so you want to replace your cluster with aftermarket gauges??
06-24-2006, 08:55 AM
#41
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Originally Posted by Roadhouse
I pulled up your homepage to see what the new gauges would look like and some of your pics wouldn't show. Could you post what your new cluster looks like? Very interested.
sorry, that page is WAY outdated
haven't put anything new on there in 2 or 3 years. 
07-17-2006, 11:28 AM
#42
Just an FYI... I sent my fuel gauge into Autometer to have the new movement installed. THey got it on the 13th...hadnt heard from them, so I called. Its done and ready to ship back...if you send yours in, give them a call after a few days so your gauge isnt sittin there. My total came to $31.79...and that includes shipping. A little more than I thought it was going to be... The actual work was $25... Still...if you add that plus the original cost of the gauge, its still around $60 (for phantom 3/16th). About half of the price of a programmable one...
Justin
Justin
12-14-2006, 09:25 AM
#45
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Originally Posted by C Murda
call me stupid if you must but when you say that we can not tap into the wire to the cluster, does this mean i can ditch that wire completely seeing as we will be tapping in a different wire to opperate the new guages?
06-11-2007, 08:56 AM
#48
UPDATE: Well, I got to try to program my new fuel level gauge yesterday. The programming instructions were good. Everything went as planned.
My tank was EMPTY. I was able to put in 16.01 gallons
So, I go through the process, and at the end, when it should have reset and displayed FULL...it only displayed EMPTY. So...something still isnt right with that gauge and the LS1 sender. Im waiting to see if it sweeps backwards (empty to full). I would think that wouldnt happen since its programmable. But the LS1 sender seems to be weird. So we'll see. I talked to autometer and of course all they had to say was check the grounds and sender wires and all that. Which I know are working because the gauge functioned on the preset values.
Im gonna drive her this week and get some fuel out of her. Now I have no idea how much gas I have used. So Im gonna go 150 miles, then go to the pump and re-calibrate and fill up. See if it still goes to E or whatever. Then it will be another call to autometer.
Just FYI!!
Justin
My tank was EMPTY. I was able to put in 16.01 gallons
So, I go through the process, and at the end, when it should have reset and displayed FULL...it only displayed EMPTY. So...something still isnt right with that gauge and the LS1 sender. Im waiting to see if it sweeps backwards (empty to full). I would think that wouldnt happen since its programmable. But the LS1 sender seems to be weird. So we'll see. I talked to autometer and of course all they had to say was check the grounds and sender wires and all that. Which I know are working because the gauge functioned on the preset values. Im gonna drive her this week and get some fuel out of her. Now I have no idea how much gas I have used. So Im gonna go 150 miles, then go to the pump and re-calibrate and fill up. See if it still goes to E or whatever. Then it will be another call to autometer.
Just FYI!!
Justin
06-14-2007, 09:37 AM
#49
Ok...one more update...
I think I know why the programmable one wont work. Ive been thinking about this all wrong. I hooked a wire from the purple sender wire to the gauge AND over to the PCM. I thought the PCM just read the resistance. But it actually shoots 4.x V down that wire. So...with the ignition on and that wire hooked up, thats why its throwing the gauge off. I THINK.... Not positive on anything.
Im going to snip that wire today, go get gas, and try to calibrate it again. Keeping my fingers tightly crossed of course!!!
Justin
EDIT... That FIXED IT!! Clipped that wire goin to the PCM and it now works.
On a side note...Guess who just emailed me. Autometer... The two guys I talked to on the phone didnt know jack. So I emailed them. Here is the response...
Hello.
Yes, that gauge will operate with your factory sender. You will need
to use the Custom Calibration feature since your sender is 40 to 250
ohms.
The sender wire is the purple wire from the sender to the PCM. You
would have to cut the purple so that the fuel level gauge is the only
thing running off of that wire.
Thank you.
Cory
Tech/Service
Figures...as soon as I figure it out on my own, they decide to be helpfull...
I think I know why the programmable one wont work. Ive been thinking about this all wrong. I hooked a wire from the purple sender wire to the gauge AND over to the PCM. I thought the PCM just read the resistance. But it actually shoots 4.x V down that wire. So...with the ignition on and that wire hooked up, thats why its throwing the gauge off. I THINK.... Not positive on anything.
Im going to snip that wire today, go get gas, and try to calibrate it again. Keeping my fingers tightly crossed of course!!!
Justin
EDIT... That FIXED IT!! Clipped that wire goin to the PCM and it now works.
On a side note...Guess who just emailed me. Autometer... The two guys I talked to on the phone didnt know jack. So I emailed them. Here is the response...
Hello.
Yes, that gauge will operate with your factory sender. You will need
to use the Custom Calibration feature since your sender is 40 to 250
ohms.
The sender wire is the purple wire from the sender to the PCM. You
would have to cut the purple so that the fuel level gauge is the only
thing running off of that wire.
Thank you.
Cory
Tech/Service
Figures...as soon as I figure it out on my own, they decide to be helpfull...
Last edited by ghettocruiser; 06-14-2007 at 11:28 AM.
08-23-2007, 01:10 PM
#50
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Just curious if anyone had any luck getting the non programmable gauge to work after sending it to autometer? Are all the wires you need to hook the gauge to behind the original gauge cluster or do you need to run wires to the rear of the vehicle?
