Swervin (or others), question about gauge install - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

BigRed · 11-19-2002, 11:52 AM

I may be getting some gauges for Xmas (Sport Comps) and was curious about the wiring. How hard would the install be without using the Painless wiring harness?

I will be keeping my fuel gauge, speedometer, and turn signals in place but will be replacing my idiot lights with water temp, oil, and volt gauges. Since I'm only replacing the three (maybe four if I also get a fuel gauge), it doesn't make sense for me to spend the extra $60 for the harness.

What are your thoughts?
I lady I work with use to work for Painless as a salesperson and swears by all their products. Plus, I know you liked it too. Money is tight, otherwise I would definitely be using the harness.

Thanks, Scott

PHOENIX · 11-19-2002, 12:03 PM

You dont need the harness. But they do help. Just buy the wire and make your own. Cheaper and exactly what you want. I have Ultra Lite gauges in my truck and didnt use a hardness. Next time I go behind the dash Im going to make my own harness though. Just keep this in mind you may be getting behind that dash again dont make it hard to take apart

Buy some sort of connector like a plug. Run all gauges to that plug then from that plug to the wires in your dash. That way when you take it apart you just have to unplug that plug and not each wire.

**swervin ervin** · 11-19-2002, 12:03 PM

Scott,

I used it for the ease of install. Also, I wanted to be able to remove the cluster easily when/if I need to. With the harness, I pull one plug and the whole thing is loose. You could buy seperate pieces to build your own, but by the time you were through, it would be close to the price of the harness.

Anyway, yes you can do this. I first had mine hooked up this way, but changed it later. You will need to splice into all the wires and use some spade connectors. It makes for a mangled mess though, IMO.

**swervin ervin** · 11-19-2002, 12:08 PM

Eddie,

believe me, when I done mine, I searched everywhere I could think of for a big connector to make my own harness. I never found one. Got tired of messing with it and bought the Painless universal gauge harness.

Good luck when you start your search. Do yourself a favor, buy the Painless harness and be done with it. It's not worth the aggrevation of it all to me. Been there done that.

BigRed · 11-19-2002, 01:40 PM

Thanks for the advice. I think I'll probably end up doing what you did and put the harness in after the fact. I just won't have the money at the time. When I go back and replace the speedo and add a tach, I'll add the harness. Plus, my smaller gauges will actually be mounted to the green instrument cluster bezel instead of the outer bezel like yours. Mine has idiot lights and has these towers that come out that a 2 1/16 gauge will fit right into. Makes that part of the install so much easier!

Thanks, Scott

PHOENIX · 11-19-2002, 02:04 PM

Yeah Mike I know Im looking for a plug right now. I found a few but they seem like low quality and im passing on them. I think Im going to try to get a plug from painless if they will sell me one. If not I dont have much choice other then buying a harness. Unless I want to unplug a few plugs.

I seen a plug one time that would have worked perfect. I think I saw it at Checker, but they dont have it anymore and no-one there knows what im talking about, as usual.

85 K5 · 11-20-2002, 08:33 AM

What kind of plugs do ya'll need? AMP connectors with plastic housings are available at Radio Shack and Fry's - Need to buy the housings and pins and sockets separately. Pins and sockets use simple crimp connectors then they lock into the housing. Can send some pics if ya want............

Couldn't use one for my mechanical temp, however!

79BIG10 · 11-20-2002, 10:30 AM

Okay I've got a idea that might work but I need to know some info. What size does the kit come with? I found a few connectors that may work but need size. Also what about the # of connections?

Mike- I know you installed a mechanical oil pressure but how do you take out the bezel with that being connected to gauge and not make a mess? Also are you running a mechanical water temp as well? Just curious since yousaid you can take it off easily just wondering how you dealt with these

79BIG10 · 11-20-2002, 10:53 AM

I'm thinking that a radio connector like goes in the back of most radios would work.

