Boost gauge
I opted for a mechanical one. The only problem i have is all my other gauges are electrical. I have them wired threw my headlight switch to come on when i turn my driving lights on. The mechanical one doest work that way..it has to be powered right when the keys turned. So while my other gauges arent lit up..the boost gauge will be.
8 sec potential, 12 sec slip
iTrader: (50)
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 4,092
Likes: 2
From: Savannah, GA
I opted for a mechanical one. The only problem i have is all my other gauges are electrical. I have them wired threw my headlight switch to come on when i turn my driving lights on. The mechanical one doest work that way..it has to be powered right when the keys turned. So while my other gauges arent lit up..the boost gauge will be.
Thats what i was saying. My other gauges turn on when i turn my parking lights on. The mechanical boost gauge dosent work that way...its lit constantly
What ChevyChad is saying is that you can still wire your machanical guage to the lights so that the light in the guage comes on when the lights in the car are on. All the guages should work reguardless if lit or not all the time the car is running.
Im not talking about the mechanics of the actual boost. Im just talking about the lighting of the gauge. I dunno how i could wire the mechanical to work off my switch like i have my electrical gauges.
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Verdad Gallardo I wired my mechanical gauge to LIGHT up exactly the same way i did my electrical. When i flipped the switch..the gauge did not light up. I thought maybe i had a dead gauge. When i touched it to the battery + and - terminals..the gauge lit up.
Im not talking about the mechanics of the actual boost. Im just talking about the lighting of the gauge. I dunno how i could wire the mechanical to work off my switch like i have my electrical gauges.
Im not talking about the mechanics of the actual boost. Im just talking about the lighting of the gauge. I dunno how i could wire the mechanical to work off my switch like i have my electrical gauges.
I'm not sure what kind of wiring setup you have going on. I am just telling you that it can indeed light up with the lights. I have all of my gauges wired up directly to the headlight switch, so when the headlights are on, so are my gauges. There are countless ways and places in your car to make this happen, mine is just one of them.
my mechanical boost gauge has 2 wires....Ground, and positive. How would i wire that to work off a switch? Cuz i wired it the SAME way my other gauges are..and when i turned the switch..the gague didnt light up.
8 sec potential, 12 sec slip
iTrader: (50)
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 4,092
Likes: 2
From: Savannah, GA
Something is wrong then, because the only wires you have on a mechanical boost gauge are for the light. Wire the light to the same as your headlight switch so it lights up when you turn your lights on. If you can't get it to work like that, then you are doing something wrong...
Something is wrong then, because the only wires you have on a mechanical boost gauge are for the light. Wire the light to the same as your headlight switch so it lights up when you turn your lights on. If you can't get it to work like that, then you are doing something wrong...
Now when i touch the gauge wires to a battery..it lights right up.
Shouldnt there be another wire to hook up? Like hook power to power, ground to ground..and then another wire to the headlight switch? Im almost postive thats how the electrical gauges are.
8 sec potential, 12 sec slip
iTrader: (50)
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 4,092
Likes: 2
From: Savannah, GA
Electrical gauges have 2 positive wires- one for the gauge to work hooked to accessory and one for the light to work hooked to headlight switch, and one ground. Mechanical gauges only have a light as far as wires that need to be hooked up. The light is the same in both electrical and mechanical. Not rocket science here, so I don't know what else to tell you...
Electrical gauges have 2 positive wires- one for the gauge to work hooked to accessory and one for the light to work hooked to headlight switch, and one ground. Mechanical gauges only have a light as far as wires that need to be hooked up. The light is the same in both electrical and mechanical. Not rocket science here, so I don't know what else to tell you...
So hook it to a 12v ignition positve..and the ground. So boom..you turn the key..the gauge lights up. I dont want it on like that. I want it to it turns on when I TURN my headlight switch on.
Follow me yet?
8 sec potential, 12 sec slip
iTrader: (50)
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 4,092
Likes: 2
From: Savannah, GA
I follow you. You are not following me tho. Tap the positive side of the light wire into the headlight switch. BOOM it will come on when you turn your lights on. If it doesn't, you tapped into the wrong wire. 
why does the mechanical not have an accesory wire like the electrical? I mean that would make sense. That the mechanical is looking for a constant 12v source..rather then a switched source.
8 sec potential, 12 sec slip
iTrader: (50)
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 4,092
Likes: 2
From: Savannah, GA
It doesn't need one. The little needle moves because of the pressure inside the vacuum line. You can suck or blow on the mechanical gauge port in the back and move the needle. That is the whole point of a mechanical gauge. Nothing electrical about the gauge itself.
Hmm..Yea i guess that makes sense. I just dont see why the electrial would need an extra accessory wire. I mean it already has like 6 wires lol. The power/ground wires...then the wires that run to the sending unit. I'll have to try it again later. I just was almost certain it needed a power/ground/accessory wire, for it to work off a switch source.