I just installed a factory oil pressure/temp gauge on my 72 Skylark with a 350. It originally had idiot lights only. I used the original pigtail that came with the gauge. I also installed both sending units that I got from NAPA. Suppose to be the correct replacement for the original. When the key is in the on position the temp reads Hot and the oil reads Low. When started the temp slightly lowers but barely below Hot. The oil stays at Low, not moving. If I bring the rpm's up to 3,000 it registers about mid scale. I have never had a problem with the trouble lights coming on before. Anybody done this install and have this problem? Bad gauges, sending units, or am I forgetting something?
The factory gauges use a different wiring in the pigtail. You can look at the correct one on www.buickperformance.com George shows you how to move the wires around. You cannot just plug the non gauge pigtail in you have to move like 3 wires Try this link http://www.buickperformance.com/rallygage.htm
Thanks for the link John. I did install the <tt>6" factory adapter harness. The one I have also has a 12" pigtail coming out. I think it is for the tach, from looking at the wiring diagram in the manual. I get a reading at high rpm, so I think the wiring is correction the oil pressure. The temp has nothing though. The link say something about disconnecting a green wire from the steering column. Is this necessary for temp to work correctly? I,m thinking I got a defective rally gauge. </tt>
Thats possible. ALso my pigtail did not have that extra wire and thge factory tach wire is one brown wire by itsself not in the loom. The pigtail with the long addition I think is off a convertible?
The factory rally gauge harness with the 12 inch pigtail is from a 1972 model - the extra 12 inch pigtail is for the fasten seat belt light which was installed on the top of the middle section of the dashboard. As to why the gauge is not reading correctly - do you know if the rally gauges were working properly before you installed them? Also, check to make sure the rally gauge has the ground tang on its right side and that the gauge is also grounded with the speedometer via a small metal strip.
The green at the column is part of a test circuit for the temp. lamp on a car without the gauges.It will light up when cranking the engine to indicate the lamp is good. Once you get the set-up working you can remove the extra wire at a junction below the dash. Otherwise, the temp. will spike at full each time you crank the engine. This may be hard on it over time.
The seat belt light harness makes sense, thanks. The original idiot light gauge had spade lug and the wire to it in the same location as the one described. Somewhere it said the idiot light gauge didn't have this, so I hope this isn't for another function. I will have to look to see if the strap is in place. The gauge I got off ebay, so I am not for sure if it works correctly. I know, buyer beware! Dammit! I probably need to get someone to check the gauge unit for proper function.
Can someone recommend a good place to have my gauge checked out or repaired? Should I just replace it? I found that the Parts Place has them for $239. Might cost more than that to repair and ship. Anyone have one they would like to sell? A good working one that is! LOL!
>>Hi Brian. The Parts Place repros - for both the rally gauges and the in-dash tach - have plastic housings and not metal like original, and the look and lighting is a bit different. I had a repro in-dash tach - it worked well though when I found a nice working original I quickly swapped it in. It will certainly be more expensive to have your original rally gauge fixed if needed but it still might be worth it.
As for a good place to check out your rally gauge - I had mine rebuilt by: Instrument Services Inc. http://clocksandgauges.com/