PHOENIX · 11-20-2002, 01:50 PM

Im not sure the number of connections that will need to be made. But I also have a mech. oil pressure gauge. When removing the bezel on mine I just unscrew the line. The oil fills the line from the pressure. If the truck is off there is very little oil in the line. Just keep it up and your fine. You may have a few little drops leak out so I always hold a cloth to it for a second.

I figure how many connections I will need then I will post.

**swervin ervin** · 11-20-2002, 04:52 PM

Brandon, no I'm using an electrical water temp sensor. Only mechanical gauge I have (besides the speedo), is the oil pressure.

Here's a pic of the Painless universal harness I used.

Here's the one you need if you go with an electrical speedo.

When you guys try to assemble one of these for $57.00, have fun. I chickened out.

Mike

PHOENIX · 11-20-2002, 05:43 PM

Hey MIke those have the wrong end on them to connect to AutoMeter gauges. Do they come with what you need?

**swervin ervin** · 11-20-2002, 05:51 PM

Yep.

PHOENIX · 11-20-2002, 05:56 PM

Mike is ANTI-make your own harness......... j/k Mike I just wanted to find a way to add ANTI in my post

**swervin ervin** · 11-20-2002, 06:28 PM

No, I'm not anti anything.

I understand where everyone is coming from. I agree with you, believe me. I fully understand that Painless is not making these things for nothing. But, I tried to find the parts needed to make my own. Looked all over the net. I searched so much, I finally got sick of it. I can't stand it when I know how to do something and can't find the stuff to do it with. I refuse to jerry rig anything, permanently on my truck. I've got way too much money tied up in it to start this crap. I installed my gauges the first time by rigging it. This bothered me the whole time. When my electrical oil pressure gauge messed up, I had to pull everything back out. You can be sure the Painless harness went back in this time. I'm happy as punch now with them.

Here's the way I look at it. If I'm going to spend $450.00 for gauges, buy a new bezel for $90.00 and cut it up, I can surely spend another $57.00 for the harness. If I can't afford to buy the harness, why in the hell did I just spend $550.00 on the other stuff. I think I need to find another hobby is this is the case.

Now after saying this, I hope each and every one of you finds these parts. If you do, please send me a list of what you used to hook it all up. If it's as good or better than the Painless harness, I'll be sure to add the list to my article.

I read where someone put some kind of terminal board up behind the dash, and hooked the input wires to the back of it. Then he run wires from the front to the places they needed to go. This would work, but you still got a million wires to unplug when it comes time to remove the bezel. I lied before, I've got two plugs to unhook, as you see in the pic above.

Mike

11-19-2002, 11:52 AM	#1
BigRed Registered User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: DFW, TX Posts: 1,680	Swervin (or others), question about gauge install I may be getting some gauges for Xmas (Sport Comps) and was curious about the wiring. How hard would the install be without using the Painless wiring harness? I will be keeping my fuel gauge, speedometer, and turn signals in place but will be replacing my idiot lights with water temp, oil, and volt gauges. Since I'm only replacing the three (maybe four if I also get a fuel gauge), it doesn't make sense for me to spend the extra $60 for the harness. What are your thoughts? I lady I work with use to work for Painless as a salesperson and swears by all their products. Plus, I know you liked it too. Money is tight, otherwise I would definitely be using the harness. Thanks, Scott __________________ Scott Shelbourne

11-19-2002, 12:03 PM	#2
PHOENIX Registered User Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Phoenix, Arizona Posts: 4,703	You dont need the harness. But they do help. Just buy the wire and make your own. Cheaper and exactly what you want. I have Ultra Lite gauges in my truck and didnt use a hardness. Next time I go behind the dash Im going to make my own harness though. Just keep this in mind you may be getting behind that dash again dont make it hard to take apart Buy some sort of connector like a plug. Run all gauges to that plug then from that plug to the wires in your dash. That way when you take it apart you just have to unplug that plug and not each wire. __________________ * AVOID: LOPER'S PERMORANCE / LOPERSPEED.COM OF PHOENIX, AZ & COTTMAN TRANSMISSION *

