Adding guages

[jdavidsmi]

I’m adding three gauges to my 84, with the 302. Need some help on locations on the motor to mount the sensors. Putting in a coolant, oil pressure, and voltage.

I have the voltage hooked up. But cannot figure out the oil or temp, without loosing the dash gauges.

I’m know a lot of you have already done this. So in your opinion what is the best location?

[Gary Lewis]

On the voltage, and I know you already have it hooked up, there are two schools of thought.  Mine is that I want to know what the voltage of the battery is, not what voltage I have in the cab.  And there's a big difference.  The cab voltage will vary significantly depending on what you have turned on, like the A/C or lights.  That's because Ford used fairly small wires to bring the power to the cab, so there's voltage drop when things are on.  Anyway, just my thoughts.

On the oil pressure, that's pretty easy.  The factory sending unit should be down by the fuel pump and you can put a tee in to run both the factory unit as well as the aftermarket one.

But the water temp is a different story as you shouldn't use a tee.  The sending units need to be in the stream of coolant to get an accurate reading, and if you use a tee they are well out of the stream.  But, some times you have options.  Some engines have a second port on the thermostat housing.  Yes, that's after the thermostat so you won't see the true engine temp until after the thermostat opens, but once it opens the two gauges should be seeing the same temperature of coolant.

[Machspeed]

I apologize for tapping in here but I have a question along similar lines. My truck is an LX model with no factory tachometer and I wish to add a factory tach. Do I have the available wiring in my truck to make this plug and play?

[1986F150Six]

Yes! You will have to replace the printed circuit film behind your gauges with one from the tachometer doner truck.

[Gary Lewis]

Maybe.  First, tachs weren't installed as part of a trim line like XL or XLT.  They were an option that could be had on any trim line.  But there were two different clusters from 1980 - 85: with gauges and without gauges.  Those w/o gauges can't have the tach added very easily.

Those with gauges have one of two printed circuits: with tach & w/o tach.  If yours has the holes in it for the tach then all you need is the tach.  If not, then you need the tach and the proper printed circuit.

We have a page on tachs (Documentation/Electrical/Tachometers) but it doesn't really cover this.  So I need to upgrade it.

[1986F150Six]

I thought that at some point, "idiot" lights were no longer offered. With his truck being a 1986, I "assumed" the truck would have had instruments.

[Gary Lewis]

You are right, David!  I missed that his is an '86.  

In '86 Ford did away with the idiot lights and all trucks came with gauges.

As for the printed circuits, as the snippet below shows there were two different ones.  And while the catalog clearly shows that -C was for trucks w/o a tach, I've seen many clusters that had that printed circuit but didn't have a tach.

My guess is that at some point Ford realized that it made no sense to have two different printed circuits when they probably cost exactly the same, and dropped the -C.  But I can't prove that.

(Note the catalog also shows that the -A is for 1981 through 1986 trucks w/o gauges, but there weren't any such trucks in '86.)

[Machspeed]

So to be clear, I "may" have the -B in my truck even though it does not have a tach?

Last thing.... in regards to the instrument cluster as a whole, what other Ford vehicles and years might I find a replacement instrument cluster for my truck. I believe the Bronco is of the same, perhaps the same year/years van?    

Thanks fellas!

[1986F150Six]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/80-86-Ford-Truck-Bronco-Printed-Circuit-Board-Tach-Tachometer-1980-1986-Pickup/124234559343?fits=Year%3A1986%7CModel%3AF-150%7CMake%3AFord&epid=1632442618&hash=item1cecf4ef6f:g:tIUAAOSwlRZe6VSF

https://www.ebay.com/itm/80-86-FORD-TRUCK-BRONCO-GAUGE-INSTRUMENT-PANEL-PRINTED-CIRCUIT-BOARD-TACHOMETER/184329095464?fits=Year%3A1986%7CModel%3AF-150%7CMake%3AFord&epid=1786871364&hash=item2aeadec928:g:IcEAAOSwsChe5uN-

