Lotek Gauge Pods with Auto Meter Gauges

[DeadFlanders]

Just short of making it to 200k miles on my ’96 4Runner I had a cracked head. Long story short I decided to do a rebuilt/remanufactured engine from Jasper. While doing the new engine I decided to do a few other things, like a new radiator with Evans Waterless Coolant (no pink milkshake for me!), and a remote transmission filter (With a transmission flush). I also decided I wanted to add a couple of gauges, you know, so that it drives off-road better! So I added a transmission temp gauge, and an oil pressure gauge.

The engine work I had done, I'm not up to that challenge quite yet, but the gauges I tackled myself!

For the oil pressure gauge I didn’t want to lose the idiot light, and I didn’t want to use a T fitting, so I just used the extra oil port below the sending unit to the idiot light. You can see it in the following picture right next to the oil filter.

<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/deadflanders/30458506423/in/photolist-NpvNNt-Pqa5jf-NpvJWv-PzGpNJ-NpvHJF-PzGnE5-NpvDtB-Pq9Tts-NpvCwM-P5pfFs-Npwgdx-PzGXc5-NpwdCn-PzGV3W-Pq9Sq5-PzGbY5-Pq9Ryf-PzGaQy-Pq9QGq-PzG9JW-Pq9PK5-NpvxCD-Pq9NMJ-Npvwmk-Pq9MmY-PCTPN6-PCTNZn-PCTNdH-PCTMfa-PCTLoR-NpvtY4-PsKc4r-PsKbGz-NohT5s-PsKb2X-NohQcy-PsJUGD-Npv5s6-PsJTdg-Pq8Muf-PzFgxN-Pq8HKb-PzFfdd-Pq8Fv1-PzFeCL-LrccmZ-Lrcc9V-DqY3nN-EmnoAG-DqY2C1/" title="20160529_172341"><img src="https://c8.staticflickr.com/6/5493/30458506423_c4fa8f331c_z.jpg" width="640" height="360" alt="20160529_172341"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

I couldn’t seem to find a consensus anywhere on the internet as to if this port was a 3/8” NPT or BSPT. I found this article over on the yotatech forums where the one guys says that it really doesn’t matter, and someone else agrees and says it’s ok as long as you use some Teflon.

5VZ-FE installing oil pressure guage - YotaTech Forums

I also had no idea what the hell NPT or BSPT was, but I thought this article did a good job of explaining..

Ralston Instruments - Made in the USA

In the end I ordered the following gauge kit from Auto Meter that comes with a sending unit with a 1/8” NPT fitting, and with an adapter to get it to a 3/8” NPT fitting. I put some pipe-tape on everything, and I haven’t had a leak from it at all..

2-1/16" OIL PRESSURE, 0-100 PSI, Z-SERIES

Here is the best shot I could get of it installed, don’t mind the red thing in there that is just my LED light, it’s not part of the install or anything.

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For the transmission temperature gauge I went with the following from Auto Meter:

2-1/16" TRANSMISSION TEMPERATURE, 100-250 °F, Z-SERIES

This also comes with the sending unit and adapters, but since the port on my remote transmission filter was already 1/8” NPT I was able to plug it into the sending unit with no adapters.

Below is a shot of my remote transmission oil filter, it is mounted down on the frame under the battery. You can see the sending unit and the wiring right there. I’m actually planning on moving this at some point, I didn’t realize it until later, but with it mounted at this point it now blocks the only way I could reach my oil filter with a wrench. It makes it much more difficult to pull my oil filter now.

<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/deadflanders/32151722655/in/dateposted-public/" title="20170103_203916"><img src="https://c8.staticflickr.com/1/393/32151722655_93f05a9345_z.jpg" width="640" height="360" alt="20170103_203916"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

To mount the gauge pods I went with the ones from Lotek:

www.gaugepods.com // Lotek Inc.