11-19-2002, 12:03 PM	#3
swervin ervin You get what you pay for Join Date: Dec 1999 Location: Cherryville, NC Posts: 4,798	Scott, I used it for the ease of install. Also, I wanted to be able to remove the cluster easily when/if I need to. With the harness, I pull one plug and the whole thing is loose. You could buy seperate pieces to build your own, but by the time you were through, it would be close to the price of the harness. Anyway, yes you can do this. I first had mine hooked up this way, but changed it later. You will need to splice into all the wires and use some spade connectors. It makes for a mangled mess though, IMO. __________________ Mike 1985 Chevy C-10

11-19-2002, 01:40 PM	#5
BigRed Registered User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: DFW, TX Posts: 1,680	Thanks for the advice. I think I'll probably end up doing what you did and put the harness in after the fact. I just won't have the money at the time. When I go back and replace the speedo and add a tach, I'll add the harness. Plus, my smaller gauges will actually be mounted to the green instrument cluster bezel instead of the outer bezel like yours. Mine has idiot lights and has these towers that come out that a 2 1/16 gauge will fit right into. Makes that part of the install so much easier! Thanks, Scott __________________ Scott Shelbourne

11-19-2002, 02:04 PM	#6
PHOENIX Registered User Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Phoenix, Arizona Posts: 4,703	Yeah Mike I know Im looking for a plug right now. I found a few but they seem like low quality and im passing on them. I think Im going to try to get a plug from painless if they will sell me one. If not I dont have much choice other then buying a harness. Unless I want to unplug a few plugs. I seen a plug one time that would have worked perfect. I think I saw it at Checker, but they dont have it anymore and no-one there knows what im talking about, as usual. __________________ * AVOID: LOPER'S PERMORANCE / LOPERSPEED.COM OF PHOENIX, AZ & COTTMAN TRANSMISSION *

11-19-2002, 12:08 PM	#4
swervin ervin You get what you pay for Join Date: Dec 1999 Location: Cherryville, NC Posts: 4,798	Eddie, believe me, when I done mine, I searched everywhere I could think of for a big connector to make my own harness. I never found one. Got tired of messing with it and bought the Painless universal gauge harness. Good luck when you start your search. Do yourself a favor, buy the Painless harness and be done with it. It's not worth the aggrevation of it all to me. Been there done that.

11-20-2002, 08:33 AM	#7
85 K5 Registered User Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Spring TX Posts: 113	What kind of plugs do ya'll need? AMP connectors with plastic housings are available at Radio Shack and Fry's - Need to buy the housings and pins and sockets separately. Pins and sockets use simple crimp connectors then they lock into the housing. Can send some pics if ya want............ Couldn't use one for my mechanical temp, however! __________________ 350 Crate 10 bolt 3.73 2.5 lift 32x11.50 1904 Edelbrock http://www.oplnk.net/~spirit/K5front.jpg

11-20-2002, 10:30 AM	#8
79BIG10 I'm back with 2nd truck! Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Texas Posts: 3,774	Okay I've got a idea that might work but I need to know some info. What size does the kit come with? I found a few connectors that may work but need size. Also what about the # of connections? Mike- I know you installed a mechanical oil pressure but how do you take out the bezel with that being connected to gauge and not make a mess? Also are you running a mechanical water temp as well? Just curious since yousaid you can take it off easily just wondering how you dealt with these __________________ 1979 Chevrolet Bonanza Big10 "Tootsie Roll" 1985 Chevrolet Silverado (wife's) Member of the Southern Bowties Club "Don't underestimate how sexy a fat man who drinks to excess can be." Homer Simpson