https://www.ebay.com/itm/80-86-Ford-Truck-Bronco-Printed-Circuit-Board-Tach-Tachometer-1980-1986-Pickup/124195354369?fits=Year%3A1986%7CModel%3AF-150%7CMake%3AFord&epid=1786871364&hash=item1cea9eb701:g:9nMAAOSwtVde6VQe

https://www.ebay.com/itm/80-86-Ford-Truck-Tach-Tachometer-Gauge-Bronco-F100-F150-250-350-Pickup-1980-1986/124233215709?epid=1964363812&hash=item1cece06edd:g:b-MAAOSwjGte8lDJ

[jdavidsmi]

Thanks for the information Gary, I believe I do have a port behind the thermostat . I agree with the voltage at the battery is what I wanted. That’s where I picked it up..

I also would like a tachometer but have not been able to find one, yet. I will keep looking.

[Gary Lewis]

Yes, you may have the right printed circuit.  And yes the Broncos are the same.  But no other vehicles were from what I know.

And 1980 is slightly different in that the turn signal and other lights were in different spots.  But that can be changed if you find an '80 printed circuit with tach.

[Machspeed]

Thanks Dave, I was just there....lol! Gonna try and soucre out of local salvage yard before I go on line though.

[1986F150Six]

Gary Lewis wrote

Yes, you may have the right printed circuit.  And yes the Broncos are the same.  But no other vehicles were from what I know.

And 1980 is slightly different in that the turn signal and other lights were in different spots.  But that can be changed if you find an '80 printed circuit with tach.

F600 & F800?

[Gary Lewis]

1986F150Six wrote

F600 & F800?

Yes, I think you may be correct.  However, while we know the tach will work, will the rest of the cluster?  Are the lights above the same?  I don't know that I've heard one way or another.  Do you know?

[1986F150Six]

Some of the lights above are different. The gauges [fuel, ammeter, fuel & oil pressure] are the same, I believe. "Gasoline" tachometer were 4500 RPMs and some speedometers were 75 MPH and later ones were electronic.

I have a medium duty speedometer in my truck. It does not offer trip odometer, does show 85 MPH and the odometer goes to 999,999.9.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1990-FORD-F600-USED-DASHBOARD-INSTRUMENT-CLUSTER-FOR-SALE/123687740905?epid=1786871364&hash=item1ccc5d25e9&_trkparms=ispr%3D1&enc=AQAFAAADYBzSmp%2BlJMyw7KXD8JmQDJwq2KgK5w%2BqG6dGvXQYDSFG%2F8W62SMLFfevcUsxDxFzIcPvjQgrMsVL5LPxDn5gSmxurXQxgNAznOLMm762i6A6f0vnJWVitDS5L6714gYNLP5f5nd6%2BZMAHusog3mvXPz%2BFB8ftKTI%2Bi6Tt%2BI1AvEJxVsns0iHEvZ%2FrklfXLs6SD1ljUfbmE26QRsuMU2Oot4j1RR59kGP8Tpc6vaV%2F4UEHBUFBTJYijkVe0RvMNxNBGQQWhkTmof40%2BmtrGggq7wdI9xY93Z4W7Cv5lvvqSVsYsXcPm57LMBV5WHkBa5bjlN%2B05sR9ysE77VWmhJ%2BZeN3tcBBlC%2BN0noW0RszgMNJnO6flR%2Fu1mUAwUQ6g9IKQ4vA1CGX89hAh1POIANa0gexUhnKE3%2BNERNpxRXwZaV1nO0VvLeP5vAqTXTzXj%2FElYLdR3Kt8ahzDNhKzbl5rNooh0cYX7%2Fw7PcptdHxITz4mcCndiSkVYN511qOXhAKh8TmmIxSal1FgnIJOwFFV1s8Qu0mxmPsF1KZJ%2FraXUj4%2F3lNjwn6h5zRANgKubSNwFfPP6105peQPsbl4Ka1f7BiEVwYOzJgaqIZZwteQfss6VnbXP3kAL5t%2BhhpvSDQ8m2UMTo3ZCebpQCtlVWKjXVzAdylMnLGEPEy7EpNTZpd4CNuM0yn%2FGeJ%2BXkIxOvd7tNeejPeUev4nsNu7OehKmlZ8KYRyT5Xq1j%2FBW%2F9brh4luiy%2FbMPOQSmrOatooNMX5WXGkjBrjLUQxhDYME11gW93dg6aYxtv6SxbGkfok9aSfLbOlOzAE6GHs9LycjtioZ118nhw8t0%2BXhrre5zInuuZGs3kmcQeVigAkvmeT6KDwQGmrkzflLlgHkDyL%2FqhBbf3u89Zc%2FM0cVuhaGT1xybj7UREuUsO74SQOW33YldogX%2B1D%2B%2BAy%2BVqtzQISb5a1fAwfM8GOjs7UOkNlc6MF%2Bp6c2ESBl9C9yBg8vrB7zoTBk4NZqmE3L13yrmvSIIYUcDVRNYK%2BYv3GhD44zoHZnG8dckUJH5TWtXY1QBGbgRBImoGSMI8yZ06SGuo%2B2dgHvMTZmUPiMifrKCoJN17CYElE7ErYKDodhMQgCiv%2B6VnMW83Y8z5wKlTfmztTTLOQ%3D%3D&checksum=123687740905a14a3e2e63414dd88a9dfd34bb9bf51f

