Gauges & Mounting Options

[Philip]

HI Sam



Right now I am at the point I need a lab Oscope to find out what the output is from our PCM. I don't have one or access to one. When I find this info I'll get back in touch with AutoMeter. From our emails back and forth. They have never had a late 1st gen at their shop to check this out. They just kept selling the alt tach versions.



AutoMeter is based in IL. I even thought about going for a drive and let them test the signal on my truck.



Hooking the 2697 up is the same as the Isspro "POS" I have in there now. Untill I find out the actual signal and get back to AutoMeter and talk with them. I am at a dead end.



After I find the signal even if AutoMeter can't help or will not. I have another way to attack the problem. But I still need to know the output signal to go that way. The output signal is the key. Once I get the signal patterned then there are other options to attack it with.



I still want that 2697 in my truck.

 

["Mad Max"]

cool - thanks Phil. I have a couple ideas I'm going to try out as well - If we can figure out a way to be able to just plug in a tach to our rigs... man. . that'd be way sweet, especially with the column pod - love the way that looks.

A buddy of mine who just got a new '600' is a wiring witch - I'm gonna ping this off him - once I do he won't be able to sleep until he figures it out :-laf Kinda mean but that's the fun part...



We'll make this work somehow - ... . we will have it... . oh yes. . it will be ours.

 

["Mad Max"]

...okay....I think I might have it.....

Ok fellers - I've been talking with the tech folks at Autometer as well as Diesel Innovations, and I think I may have the receipe for making the nice Autometer or any other of your favorite standard tachs work in our 1st gen rigs - Oo. - it is just going to take some rocket engine parts to do it! Nawww, just kiddin :-laf



Okay, here's what I found out - It will take various parts to do it, but really it sounds pretty simple, so long as the parts can all talk to eachother. Call me crazy but the tech guys at Autometer seemed to already have this formula figured out, and I'm guessing it's because of our very own Phillip!



Basically there are 6 components to make this all work and have it all installed and running: Magnets (x4), sensor, cable, resistor, gauge pod, and o'course, a tach. Here's the very basic instructions and costs (from Autometer) as I understand them:



First - Epoxy 4 magnets to the balancer, each 90* apart. Part # 9362 (x2), Cost - $26



Second - fabricate a bracket to hold the sensor. Cost - (home made)



Third - Install sensor. Part #9355, Cost - $75



Fourth - Plug in cable to sensor. Part # 9346, Cost - $45



Fifth - Bridge 10k resistor across the 12v power wire and the signal wire. 10k resistor part # (Radio Shack... ), Cost $3. THIS is what is supposed to convert the wave into a square signal, which is what all Autometer tachs require.



Sixth - Install gauge pod. I'm using a 2nd gen column pod, Part #15012, Cost $30.



Seventh - Install tach and plug in cable. Set the tach for '8 cylinder'. Tach Part # 2697, Cost $98.



Eighth - Fire it up and watch it go*. I haven't proven this to work but they assure me it will, but until I do it myself I caviot this by saying it should work.



Okay - what do all you guys think about that???? Phillip???



On the 2697 low rev 5000 rpm tach - Autometer told me also that this tach DOES have the little green condum that covers the light bulb. The green one matches our 1st gen dashes perfectly.



- Sambo

 

[RSchwarzli]

You can get a 4 gauge pod for our 1st gens! :--) Oo. How about a 3 pod A piller? Is that available? What are the 7 most important things to watch? Oo.



Robert

 

["Mad Max"]

Cool! Yeah the 3-gauge A-pillar pods are available but you have to get a 2-gauge and a 1-gauge and stack 'em. AUtometer sells them but I don't have the part numbers handy. I think PDR sells them directly.

- S

 

[RSchwarzli]

Won't it look stupid with a line where the two pods meet? As in a raised line? Or will it look to crowded?

 

[Crash_AF]

To take the discussion in another direction totally, I'm considering fabricating and installing a complete replacement dash that would replace the instrument cluster with all 8 gauges from Autometer or Isspro. (Speedo, tach, oil press, water temp, fuel level, voltmeter, boost, pyro) in a waterjet cut sheet of aluminum. This would basically require that you cut out the stock three holes, but I think having all eight in the cluster area would be cool. A friend makes these for Scouts and it looks cool and costs around $500. Would anyone be interested in something like this for 1st gens?



