Autometer Gauges

[imwlw83]

Ok, I got my new gauges in. Looks like I got a project for the weekend. A couple of questions, imagine that. Ok here goes. First, where do i mount the sending unit for the coolant gauge, and second. Someone mentioned a hole that is plugged in the firewall if you have a automatic. Does anyone know what i am talking about and better yet do you have a picture of it. The gauges are autometer sport comps. Thanks guys for being so patient with me.

[95TransAm]

Always remember.....rob's shoebox is your friend

ECT Sensor For Gauge

Not sure on the firewall one though.

Hope this helps

[imwlw83]

You know i looked at his site before i posted and didnt see that. I must be loosing it. So I take it that I pull the stock sender out and put the autometer sender in its place? Hmmmm, i didnt open the box , I am just guessing there is a sender because it said it on the parts discription when i bought it.

[LS1 TA]

I have a 3rd gen, but it may still be the same. The hole is on the drivers side of the car with a black rubber plug in it. Its down about 10 inches and over from the sibe about 6.

[Injuneer]

You don't have to remove the stock sending unit. The LT1 heads are identical, the one on the passenger side is just flipped end-for-end. There is a plugged hole in the passenger side head, identical to the coolant sensor hole in the driver's side head, between #6 and #8. A bit hard to access with some headers.

If that doesn't work for you, and you don't want to dismantle your stock gauge, I can show you where to add another sensor.

[imwlw83]

Ok, in the middle of the project, what i thought was a rubber plug in the firewall just below the master cyclinder and over about 2 in from the steering column mount is a bolt, it looks like a big plug from the engine bay but on the inside its a bolt. Do i need to just drill a hole in the firewall to run this SSbraded line for the oil pressure gauge?

[Injuneer]

Is your car an A4? There is a hole required in the firewall for the clutch rod and top of the clutch master cylinder. That would be about 4" to the left of the brake booster, and below it. I don't know if they put that hole in all the 4th Gens, and then plugged it for the A4's. My car was an M6 from the factory, but after the TH400 conversion, I used the hole where the clutch pushrod/MC used to be to route the braided SS line for my oil pressure gauge, then made an aluminum plate to cover the hole. I can't find a picture of it though.

When I first bought the car, I installed a nitrous kit, and I drilled a hole in the firewall behind the brake booster, maybe at the 8:00 o'clock position (looking from the drivers seat) on the booster. To drill that hole, I pulled the carpet down, and there was a rubber seal strip running lorizontally across the firewall. I cut away a little of the seal strip and drilled a hole through the firewall from inside the car. I used that hole to route some of the wiring for the nitrous kit.

I'll try and take a picture of those two locations tomorrow.

[Jeff_in_Atl]

Is your car an A4? There is a hole required in the firewall for the clutch rod and top of the clutch master cylinder. That would be about 4" to the left of the brake booster, and below it. I don't know if they put that hole in all the 4th Gens, and then plugged it for the A4's. My car was an M6 from the factory, but after the TH400 conversion, I used the hole where the clutch pushrod/MC used to be to route the braided SS line for my oil pressure gauge, then made an aluminum plate to cover the hole. I can't find a picture of it though.

The A4 cars don't have that hole. At least mine didn't. I had to drill one with a hole saw to do the M6 conversion.
Rob has a picture of how to put wires through the firewall. http://shbox.com/fw/Firewall_wire_feed.html
If you drill a hole, just make sure you use a grommet. You can get a package of them for like $2 from any car parts store. That will keep the wires from chafing through and shorting out like the F16s did.

[imwlw83]

I drilled a hole just in about the same place you are talking about. Routed the SS line. This project is taking longer then i tought, so i will have to work on it in the evenings after work. So far so good though. Thanks for all the help so far, lets keep our fingers crossed that i can do the rest by myself.

[Jeff_in_Atl]

You know I was thinking of an electrical line when I was thinking of routing wires through the firewall. Behind the computer won't work for a mechanical gage.

[Injuneer]

I've used the big grommet behind the PCM for a lot of things, including a -3AN line for my mechanical nitrous pressure gauge. The line routes all the way from the solenoids behind the drivers headlight, along the fender, across under the cowl, through the grommet behind the PCM, across 1/2 the dash and into the back of the A/C ducting to the gauge in the middle of the dash vents. The AN line probably cost twice as much as the gauge....

[imwlw83]

Amen brother, my SSline was $50, the gauge was like $37.

[imwlw83]

i see no way to easily get that plug out of the head between 6 and 8. It isnt even a 3/8's square head, its smaller maybe metric. I think i can for go the factory gauge sender. So you are saying that the sender on the left bank between 1 & 2 is for the factory water temp. And it wont impact my computer in any way to pull it out and put the AutoGauge one in?

[Injuneer]

It should be possible to replace the sensor in the head. I never tried it. And it will only affect your stock gauge. I run an extra sensor for my second ECU, and I put a "tee" in the coolant line coming from the back of the heads, and screwed the AutoMeter temp sensor unto that. Your 95 line runs differenty than my 94 though, going to the throttle body first. If you have done the TB "bypass" on the coolant, you could pull those two lines apart and put the tee in there.

[imwlw83]

Now that is a cool idea, thanks Fred. I will do it that way, i wish i would have had that info last night, i couldnt sleep worring about that darn car.