mechanical oil gauge? help plz - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

c10scotty · 03-28-2003, 03:16 PM

k im changing out my gauges to a used unit with 100mph speedo and a tach. problem is...my oil pressure gauge is electrical...but the new one is mechanical i think.

the new cluster doesnt have terminals for this gauge, and the printed circut does not go to it either, so that means it would have to be mechanical though right? but the gauge still has three prongs like my electrical one does. what does this mean?

im almost positive i cant just use my old gauge cluster ansd just swap the gauges in(cuz that would be much easier)i would like to use mine if i can. it is in better shape...if this can be done i would like to hear how

but if not, how do i hook up the mechanical stuff?

PHOENIX · 03-28-2003, 03:36 PM

mech. will have a spot to screw on a tube/hose. If its a mech gauge, you cant miss it. Only wiring needed on mech. gauge is for lighting.

**crossy** · 03-28-2003, 04:38 PM

it actually sounds to me like someone put a mechanical in where an electrical one was and the printed circuit is still there. you can't install a Mech oil press. gauge dash in where an elect one was and have all the gauges work. the elect connector with 18 feeds is wired differently for those 2 dash clusters. DAVE

c10scotty · 03-28-2003, 05:41 PM

well both gauges look exactly the same...only difference is the printed circuts. so i think the new cluster originally had a mechanical one but for some reason they sent an electrical one with it rather than the mech one...bastards. this sucks

i really cant afford a new oil press gauge right now...is there any way i can get either cluster to work with the electrical oil press gauge and the tach and new speedo plus the gas gauge down in the corner???

**crossy** · 03-28-2003, 05:55 PM

scotty I redo those year dashes all the time especially tach dashes but I don't have a clue what your trying to say or ask now. . If you could send a pic to me at home I would know just by looking. dave
all4trux@snip.net

c10scotty · 03-28-2003, 06:35 PM

crossy thanks for your interest. i do not have a digital camera or a scanner but i will try to explain it better.

i bought a new cluster with tach and 100mph speedo complete with printed circut and everything. i am trying to get it into my truck.

the only problem is that the oil pressure gauge in the new unit is electrical, as is my old setup. but the gauge pod is not for an electrical oil guage (dont ask me why an electical gauge is there). it has an oval mounting hole instead of prongs for the back of the gauge and the printed circut bypasses this gauge alltogether.

so i am pretty sure i will need to rig up a mechanical oil gauge since that is what the pod and circut are set up for. is this right??

i hope that makes sense and thank you very much. also, are there any other problems that you can forsee? will the stock wiring harness work correctly?

**crossy** · 03-28-2003, 09:14 PM

yes, on me understanding now and yes on the MEchanical OP gauge, and i have a few here. BUT!!!!! I would be willing to bet what i said before and i think only 2 of your gauges are going to work. The Mech OP circuits run a different course than the elect ones. you bought a 77-78 cluster . DAVE

c10scotty · 03-28-2003, 09:29 PM

k so.....

im screwed? should i just put everything back together and put it up for bids on ebay??

thanks for the help

**crossy** · 03-28-2003, 09:43 PM

you could prove me wrong but I doubt it . it's easy enough to try. just remove your cluster and plug that unit in. please tell me it has a volt gauge and not an amp gauge though or thats a BIG problem. actually you could get a mech OP gauge and put back in it and then sell it correctly . did you pay the usual $100- 150 that ebay gets? if you trace both sets of 'paths' and write it down( the connector is numbered 1-18) you can move the wires in your connector plug. DAVE

c10scotty · 03-28-2003, 09:56 PM

k ill try that tomorrow and see what happens. yes i did pay that much, and i guess its not a total loss as i can turn around and sell it again. oh well, such is life. it does have a voltmeter btw...i wouldnt have bought an ampmeter

twistedmetal · 03-28-2003, 10:51 PM

Crossy ,i need to pm you about similar guage stuff,trying to plan ahead.

