Charged350

iTrader: (1)

everything is in and works.....the only issue is im doing my dash over with all autometer gauges and i need to know the ohm reading of a stock ls1 sending unit so i can order the correct gauge....sport comp series gauges a part number would be awsome....if anyone if using that same gauge.;...anyone///

cam-

IIRC Ghettocruiser is using an autometer fuel gauge off the LS1 sending unit so try PM'ing him. If not I'm sure if you search over at LS1tech you'll find the right PN if your in a rush.

Blownz28man

iTrader: (2)

I know you can swap a sender from a 97 grand prix non sc. Thats the right one for our cars.

V8Rumble

iTrader: (2)

A quick search of LS1Tech gave me two answers:

In all honesty, I'm less confident of that answer than the one below...

I'd imagine that you should be able to call a decent-sized vendor (or maybe even a dealer, I've actually had good luck w/ that in the last few months) to get a more-definitive answer.

ghettocruiser

iTrader: (4)

Charged350: You have a couple options in my opinion. You can get an autometer gauge that works with a range CLOSE to the LS1 sender. Its close because the actual numbers arent exact, and the movement is reverse.

Autometer will reverse the movement of the gauge for cheap. Like $20. I had this done, and my gauge still wasnt much good. It was very inaccurate. Annoyingly inaccurate. Some people seemed ok with it. But, Im **** and like things to work 100% or as close as possible to 100%.

So I went with the programmable. Its basically universal. You go to the gas station with a close to empty tank. Tell the gauge its empty, fill it up, tell the gauge its full...and thats it. Works FANTASTIC. However this gauge is more expensive. But worth it in my opinion.

There are options for messing with the sender. however I chose not to do that. Didnt feel like opening the tank, and messing with the sender and all that. If there was a problem, I didnt want to have to drop the tank again. Its not the most fun job... For those mods...just do some searching. The info is out there. Check google as well.

Are you trying to use the evap system??? Or are you just running the tank by itself? I wont go into why unless you are trying to use evap....

Hope that helps...definetly get in touch with me if you have any guage questions. Ive been through it all. haha. Or post up... a few of us have autometer set ups and knows some tricks and what not.

J.

V8Rumble

iTrader: (2)

Great post Justin, & one that I think will help people down the road.

(This issue is the main reason that I'm pretty sure that I'm just going to spring for a Walbro 255 & call it good...)

five7kid

iTrader: (14)

I missed something here. Where do you get a gage like that? Will it fit in a stock dash cluster?

Charged350

iTrader: (1)

yeah i knew this was going to be a problem....damnit....f*ck me man...and everything is finished and bolted up so i cant even put in a autometer float without taking it all apart again...pain in the ***....so how far was the gauge you had flipped over...was it bad like you can run out of gas and get stuck bad or jus wasnt to close and this programable gauge you speak of...have any links or pics...cuz i would like to use autometers sport comp gauges since i already have them all for everything else....

ghettocruiser

iTrader: (4)

Its not the easiest to find...because its not with the other fuel level gauges usually. Its a full sweep gauge, so its under full sweep. Its just like the other 2-1/16" gauges as far as fitment. It doesnt have anything weird coming off of it, but it does have two extra wires. You temporarily connect a momentary switch to them...or you can tap them together to program the gauge. Here is the phantom one I have.


http://autometer.com/cat_gaugedetail...gid=3469&sid=7

Sport Comp version:

http://autometer.com/cat_gaugedetail...id=3471&sid=15

My advice....pick one of these up at egauges.com or JEGS. Seemed to be the best deals for my gauge package.

Charged350: I found a thread over on tech where I first posted about having the movement changed. I had in there that it was $31.70 total...shipping and the work included.

Now...I cant remember exactly how bad it was. But it was bad enough that I didnt like it. I never really felt like I knew how much fuel was in there. It stayed on F for awhile...then would fall really fast to E...but then would still have a good amount of fuel in it. It just wasnt accurate.

The programmable gauge, while expensive (~$100), will be VERY accurate for you. Its worked perfectly for me, and its full sweep which looks cool. Not that thats THAT important. haha.

As for the autometer float...thats not going to help you anyway. I think IF you could even get that to work, it would be a pain in the butt. And you are better off just getting the programmable gauge and saving the headaches.

Its really the only option to EASILY make your fuel level gauge work and work well. Like I said, there are ways to mod the sender I think...but that just sounded like a can of worms to me. Im rather dissappointed in autometer for not stepping up and offering a gauge with the correct ohm range for the LS1 sender. The platform is popular enough that I think they would sell a decent amount... OR.... When you send your gauge in to them for movement reversal, change it so the range is correct. That'd be nice...

Hope that helps ya out guys. I wish I had more info....but like I said, I wanted a quick easy solution, so thats what I did instead of modifying things.

J.

five7kid

iTrader: (14)

Great information. It makes sense to try to go this way as you could keep the LS1 PCM/evap system operational. Fitting it into the cluster would still be an issue, but I assume most doing this are going all aftermarket gages, anyway.

ghettocruiser

iTrader: (4)

Well...youre partly correct. When doing this swap, you need to make a choice. You either have the evap working 100% the way its supposed to, and a) not have a fuel gauge, or b) do an LS1 dash/cluster swap. OR...you have to not have EVAP hooked up.

The fuel gauge in an ls1 cluster is serial data. It gets its info from the PCM. The fuel level sender from the LS1 DOES NOT go to the dash cluster. It goes directly to the PCM, where the PCM uses that info, along with tank pressure and some other things to operate the EVAP system and also tells the gauge where it should sit.

If you try to wire the EVAP up correctly, AND have an aftermarket gauge, the gauge will not work. It will most likely peg. Because there are weird voltages and what not from the PCM. I think 5v runs through that purple wire normally...

here is my thread from tech when I first installed my prog. gauge. And my thought process to figuring out the issues.

http://ls1tech.com/forums/showthread...519&highlight=

Also...here is a thread on tech about aftermarket gauges and the LS1. I forgot to post it in my last response.

http://ls1tech.com/forums/showthread...ghlight=gauges

Its a good read.

J.

dingle

Without the reverse air core on the gauge it reads empty when you are full and around half a tank mark you are pretty darn low on gas, maybe 1-2 gallons left if that much ( I have never run dry so I don't really know just guessing). I will be getting the programmable one once I get past all these wedding bills.

five7kid

iTrader: (14)

Guess I'll run the evap open, then. I'm not that concerned about it operating in a 4th gen fashion.

A programmable gage sounds a lot easier than modifying the sender.

ghettocruiser

iTrader: (4)

Like Ive said before... There are a few areas that I just splurged on to make life easier. Headers was one. The fuel gauge was another. That $100 got rid of so much headache. Plus...if you add the cost of shipping it back and getting a regular one reversed so it moves the right way, only to have it work like crap...its not that much more.

What dingle posted was correct. The way the gauge acted, youd be better off opening the cap and shaking the back of the can and guessnig the amount of fuel based on the slosh sound. haha. It was annoyingly inaccurate. Its very important to me that my gauges work correctly and reliably...or else whats the point of having them.

J.

Charged350

iTrader: (1)

ok thax for your help all of you guys, so i guess im stuck ordering a programable gauge from 0 to 280 ohm from autometer and programin it to my needs..

on a side a note im not using the evap system at all, or anything associated with the ls1 tank exept the tank and the sending unit i ripped the fuel pump out for that little extra fuel capacity that i need at 4mpg and i am using the stock ls1 feed line as my return as i sumped the tank on the bottom for my feed line...

now, i took the two wires that go from teh ls1 sending unit...one purple and one gray with black i beleive and hooked them up to my stock 3rd gen wiring pigtail connector for that "stock" look lol....now i need to kno which one will go to teh gauge and which one is ground im guessing purple goes to the gauge and the gray black i can ground where the back seats are....

and finally, does anyone have a link for the 2 1/16 autometer sport comp gauge that is programable for this so i dont mess it up....and again thanx guys and lookin forward to the answers to my new questions....

five7kid

iTrader: (14)

The links above have the p/n's. Put one of those p/n's in the search function of summitracing.com, it comes up.

ghettocruiser

iTrader: (4)

Ditto...

