Installing Gauge Next to Coin Tray
#1
Installing Gauge Next to Coin Tray
Hi everyone,
Since installing a new fuel pump, fuel pressure regulator, return line, new fuel rails, etc. I decided to install an electric fuel pressure gauge inside the cabin in my 05 V to keep tabs on things and thought I'd document where I ran the wires through the firewall and where I found the switched power and lights wires to connect.
First, you have to pull the HVAC assembly. There are a number of articles like this one http://www.cadillacfaq.com/faq/answers/radbezel.html that show you how - pull out the coin tray, remove the 7mm bolt behind it and then pull the whole assembly out by hand, using a putty knife around the trim edges to get things started. Once you've done that, you can disconnect the HVAC loom and the wire to the cigarette lighter and the whole assembly will be free from the center console.
As for the wiring:
After removing the plastic and metal knee panels, look up and you'll see two little black blocks taped to the loom - they are actually two 2A fuse blocks. Pink wires run into one, yellow into the other. The wire on the 'A' side is pre-fuse, the wire on the 'B' side is fused. Tap into the 'B' yellow wire for a fused line to run the gauge light and into the 'B' pink wire for fused, switched power. A thread from CF helped me find those - http://www.cadillacforums.com/forums...ml#post1816087. You can get a ground from a number of places right behind the HVAC panel.
I ended up running the wires to the sender through the firewall using a place where a bundle and an existing grommet already were near the clutch-brake pedal. It was hard until I realized the center part of the grommet pops out so you can punch a hole in it first and then a hole in the firewall side of the grommet from inside the car.
You don't absolutely have to remove the coin tray from the HVAC unit to get the gauge in if you don't want to. I did and, like this guy (http://www.cadillacforums.com/forums...ml#post1807859) I broke the little tab that the coin tray return spring levers against and had to put in a tiny screw to replace it.
I tried to use a hole saw to cut the 2 1/16" hole for the gauge but jumped all over the place so I used a drill and dremel to cut a too-small hole and slowly made it bigger until the gauge fit. I didn't need the bracket that holds the gauge in through the back - I don't know how I'd have fit that in anyway; space is so limited behind the gauge. Plus, I ended up having to cut off the two mounting posts from the back of the gauge so the tray would close.
Connect the wires to the back of the gauge and re-assemble everything and it's good to go! I bought my Ultra-Lite II gauge from egauges.com - it came with the sender and 8' wiring. I connected the sender to the gauge port on my fuel pressure regulator.
Since installing a new fuel pump, fuel pressure regulator, return line, new fuel rails, etc. I decided to install an electric fuel pressure gauge inside the cabin in my 05 V to keep tabs on things and thought I'd document where I ran the wires through the firewall and where I found the switched power and lights wires to connect.
First, you have to pull the HVAC assembly. There are a number of articles like this one http://www.cadillacfaq.com/faq/answers/radbezel.html that show you how - pull out the coin tray, remove the 7mm bolt behind it and then pull the whole assembly out by hand, using a putty knife around the trim edges to get things started. Once you've done that, you can disconnect the HVAC loom and the wire to the cigarette lighter and the whole assembly will be free from the center console.
As for the wiring:
After removing the plastic and metal knee panels, look up and you'll see two little black blocks taped to the loom - they are actually two 2A fuse blocks. Pink wires run into one, yellow into the other. The wire on the 'A' side is pre-fuse, the wire on the 'B' side is fused. Tap into the 'B' yellow wire for a fused line to run the gauge light and into the 'B' pink wire for fused, switched power. A thread from CF helped me find those - http://www.cadillacforums.com/forums...ml#post1816087. You can get a ground from a number of places right behind the HVAC panel.
I ended up running the wires to the sender through the firewall using a place where a bundle and an existing grommet already were near the clutch-brake pedal. It was hard until I realized the center part of the grommet pops out so you can punch a hole in it first and then a hole in the firewall side of the grommet from inside the car.
You don't absolutely have to remove the coin tray from the HVAC unit to get the gauge in if you don't want to. I did and, like this guy (http://www.cadillacforums.com/forums...ml#post1807859) I broke the little tab that the coin tray return spring levers against and had to put in a tiny screw to replace it.
I tried to use a hole saw to cut the 2 1/16" hole for the gauge but jumped all over the place so I used a drill and dremel to cut a too-small hole and slowly made it bigger until the gauge fit. I didn't need the bracket that holds the gauge in through the back - I don't know how I'd have fit that in anyway; space is so limited behind the gauge. Plus, I ended up having to cut off the two mounting posts from the back of the gauge so the tray would close.
Connect the wires to the back of the gauge and re-assemble everything and it's good to go! I bought my Ultra-Lite II gauge from egauges.com - it came with the sender and 8' wiring. I connected the sender to the gauge port on my fuel pressure regulator.