Quote:

If Fall Guy only knew how many trucks i've wrecked,He'd be proud

**crossy** · 03-28-2003, 11:14 PM

test the tach first to make sure it is worth the effort. the tach can be tested seperate & easy before installation. If that don't work you'll want to scrap the whole thing when you find out what it costs to get it fixed. thats why my best advice is . " KNOW IT WORKS" . dave

03-28-2003, 03:16 PM	#1
c10scotty ~THE SILVER BULLET~ Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: WYOMING Posts: 285	mechanical oil gauge? help plz k im changing out my gauges to a used unit with 100mph speedo and a tach. problem is...my oil pressure gauge is electrical...but the new one is mechanical i think. the new cluster doesnt have terminals for this gauge, and the printed circut does not go to it either, so that means it would have to be mechanical though right? but the gauge still has three prongs like my electrical one does. what does this mean? im almost positive i cant just use my old gauge cluster ansd just swap the gauges in(cuz that would be much easier)i would like to use mine if i can. it is in better shape...if this can be done i would like to hear how but if not, how do i hook up the mechanical stuff? __________________ ~1980 c10 chevy scottsdale~ ~2.5/4 drop 305/th350c~

03-28-2003, 03:36 PM	#2
PHOENIX Registered User Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Phoenix, Arizona Posts: 4,703	mech. will have a spot to screw on a tube/hose. If its a mech gauge, you cant miss it. Only wiring needed on mech. gauge is for lighting. __________________ * AVOID: LOPER'S PERMORANCE / LOPERSPEED.COM OF PHOENIX, AZ & COTTMAN TRANSMISSION *

03-28-2003, 04:38 PM	#3
crossy Oh,you can't buy that new Join Date: Apr 2000 Location: Pennsville,N.J. 08070, USA Posts: 2,039	sounds to me like it actually sounds to me like someone put a mechanical in where an electrical one was and the printed circuit is still there. you can't install a Mech oil press. gauge dash in where an elect one was and have all the gauges work. the elect connector with 18 feeds is wired differently for those 2 dash clusters. DAVE __________________ "been there, done that, ruined the T-shirt". 2007 LBZ GMC Sierra, ECSB 2006 LM7 RCSB Silverado 98 Vortec project. 94,3500,6.5L 4L80 81 SWB GMC POS finally gone 73 Pinto, stock, w/CragarSS's-eww LOTS of Cummins trucks.

03-28-2003, 05:41 PM	#4
c10scotty ~THE SILVER BULLET~ Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: WYOMING Posts: 285	well both gauges look exactly the same...only difference is the printed circuts. so i think the new cluster originally had a mechanical one but for some reason they sent an electrical one with it rather than the mech one...bastards. this sucks i really cant afford a new oil press gauge right now...is there any way i can get either cluster to work with the electrical oil press gauge and the tach and new speedo plus the gas gauge down in the corner??? __________________ ~1980 c10 chevy scottsdale~ ~2.5/4 drop 305/th350c~

03-28-2003, 05:55 PM	#5
crossy Oh,you can't buy that new Join Date: Apr 2000 Location: Pennsville,N.J. 08070, USA Posts: 2,039	scotty I redo those year dashes all the time especially tach dashes but I don't have a clue what your trying to say or ask now. . If you could send a pic to me at home I would know just by looking. dave all4trux@snip.net __________________ "been there, done that, ruined the T-shirt". 2007 LBZ GMC Sierra, ECSB 2006 LM7 RCSB Silverado 98 Vortec project. 94,3500,6.5L 4L80 81 SWB GMC POS finally gone 73 Pinto, stock, w/CragarSS's-eww LOTS of Cummins trucks.

