Author Topic: Ok need some more gauge help  (Read 8362 times)

Offline Skunksmash

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Ok need some more gauge help
« on: October 16, 2011, 03:03:33 AM »
Finally got enough time off work to be able to wire up my new RPM gauge. Can't wait to get it all hooked up. I bought an Autometer Pro Comp 5" in-dash tach. Other ones that I've seen make the installation look pretty simple, but of course mine has to have some kind of extra wires. The PDF from autometer with the instructions, doesn't show the extra wires that mine has, of course. That would make this too easy. Here's a link to my tach on their official website:

http://autometer.com/cat_gaugedetail.aspx?gid=2701&sid=9

And here is a pic of the back of my actual tach:



The arrows show the unmatching locations and amounts of wires that the autometer instructions do not show:



I would just try it and see, but according to the warning label doing so could void my warranty and ruin my expensive tach. That, and its going on an 87 which is probably different than the previous models since its fuel injection instead of carb.
« Last Edit: October 16, 2011, 03:05:57 AM by Skunksmash »

Offline Irish_Alley

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Re: Ok need some more gauge help
« Reply #1 on: October 16, 2011, 04:58:23 AM »
imo, its has incandescent lights and a "around the dial" lights some may not want the around the dial lights so they wont hook it up but the option is there.
If you can’t tell yourself the truth, who can you tell it to?~Irish_Alley

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Offline Skunksmash

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Re: Ok need some more gauge help
« Reply #2 on: October 17, 2011, 05:06:04 AM »
Just wish I knew which one was which. They're not labeled, and they're not even in the same spot as the picture shows.

Offline 1979C20

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Re: Ok need some more gauge help
« Reply #3 on: October 17, 2011, 06:22:31 AM »
Yeah, thats for a light. Hook up 12 volts to it and see what it lights up.
1979 SCLB C20 Q-jet 350 SM465 14b F.F. 4.10 G80
1989 GMC Suburban V2500 TBI350 TH400 4in lift 35's 14b SF

Offline bake74

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Re: Ok need some more gauge help
« Reply #4 on: October 17, 2011, 09:18:50 AM »
     The question mark in your second diagram is for dash lights.  Hook up to the existing dash light circuit and your tach light will only come on when you turn your headlights on, like your dash lights, otherwise it will not be on at night, or it will be on all the time if you hook up to 12v constant, and will burn the light out faster.
#1: The easiest and most obvious solution to any problem is 99% of the time correct.
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Offline Skunksmash

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Re: Ok need some more gauge help
« Reply #5 on: October 17, 2011, 08:57:39 PM »
Ok thanks. But I have to ask, how do you know for sure that its for the light? Seeing as how they're not in the same spot as the diagram. Do you own the same gauge as me?

Offline Irish_Alley

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Re: Ok need some more gauge help
« Reply #6 on: October 17, 2011, 09:08:18 PM »
it wouldnt be colored black and white if one wasnt hot the other ground
If you can’t tell yourself the truth, who can you tell it to?~Irish_Alley

When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth ~Sherlock Holmes

Offline 1979C20

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Re: Ok need some more gauge help
« Reply #7 on: October 18, 2011, 01:07:00 AM »
Grab that plug at the base, the black area. And pull it. Or push it down. It will.pop out and theres a bulb inside. Every gauge that ive bought recently has had that exact bulb.
1979 SCLB C20 Q-jet 350 SM465 14b F.F. 4.10 G80
1989 GMC Suburban V2500 TBI350 TH400 4in lift 35's 14b SF

Offline beastie_3

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Re: Ok need some more gauge help
« Reply #8 on: October 18, 2011, 02:34:15 PM »
i have that same tach. both black plugs are the light sockets. because the tach is so large, it takes two bulbs to illuminate it evenly.

Offline Captkaos

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Re: Ok need some more gauge help
« Reply #9 on: October 19, 2011, 05:01:52 PM »
there are 2 sockets on the tach (as Beastie_3 stated) and they are both for illumination.

Offline Skunksmash

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Re: Ok need some more gauge help
« Reply #10 on: October 20, 2011, 01:19:37 AM »
Yeah they're lights. Better safe than sorry. Thanks for the replies everyone. Autometer said I must have bought an older model gauge cause the newer ones only have that one light. Kinda glad I got two lights. Think I'll replace the bulbs with LED's though. Or soon as I get it all hooked up, one will burn out.