southerntp

iTrader: (5)

I have a 1998 V6 firebird. It is a 5spd manual. I am converting this car to a low 5.0 second stock suspension car. It will have about a 440ci SBC with a Powerglide. I am wanting to use the stock guage cluster in the dash and if possible to wire the stock guages to read with the SBC instead of having to install a bunch of guages. I will need the voltage guage to work, tach, and oil pressure if possible. I will use a manual autometer guage for the water temp, and also for nitrous. I would like a wiring schematic if anyone has one on how to do this if possible. Any help would be appreciated. It will only be a drag car and will never see the street again. The main guage that I want to at least make work is the tach. Thanks alot. I will also be running a MSD 7531 digital ignition if that makes any difference. Also is there anything different that I should know since I am converting a v6?

redbandit98

iTrader: (13)

I cant offer much help on the conversion, but I just have to ask..

shouldn't the oil pressure gauge be more important than the tach.

BBCAM

I have adapted the stock senders in alot of the swaps I have done .. water temp, oil, and Volts can all be adapted (the volt meter actually runs through the alternater wireing so it should work as long as you use the original wireing ...
the car does not know what engine is in it just what the sensors (senders) tell it there are tach mods that can be done to calibrate the factory tach but you may be better off buying an aftermarket tach..

JUICED96Z

iTrader: (2)

I think he is talking about the stock gauges but I would not trust the stock gauges with a really built motor.

I have factory speedo and tach and thats it, shifting it done off the shift light...

Strokinit383

iTrader: (22)

The only gauges you will have a hard time with will be the tach and speedo. The water temp, oil pressure, volt, fuel will all work regardless of what motor you are using. Just use the sensors you have. I would also like to keep my stock tach and speedo instead of buying all new autometer gauges. Im running a shift light so i dont mind if the tach is slow. Dakota digital makes relay boxes for speedo and tach. I plan on contacting them to see if i can bypass the pcm and use these relay boxes to run straight from the speedo sensor to the gauge. I dont see the tach being a problem. Ill let you know what i find out within the next few weeks. As for a wiring schematic, this is really easy and you wont need one. Find your oil pressure sensor, water temp sensor, and volt sensor (wire) and keep those and the wire intact. The rest you can hack away. Hope this helps.

Strokinit383

iTrader: (22)

Oh, and you will have to buy a pipe fitting adapter to use the stock oil pressure sensor. I got one at a local supply store for cheap that adapted my sensor to the rear of my intake manifold (beside distributor) if thats where you want to place it.