DreamInRotary

iTrader: (49)

Ok guys, I haven't seen this covered on the forum here so I wanted to bring it up and hear your suggestions.

I haven't ever installed an aftermarket gauge or e-fan thermostat before - newb, I know - but I wanted some experienced help in these matters.

I purchased a mechanical oil pressure gauge and an electric water temp gauge from someone on the forum here (should arrive at my door soon, so sorry - no pics as of yet) along with a 14" e-fan with a 180degF single stage electric fan thermostat controller on eBay.

So my question is, how do you mount all of these things and have them run at the same time?? I'll tackle these questions under different headings.

ELECTRIC WATER TEMP GAUGE



Where should this be mounted? I have seen on eBay that they have these types of contraptions CLICK that you just thread your sensor in there and it's said and done.

But is there another, better way to install the gauge? And with that, where is the best place to put it at?

I'm assuming on the feed line to the radiator so you know how hot the water coming out of the engine is but I'm not educated enough to make that assumption.

MECHANICAL OIL PRESSURE GAUGE



I believe that you drill and tap a hole for the mechanical oil pressure gauge into a hard line (I got this notion from trochoid's thread on how to install a FMOC found HEREand in it he quotes "If you have plans to install an aftermarket op gauge, tap this banjo bolt for the sender. This is the best place for a reading, as it is only a couple of inches from the oil pressure regulator."

So you tap the actual banjo bolt?? This isn't too big of a deal for me, the car won't run right now due to a water pump not being installed. I have the tools available for tapping - I just want to know I'm doing it in the right place where the gauge will be the most beneficial for me.

ELECTRIC THERMOSTAT FOR E-FAN

The thermostat is shown below. Not top of the line, ordered as a package deal on eBay. Car doesn't get raced or anything, so this setup will serve its purpose.





It says that it's a 3/8'' NPT thread in probe. Could I possibly run this instead of the drain plug at the bottom of the radiator? Would this even fit?

The wiring diagram shows that one of the prongs on the sensor should go to the relay to turn it on when it hits 180degF and off when it cools to 165degF. The other prong goes to an ignition wire so that when the key's turned off the fan turns off as well.

I will also be wiring this to a switch down by my power mirror switch in case the thermostat ever pukes out or I want to run the fan manually.

ILLUMINATING GAUGES

There should be an illumination wire on the gauges and I can run this to any wire that goes to a dash/console light so when I flip my marker lights on the gauges will come on right? Just checking before I run a splicer on a wire that should be left alone.

Thanks for looking guys, I hope I'm not boring you to death or annoying the **** out of anyone. I just want to learn how to do this right the first time instead of doing it twice and messing something up on my car. I am learning how hard it is to replace parts.

I know I asked a hundred questions right there but if you can answer one or all, any help is appreciated.

Any comments, hints, tips, pics, any help at all is welcome, thanks.

Siraniko

iTrader: (13)

Water temp
You can tap the back of water pump housing, ortstat housing or purchase a radiator hose adapter.


Oil pressure
Buy a npt to bspt adapter to mount it on the stock location so you can have both stock and autometer working at the same time. Or tap the rear banjo bolt or oil filter pedestal lt if you still have the orig motor


Light is easy

82FanTC

iTrader: (9)

To make life really simple:

For water temp you can buy this
http://mrcmfg.com/catalog/product_in...roducts_id=483

For oil pressure you can but this
http://mrcmfg.com/catalog/product_in...products_id=71

Good quality made stuff. I don't trust myself drilling and tapping my motor so this is an easy choice.

DreamInRotary

iTrader: (49)

I plan on tapping the water pump housing twice for the e-fan thermostat and the water temp gauge - after this suggestion. One on the backside of the housing and one on the outlet. Thanks for the suggestion!

I am looking into that adapter for the oil pressure gauge, that seems like a perfect idea and it is my first preference. I still have a beehive oil cooler (heater as I started calling it after some research) and will look into where I can tap it effectively. I need to take it off anyways to do the o-rings.

The outlet thing is a cool idea, I never thought of that. I wonder how it would affect flow though, that's my only issue... I trust myself drilling and tapping my water pump housing since it's off of the car at the moment so I'll probably do that on my own since I don't have the $100 that I would give ReSpeed for a small job I can do on my own.

Thanks for that! I have seen the oil filter pedestal sandwich adapter before, when researching how to install an FMOC. I have yet to do that swap, and I will have to keep that in mind!

One more stupid question, can I run an Autometer air/fuel ratio gauge? I found a cheap one on the forum but again - I have no idea how to mount it. And would it even mount on a 12a with a Nikki? Doubt it, just asking out of curiosity.

82FanTC

iTrader: (9)

Yes you have to weld a bung into the exhaust pipe

Directfreak

iTrader: (2)

I agree. Easiest and probably will look best in the long run.

DreamInRotary

iTrader: (49)

Thanks for all the advice guys, it's helping a lot. I may pick up that air/fuel ratio gauge now that I know it gets welded into the exhaust. New exhaust is in order and this shouldn't be too hard to do.

DF, I plan on doing the oil filter pedestal sandwich idea - through eBay though, like $25 get's a decent enough one. I'm just wondering if the filter will fit on top of my beehive and this adapter.... Still need to do an FMOC swap..

DreamInRotary

iTrader: (49)

Here's how I did it. I drilled and tapped out the outlet housing right after the thermostat.

The oil filter sandwich adapter was from eBay - it will work for my intentions. I got another gauge that will be going into the adapter as well.