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Installation Guide: Water/Trans Temp Gauges in Pillar Pod, '99 F-150
As part of my continuing 100K mini rehab/restore, I added pillar mounted water and trans temp gauges to my '99 XL 4X4 4.2. What follows is not necessarily a step-by-step procedure, but more of a general guide on how I installed the gauges.
https://www.f150online.com/forums/me...emp-gauges.jpg I chose the Autometer GS electric full sweep water (#3855) and trans (#3857) gauges mounted in an Autometer dual pod pillar (#17304, fits '97-'01) for this project. The sensors were mounted in Autometer's 5/8" Heater Hose Adapter (#2280) and Temperature Manifold Adapter for 3/8" OD trans lines (#2286). The pillar was painted with Colorbond #115 (Med Prairie Tan), which is a good match for the light tan in my truck's interior. I installed a 9-pin plug in the harness at the dash, so the pillar/gauges can be easily removed. https://www.f150online.com/forums/me...emp-gauges.jpg Mounting the gauges The Autometer gauge pod is designed to fit over the stock A-Pillar cover, which it does very nicely. The gauges are a press fit into the guage pod, but I had to cut off the two brass mounting screws from the back of the gauge to get them to seat properly in the pod. The gauges are a little too long for the pod, so it was necessary to notch the stock cover for the upper gauge, and cut away part of the stock cover for the lower gauge. The hole cut for the lower gauge was cut a little oversize to allow room the the gauge wiring. Wiring these particular gauges was a snap, as they came with connectors which plug 5 wires (2 for sensor, 1 each for power, lights, ground) into the back of each gauge. I ran the five wires from the top gauge down to the bottom gauge, where I connected the power, lights and ground wires from the two gauges together. This left me with a total of 7 wires leaving the pillar (2 wires for each sensor, 1 for power for both gauges, 1 for lights for both gauges, and 1 for ground for both gauges). https://www.f150online.com/forums/me...emp-gauges.jpg Since the wires supplied with the gauges were too short and were the same color for both sensors, I cut the harness at the lower gauge and spliced on longer wires, also changing the color (blue/black for water, brown/black for trans). After numerous test fits to make sure everything would assemble properly, I removed the gauges and wires and painted the pillar cover. Prior to painting, the pillar cover was washed several times with soap and water and lightly scrubbed with a scratch pad. Adhesion Promoter (2 light coats) and Colorbond Leather, Vinyl and Hard Plastic Refinisher (4-5 light coats) was then sprayed. Autometer supplies 6 "christmas tree" plugs to hold the two pillar covers together, but I decided I wanted something a little more solid so I used some 3M Body Moulding tape. https://www.f150online.com/forums/me...emp-gauges.jpg |
Installing the sensors
The sensor for the water temp was installed in the heater inlet hose. I used the Autometer adapter because it is so clean looking, although an adapter could also be made up at the hardware store for less than half the cost. When I went to install the sensor into the adapter, I noticed the probe on the sensor was slightly too long for the adapter. I fixed this problem by drilling into the adapter to give the probe more room. I put a threaded sleeve into the adapter and drilled through the sleeve to protect the threads of the adapter (9/32" drill fit perfect). https://www.f150online.com/forums/me...emp-gauges.jpg On the 4.2, the heater inlet hose is on the top front of the motor and very easy to get to. After draining the radiator, I cut out a 1" peice of the heater hose and installed the adapter. https://www.f150online.com/forums/me...emp-gauges.jpg The sensor for the trans temp was installed on the trans fluid output line. I chose a spot where the line runs across the truck, just behind the lower radiator support. There's room to work at this location (after the skid plate is removed), and the radiator support is close by to mount the sensor manifold to. The sensor manifold seems a little heavy to be just hanging on the trans line, so I bent up a quick bracket out of some aluminium I had laying around. https://www.f150online.com/forums/me...emp-gauges.jpg I used a General 123 mini tubing cutter to cut a 3 3/4" piece out of the trans line. The first cut was made under the truck (watch out for trans fluid when the cut is made), the second cut was made out of the truck. Disconnecting the trans line at the top of the radiator prior to making the first cut will give you a little more room to work. https://www.f150online.com/forums/me...emp-gauges.jpg The bracket was then screwed to the radiator support, and the lines were tightened into the manifold. https://www.f150online.com/forums/me...emp-gauges.jpg |
Wiring Harness
