After Market Gauges

[buicktom61]

Hi,

I bought some extra gauges for my 86 GN with Digital Dash. How to connect them right?

Can I use one of the three connectors on the engine oil switch for a proper reading?
Can I use the green Connector near the A/C compressor for the right tachometer signal?

Thanks

Thomas

 

[Raeban]

Assuming you bought an oil pressure gauge, no you can't use the oil switch to read oil pressure as the switch is not a sending unit. As for the green connector near the A/C, this is one place to get a tach signal from but most aftermarket tachs need an additional tach adapter to work properly with the Buick DIS. Caspers sells one IIRC.

 

[TurboDave]

Yes, the green connector is a tach signal. No adapter is required for most better tachs. The tach will either have a switch to make it read a 6 cyl. signal, or some require one of their wires to be cut to read the 6 cyl signal.
Your oil pressure gauge requires a sender of its own, that needs to be "T"d in at the stock sender.

 

[buicktom61]

Thanks. Your answers will help. First I will try without a tach adapter. The tach has a possibility to switch between 4,6 and 8 cylinder.
Any Idea where I can get a T for the oil pressure switch?

Thanks

Thomas

 

[Raeban]

It usually means a trip to the hardware store. Here is a picture of a setup I used for a while that gets the job done and retains the factory light. Some people just take the 3 pronged switch out and use an adapter in the same hole to mount their sending unit. FWIW the factory switch provides a secondary path for activating your fuel pump relay so it isn't required which is why some keep it and others eliminate it.

Looking at the fittings in the picture I would say I used a 1/4" NPT street EL, a 1/4" close nipple, a 1/4" NPT "T", and a 1/4" NPT to 1/8" NPT bushing. Man I wish I would have taken a picture with the engine clean

 

[buicktom61]

That helps a lot.

Thomas

 

[wb's87]

I just removed the stock sender. My new dash setup has a warning light for the oil pressure as well as the gauge has the ability to set high or low limits. Installing the new sender is very difficult do to it's location. I used the same ground that the battery uses to the block behind the turbo bracket at the bottom bolt. This way you only have to run one wire into the driver compartment. Good luck.

 

[GNRick]

FWIW the factory switch provides a secondary path for activating your fuel pump relay so it isn't required which is why some keep it and others eliminate it.

Actually the factory switch provides a secondary path for activating the fuel pump if the fuel pump relay goes bad. Got this from the Vortex website.

 

[Raeban]

Actually the factory switch provides a secondary path for activating the fuel pump if the fuel pump relay goes bad. Got this from the Vortex website.

Except for when you have a hotwire kit and use the factory relay (or oil pressure switch) to activate your new relay. Lots of relays...

Good catch though.