Adding guages

[jdavidsmi]

Glad you got it going.

On the temp gauge, I've often wondered if having one sender in the block and one after the thermostat would let you watch the thermostat open. It sounds like you put the aftermarket sender in the thermostat housing, which is the way I'd suggest doing it as the factory gauge is very slow to react. But the aftermarket one is probably fast enough that you can see the change as the gauge opens. I'd be curious to know if that's the case.

As for the volt meter, do you have it tied in all the time? I'd be worried that it would pull the battery down when the engine isn't running. Have you checked the current draw of it?

And pulling the bed makes getting to the sender a lot easier. But that in and of itself isn't always easy as the bolts don't like to come out. However, if you can get them out that would be the way to do it.

Yes I put the new temperature gauge in the thermostat housing, but having the truck in the garage I did not let it run long enough to watch the thermostat open. It was just too hot to stay out there for long even with the doors open and a fan running. Plus I have to get something set up the route the exhaust outside. Makes me nervous running the motor inside, even with the doors open.

I did not think about the voltage draw when the truck is off. Going to revisit a better connection point.

I have a new set of bolts for the bed, they been in a cabinet since before my heart attack. Plus I have the bed from the 86, may just change it out.

[Gary Lewis]

Yes I put the new temperature gauge in the thermostat housing, but having the truck in the garage I did not let it run long enough to watch the thermostat open. It was just too hot to stay out there for long even with the doors open and a fan running. Plus I have to get something set up the route the exhaust outside. Makes me nervous running the motor inside, even with the doors open.

I did not think about the voltage draw when the truck is off. Going to revisit a better connection point.

I have a new set of bolts for the bed, they been in a cabinet since before my heart attack. Plus I have the bed from the 86, may just change it out.

Be careful running it in the garage!

Anyway, as the engine warms you should be able to watch the temp in the engine come up with the stock gauge and yet the aftermarket gauge won't come up much. Then when the thermostat opens you should see the aftermarket gauge take off very rapidly and then stabilize at operating temp.

To me that seems like a neat way to know that your 'stat is working. Unfortunately the thermostat housing for Big Blue doesn't have a port in which to put the aftermarket gauge, so I didn't get to do that.

On the volt meter, if you connect to a circuit in the cab you will be "seeing" the voltage after the drop caused by the current of all of the various devices you have on at the time dropping the voltage across the resistance of the small factory wiring. That will vary as you turn on the A/C, change the fan speed, open the door so the interior lights come on, etc. A way around that is to put a relay in the wiring run from the battery to the volt meter and trigger the relay with key-on power.

But, I hope you also put a fuse near the battery in your feed to the volt meter. Otherwise a short in that wiring could catch the truck on fire.

[jdavidsmi]

Be careful running it in the garage!

Anyway, as the engine warms you should be able to watch the temp in the engine come up with the stock gauge and yet the aftermarket gauge won't come up much. Then when the thermostat opens you should see the aftermarket gauge take off very rapidly and then stabilize at operating temp.

To me that seems like a neat way to know that your 'stat is working. Unfortunately the thermostat housing for Big Blue doesn't have a port in which to put the aftermarket gauge, so I didn't get to do that.

On the volt meter, if you connect to a circuit in the cab you will be "seeing" the voltage after the drop caused by the current of all of the various devices you have on at the time dropping the voltage across the resistance of the small factory wiring. That will vary as you turn on the A/C, change the fan speed, open the door so the interior lights come on, etc. A way around that is to put a relay in the wiring run from the battery to the volt meter and trigger the relay with key-on power.

But, I hope you also put a fuse near the battery in your feed to the volt meter. Otherwise a short in that wiring could catch the truck on fire.

I think a relay is the way to go. When I was at the u-pull last week I was looking at the under hood fuse box from a 96. It had about 10 fuse spots, and 5 relays, I’m going to get it. I like the idea of having all the under hood fuses and relays in one spot.

[Gary Lewis]

I think a relay is the way to go. When I was at the u-pull last week I was looking at the under hood fuse box from a 96. It had about 10 fuse spots, and 5 relays, I’m going to get it. I like the idea of having all the under hood fuses and relays in one spot.

I agree that a power distribution box is the way to go. I used what is probably the same box, although mine was from a '95 F-Series, and it worked out nicely. If you want I have the wiring diagram I worked up for that box that I could share.

[ArdWrknTrk]

I think a relay is the way to go. When I was at the u-pull last week I was looking at the under hood fuse box from a 96. It had about 10 fuse spots, and 5 relays, I’m going to get it. I like the idea of having all the under hood fuses and relays in one spot.

I'll second the idea of a PDC.

I've added a compact distribution center underhood and it has worked out really well for me.

[jdavidsmi]

I agree that a power distribution box is the way to go. I used what is probably the same box, although mine was from a '95 F-Series, and it worked out nicely. If you want I have the wiring diagram I worked up for that box that I could share.

Gary, the diagram would be great, thanks in advance.

I do have a question about the oil pressure sensor. A little background. I had to pull the power steering pump and mount off to get to the sensor. When I installed the T and the sensor, I had to back the mount off a bit so the sensor would fit under the AC compressed mount.

The question is, does the oil pressure sensor need to be straight up and down,or will it work at an angle? Say 35 to 40 degrees towards the front of the truck.

I now cannot remount the power steering mount with the sensor as it is, the long bolt will not align.

[Gary Lewis]

Gary, the diagram would be great, thanks in advance.

I do have a question about the oil pressure sensor. A little background. I had to pull the power steering pump and mount off to get to the sensor. When I installed the T and the sensor, I had to back the mount off a bit so the sensor would fit under the AC compressed mount.

The question is, does the oil pressure sensor need to be straight up and down,or will it work at an angle? Say 35 to 40 degrees towards the front of the truck.

I now cannot remount the power steering mount with the sensor as it is, the long bolt will not align.

David - Check out this post in Big Blue's Transformation thread and see if that diagram works for you.

On the oil pressure sender, it doesn't care how you point it. The Windsors had it down and at an angle. The 460's had it sideways. Don't remember on the 300's. But it just doesn't care.

[jdavidsmi]

David - Check out this post in Big Blue's Transformation thread and see if that diagram works for you.

On the oil pressure sender, it doesn't care how you point it. The Windsors had it down and at an angle. The 460's had it sideways. Don't remember on the 300's. But it just doesn't care.

Thanks for the quick response, need to get out to the garage before the heat sets in. The weather man says it should reach 97 today with very high humidity. I won’t be able to stay out long in that.

[1986F150Six]

On the oil pressure sender, it doesn't care how you point it. The Windsors had it down and at an angle. The 460's had it sideways. Don't remember on the 300's. But it just doesn't care.

On the 300 / 4.9L engine, the sending unit screws directly into the "verticle" surface of the block on the driver's side to the rear of the distributor... very conveniently located.

[ArdWrknTrk]

On the oil pressure sender, it doesn't care how you point it. The Windsors had it down and at an angle. The 460's had it sideways. Don't remember on the 300's. But it just doesn't care.

On the 300 / 4.9L engine, the sending unit screws directly into the "verticle" surface of the block on the driver's side to the rear of the distributor... very conveniently located.

Hydraulics are the same in all directions, all the time.

There is never a need to worry about orientation, unless you have trapped air.