Anybody has any suggestions on aftermarket (digital) gages to replace the stock? I want to wire or connect them independantly of the existing harness, I don't want to foss with the factory crap anymore. Specifically I need a fuel gage (I guess I'll HAVE to wire that to the factory sending unit), temp and oil pressure. I'm sure there are companies out there that make a setup ready to "plug and play" Thanks for any input.

Ed

Do you really mean 'digital' ?
Digital will read like this:


'Electronic' gauges have a wire between the sensor & gauge, vs mechaical using a spinning cable (speedo/odo) or oil filled tube (pressure), etc.

Yes, digital gauges will be electronic, but the opposite is not true; electronic gauges can have analog output (sweep needle) or digital.

I used Autometer gauges. High quality, analog output, electronic gauges. But they wire, not click, in place.

Don't be afraid of the wiring, usually only 1 wire per gauge to the senders plus 1 from the light switch that branches to each gauge's bulb, plus grounds.
Check that the gauges you want come with their matching senders. Some do, some don't.

Thanks Bob, you're right, but I did mean digital, I figured if I was going to get new gauges, might as well get digitals, what I didn't want to get involved with was having to remove the top to fold down the windshield to remove the dash to troubleshoot the gauges, I thought I read somewhere that you can get aftermarket ones that you can install running new wires and the necessary sending units, etc. Oddly enough, the only one working right now is the batt charge. I know in the CJ's the oil press. & the water temp work together and they're a royal PITA to get to work. Maybe I'll take a stab at them. (with so many other upgrades waiting) Thanks for your reply though.

Ed

I thought you were an old skool type, old guys rule and all that

I don't know 'bout Old Skool, I know I'm OLD . . .but seriously, I thought digital readout gauges would be easier to read, even if your dash (gauge) lights went out, like it just happened to the CJ. Anyhow, I saw some nice ones at Harbor Freight, but I'm going to play around with mine first . I am old skool, but I'm also for upgrades that make life easier as long as they're not purely "bling bling" I guess a good blend of old style functionality with a touch of modern technology (hence the MPI 4.0 HO in the rig). I'll keep you posted.

Ed

I wouldn't choose to live day to day, mile after mile, with gauges I didn't really like just because a preventable failure may occur, sometime, maybe. I just went with 7 Autometer gauges in my YJ, all analog electric. Here is a link to JeepForum.com of my dash swap. I'm in the middle of it, so no final photos yet. http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f12/yet-another-dash-swap-964874/

Thanks JD, I guess you're just replacing the factory ones by just connecting the new ones to the factory harness? if not, would you give a little more detail of your wiring? Thanks again.

Ed

It's a mechanical vs electrical thing. If you have an elec gauige now, then use the harness +12/Gnd/Sig it has now. If it's mechanical now, and you went electrical, you would have to steel +12/Gnd from another gauge and add a sig line though the firewall to whatever electrical sending unit the gauge company provides. My Autometer electrical gauges came with sending units, but since my Jeep was already all electrical, in most cases the Jeep sender worked fine, so no underhood work needed for that gauge.

In my new dash swap project, I am pretty much completely redoing the under dash side of the harness, since I eliminated so many things over the years. E.G. I discovered a relay behind the center dash area that was for the instrument lights from the OEM radio. I don't even have a radio in the dash any longer, so that relay and it's wires are now gone. Having a good OEM wiring diagram with locarions and colors is a big help, like a Service Manual, which I have for mine as PDF.

How's this?


http://www.dakotadigital.com/index.cfm/page/ptype=product/product_id=210/category_id=410/home_id=-1/mode=prod/prd210.htm

1955- 86 Jeep CJ Series Digital Instrument System
From Dakota Digital


Dakota Digital Series III instrument systems offer the latest technologies and features for your custom vehicle. High brightness vacuum fluorescent displays provide a lifetime of trouble free use while offering increased accuracy and features!

Full 6 Gauge Instrument System fits into OEM bezel for 1955- 86 Jeep CJ Series.
Fits directly into existing bezel (not included).

System Includes:

Speedometer
Tachometer
Oil Pressure
Water Temperature
Voltmeter
Fuel Level
And Much More!

Only $560.00 or save big... Summit Racing $595.95

That's more "bling bling" than I really need, especially for that kind of dough. It's really cool looking though, I only need to replace three of my gauges: fuel, water temp. and oil press. so after I'm done trying to troubleshoot my stock ones, if I can't make any progress I'll look into aftermarket ones. Thanks guys

Ed