Fox T-Bird/Cougar Forums

What fuel level gauge would work for an 88 5.0 Tbird? Summit has 5 different ones;
ATM-4314 Fuel Level, Empty/Full, 0 Ohms/90 Ohms
ATM-4315 Fuel Level, Empty/Full, 73 Ohms/8-12 Ohms
ATM-4316 Fuel Level, Empty/Full, 240 Ohms/33 Ohms
ATM-4317 Fuel Level, Empty/Full, 0 Ohms/30 Ohms
ATM-4318 Fuel Level, Empty/Full, 16 Ohms/158 Ohms

what to use??



ALSO


for those who have converted their digital dash to buttstuffog, how hard was it? did you use the stock wires from the digital dash, or just run your own wires? I'm looking at converting my dash to buttstuffog, I think the digital dash is going out (sometimes doesn't come on when I start the car), and they'd go along with my oil/water gauges and the whole aluminum trim thing I have goin on in my car (i work at a sheetmetal shop, so I get all of the clear anodized aluminum I want :D) It'd be just a speedo and tach, and a fuel gauge, cuz I have oil/water above the radio, and I'm probably going to put an aluminum plate where the cig lighter/ashtray was, and putting my cig lighter plug there, along with a small voltmeter. I'll probably use the ultralite line from autometer, cuz it goes with my other gauges (white face, silver/alum. bezel)

From my "other board" archives:

Sender:

1986 and earlier
75 Ohms empty
10 Ohms full

1987 or later
16 Ohms empty
158 Ohms full

So, that would point to the last one in your list.

thanks masterblaster, you're the best

i did the cluster conversion, not hard at all. just folow the directions on Erics site or get a wire diagram. you basicly have to swap a bunch of pins around and only use one plug.

I think we're on diff. pages. i mean buttstuffog dash as in something like this
(http://www.coolcats.net/stockmod/modified/gauges/84custom.jpg)

not
(http://www.coolcats.net/stockmod/modified/gauges/rpm1.jpg)

I know I've seen some people who have done something like this one the old board, but you know how finding things on that is :disappoin

You need the 4318 . My 1987 Thunderbird EVTM lists the sender for an electronic cluster vehicle as follows:

9-12 ohms empty
154-161 ohms full

  As for my Speedo, tach and fuel gauge wiring, I simply tapped into the wiring from the factory connector to feed them. Looking at my EVTM the color codes are the same for the electronic cluster...the difference is the wires are oriented different in the connector.

#150 Speedo feed: Dark Green w/ White stripe
#11 Tach feed: Dark Green w/ Yellow stripe
#29 Fuel level feed: Yellow w/ White stripe

 You'll also need a key on 12v source for the tach and speedo. You can use the following wire from the connector. The factory uses this wire as well:

#640 Red w/ Yellow stripe

I've attached a scan from my EVTM for your connectors which show where the wires are located on them.

:bowdown:  :bowdown:  :bowdown:

so those connectors are the two in the back of the digital cluster, sweet. now all's left to do is get money....


aww !!  :wtf:

oh and I <3 that blue on your car, mmm purdy

hey thats them behind the cluster!

uh...what??

Hey guys,
  I'm building a custom Autometer dash for my '88 Sport (buttstuffog cluster) and was wondering if the ammeter resistor is still required and if the voltmeter can be connected to the existing wiring. Painless Wiring's gauge harness is being employed to facilitate the change. Also, I used Autometer's web site to determine my fuel gauge, so I bought the ATM-4315 for Ford cars prior to '89. Am I going to have to get the ATM-4318 instead? Thank you for your help.

Sloan

If your car was originally equipped with a digital dash than you would need the 4318 but your car is anaolg so you purchased the correct one. As for the volt gauge, you won't have to worry about the resistor. I would tie the + wire for the volt gauge into a good key on 12 volt source....I found the wiring in the cluster plug a little small and the readings were inaccurate compared to the voltage at the battery with the car running.

Thanks Hawk. So, all that is needed is to simply connect the two ammeter wires so that the car starts, but also that it charges the battery too?

Sloan

Are you referring to the wires that originally fed the ammeter gauge? If so don't worry about them...they won't affect charging or anything like that.

Yes, I was referring to those wires. From past experience, the car won't start when they are disconnected from the ammeter, and that's why I wanted to just splice them together. Am I correct in this way of thinking? Thanks again.

Sloan