything fit right up. Just used standard pipe fittings of the correct size.


Be VERY careful hooking up that ammeter. You can cause a direct short to ground with it if you are not careful. My advice is to go get the ammeter, open the garage door and throw it as far as you can. Then go get a good volt meter. Much easier to install, safer to run and more accurately shows what's going on with the charging system.

 

The problem with an ammeter is that to obtain an accurate reading you have to run a very heavy cable in Series with the alternator charge wire to the gauge and then back to the solenoid-----With a voltmeter you can sample the voltage without having to run a big wire into and out of the cab to the meter-----I would call Summit about your fittings........fd

 

i think a properly hooked up and wired ampmeter is more informative than a voltmeter

 

>i think a properly hooked up and wired ampmeter is more
>informative than a voltmeter

Nope. Go here: http://www.autometer.com/hp/index.html

Then slect "Tech Tips/FAQ" and "Voltmeter vs Ammeter"

Basically when a battery is low the ammeter shows high current flow to charge the battery. When the battery is charged the current flow will drop close to zero. Now is that because the battery is full or is it because the charging system has crapped out? Can't tell.

 

Thanks for the site suggestion. I poked around over there for an hour.
I dont have any problem with the Ford Guages, except for the oil pressure guage which isn't a real pressure guage on my diesel.
But I agree with the Voltmeter is best guys.
However you can sample the current flow with a Shunt type meter. It's the way the Large AMP current flow's are sampled at power plants and such.
A little perusing on the Electronic sites should get you somewhere. Those guys are as ready to help as the guys on this site.

 

Yea, I heard that Ford changed the oil pressure sensor system over to an idiot light style because they were getting warrantee claims due to low guage readins. So they changed the sensor to an on/off switch and put a resistor in series with it so that if there is enough pressure to turn on the switch the guage will read mid level. I've heard you can replace the sensor with the guage style unit.

 

Is there any way to install an oil temp guage without tapping oil pan, or using remote filter kit? Mine is currently tapped in at the oil pressure port via "T", but this obviously only measures temp of oil at the port, as there is no flow pass the sensor. My guage is mechanical, so installing it in the drain plug opening (assuming I can find the necessary adaptors) would be a little too exposed/too easy to damage to suit me.

 

All Caps Texted edited out by Administration

I think you might be better using a volt gauge and not a amp meter .You can run into a lot of problems running the amp meter.
T fitting you should be find at any hardware store ,for you oil pressure,it's a pipe fitting so you should be able top get a small pipe T fitting.
GLEN BRANSFIELD
HOUSTON TX
GLENB@EV1.NET

 

whenever my alt quit working my ampmeter went to the negative side of the scale, "i always assumed the negative side of the scale showed discharge" anyone with an ampmeter that only registers charge has hooked up their ammeter improperly

I just like em better than a volt gauge, i dont wanna argue tho its just my preference

Oh and all my amp gauge installs read negative when there is a draw and its not running

 

Yes, you are correct. I was mistaken about the dead charging system scenario. And if the ammeter is hooked up correctly it does work well. However it is difficult to hook up properly. I use as an example the Ford Factory ammeter in 73-79 trucks. I have heard some people say theirs worked. I've personally owned 2 of these trucks and the ammeter needle NEVER EVER moved, EVER. The majority of the people I have talked to have had the same experience. The reason for the problem is that Ford designed a shunt type ammeter for safety. Then they screwed up on the value of resistance in the shunt. They made it too low resistance so no current flows through the meter to make the needle move.

To properly hook up the cheap ammeters a wire large enough to carry all the current in the system has to be routed inside the passenger compartment to the dash and then back out to the battery. It also must be located with the battery on one side and the rest of the truck's electrical system on the other. I think that in our trucks the battery, charging system, and the rest of the electrical system junction at the battery side of the starter solenoid. You don't want to run the starter current through the ammeter because that will fry it almost instantly. So if I am correct, to properly hook up one of these meters you would need to disconnect the charging wire from the regulator, and the feed wire that goes to the rest of the electricals (feed the fuse box), join them together and then run that to the new ammeter. From the other side of the meter go back to the batt side of the start solenoid.

Once again, I'm not arguing (sure it may look like it but really I'm just tired now and letting my rambling thoughts take over). You are correct if it is wired correctly. I just think that to wire it correctly is much more trouble than just putting in a voltmeter.

Cheers.

PS. I know where the stock shunt is and how to modify it. There should be a thread on it in the archives.

 

As I can recall, my factory ammeter does work and has moved. I had to jump start a buddy of mine, and the needle went over towards the C big time. It also moved when I left my lights on and had to push start it with the clutch.
Get this news....my engine temp on the dash has been increasing, but I know it's not over heating. I hooked up my mechanical gauges, and installed a new sending unit for the temp. According to the dash, my engine is cooked, but the mechanical gauge reads at 195 degrees.
Anyone have that problem before? What is the deal?
WrenchHead

1979 F-150 Custom. 302 V-8 4-spd 2WD. 125,100 Miles