aftermarket fuel gauge

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Dave NEO

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any tips/ suggestions for a gauge that will work off the existing sender wire - original dash gas gauge has finally died (sender and other gauges working) and I am not able to remove dash to mess with it - was thinking of mounting an after market that would be a simple install. thnks
68 Barracuda

P1050238.JPG
 
as stated, not pulling /not repairing, just leavng the old one in there for looks..
 
any tips/ suggestions for a gauge that will work off the existing sender wire - original dash gas gauge has finally died (sender and other gauges working) and I am not able to remove dash to mess with it - was thinking of mounting an after market that would be a simple install. thnks
68 Barracuda

View attachment 1715448235
Stock Mopar gauge is meant to receive a signal in a non-linear resistance format, providing your sending unit is OEM.
 
If your sending unit is OEM, you can use an aftermarket gauge made for mopars. I used an "Equus" 2inch fuel gauge for a mopar, in my 66 B-Cuda, using the factory sending wire ( color coded blue), in the drivers side kick panel. I cut the wire, and connected onto the end of it going back to the tank, there. You cannot leave your original gauge hooked up, only one will work.
Disconnecting your fuel gauge might affect your other gauges. I have no factory gauges in my 66, so I can't say as to that. You also have to wire it (the gauge) correctly. Blue to sender, a keyed 12volt power source, a switched light source, and a good ground wire.
Got all my gauges from Summit. Just make sure you get the gauge with the right Ohms, for a Mopar sending unit. I can't remember the gauge #, and my car is in storage for winter. I think it was the 7000 series gauges. Equus is part of Auto Meter Gauges.
Hope that helps
Dave
 
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Going aftermarket fuel (I think) renders all other FACTORY gauges in-op . The other gauges(I think) are fed from factory fuel gauge internal ivr??
Skip the fuel gauge and keep the tank topped lol
I'm keeping track how many replies that say inst panel comes out lol
 
If your sending unit is OEM, you can use an aftermarket gauge made for mopars. I used an "Equus" 2inch fuel gauge for a mopar, in my 66 B-Cuda, using the factory sending wire ( color coded blue), in the drivers side kick panel. I cut the wire, and connected onto the end of it going back to the tank, there. You cannot leave your original gauge hooked up, only one will work.
Disconnecting your fuel gauge might affect your other gauges. I have no factory gauges in my 66, so I can't say as to that. You also have to wire it correctly. Blue to sender, a keyed 12volt power source, a switched light source, and a good ground wire.

Got all my gauges from Summit. Just make sure you get the gauge with the right Ohms, for a Mopar sending unit. I can't remember the gauge #, and my car is in storage for winter. I think it was the 7000 series gauges. Equus is part of Auto Meter Gauges.
Hope that helps
Dave

good stuff ,thnks - guess IVR must still be working as other gauges are still functioning. Are you sure if I left the old gauge as it is and just ran another wire off the sender to the new gauge with a proper power source that it could not work that way?
 
You don’t have to mess with the other gages if you unhook the sender in the drivers kick panel. I think it might be a blue wire. It is in a multi pin connector. You will need to look at a wiring diagram for your car.

You can cut the wire from the back of the car before it goes into the connector and hook up your aftermarket fuel gage there. Your aftermarket gage will also need power and ground. Make sure you hook it up to switched power so it doesn’t drain you battery.

All the other gages will continue to work as before
 
I have a 67&69 B-Cudas also. I cannot remember if the Ivr is built into the fuel gauge or not, as I havn't had the cluster housing out of either in a while. If the IVR is "not part" of the fuel gauge, you should be able to get it to work.
Also, the gauges do not come with wiring, You will have to make your own. I used blue from new gauge to kick panel splice, red (for gauge power) from switched key source on back of fuse panel, white (for gauge light) from light switched back of fuse panel, and a black wire to a good ground. All with soldered connections.


Dave
 
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I see 7000 series Equus has a 240-33 and a 70 -10 in the 2" gauges. reasonably priced - just a matter of which one may be the correct match to OEM sender I suppose.
 
Any aftermarket gage that works with a 10 to 74 ohm range sender will work for you. That is the approximate resistance range of a stock mopar fuel sender. 10 is full, 74 is empty. Those numbers don’t need to be exact, just close. Like 8-80 or 12-70 or something like that.

The nonlinear part is in the sender and is based on the shape of the tank. Doesn’t affect the gage choice. If you have an OEM style fuel sender, your aftermarket gage will work good. If you have a linear aftermarket sender, your gage will work crappy, just like a stock one.

There are a lot of threads on here about aftermarket fuel senders that may help you understand the issues, but are not necessary to just replace a gage. If you need more help, just ask.
 
cool - got it. Appreciate it very much - you've mastered what you do when you can 'splain it in layman's terms!
 
The 68 should not have a internal voltage regulator in the fuel gauge. It should be a sperate component attached to the back of the instrument panel.
 
All rally inst panels have a 3 post fuel gauge. The gauge voltage limiter is inside that gauge. For this thread, since oil and temp gauges do work, we know the IVR is not the problem no matter where it is located. If/when that limiter fails ( and it will eventually), you will have to pull the inst panel and that fuel gauge to fix it, or install 2 more aftermarket gauges for oil and temp.
All 3 OEM gauges and senders operate on the same 80-10 ohms range. Aftermarkets 70-10 gauge is close enough. Good luck
 
Basically going to make the 3 gauge setup seen in this pic a 4 gauge with addition of the fuel gauge. Got the 4 gauge panel and found the sender wire in the kick panel so can get it in when I get the gauge.. thanks for tips. We'll report how it works out.
P1050238.JPG
 
I can see why you dont want to remove it. I have same setup in our 67. Next time it's out the electrical will be gone thru!
 
My 66 Valiant quit on me... quitter...
I put a temporary one in the glove box. I wired it directly to the tank. Make sure its going to switched 12V or it'll drain your battery, ask me how I know. ha
 
all good = they light/they work... done deal.
P1140266.JPG

glad no messing with sender in tank..
 
I have an aftermarket gage in my 1965 Newport (just fuel). I bought it long ago at an auto parts. I recall it was specific for Chrysler (10 ohm full, 70 ohm empty or such). I recall some later ones also supported Ford (0 to 70 ohm?) and GM (90 to 0 ohm?). With today's electronics, they can probably support all 3, or even a modern Chrysler (measured ~1000 to 2000 ohm sender in my 1996 Plymouth), and may even allow calibrating the needle to your fuel tank.

Don't cut any wires. Our cars have been mutilated enough by past gomers. It shouldn't be hard to release the correct pin from the connector in the kick panel. And don't use ugly butt crimps!
 
can't count the number of butt crimps I used but they are at least out of sight! - pretty much left all old wiring in place - just the oil press, temp, and fuel tank senders were added or rerouted to the new gauges. Glad when I did this the first time for the 3 gauges I used a lot of bullet type connectors for the 12v supplies and ground wires - made it easy to disconnect and move them to new 4 gauge panel. Found a matching fuel gauge with correct ohms from Equus as MIke69Cuda suggested. Is it Spring yet?

PS : still have to drive a few miles and see if gauge goes from full down to about half....
 
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Dave;
Nice looking gage set up. My gages on my 65 Barracuda have all died. I replaced the voltage limiter only to find that the gages we all ready fried.
Would you please send me, or post the information for the items you purchased for you under dash set-up.
Thanks
 
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