I spent a ton of time researching how to do the wiring. One of my main frustrations with the wiring is that every article I seemed to find said things like, “just make sure to use good connectors”, but almost no one listed out who makes “good” connectors. I found one reference that AMP makes good connectors, and I use their products for my network cabling, so I thought that would be a good route to go. The only problem there is that I needed a multipack with a few of each type, but when you order from AMP you get a box of like 50 of one type of connector. That would have been a ton of money to buy boxes of 50 for every connector I needed for this project.

In the end I got a multipack of heatshrink connectors off of e-bay, and they were fine. The very next issue was the same problem with the crimping tool.. Everyone on-line said to get a good one, but there didn’t seem to be any consensus. Every time someone said one tool was the best for crimping, someone else would say it was crap, or I would check reviews on Amazon and the reviews would be poor. I ended up just using the crappy one that I already have, it’s the one that comes with every electronics kit. And it sucked!

After it was all done, I happened to be cruising through Harbor Freight and saw that they have both the crimping tool and a good selection of all the ends. I wish I had just went there first and grabbed everything that I needed there..

So the ends I used were the heat shrink kind that have an adhesive inside that is activated when you heat them.. For the heat shrink tubing I just went with normal stuff, I didn’t find out until half way into the project that they also make a heatshrink tubing with a heat activated adhesive lining. Had I known I would have purchased that for this project.

Anyways, enough of my whining.. Here are some pictures of the install..

Wiring Harness:

<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/deadflanders/31266268145/in/photolist-NoiF4S-NpvNNt-NpvJWv-PzGpNJ-NpvHJF-NpvDtB-Pq9Tts-NpvCwM-Npwgdx-Pqa5jf-Pq9Sq5-PzGbY5-Pq9Ryf-PzGaQy-PzG9JW-Pq9PK5-NpvxCD-Pq9NMJ-Pq9MmY-PCTNZn-PCTLoR-NpvtY4-PsKc4r-PsKbGz-NohT5s-PsKb2X-PsJUGD-Npv5s6-PsJTdg-Pq8Muf-PzFgxN-Pq8HKb-Pq9QGq-Npvwmk-PCTPN6-PCTNdH-PCTMfa-NohQcy-PzFfdd-Pq8Fv1-PzFeCL-LrccmZ-Lrcc9V-KZnB6d-DqY3nN-EmnoAG-DqY2C1-DQcR4e-EoGmf8-EoGkWn" title="20160618_185643"><img src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5728/31266268145_84db7ef52f_z.jpg" width="640" height="360" alt="20160618_185643"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Wires ran up into the gauge pods:

<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/deadflanders/30444667854/in/photolist-NoiF4S-NpvNNt-NpvJWv-PzGpNJ-NpvHJF-NpvDtB-Pq9Tts-NpvCwM-Npwgdx-Pqa5jf-Pq9Sq5-PzGbY5-Pq9Ryf-PzGaQy-PzG9JW-Pq9PK5-NpvxCD-Pq9NMJ-Pq9MmY-PCTNZn-PCTLoR-NpvtY4-PsKc4r-PsKbGz-NohT5s-PsKb2X-PsJUGD-Npv5s6-PsJTdg-Pq8Muf-PzFgxN-Pq8HKb-Pq9QGq-Npvwmk-PCTPN6-PCTNdH-PCTMfa-NohQcy-PzFfdd-Pq8Fv1-PzFeCL-LrccmZ-Lrcc9V-KZnB6d-DqY3nN-EmnoAG-DqY2C1-DQcR4e-EoGmf8-EoGkWn/" title="20160619_172250"><img src="https://c7.staticflickr.com/6/5667/30444667854_88f36dd61a_z.jpg" width="360" height="640" alt="20160619_172250"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Wires connected to the first gauge, labeled and a little black tape on the connectors to make 100% sure that they don’t wiggle loose.