But here is the link for egauges prices. $104 from them. Its the top one...
http://egauges.com/vdo_mult3.asp?Typ...t_Comp&Units=E

Here is the Jegs price. $106 but no shipping. Probably a $9 handling fee or something. Summit will be similar.
http://www.jegs.com/i/Auto%20Meter/105/3310/10002/-1

Im alittle lost as to what exactly you've done to your tank... But the wire you want for the gauge is purple. I thought there was a purple wire, grey wire for the fuel pump, and a black for ground. But its been awhile.


J.

five7kid

iTrader: (14)

Okay, that egauges site shows a 240 empty/33 full gage. That's pretty close to 240/40, and a third of the cost. Wouldn't that work (assuming the line to the PCM isn't used)?

Or am I still confused?

ghettocruiser

iTrader: (4)

That gauge is the one some of us have tried...

If you buy it, you'll have to send it back to autometer, and have the air core replaced andt he movement reversed. This is JUST so it move in the right direction.

however, when the gauge reads 1/2, you are pretty close to empty. Its pretty worthless in my opinion. Just not accurate enough for me.

So...Around $40 for the gauge...and it cost me around $31 to ship it back and have the work done. So thats around $70...call it $80 after you factor shipping for the gauge and what not.

For $20-$30 bucks more, you can get a gauge that will work perfect, and be about as accurate as you're gonna get. Because you tell it where empty is and where full is. Full proof...quick and easy solution.

J.

five7kid

iTrader: (14)

Guess I was still confused.

Charged350

iTrader: (1)

i took everything out of my tank...the only thing that is in there is the float with the sendin unit....all the evap stuff outside is gone also...just a went tube i have to vent the tank...

there is 4 wires comming from the top of the sending unit...2 come from the float and two from some other relay lookin thing....as long as i need ...so how do i hook up this gauge when i get it....the purple and what else....thanx guys

ghettocruiser

iTrader: (4)

The only thing you need to do with the gauge is hook it to the purple wire, give it power, and give it ground.

Then, this gauge will have to extra wires. Black and brown I believe. These are your programming wires. you can either hook them up to a pushbuttom MOMENTARY switch..or just tap them together to simulate a switch. The directions that come with the gauge are very good and will help you install/set it up. Piece of cake....

J.

87tpi350,6spd

iTrader: (12)

I just have one question if you are not using the fuel pump and have issuies with the fuel level sender why didn't you just mod the origanal tank.

Charged350

iTrader: (1)

cuz this one is plastic...not metal...no rust unside of it and it was easier to sump then a metal tank which i would have to weld...and its just another unescessary mod i did....i do those a lot...makes things complicated and fun....and all i need is the purple wire...sweet....

ghettocruiser

iTrader: (4)

Wait... You sumped your plastic tank?? Can you post some pictures? I dont think Ive ever seen someone do it before. Ive heard people brainstorm about it....but never saw one attempted.

J.

87tpi350,6spd

iTrader: (12)

Ok I was just wondering oh and by the way the easyist way I found to tell the gauge wires are usually the thiner 2 of the 4 that go to the sender and yes the purple on is the output or signal.

Charged350

iTrader: (1)

well, if you look at your ls1 tank since i dont have any pics as of now....look at the tank...there is a factory sump in it...the lowest point on the tank where the stock pickup sits inside the tank...just pick a spot on the oeft or right side of the stock pickup so you dont hit it with the an fitting insude the tank....and drill a hole of the side fitting your using...tap the hole to the thread size, and when you put the fitting in the final time, use an industrial strenght 2 part apoxy and put a little on the threads and thread it in, i also used a thin nut on the inside of the tank and sandwitched the fitting in the tank with it so it will never move or have a chance to leak....fairly simple