Need some help from those who have done gauge installs. I am about to install a Lo-tek 3 gauge pillar pod and an Autometer steering wheel gauge pod. The gauges are all Lunar Series Autometer: air/fuel ratio, fuel pressure, single stage intake air temp(after intercooler), and trans temp. In asking the following questions please keep all answers in simple terms because I have a simple mind. A lot of guys have been asking a lot of questions lately about pod and gauge installs. It is obvious that much help is needed in this catagory. So...in the best interest of the Lightning community we need your expertise and knowledge to help us have the best looking gauge installations out there.

Start with a "how to" for the pod installations. Next, let us know the best way to wire the gauges and route the wiring. Where do we direct wires through the firewall? Let us know the difficulties and any hints or tricks for making the job easier. Photos would be very helpfull. Next, show us where to tap into what wires for certain gauges. For instance; where is the best place to tap for 12V power? The location and color of that wire? Same with the lightning wire. Then as for the rest of the wiring... where do we look for the wire to tap into for the intake manifold temp, and the color of that wire? It would be helpfull for all the gauges I have listed above plus other popular gauges such as "volts" and "boost" which guys are installing. For the trans temp gauge show us where the probe enters the trans. Also let us know if any adapters or extra fittings are needed to complete the install.

This information can literally turn a two day job into a job that takes a couple of hours. Your experience and knowledge is very valuable here and will truly be appreciated by all that have yet to tackle this task.

Much appreciated.
Rich B.

 

Hey rich, we covered this last week.. Hit the following thread here

Installing the pod is completely brainless. Be sure to hit the hardware store and pickup the following items.

Bring the screws with you. Should be 2 that came with the pillar. You want to go 3 times longer. I forgot the machine screw size, but you will see what im talking about while your there. Make sure you use the exact same style as the supplied screws or they wont fit into the holes properly with the cap. I used stainless ones and they were 3X longer. Also, pick up a 6 pack of those blue wire tap thingies. you will need a roll of teflon tape as well.

Goto radio shack and pick up extra wire. You will need it and it will make your life easier. I got the assorted 3 color roll.

Remove the handle by using a 5/16th socket. You need to wedge it in the hole and twist it until you feel the nut locking onto the socket. Then give it a good twist.

Now, remove the stock a pillar. Afterwords, take your Lotek pillar and soak it in hot water for about 20 mins. Makes it sort of plyable.

Next, take a awl and put the pillar up to the the area as if your going to mount it. Pay special attention to the top part. Be sure to get it to line up with the head liner notch. I found it easier to slip in the bottom part of the pillar first. Once you have it sitting the way you want it if its perm mounted, take your awl and scribe the 2 holes from the pod onto the pillar frame. Get your drill out and drill them out to the next size LARGER then 1/8th.

That will cover the basic install for the pillar itself. I used the two original bolt holes that held the handle in place for my grounding points. I took all 3 of the gauges ground and twisted them together., Then i crimped on a ring and then screwed the original 7mm bolt back into the hole. I did remove the entire bracket for the handle support btw.

Look under the dash and locate the blue wire with a green stripe. Its a pretty thick wire, under the the dash, near the steering column pointing towards the seat. Use one of those blue tap thingies and spare cable for power ( red in color ).
Since i only had 2 electric gauges, i twisted the both together and then soldered and heat shrink them to that power wire.

Your illumination wire is located @ the ash tray. Pull the light bulb out and test it with a light probe to find the hot wire when you turn on the lights. Use a blue tap and another spare piece of wire and run it under the dash, fishing it up to the pillar.

Your fuel pressure gauge will require that you snip the harness in half and resolder it once you fish it into the engine bay. I also hope you got the 3280 or whatever part # for the adapter for the schrader or else you wont be installing the sending unit any time soon.

Trans temp is a piece of cake. Plug the the sender on the drivers side of the tranny. You will see a little plug just above the oil pan. It screws right in!


I could sit here and type and type and type. Im tired and i need to hit the sack. Email me if you have any more questions. I dont know what your going to do for the single stage intake temp. I havent even seen the gauge, let alone the hardware it comes with it. Can you supply me with the part # and possibly some pics of it?

 

Thanks for all the help and info. You said the fuel pressure gauge has an adapter that uses the schrader valve as it's pressure port? Is this an electric fuel gauge? Also, a few weeks ago there was a post about intake temp and a gauge but I can't locate it. I do know that the gauge is part#5772. Other than that I have no idea where it hooks in. I think that the i/c circulation pump gets it's info from this sending unit but I am not sure. This is the only gauge I remain with no info on hook-up. Any help would be appreciated as to how to do this.

