[onesmartidiot]

My van is a wiring nightmare, 2 owners ago that did the swap couldn't have done it any more half a*sed

I noticed there is a oil pressure and temp gauge in my cluster, but there are sun pro gauges by my knee that does oil, temp, and something else.

They are very hard to see down there and Id like to know whats involved with making the stock cluster work.

I will be redoing almost all of the wiring because if i move my left foot around, i can cut power to the radio, lights, wipers, etc. its that sloppy. So anything requiring the dash to come apart i am game for, because I just want it to work.

Thanks

Blain

 

[astro355]

What year is your van?

 

[Big_kid]

Welcome aboard!
:chevy:

 

[onesmartidiot]

Man, astro355 is all over these posts.

its an 89 with speed, temp, oil, volt, and fuel guages. not digital.

Im guessing the instument uses a digital oil sender? or does it you that hose with oil in it running from the motor to the guage?

 

[astro355]

The oil pressure and temp gauges use an electric sensor that is independent of the ECM. You can use those sensors with any aftermarket electric gauge. But what I would recommend in your case is just get another dash harness from a local junkyard. That would be a whole lot easier than trying to rewire it yourself.

 

[onesmartidiot]

ECM? so this thing does have a computer in it?

I dont mind rewireing, If i come across a good astro at a yard ill take a look.

What sensors do i need? just stock ones for the 4.3?

 

[astro355]

Well, it had one. In your '89, it should be behind the passenger side kick panel. The sensors you would need would be the Coolant Temperature Sender and Oil Pressure Sender. There are several different Coolant Temperature Sensors on the 4.3L, the one you will want will have only 1 wire going to it and is usually mounted in one of the heads. It is self-grounding. You can use them from a 4.3L and use them on your V8.

 

[Positive P]

Try picking up a Haynes manual, theres a wiring diagram in there for engine and chassis.
There's a section in the diagrams called "Typical Warning Lamp Circuit" this may be of some help to you.
Also with the convert to V8, is it Carbed or TBI?

 

[onesmartidiot]

I played "follow the wire" in the van tonight, I will have nightmares now...

ANYWAY

The guy used an electronic temp sensor, its under the driver side header with one wire coming out.

Any idea what wire i should splice into in the instument cluster so i can hook to the stock gauge?

And I got a couple haynes and chiltons books for the van, I dont quite understand the wireing diagrams.....

 

[astro355]

I can look that up on Tuesday. I know its a dark green wire coming off of the sensor but I'm sure its a different color inside the dash.

 

[onesmartidiot]

Hey I appriciate the help.

The wire coming off the sensor is actually 3 different wires, from where he was too cheap to run new wire? I dont know...

Ill start taking apart the cluster. Do you think to make the oil guage work is as simple as buying an electric sender for that too?

Thanks

 

[astro355]

Yes, the oil pressure gauge works in my van and the computer is gone.

 

[astro355]

Ok, dash wiring for the temp gauge is dark green and the oil pressure is tan.
Hope that helps,
Jim

 

[onesmartidiot]

How do i get to the plugs? the housing for the cluster is riveted to the dash.

maybe I can tie into them down the harness? If so, where does it go?

 

[astro355]

How do you get to what plugs? Could you take a picture for me so I know what you are dealing with.

 

[onesmartidiot]

The white plug on the left contains the green and tan wire youre talking about. but it will only pull out 1/4 inch, and the black plate that it clicks into is riveted to the dash, which dosent seem easy to take out.

I found tan and green wires by the computer, but none of them really give me continuety. So I wondered if there was an open spot that the tan and green wire could be tapped into mid harness...

 

[astro355]

Hold on.

These sensors are independent of the ecm. The wires at the computer are not the same dark green and tan wire that make their way to that plug. The wires from that connector go thru the firewall on the driver side plug, not the ecm side.

By the way, pictures rule!

 

[onesmartidiot]

I know, I was just saying those are the only green and tan wires I saw out in the open.

Are you talking about the harness that comes out behind my battery? Thats where the wires come out from?

 

[astro355]

Yes, that's where those wires are located.

 

[onesmartidiot]

okay so I got the sensor mounted and all that jazz, I found the tan oil wire from the dash by the radiator. I got continuety, so I connected it.

The oil pressure guage reads max, on and off, plugged in and unplugged.

I also took the wire from the working temp sensor, and wired it into the dark green wire (which also had continuety)

When cranking, it goes to max, then falls to 0, and does not move up. I even took her on a rough drive against a neon, nothing.

The batt and gas guages work perfect though, so maybe a ground? :banghead: