Paul

Hi all-

Got the GT back yesterday after having tried to burn the wiring harness up. Turns out, I cooked one wire,and the ground wire, all the way back to the solenoid. Ouch. So, after a new engine harness and replacing the one cooked wire, and ground, under the dash, I'm rolling again. Oh, we also replaced the Instrument Panel Volt. Regulator, too.

With a functioning Ammeter, too. Can't remember the last time that worked.

Anyway, a few new things that I need some opinions on:

A) The ammeter really wiggles back and forth when first started and at idle. (I've noticed that my courtesy lights pulse a bit, too. I'm thinking that my alternator isn't putting out enough juice at idle. ONce you get to speed, the needle settles just to the right of center towards charge.

B) My oil pressure gauge is reading really low, after reading on the high side for years. I noticed that the gas gauge is reading about 1/4 of a tank off, too. (If you moved the oil pressure needle up 1/4 of its sweep, like the gas gauge, it'd be right back where it was.)

C) I caught both the gas and oil pressure gauges maxxing out and then coming down to where they were once this AM.

D) I developed a serious PS leak on the way home, but that isn't tied to this. Just thought it'd make you snicker. It never rains, it pours.

So, what do you think would cause a, b and c? I'm thinking IRV, but it was replaced. Maybe it isn't grounded well? Think I fried the senders? I've got a new oil pressure sender on order from O'Reilly's, but the one on there wasn't that old--in fact, I'm thinking under a month old before I fried the harness.

Lemme hear your ideas!

--Paul

pakrat

Hmm, the fact that both gas and oil are not working correctly would seem to be a realted ground issue like an inconsistent contact, especially with the pegging at one point. Honestly I have never had faith in the factory oil gauge, a simple H or L indicator just does not cut it when tracking the life blood of the car. Buying a cheap unit with numbers and at least temporarily hooking it up might be a good idea to see where you are really at.

Paul

Pak--Mechanical or electrical? To be honest, I'm gun-shy with electrical stuff! Is the mechanical one a sender, some hosing and a gauge? That, I could handle.

pakrat

Yes, sorry I did not expand. A mechanical unit that actually sends oil to the unit and gauges the pressure. When I installed a 75PSI high vloume pump I wanted to be sure of the pressure, and so I also added the mechanical gauge positioned below the dash behind the steering wheel. The stock one just lays dormant in the dash. It was supposed to be temporary but it doesn't bother me there and so I have just left it that way for years now.

Paul

That seems to be the best idea. Oil pressure gets my attention. I know my engine sick--at least one, possibly two, bad rings--and in need of a rebuild soon, but I'm trying to stretch the time frame.

Don't worry about not expanding--I tend to go off half-cocked and get myself in trouble!

As always, thanks for the help!

--P

pakrat

Yeah, it's a good thing to know for sure. In my case it's normal for it to drop down to 40ish when warm and at a stop light, but the stock gauge reads that as about 1 bar. This isn't the best pic but the only one I can link to without uploading. You can spot it just below the directional stick. I think it cost a wopping $4.95 at the autozone and literally 5 minutes to hook up.

Paul

Pak

First things first, nice car!

Any tricks to routing the hose? Just keep it away from anything hot and sharp?

--Paul

pakrat

Well, it was once, thanks. Hopefully it will be again soon.

I just ran it up along the manifold under the air cleaner and into an exisiting hole in the fire wall since it was supposed to be temporary. 4 years now and not a single issue, knock on wood.