Totally newb topic I kn ow but i am an idiot when it comes to ANYTHING electrical-ish on my jeep.

It is a 97 TJ, completely stock motor, tranny.

I pulled the dash and flat dashed it for more visibility.

I am putting in 3 Auto meter gauges. A mechanical oil pressure, mechanical water temperature and a fuel level. I have no clue how to or where to hook these up. I am hoping Auto meter sends good directions. In my searching I have found some Auto meter stuff but most all have swapped motors also.

I am running the original computer so I don't want to remove and replace the original sending units for fear of screwing with the computer and fawking something up. So any hints or tips on how to make these work is appreciated. Fedex says the gauges will be here tomorrow so I am just trying to get my ducks in a row. Remember this is non-hardcore so no flaming!:flipoff2:

i believe the gauges come with "some" directions. first off, trace out where your existing oil and water sending units are (you should have done this already).

your existing oil is electrical i'm sure which is what i would have replaced with but whatever, you chose to go mechanical (i don't like running that long live plastic tube full of oil that can leak/break). when you un-thread the existing fitting you will have to see if your new fiting will fit at that time to make a decision on the next step.

same with the water sending unit. hopefully the new will just thread right in.

the fuel level................i did mine while installing a new fuel cell. you are using the stock tank. that is quite different than what i did so not sure what all you will have to do there. the ohms have to be compatable between your new guage and the existing sending unit in the tank. you need to confirm that first. then you need to trace ou tthe wires going from tub down into the top of tank. i found mine pretty easy inside the tub, near drivers seat curled up under a lip, headed back to the tank. you will need to find a schematic which tells you the wire color for the one that goes to the sending unit so that you can cut/splice your new gauge into.

hope i helped some, it's early and i haven't had my coffee yet :)

i believe the gauges come with "some" directions. first off, trace out where your existing oil and water sending units are (you should have done this already).

your existing oil is electrical i'm sure which is what i would have replaced with but whatever, you chose to go mechanical (i don't like running that long live plastic tube full of oil that can leak/break). when you un-thread the existing fitting you will have to see if your new fiting will fit at that time to make a decision on the next step.

same with the water sending unit. hopefully the new will just thread right in.

the fuel level................i did mine while installing a new fuel cell. you are using the stock tank. that is quite different than what i did so not sure what all you will have to do there. the ohms have to be compatable between your new guage and the existing sending unit in the tank. you need to confirm that first. then you need to trace ou tthe wires going from tub down into the top of tank. i found mine pretty easy inside the tub, near drivers seat curled up under a lip, headed back to the tank. you will need to find a schematic which tells you the wire color for the one that goes to the sending unit so that you can cut/splice your new gauge into.

hope i helped some, it's early and i haven't had my coffee yet :)

Once again, I cannot just replace the stock senders with the Auto meter ones. The engine's computer gets information from them to run properly that it is not going to get from the Auto meter senders. So I am assuming that I will need to find alternative places to put the Auto meter senders.

Now I do have a fuel cell in my jeep and I re-used the stock sender and pump. I think I can tap into this without issue.

Have been researching and it seems on the 4.0 there is a "plug opposite the manifold" that the temp. sender will go into. I have no idea where to put the oil pressure?

So help? Thoughts?

With the oil pressure you can pull the stock sender and plumb a line from that port to a tee fitting that will accept the stock sender and the Autometer plumbing. For the water temp, Autometer sells an adapter that splices into the radiator hose near the thermostat. They are available for both mechanical and electrical types.

well that sucks, so you have to keep the existing water temp and oil pressure sending units where they currently are and left wired to the computer.

so then i guess i see your problem. need to find two completely new ports for both new sending units.

SORRY:(

well that sucks, so you have to keep the existing water temp and oil pressure sending units where they currently are and left wired to the computer.

so then i guess i see your problem. need to find two completely new ports for both new sending units.

SORRY:(

Yeah, that is my dilemma. Anyone else help?

Why not just get a dash wiring schimatic, and trace the wires to the gauges? I'm not sure if it will work for your TJ but, when I did gauges in my chevy I pulled the wires out of the back of the cluster; (all wires were connected to a plug which hit the printed circuit) and then I just found out what each wire was for and spliced them into the individual gauges.

