Trouble with Autometer fuel pressure gauge

[CumminsPower98]

This past week I installed an Auto Meter electric 0-100 PSI fuel press gauge (4363) and it's not working. Here is what it does. The pointer rests at about 100 PSI when the key is off. When I turn the key on or start the engine the pointer goes clockwise about 3/8". When I first installed it, it would pulse slightly in that position when the engine was running but now it's steady. I have tested fuel pressure with a mechanical gauge and should be getting 22 PSI at idle. I have checked and rechecked all connections for proper hookup and am sure it's right. I mounted the pressure sender in the head of the fuel supply banjo bolt at the injection pump after the filter. I just wanted to know if anyone else has had any trouble like this or any other suggestions you might have before I call up Auto Meter about the problem. My other two gauges are working great (Pyrometer and Boost). Thanks in advance for any help.
Mark


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Red 1998 Dodge Ram 2500 4X4 Quad Cab, CTD 12 Valve, Long Bed, 5-speed, 3. 54 gears, Camper/Tow pkg, 33x12. 50x16. 5 BFG A/T's, Rancho RS9000 Shocks, Auto Meter piller mounted Pyrometer, Boost, and Fuel pressure gauges, Tuff Country Leveling Kit, Straight Piped, K&N Air Filter, Silencer Ring Hanging in Shop, Yet to be Bombed, 70K+ Miles. My web site: www.mark74.com

 

[Neal Cassady]

CP98,

I'm not familiar with that Autometer setup but I always ground the sender and the gauge itself. In an ideal world the sender should be grounded when threaded into the adapter/ banjo eliminating the need to ground the gauge.

Dave

 

[Vaman]

I'm waiting for a replacement for my autometer electronic fuel pressure gauge. I wasn't impressed with the quality when I first saw it and it hasn't worked properly yet. It just looked and felt cheap (even though the price was up there). My DiPricols, by the way, are a different story... love 'em.

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98. 5 2500, 24v, 5 speed, QC, 4x4, 4. 10 LSD, short bed, Line-X liner, tow package, camper suspension, Westin nerfs, camper shell, TST PowerMax Competition, 275 RVs, Psychotty air, HX-40, 4" straight pipe exhaust, ProComp A/T 305/70/R16s, EGT/Boost/Fuel pressure pillar gauges, Grover air horns... Love my Cummins, no love for Dodge

 

[radixr]

Mark,

If you don't have some kind of snubber to smooth out the pressure spikes, your sender will croak quickly. I put a 0-30psi VDO sender in the same place that you did. It had a built-in snubber but it didn't last either. I got another one and mounted it remotely with a needle valve (thanks illflem) in front of the sender to isolate it. Don't know how long this one will last but we'll see.

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1996 Dodge 2500 4X4 SC, SLT,Cummins 12V, 5-spd. , JRE 4" exhaust (my kitty ran away into the woods and the muffler fell off!), TST 280 HP/685 Ft-Lb Uprate Kit, AFC Spring Kit, ATS 3-piece Exhaust Manifold, Chrome Valve Covers, Horton Fan Clutch, Jacobs/Ram Exhaust Brake, MagHytec Differential Cover, Prime-Loc, Rancho RS9000 Shocks, Combo Gauge, K&N Air Filter, Brite-Box, Geno's finger-touch oil pan drain plug, Optima Yellow Tops, no turbo silencer ring, full-time fog lights. As of 5-19-01, 68,522 miles.

 

[CumminsPower98]

Thanks radixr, that is probably my problem. I don't know what the gauge did to start with because I didn't hook up the power until the next day so the sender might have died in the little bit I drive it until the next day when I got it hooked up. I posted a new topic to try and see what other guys are doing to solve this problem.

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Red 1998 Dodge Ram 2500 4X4 Quad Cab, CTD 12 Valve, Long Bed, 5-speed, 3. 54 gears, Camper/Tow pkg, 33x12. 50x16. 5 BFG A/T's, Rancho RS9000 Shocks, Auto Meter piller mounted Pyrometer, Boost, and Fuel pressure gauges, Tuff Country Leveling Kit, Straight Piped, K&N Air Filter, Silencer Ring Hanging in Shop, Yet to be Bombed, 70K+ Miles. My web site: www.mark74.com