11-20-2002, 10:53 AM	#9
79BIG10 I'm back with 2nd truck! Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Texas Posts: 3,774	I'm thinking that a radio connector like goes in the back of most radios would work. __________________ 1979 Chevrolet Bonanza Big10 "Tootsie Roll" 1985 Chevrolet Silverado (wife's) Member of the Southern Bowties Club "Don't underestimate how sexy a fat man who drinks to excess can be." Homer Simpson

11-20-2002, 01:50 PM	#10
PHOENIX Registered User Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Phoenix, Arizona Posts: 4,703	Im not sure the number of connections that will need to be made. But I also have a mech. oil pressure gauge. When removing the bezel on mine I just unscrew the line. The oil fills the line from the pressure. If the truck is off there is very little oil in the line. Just keep it up and your fine. You may have a few little drops leak out so I always hold a cloth to it for a second. I figure how many connections I will need then I will post. __________________ * AVOID: LOPER'S PERMORANCE / LOPERSPEED.COM OF PHOENIX, AZ & COTTMAN TRANSMISSION *

11-20-2002, 04:52 PM	#11
swervin ervin You get what you pay for Join Date: Dec 1999 Location: Cherryville, NC Posts: 4,798	Brandon, no I'm using an electrical water temp sensor. Only mechanical gauge I have (besides the speedo), is the oil pressure. Here's a pic of the Painless universal harness I used. Here's the one you need if you go with an electrical speedo. When you guys try to assemble one of these for $57.00, have fun. I chickened out. Mike

11-20-2002, 05:43 PM	#12
PHOENIX Registered User Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Phoenix, Arizona Posts: 4,703	Hey MIke those have the wrong end on them to connect to AutoMeter gauges. Do they come with what you need? __________________ * AVOID: LOPER'S PERMORANCE / LOPERSPEED.COM OF PHOENIX, AZ & COTTMAN TRANSMISSION *

11-20-2002, 05:51 PM	#13
swervin ervin You get what you pay for Join Date: Dec 1999 Location: Cherryville, NC Posts: 4,798	Yep.

11-20-2002, 05:56 PM	#14
PHOENIX Registered User Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Phoenix, Arizona Posts: 4,703	Mike is ANTI-make your own harness......... j/k Mike I just wanted to find a way to add ANTI in my post __________________ * AVOID: LOPER'S PERMORANCE / LOPERSPEED.COM OF PHOENIX, AZ & COTTMAN TRANSMISSION *

11-20-2002, 06:28 PM	#15
swervin ervin You get what you pay for Join Date: Dec 1999 Location: Cherryville, NC Posts: 4,798	No, I'm not anti anything. I understand where everyone is coming from. I agree with you, believe me. I fully understand that Painless is not making these things for nothing. But, I tried to find the parts needed to make my own. Looked all over the net. I searched so much, I finally got sick of it. I can't stand it when I know how to do something and can't find the stuff to do it with. I refuse to jerry rig anything, permanently on my truck. I've got way too much money tied up in it to start this crap. I installed my gauges the first time by rigging it. This bothered me the whole time. When my electrical oil pressure gauge messed up, I had to pull everything back out. You can be sure the Painless harness went back in this time. I'm happy as punch now with them. Here's the way I look at it. If I'm going to spend $450.00 for gauges, buy a new bezel for $90.00 and cut it up, I can surely spend another $57.00 for the harness. If I can't afford to buy the harness, why in the hell did I just spend $550.00 on the other stuff. I think I need to find another hobby is this is the case. Now after saying this, I hope each and every one of you finds these parts. If you do, please send me a list of what you used to hook it all up. If it's as good or better than the Painless harness, I'll be sure to add the list to my article. I read where someone put some kind of terminal board up behind the dash, and hooked the input wires to the back of it. Then he run wires from the front to the places they needed to go. This would work, but you still got a million wires to unplug when it comes time to remove the bezel. I lied before, I've got two plugs to unhook, as you see in the pic above. Mike



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