Here's a link to a picture of the Scout ones.

#ad




Later,

Joe

 

[Philip]

For a total of $146. for parts. I think it is high. They still have not looked at a first gen yet. All they did was to find some off the shelf parts and throw high prices on them.



We have a PCM that throws a perfectely good tach signal. How hard would it be to make a converter box to change the signal over to the square wave?



If I wanted to go to add on magnets and a sensor. I would just run down to the local Curby Risk electrical supply house and get a Omeron 12Volt magnetic pickup and then to the local hardware store for the magnets. The wiring is nothing I couldn't do in my sleep.



The solution they are giving I think is "BS".



BSchwarzli the line between two pods would be small. The AutoMeter pods are good construction and they fit the 1st gen pillars good. You wouldn't notice the line.

 

[Philip]

Thought I would update this thread.



I talked with my electronic's person. He has a lab scope. So when I can get my truck to his house. He will hook it up and run a signal pattern. He also said he can most likely make a converter box. He knows what a square wave signal is and he is pretty sure what our trucks puts out without even hooking up. But he is going to hook up and make sure of the signal. Then he is going to make a converter box to see how the tach works and if we can calibrate it properly.



This gentleman worked almost 20 years for Magnavox in the prototype and test labs. Brother-in-laws are good for something.

 

[jeff77indy]

Phillip;

What is the verdict on the Autometer adapter box?

I have one in my '89 and may move it to my '92 if it can be made to work with the damper sensor.

Jeff

 

[Philip]

I haven't gotten up to his house yet. He lives about 80 miles away. I am going to try this weekend or next to get up there.

 

[Philip]

Well I thought I would throw a update on this post.



I finaly got around and had the truck on a O scope. Our PCM puts out the correct signal for a automotive tach. The problem is the PCM only outputs the signal at 5 volts. An auto tach is looking for a 9 to 12 volt signal.



My electronic's person is working on a converter box. I should have it in a week or two.



Do you know how long it took to find this post. LOL

 

[jeff77indy]

Phillip, thanks for the update.

Please post when you get your box and if you can I would like a schematic so I could possibly build one for my '92. I am planning on taking the gauges out of my '89 so I can lower the price on it and hopefully get it sold.





Jeff

 

[ESchoon]

Any updates on this??

 

[Philip]

No it sliped my mind.



I need to get a hold of the brother in law and see where he is at on the converter box. I'll call him tonight.

 

[RSchwarzli]

Well, since this post is coming out of the wood work, a few posts up I asked about a 2 pod and a 1 pod mached together on the A pillar. I did just that 2 weeks ago on the 90 Oo. . I works pretty slick, other than a little fileing and shaving. Robert

 

[Doc Holiday]

Nascar Mark posted a long time ago that a regular tach would work on our tach signal. If I get time tomorrow I have a new Sun Super tach out in the garage I am going to use as a test mule to find out.



They do and I have a copy of the written directions on how to do it. Mine worked fine without any convertors or anything else... we built a harness and plugged it in. The tach was in three first gens and is about to go into its fourth.

 

[ptmoore]

i put green colored bulbs in my guages and the light matches the factory guage lighting perfectly. much nicer than the green condom bulb covers. got the bulbs at walmart

 

[Philip]

Doc it depends on how sensitive the tack is to low voltage. I have tried a AutoMeter 5k gasser tack and a Sun Super tack I have in the garage. Both do not like the 4. 5 volt output our PCM puts out. Its supposed to be a 5 volt output. But mine is doing 4. 5 volt.



I haven't been able to get a hold of my brother in law to find out how he is doing on my converter box.

 

[boatpuller]

I tried a VDO tach years ago after being told it should work, even had a tech at VDO spend about 1/2 day back and forth on email and phone trying to help me, the signal from our PCM would not drive the tach, thought maybe I just wasn't getting a good signal from my PCM(I didn't have an Oscope to check with, only meters) but my PCM signal was fine for the Isspro tach I later purchased at PDR. I would get a tach that is known to work with our PCM's or wire it into your alternator.





Caleb