Want to install Accessory Gauges

[KEITHMAN]

Hi! Everyone,

I would like to install a water temp. gauge, oil pressure gauge, and volt meter on my '96 N/A 850 GLT. I have the a-pillar pod from IPD. The gauges are Auto Meter Z-Series, all electric.

They all require a switched 12V source. I know how and where to do this on my '65 Ford Ranchero, but not on this Volvo. What is my best choice for a switched 12V source?

The oil pressure sender I assume can be tee'd off the stock sender. What is a good location for the water temp sender?

On my old Fords I have installed a water temp gauge and a on-no-on toggle switch. That way you can moniter water, oil, and trans fluid temps with the flip of a switch on just one gauge. I usually tap the oil pan and the trans pan for the temp senders.

Do I have any different choices on the Volvo?

I'm dropping the pan to do the seals so I thought I would tap it then. I need to flush the trans fluid. So dropping the trans pan would not be out of the question. Also need a light source under the dash.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I would be happy to document this process if interested.

Thanks!!! Have A Great Day!!!

[jblackburn]

They all require a switched 12V source. I know how and where to do this on my '65 Ford Ranchero, but not on this Volvo. What is my best choice for a switched 12V source?

Tap into the headlight switch. It's both switched by the ignition, and provides another signal to the dash lights when turned on. Remove the dash cover and you should be able to run a wire up from it and hide it from view. It's an easy process to remove. There are screws under the instrument cluster, beneath each vent, each dash speaker, and under the glovebox, as well as the 2 little vents that blow at the door. Get those out, and it comes right off.

You can tap into the oil pan if you wish for temp; for the other I suppose it would depend on how your gauge gets along with the existing oil pressure sensor, I'm not sure what kind of signal the Volvo one puts out. It's located just below the intake manifold, pretty accessible from under the car.

I'm not sure where I'd put the water temp sensor, but you've already got a perfectly well-working one of those in the dash. Again, you may be able to tap into the existing one under the thermostat housing if your gauge will make sense of that signal.

Removing the transmission drain pan isn't as easy as you think; it's bolted to the side of the transmission, and room in there is VERY tight.

Really, you dont need to be too concerned with the fluid temps on an NA car, it's the turbos that get everything good and hot

[KEITHMAN]

Hi! jablackburn,

Thanks for the advice on the 12V source. As far as the temp and pressure go, maybe I wasn't clear. The oil pressure gauge comes with it's own sending unit. The idea is to remove the stock sending unit, install a tee, and then reinstall the stock sending unit and the accessory sending unit into the tee. Probably do the same with the water temp sending unit. With the temp gauge I got two extra sending units. One to measure engine oil temp and the other to measure trans fluid temp. Leads from the sending units attach to the on-on-on switch. A lead from the switch goes to the gauge. Flip the switch to change which sending unit you are reading.

My concern for fluid temp is an old one. I'm an old motorhead and I just like to know whats going on while going down the road. In these new cars it's a little unnerving, to me, not to have a gauge to look at. In the old days idiot lights were not so reliable. And neither were stock gauges. It may be different with this Volvo and other newer cars. I built cars with my Dad, mostly '60s and '70s Fords, for a long time. Aftermarket gauges, in our cars or any car we built, were standard equipment.

It's the newest car I own. I have grown to really love this Volvo since I kind of inherited it. So it will get the same attention as the rest of my cars.

Thanks Again For All of Your Advice!!! Have A Great Day!!!

[polskamafia mjl]

I can't offer any advice but I did want to voice my concern over not knowing what is going on beneath the hood too. I would love to install a few more gauges as well, but I don't like the way A-pillar pods look. Keep us updated on your progress, though!

[zhenya]

I agree with wanting to know better what's going on, but also don't like the a-pillar in these cars. If I wasn't stuck on retaining the stock radio, there would be a great spot there.

FWIW, the temperature gauge on most modern cars is little more than an idiot light. They are so heavily damped to read dead center that the center position is often +/- 20 degrees C. Not sure it is the case in the 850, but from what I've seen, I suspect so.

[jblackburn]

The oil pressure gauge comes with it's own sending unit. The idea is to remove the stock sending unit, install a tee, and then reinstall the stock sending unit and the accessory sending unit into the tee. Probably do the same with the water temp sending unit.

Gotcha. The oil one should be fairly easy to do with a T then, but I'm not so sure about the coolant temp. It's in its own little housing under the thermostat, a weird-shaped fitting, and room is pretty tight there. It might work, who knows!

The trans. temp one may be easier to tap into the TOP of the trans. cooler at the radiator. That way, you get the temp of the fluid at its hottest point, and don't have to deal with the transmission pan itself.

I don't like that newer cars don't have the oil pressure gauge - I loved having all those gauges on my old Buick. And the big swoopy speedometer that only went to 85

I've seen some newer cars that don't even HAVE a temperature gauge, just a light for that too! (WTH ?)

[KEITHMAN]

Hi!

Thanks for the responses and advice. Mr. Blackburn, yeah the t-stat is an interesting situation and tapping the top of the trans cooler is a great idea.

Hahahaha... It's been my experience, that if the idiot light comes on it's to late for you and your engine!

Thanks!! Have A Great Day!!!

[EstVolvo]

Has it been documented?