As usual, it's a good idea to disconnect the neg cable at the battery before messing around with any wiring ... https://www.f150online.com/forums/me...g-wheel-02.jpg All the wiring for the gauges was put into a harness, so the install would be as tough and reliable as the factory wiring. The pic below shows the back of the completed gauge pod, a nine pin plug (only 7 pins used) to separate the pod from the harness, and the harness. The red and white wires are for gauge power and lights (not in a loom yet), the green tape on the harness is where it goes through the firewall, and the loom stops where the harness goes behind the harness cover on the engine side of the firewall. The harness then T's with wires running down to the water sensor (the spade is for the "good engine ground" called out in the Autometer installation instructions). The other part of the T are the brown/black wires for the trans sensor (they hadn't been put in a loom yet when this pic was taken). https://www.f150online.com/forums/me...emp-gauges.jpg The harness was fed down through a hole at the corner of the dash ... https://www.f150online.com/forums/me...emp-gauges.jpg through the rubber plug in the firewall, next to the brake booster ... https://www.f150online.com/forums/me...emp-gauges.jpg across the firewall w/ the main harness ... https://www.f150online.com/forums/me...emp-gauges.jpg and out to the sensors .... https://www.f150online.com/forums/me...emp-gauges.jpg |
Finishing it up
The gauges are powered by putting an add-a-fuse (w/ 2A fuse) in fuse #8 (radio ... on w/ ignition) and connecting it to the red gauge power wire. The fuse box cover had to be trimmed slightly to clear the add-a-fuse. https://www.f150online.com/forums/me...emp-gauges.jpg The gauge lights are powered by tapping into the lt. blue w/ red stripe wire at the headlight switch, which will allow the gauge lights to dim with the rest of the dash lights. I added a 2A fuse to the gauge light wire. When I tested the lights, I discovered that while the gauge lights dimmed with the rest of the dash lights, they were way too bright. https://www.f150online.com/forums/me...emp-gauges.jpg MGDfan suggested I add 1N4001 diodes to the gauge light wire until the lights were dimmed to my liking (Thanks MGDfan :beers:). I ended up using 11 of the little suckers before the gauge lights were more in line with the rest of the dash lights. https://www.f150online.com/forums/me...emp-gauges.jpg Project Notes: My goal on all mods to my truck is to make them appear (as much as practical) like a factory option. Performing mods to my truck is a hobby to me and I very much enjoy the whole process (planning/getting parts/installing). As a result, I spent several weeks (off and on) on this installation ... I'm sure these gauges could be installed in an afternoon. Ford goes to great expense to make the electrical systems on our trucks tough, reliable and safe. My goal was to not compromise this system when adding to it, hence the use of fuses, soldered connections, shrink wrap, wiring looms, dielectric grease in connectors, etc. https://www.f150online.com/forums/me...emp-gauges.jpg |
Great write up man!! Looks really clean and you did an amazing job of making it look factory!! ONe quick question on the colors. Do those gauges only come in green?? I am changing my interior to be blue.
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why didnt you tap an illumination wire for the lights, that way they can dim and brighten with the rest of them.
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five0merc, Thanks ... the GS gauges only come w/ green lights, but Autometer has a bunch of different gauges ... check out their website (look at the C2 and Cobalt series).
Patrick, the gauge lights are tapped into the dash lights (and therefore dim w/ the dash lights), but the Autometer lights are much brighter than the dash lights. By adding the doides, I was able to bring them more down to the level of the dash lights. |
Wow, amazing post. Nice work and serious attention to detail. This is a tasteful, factory-looking mod that I would like to do as well.
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Great job, the install work looks great. Enjoy the improved monitoring capabilities. I will be adding a trans temp gauge to my truck sometime this summer when I can find some free time.
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Excellent post, great job.
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nice work
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Originally Posted by fairlaner
(Post 4521952)
By adding the doides, I was able to bring them more down to the level of the dash lights.
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Originally Posted by Raptor05121
(Post 4524768)
why not use a resistor?
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Originally Posted by 1BAF150
(Post 4524875)
That's what i was thinking. Longevity maybe?
Silicon diode forward drop is a guaranteed 0.7v per junction. No muss - no fuss, nice & cool, lol. I buy these in lots of 100 - had I known Mr. Fairlaner needed that many, I would have mailed him an envelope full, gratis. Resistors are so ..... 1980's :lol: MGD |
Great and Clean install!
Although the install is super clean you when above and beyond what needed to be done to install them. The tranny has a port on the side of it and the sending unit screens directly into and as far as the water temp goes, well im not 100% sure about the 4.2L but the V8s have a block on the drivers side of the block that you pull out and the sending unit screws into using the autometer supplied adapters! Test Port on Tranny http://www.fordf150.net/photos/data/500/IMG_00011.JPG The pic of the plug for water temp sending unit i cant find sorry. Wayne |
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