I have no idea what the back of your TJ cluster looks like, so I could be way off.

I would think your dash is electric, so I would get electronic gauges. Send the mechanical ones back.

Why not just get a dash wiring schimatic, and trace the wires to the gauges? I'm not sure if it will work for your TJ but, when I did gauges in my chevy I pulled the wires out of the back of the cluster; (all wires were connected to a plug which hit the printed circuit) and then I just found out what each wire was for and spliced them into the individual gauges.

I have no idea what the back of your TJ cluster looks like, so I could be way off.

I would think your dash is electric, so I would get electronic gauges. Send the mechanical ones back.

Thought of doing it this way but was talked out of it. I was convinced that Mechanical gauges were the way to go. I think they will have better performance if I can just get them hooked up!

With the oil pressure you can pull the stock sender and plumb a line from that port to a tee fitting that will accept the stock sender and the Autometer plumbing. For the water temp, Autometer sells an adapter that splices into the radiator hose near the thermostat. They are available for both mechanical and electrical types.

I am sure this is a dumb question but where would one find the stock oil pressure sender?

I am sure this is a dumb question but where would one find the stock oil pressure sender?
I think on a 4.0 I recall it being on the passenger side near the oil filter. I know on my engine theres 2 sending units for water temp, one is for the computer and the other is for the dash gauge, I don't know if the jeep 4.0s are the same.

Why do you want mechanical gauges (zero wires other than lights, right?)? I went with electric (http://www.hv4w.org/DonsForumPix/autometer-3.jpg) and they were easy to install, no oil pressure hose to route. I'm not even sure how a mechanical water temp gauge would work.

I'm not even sure how a mechanical water temp gauge would work.
It's called a capillary tube.

IMHO mechanicals are more accurate and more simple to install (KISS).

It's called a capillary tube.

IMHO mechanicals are more accurate and more simple to install (KISS).

Yes these gauges would be idiot proof if the stock computer wasn't involved.

Thru several hours of searching I may have it figured out.

I will try to hook up the fuel gauge as rockrknockr described above.

Apparently the oil sender on a 97 TJ is not wired to the computer, just the gauge. So it is plug and play. I am assuming the stock oil sender is the part plugged/screwed in just above the oil filter. Although it looks completely different than one I've ever seen before.

The stock temp gauge sender must stay in place for the computer. I could build a brass tee off it and put both senders there. There is also a place I can put it under/behind the intake. I am going to try here.

If this comes up in a search, be aware that I haven't confirmed any of this yet.

Can anyone else confirm?

Apparently the oil sender on a 97 TJ is not wired to the computer, just the gauge. So it is plug and play. I am assuming the stock oil sender is the part plugged/screwed in just above the oil filter. Although it looks completely different than one I've ever seen before.

The stock temp gauge sender must stay in place for the computer. I could build a brass tee off it and put both senders there. There is also a place I can put it under/behind the intake. I am going to try here.

Yup thats the one. I dunno about the other coolant port near the intake though.

Okay got the oil pressure and water temp. hooked up per my post. Works great!

I am however having trouble with the Fuel gauge. There are 4 wires coming of the top of the fuel tank/fuel pump. Anyone got a FSM and tell me which is which? Specifically I am looking for the 12 volt power wire and the sender wire! Thanks

On a '94 YJ (all I have access to) it shows 3 wires:
DG/Blk is +12.
Blk/Or is ground to both sender and pump.
DkBlu is sender signal out to dash.

On a '94 YJ (all I have access to) it shows 3 wires:
DG/Blk is +12.
Blk/Or is ground to both sender and pump.
DkBlu is sender signal out to dash.

Hey thanks! I will check it out. Only thing is I know I got four wires. Maybe 2 grounds? One pump, one sender? Anyone else?

Only thing is I know I got four wires. Maybe 2 grounds?Their may be a tank pressure sender for the OBDII vintage vehicles. If the tank pressure is too high or low(?) it throws a code. That's why people say they get a MIL light when they accidentally leave the gas cap off.