03-28-2003, 06:35 PM	#6
c10scotty ~THE SILVER BULLET~ Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: WYOMING Posts: 285	crossy thanks for your interest. i do not have a digital camera or a scanner but i will try to explain it better. i bought a new cluster with tach and 100mph speedo complete with printed circut and everything. i am trying to get it into my truck. the only problem is that the oil pressure gauge in the new unit is electrical, as is my old setup. but the gauge pod is not for an electrical oil guage (dont ask me why an electical gauge is there). it has an oval mounting hole instead of prongs for the back of the gauge and the printed circut bypasses this gauge alltogether. so i am pretty sure i will need to rig up a mechanical oil gauge since that is what the pod and circut are set up for. is this right?? i hope that makes sense and thank you very much. also, are there any other problems that you can forsee? will the stock wiring harness work correctly? __________________ ~1980 c10 chevy scottsdale~ ~2.5/4 drop 305/th350c~

03-28-2003, 09:14 PM	#7
crossy Oh,you can't buy that new Join Date: Apr 2000 Location: Pennsville,N.J. 08070, USA Posts: 2,039	yes, on me understanding now and yes on the MEchanical OP gauge, and i have a few here. BUT!!!!! I would be willing to bet what i said before and i think only 2 of your gauges are going to work. The Mech OP circuits run a different course than the elect ones. you bought a 77-78 cluster . DAVE __________________ "been there, done that, ruined the T-shirt". 2007 LBZ GMC Sierra, ECSB 2006 LM7 RCSB Silverado 98 Vortec project. 94,3500,6.5L 4L80 81 SWB GMC POS finally gone 73 Pinto, stock, w/CragarSS's-eww LOTS of Cummins trucks. Last edited by crossy; 03-28-2003 at 09:17 PM.

03-28-2003, 09:29 PM	#8
c10scotty ~THE SILVER BULLET~ Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: WYOMING Posts: 285	k so..... im screwed? should i just put everything back together and put it up for bids on ebay?? thanks for the help __________________ ~1980 c10 chevy scottsdale~ ~2.5/4 drop 305/th350c~

03-28-2003, 09:43 PM	#9
crossy Oh,you can't buy that new Join Date: Apr 2000 Location: Pennsville,N.J. 08070, USA Posts: 2,039	you could prove me wrong but I doubt it . it's easy enough to try. just remove your cluster and plug that unit in. please tell me it has a volt gauge and not an amp gauge though or thats a BIG problem. actually you could get a mech OP gauge and put back in it and then sell it correctly . did you pay the usual $100- 150 that ebay gets? if you trace both sets of 'paths' and write it down( the connector is numbered 1-18) you can move the wires in your connector plug. DAVE __________________ "been there, done that, ruined the T-shirt". 2007 LBZ GMC Sierra, ECSB 2006 LM7 RCSB Silverado 98 Vortec project. 94,3500,6.5L 4L80 81 SWB GMC POS finally gone 73 Pinto, stock, w/CragarSS's-eww LOTS of Cummins trucks.

03-28-2003, 09:56 PM	#10
c10scotty ~THE SILVER BULLET~ Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: WYOMING Posts: 285	k ill try that tomorrow and see what happens. yes i did pay that much, and i guess its not a total loss as i can turn around and sell it again. oh well, such is life. it does have a voltmeter btw...i wouldnt have bought an ampmeter __________________ ~1980 c10 chevy scottsdale~ ~2.5/4 drop 305/th350c~

03-28-2003, 11:14 PM	#12
crossy Oh,you can't buy that new Join Date: Apr 2000 Location: Pennsville,N.J. 08070, USA Posts: 2,039	test the tach first to make sure it is worth the effort. the tach can be tested seperate & easy before installation. If that don't work you'll want to scrap the whole thing when you find out what it costs to get it fixed. thats why my best advice is . " KNOW IT WORKS" . dave __________________ "been there, done that, ruined the T-shirt". 2007 LBZ GMC Sierra, ECSB 2006 LM7 RCSB Silverado 98 Vortec project. 94,3500,6.5L 4L80 81 SWB GMC POS finally gone 73 Pinto, stock, w/CragarSS's-eww LOTS of Cummins trucks.

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