Gauge lighting questions

[ZookBronc]

I am trying to hook up the lighting in my autometer gauges and trying to figure out what to connect the power wire to so they turn on with the headlights.

 

[Viperwolf1]

Blue-red wire between the fusebox and cluster is dash lights.

 

[ZookBronc]

Blue wire with red strip or red wire with blue strip?
Is there an easy access point by the cluster?

Is there a diagram other than seabiscuits that you can direct me to?
FYI, its a 71 if that makes a difference.

Thanks for you help.

Paul

 

[Viperwolf1]

Blue wire with red strip or red wire with blue strip?
Is there an easy access point by the cluster?

Is there a diagram other than seabiscuits that you can direct me to?
FYI, its a 71 if that makes a difference.

Thanks for you help.

Paul

Blue wire red stripe. 3 cluster bulbs are powered by that wire.

 

[ZookBronc]

Great, thanks for the info.

 

[Steve83]

I'm working on rearranging Seabiscuit's diagrams, but I'm working backward from '77 and I've only made it to '73 so far.

 

[ZookBronc]

Ok, so I did a little more digging under the dash and found some other lose ends.

Black wire w/ blue strip and some sort of bullet conector end.
Blue wire w/ white strip
Thick brown wire with a square connector
Yellow wire w/ black strip with a bullet type connector
Yellow wire w/ white strip - by the gauge cluster

Purple wire and red sire w/ yellow strip i think that goes to the brake warning light??

Anyone know where all these belong?

Thanks,
Zook

 

[bluebronco69]

Blue wire w/ white strip i think this is for like if you have a dome light when you turn the headlight switch CCW it will activate this wire, i believe
Thick brown wire with a square connector sounds like that is for the heater controls if i am remembering right...


Purple wire and red sire w/ yellow strip i think that goes to the brake warning light?? i believe that is also for the brake warning light.

hope that helps.

 

[ZookBronc]

Any ideas on the other wires?

 

[Viperwolf1]

Black wire w/ blue strip and some sort of bullet conector end.--map light or dome light
Blue wire w/ white strip--cigar lighter
Thick brown wire with a square connector--heater power
Yellow wire w/ black strip with a bullet type connector--radio power
Yellow wire w/ white strip - by the gauge cluster--aux tank sender
Purple wire and red sire w/ yellow strip i think that goes to the brake warning light??--purple-white is brake warning sw to light, red-yellow is headlight sw to dimmer sw

 

[ZookBronc]

Thanks Viperwolf.

 

[huntersmky]

so if i'm hooking tachometer lights up to my cluster lights so they will turn on with the cluster lights will I splice it in with that same wire?

 

[Viperwolf1]

so if i'm hooking tachometer lights up to my cluster lights so they will turn on with the cluster lights will I splice it in with that same wire?

Correct.

 

[huntersmky]

thanks, from reading your post, you really know your stuff.

Hunter

Correct.

 

[Viperwolf1]

They were all lucky guesses.

 

[ZookBronc]

If i need a power source for my aftermarket autometer fuel guage, what should I tap into? Can I use the radio power lead or cigar lead that I am not using or whats the best way?

 

[ZookBronc]

Can I split the orange fuel tank sending wire and have one go to the stock guage and the other go to my autometer? Will this screw anything up?

 

[DirtDonk]

If i need a power source for my aftermarket autometer fuel guage, what should I tap into? Can I use the radio power lead or cigar lead that I am not using or whats the best way?

The radio wire would be on with the key only, which would be appropriate for your gauge. I would not hook a radio up to it though, along with a gauge.
The cigar lighter wire is not appropriate, as it's on all the time and you don't want your gauge powered up all the time.

You can also tap into the power input at the IVR on the back of the gauge cluster. You don't want the output side though, as you'd then get pulsing in your aftermarket gauge.

Paul

 

[DirtDonk]

Can I split the orange fuel tank sending wire and have one go to the stock guage and the other go to my autometer? Will this screw anything up?

I'm not actually sure, but I'm thinking that, yes, it would give a change of resistance in the wire, which would cause either or both gauges to read incorrectly.
Viper and Steve83 could probably answer that better than I can.

Did you purchase these gauges? If not, are you certain that the fuel gauge is the correct one for an older Ford?

Paul

 

[Viperwolf1]

If i need a power source for my aftermarket autometer fuel guage, what should I tap into? Can I use the radio power lead or cigar lead that I am not using or whats the best way?

Radio lead would work. Another good spot is the stud terminal at the back of the ign sw.

Two fuel gauges on one sender could work if the 2nd gauge had a high enough impedance. One thing that would worry me enough to not try it is you could be doubling the current going through the sender, and fuel fumes.