Mechanical gauges on a LS swap
 

Here is my swap:
85 SWB, 2004 6.0l w/Vic Jr 4150 style TB and some other goodies backed by a th400

My questions are:
Can you use mechanical gauges for the oil press, and water temp? If so, where can I get the appropriate adapters that go into the block/head?

I will be swapping out my dash for a 64-66 truck dash and I don't want to buy good gauges until then. I already have the mechanical water and oil pres and would like to just hook them up. I will still be able to use my speedo with the pass thru VSS from Dakota Digital and i am buying my tach bc I am going to mount it on my dash.

Re: Mechanical gauges on a LS swap
 

Yes. water temp can be pulled off one of the heads, just pull the plug and tap the hole for your sender or you can get adapters thru Autometer as well as Speedway Motors. As far as oil pressure, not sure on the LQ4 but there may be a place to tap for oil pressure on the back of the valley pan. If not, many tap the small cover (for motors w/o oil cooler?) near the oil filter.

Re: Mechanical gauges on a LS swap
 

Anybody have any pics of this??

Re: Mechanical gauges on a LS swap
 

You can replace your oil press sender with this and run a mechanical gauge off of it.

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/ATM-2268/

Re: Mechanical gauges on a LS swap
 

Thanks guys, 1 less thing I have to worry about now.

Re: Mechanical gauges on a LS swap
 

see the plug w/allen wrench fitting? Its a plug for the cooling system and where your temp sensor can go. Usually the drivers side (at the front or block) is used, I removed the passenger side (at the back of block) plug and tapped it for 1/8" NPT or maybe 1/4" NPT...can't remember. then put the plug in the drivers side hole left after removing oem sensor.

http://www.lsxtruck.com/gallery/albu...l_IMG_0508.jpg

Re: Mechanical gauges on a LS swap
 

Easy as pie, sorry to break it to ya'll but you don't have to drill and tap anything. Click on the links below, they even have a picture of where they go.

Exhibit A: in place of a hex plug in the head:
http://www.speedwaymotors.com/LS1-Wa...pter,8195.html

Exhibit B: in place of the stock oil pressure sending unit:
http://www.speedwaymotors.com/LS-Ser...ter,20928.html

Re: Mechanical gauges on a LS swap
 

I used the blockoff for the oil cooler off of my LH8 pan
http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n...y/IMAG0083.jpg
http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n...y/IMAG0084.jpg

Re: Mechanical gauges on a LS swap
 

Leevon I bought both of those. I used the one for oil pressure (tapped off top/rear of valley pan) sensor which is hidden for the most part...but much prefer the look of the sensor screwed directly into the head for the thermostat, rather then into something that you then screw into the head making for a longer assembly.

My sensor wouldn't work with the Speedway adapter anyway. :lol:

Re: Mechanical gauges on a LS swap
 

I have the water temp mechanical sending unit in my heater hose, cheaper than the adaptor in the head but you need one of them hooked up for the PCM to work but can find a different source for the mechanical.
Oil pressure sending unit is not needed for the PCM so I got the adaptor from Autometer and put the mechanical unit in there; back of the black behind intake.
For the tach, set it up for 4cyl mode and if that is not an option then the PCM can be changed to work if you wire it from the PCM.