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73-87 Chevy _ GMC Trucks => Interior & Equipment => Instrumentation => Topic started by: Skunksmash on September 03, 2011, 05:50:01 pm

Title: Use factory sending unit?
Post by: Skunksmash on September 03, 2011, 05:50:01 pm

I'm trying to start the process of getting an RPM gauge in the fuel gauge spot. (87) So of course I need to move the fuel gauge to where the clock was. I'm just wondering if I can just slap the new fuel gauge in there and use the factory wires and sending unit and stuff. Or do I need to do some other stuff? The water gauge was easy but the fuel gauge seemed like there might be a little more to it.

Title: Re: Use factory sending unit?
Post by: bake74 on September 04, 2011, 07:28:46 pm

http://gmsportssalvage.com/?q=node/1530

     Here is one mentioned on this site before by Zieg85, it is a rpm gage with built in fuel gage so you don't have to loose your clock.

Title: Re: Use factory sending unit?
Post by: Skunksmash on September 04, 2011, 08:17:00 pm

Holy carp thats expensive. Plus it says its only for 73-86. Mine is 87.  But the main problem I have is, I hate the zeros behind the numbers on the RPM gauge. Looks like another speedometer or something. I'd have to get rid of them some kinda way.

Title: Re: Use factory sending unit?
Post by: Captkaos on September 08, 2011, 01:56:32 pm

You are going to have to figure out your printed circuit to operate the fuel gauge in a different location, you just can move it and it work.

Title: Re: Use factory sending unit?
Post by: Skunksmash on September 12, 2011, 11:58:15 pm

Yeah true. Do you happen to know if somewhere sells a printed circuit that came on the other models? By which I mean, those trucks that already came with an RPM gauge. I assume they must have had a printed circuit that had the fuel gauge moved to the smaller holes. Guess I could always look in the junkyard, but those things are hard to come across. And every time I have come across one, the junkyard guy knew exactly what he had and wanted top dollar for it.

Or maybe I can just reroute the power on my circuit... hmm. It doesn't look like it would be all that difficult since the actual lines in the circuit itself are larger than you would expect. IIRC, they're like an eighth of an inch wide. That should leave you plenty of room to work with. Also you gotta know the ohm's range of the factory sending unit before you can order a fuel gauge. I have no idea what it is on these trucks though.

Title: Re: Use factory sending unit?
Post by: topp on September 13, 2011, 01:05:02 am

I ran wires from the spot in the cluster the fuel gauge was in to the new location....

Title: Re: Use factory sending unit?
Post by: Captkaos on September 22, 2011, 11:47:19 am

you can tap into the cluster and run it, the tach doesn't use the cluster.  You can buy printed circuit from some of the aftermarket suppliers, I don't have them though.

Title: Re: Use factory sending unit?
Post by: topp on September 22, 2011, 11:56:19 am

You can also re-pin the cluster harness as well.