 

Look at your FP gauge package. You will see a black sending unit with a brass bottom. That unit has a 1/8th NPT fitting. It will NOT screw into the same hole as the schrader valve unless you get the 3280 brass adapter which converts that 1/8th NPT to 1/16th NPT. You need to unscrew the schrader once you get the proper adapter and install your sender there. Make sure you wrap both threads ( adapter and sending unit ) several times with Teflon tape. It will leak if you do not do it correctly and if you look at the location of the S.Valve, you will see a coil sitting right there, which wouldnt be to good for you or your truck if the fuel decided to leak.

Scummit sells the needed adapter. I wrote Autometer and Scummit nasty emails about why a person is spending $240 for this gauge and not getting the fuel rail adapter included. Its bull****.

The fuel pressure gauge is electric. It has 5 leads on the harness. One red for the +12V ignition power, 1 Black wire for ground, a brown, purple and other color wire for the sending unit. I snipped the 3 colored wires towards the last half of the cable going to the sending unit. Guided the wires through the rubber grommet where the vacumm tube goes through the firewall, then re-soldered and heat shrink them. I then slipped the black cable protector stuff that came with the gauge and taped it up good and tight. You will not have to extend this harness at all. There is plenty of wire.

I looked at your part# for the Air Intake Charge gauge and its a Phantom series, not lunar. I guess ill call autometer and ask them when they plan on releasing more lunar series gauges.

 

Your posts have been very helpfull and very much appreciated. With the knowledge that you have passed on the task of doing the install now doesn't seem so intimidating. When it comes to engine compartment mechanics, I don't hesitate to get going, but when it comes to the interior, like installing gauges, and sound systems, I just don't have the patience. If you get info on the hook-up of the intake air temp gauge it would be very helpfull. Again, thanks.
Rich B.

 

Theres someone on here who did that Air intake gauge, just try to find who it is on previous threads and shoot him an email. You can also call autometer and find where to plug that gauge in. Im sure Sal from PSP could assist you as well.

Nothing is very hard. Its just intimidating until you get down and dirty with it. I really didnt have time to screw around with a how to. My mother had just passed away and i needed to get the truck finished so i could move some crap out of the garage before the funeral. I had 2 days to accomplish this. However, a How To would be very beneficial. Also.. If you need the hookup for your A/F gauge, i have a link to a $18 part that will make this a breeze for you...

A/F O2 Pigtail Its the 3rd item from the bottom.

 

I don't believe you can just tap into a wire for the air intake temp. Autometer should supply you with a probe which you install directly into the manifold. I know the computer already reads this temperature and am not sure if you can get the reading from a scan tool or not. I would check with the autotap for you except my truck is still apart.

Here is what the bung looks like that the autometer probe is connected to. I installed it into # 4 intake runner.

 

Flying ****,,,

I'm very sorry to hear about your loss. It makes me sad to hear that it is now that you are going through this difficult time. You have given me a lot of help over the last several posts and that is appreciated. I will check out the a/f gauge pigtail link that you mentioned.
Thanks again.

Rich B.

 

driving home today i could smell gass bad. fuel pressure sending unit was leakin like a bastard, fuel everywhere. I am very lucky because i didn't blow up. Teflon tape isn't cutting it. leaked right past it. What else can i use???

 

You can try a liquid thread sealer.

But.. You need to wrap both the sending unit AND that 3280 adapter TIGHT with teflon. I wrapped mine 8 times around. Then busted out all kinds of wrenches and tightened the 3280 and FP sending unit together as tight as i could.. Then i installed it on the fuel rail. Not a drip.

 

The Autometer instructions make a point of saying do not use tape, use only liquid sealant.

Coldie

 

Guys,
this is a very valuable thread. I have a question. I installed an Autometer lunar series water temp. gauge in the lo-tek pod. I hooked the power and ignition fine. I tapped into the Red/White wire off of the factory sending unit to read the coolant temp, as opposed to using the provided sender. My coolant temp on the gauge is reading 230-250, which I think is incorrect. I have an electric fan kit and one fan is set to turn on around 190-200. The gauge has already reached 230-250 when the fan kicks on. What do you think is wrong here? Should I have used the supplied sender and tapped and drilled somewhere? I don't have the means to tell you exactly what the computer is registering. I need to pick up or borrow an OBD II tool. Let me know what you think.

 

Rich,

Interesting selection of gauges.

I've posted qutie a few times on gauges installs.

I did a search on my username and 'gauges' and here's the results.

http://198.65.157.241/forums/search....der=descending

Might as well be a how-to feel free to email me with specific ?'s. however, not sure on the air instake temp install but it appears as if easter has that covered.

Bob

 

not entirely true

autometer instruction no. 2650-158m, that came with the guage says to "use teflon sealing tape or sealing compound on pipe threads."

if you go on the web site......it says not to use tape, compound only. This could be a problem that bites autometer in the ***. I caught my leak luckily but if i didn't.........

 

Your gonna love those Luna Gauges.... I Promise
Peace..........