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1983-Ford-F600-Speedometer-Instrument-Cluster-DE1TF-10C956-B/143236335901?hash=item21598d091d:g:QmIAAOSwTGZcytC6

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1990-FORD-F600-USED-DASHBOARD-INSTRUMENT-CLUSTER-FOR-SALE/123687740905?epid=1786871364&hash=item1ccc5d25e9:g:9-MAAOSwIelchrPL

[Machspeed]

When I pull the cluster, I'll let you know what I find. Thanks again!

David, sorry if I trashed your thread.

[FuzzFace2]

For the temp gauge you can also get a fitting that goes in the radiator hose to add the sender to.
It is made just for this, maybe Summit or Speedway Motors.
Only thing I think could be an issue is if electric gauge grounding the sender.
Depending on what hose you use could have the same issues as if it was in the stat housing
Dave ----

[grumpin]

I teed my aftermarket coolant temp gauge. Seems to work good.

[jdavidsmi]

Got it all set up yesterday, oil pressure, I pulled the oil pressure sender and installed a T. This involved pulling the power steering pump off to get to the sender.

The temperature gauge, was installed on top of the thermostat housing. There was a sensor there with the top broken off, just a matter of replacing it.

With the voltage gauge I ran a wire to the battery side of the starter relay.

Once everything was set up I decided to recheck the voltage regulator for the dash gauges. I had installed a DE-SWADJ3, a couple of years ago. It was only putting out 4.8 volts, it got reset to 5.4. The gauges read better.

Still needing to do something about the fuel tank float, a full tank of gas only reads 1/2 tank of gas. So I have been using mileage as the refuel point. Thinking I will pull the bed off so it will be much easier to pull the float and adjust.

[Gary Lewis]

Glad you got it going.

On the temp gauge, I've often wondered if having one sender in the block and one after the thermostat would let you watch the thermostat open.  It sounds like you put the aftermarket sender in the thermostat housing, which is the way I'd suggest doing it as the factory gauge is very slow to react.  But the aftermarket one is probably fast enough that you can see the change as the gauge opens.  I'd be curious to know if that's the case.

As for the volt meter, do you have it tied in all the time?  I'd be worried that it would pull the battery down when the engine isn't running.  Have you checked the current draw of it?

And pulling the bed makes getting to the sender a lot easier.  But that in and of itself isn't always easy as the bolts don't like to come out.  However, if you can get them out that would be the way to do it.