08-25-2007, 07:16 PM
#52
I got the non-programmable one to work... but it didnt work well. You still need to dis-connect the purple sender wire from the PCM, which dis-ables your EVAP system as far as I know. I use the programmable one now, and it works really good. For instance, when the gauge shows 1/2..and I fill up, I can usually put exactly 8 gallons in.
You cant use the wires behind the cluster for the fuel level. The fuel level goes to the PCM so that the PCM can manage the EVAP system and for some other functions...then it sends the fuel level info via. serial data to the cluster.
As far as I know, because there is little info on it..., the programmable one is the only gauge that will offer accurate fuel level readings. And thats only after you disconnect the fuel level to PCM connection.
That help ya any?
J.
You cant use the wires behind the cluster for the fuel level. The fuel level goes to the PCM so that the PCM can manage the EVAP system and for some other functions...then it sends the fuel level info via. serial data to the cluster.
As far as I know, because there is little info on it..., the programmable one is the only gauge that will offer accurate fuel level readings. And thats only after you disconnect the fuel level to PCM connection.
That help ya any?
J.
08-25-2007, 10:52 PM
#53
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I think so. I think I will just get the programmable. Not sure if I will have the same PCM issue or not though? I don't have one anymore. I am using BS3 as a standalone. So did you run the wires to the rear of the car from the gauge then?
08-26-2007, 11:56 AM
#54
Hmm...well you shouldnt have any issue with the PCM then...haha.
Just so Im straight...are you using the stock 4th gen tank, pump, and sender assembly?
If so, you are best going with the programmable one.
If you are using something custom, or a different sender, then you should be able to get a pre-programmed gauge to work.
As for hook up...the harness for the gauge is alittle different than the other gauges. There is a harness plug that goes into the gauge. Of course it needs the power and grounds hooked up. Then you'll just need a wire from your fuel level sender to go to the gauge. Its pretty simple. The difference comes when you program the gauge. It has two wires that you can either hook a temporary momentary switch to, or you can just click them together. But thats how you interact with the gauge. WHen you are done, you tape the two wires up and tuck them away.
J.
Just so Im straight...are you using the stock 4th gen tank, pump, and sender assembly?
If so, you are best going with the programmable one.
If you are using something custom, or a different sender, then you should be able to get a pre-programmed gauge to work.
As for hook up...the harness for the gauge is alittle different than the other gauges. There is a harness plug that goes into the gauge. Of course it needs the power and grounds hooked up. Then you'll just need a wire from your fuel level sender to go to the gauge. Its pretty simple. The difference comes when you program the gauge. It has two wires that you can either hook a temporary momentary switch to, or you can just click them together. But thats how you interact with the gauge. WHen you are done, you tape the two wires up and tuck them away.
J.
08-26-2007, 07:20 PM
#55
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The pump is an aftermarket pump but the sender and tank is all still stock. Not sure if this is an easy answer but where is the wire from the fuel level sender that I need to wire to the gauge? I'm still fuzzy on that. Is it one of the wires in front of the tank above the rearend? How do I know which one? I can't read any markings on any of them. Is it the purple wire?
Thanks again!
Thanks again!
08-27-2007, 01:12 AM
#56
Yes its the purple wire. And yes you can get it from the plugs right above the tank. However, a better spot would be where the purple wire comes up into the dash area. If I remember correctly from when I took apart my donor 4th gen, the wires from the tank come from the connectors behind the rear seats, and snake their way up the driver's side rocker area. Should go right along the floor and the wires might be inside some plastic covering.
All the wires from the tank are together, so finding it should be easy. Just grab the purple one from the bundle, and see how far you can trace it up into the dash. You should have plenty of wire because the tank wires are pretty long. I think the sender wire goes into either the white or blue plug for the stock PCM. Since you arent using the stock PCM, you might be able to grab the wire at those plugs.
Either way...just grab the purple wire wherever you want and hook it up to your gauge. The aftermarket fuel pump wont have any effect, as long as the rest of the tank is stock and set up as stock you should be ok. The guage will handle power to the sender to check fuel level and all that. So you should be in good shape from there.
J.
All the wires from the tank are together, so finding it should be easy. Just grab the purple one from the bundle, and see how far you can trace it up into the dash. You should have plenty of wire because the tank wires are pretty long. I think the sender wire goes into either the white or blue plug for the stock PCM. Since you arent using the stock PCM, you might be able to grab the wire at those plugs.
Either way...just grab the purple wire wherever you want and hook it up to your gauge. The aftermarket fuel pump wont have any effect, as long as the rest of the tank is stock and set up as stock you should be ok. The guage will handle power to the sender to check fuel level and all that. So you should be in good shape from there.
J.
09-03-2007, 03:50 AM
#58
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Tried to program my fuel gauge tonight and couldn't get anything to work. It has power, ground and the lights work. I hooked the sender wire to the purple wire from the tank and did as the instuctions said. Held the brown and black together then apply power to the gauge. It was supposed to sweep then and it didn't even move! It just sits on E like it's glued there. Is there anything I'm missing? Don't see why this would happen. Even if your not hooked up to the proper sender wire there should still be some movement, right?
09-03-2007, 05:02 PM
#59
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Okay got it to start working, the power wasn't getting a good connection. However I had the same problem as ghettocruiser. Everything went well with the programming up till the end. After filling up the needle just went to empty. The purple wire from the sender is cut and just goes to the gauge but still does not work.