<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/deadflanders/31121870212/in/photolist-NoiF4S-NpvNNt-NpvJWv-PzGpNJ-NpvHJF-NpvDtB-Pq9Tts-NpvCwM-Npwgdx-Pqa5jf-Pq9Sq5-PzGbY5-Pq9Ryf-PzGaQy-PzG9JW-Pq9PK5-NpvxCD-Pq9NMJ-Pq9MmY-PCTNZn-PCTLoR-NpvtY4-PsKc4r-PsKbGz-NohT5s-PsKb2X-PsJUGD-Npv5s6-PsJTdg-Pq8Muf-PzFgxN-Pq8HKb-Pq9QGq-Npvwmk-PCTPN6-PCTNdH-PCTMfa-NohQcy-PzFfdd-Pq8Fv1-PzFeCL-LrccmZ-Lrcc9V-KZnB6d-DqY3nN-EmnoAG-DqY2C1-DQcR4e-EoGmf8-EoGkWn/" title="20160619_173228"><img src="https://c5.staticflickr.com/6/5608/31121870212_6f3663d894_z.jpg" width="640" height="360" alt="20160619_173228"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Gauges and wiring all secured in the pods, ready to go in for the final time:

<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/deadflanders/30444658174/in/photolist-NoiF4S-NpvNNt-NpvJWv-PzGpNJ-NpvHJF-NpvDtB-Pq9Tts-NpvCwM-Npwgdx-Pqa5jf-Pq9Sq5-PzGbY5-Pq9Ryf-PzGaQy-PzG9JW-Pq9PK5-NpvxCD-Pq9NMJ-Pq9MmY-PCTNZn-PCTLoR-NpvtY4-PsKc4r-PsKbGz-NohT5s-PsKb2X-PsJUGD-Npv5s6-PsJTdg-Pq8Muf-PzFgxN-Pq8HKb-Pq9QGq-Npvwmk-PCTPN6-PCTNdH-PCTMfa-NohQcy-PzFfdd-Pq8Fv1-PzFeCL-LrccmZ-Lrcc9V-KZnB6d-DqY3nN-EmnoAG-DqY2C1-DQcR4e-EoGmf8-EoGkWn/" title="20160619_174908"><img src="https://c7.staticflickr.com/6/5641/30444658174_09a160ebb5_z.jpg" width="640" height="360" alt="20160619_174908"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

One note, I did have to trim the plastic Auto Meter mounting bracket for the gauges on the back side to get them to fit.

And here are the gauges right now.

<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/deadflanders/31342023453/in/photolist-PKA4CH-PGPzxq-QZ8YZM-QGYEJt-QGYDDn-QGYCK8-QGYBXM-QGYB9x-QToR5e-QToQeg-QToPEF-QToNUc-QToNcF-QToMoM-QToJRx-PDLG4z-QPWcpA-QAs6se-P5psAu-PCUKzK-PsL6bx-PCUJ4Z-P5ppcA-PCUGeB-P5pmEm-P5pkAY-PsL3tt-PzH3go-P5pfFs-Npwgdx-PzGXc5-NpwdCn-PzGV3W-PzGTCb-Pqao3b-PzGRBh-Pqan2o-PzGPFy-Pqamad-PCUrkZ-PqaiFq-PqagK1-P5p6Nh-NoiF4S-NpvNNt-Pqa5jf-NpvJWv-PzGpNJ-NpvHJF-NpvDtB/" title="20170106_173440"><img src="https://c6.staticflickr.com/1/327/31342023453_7ca3e57f6f_z.jpg" width="360" height="640" alt="20170106_173440"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

I was pretty happy with the gauge pods, but I believe my one complaint is the same as others that I’ve seen with these gauge pods, the screw holes that they have are very close to the screw holes for the o-shit handle. I wish they would have just made the pods use the same screw holes. Not that drilling some new holes is that big of a deal, but where they do have the screw holes doesn’t really line-up super great with the structure underneath. You’re kinda forced to go in at a bit of an angle, if you try to go in straight you’re running into metal underneath at a 45 degree angle and you can’t get the drill to bite in.. Anyways, it wasn’t a huge deal, just a minor annoyance.. The bigger annoyance is that since the the screw is in at a bit of an angle, the cap didn’t fit the best and it fell off at some point and I can’t find it now! Argh!!

To power the gauges I pulled power off of the wiring that used to go to my clock. It died ages ago and in its place I stuck a dual USB charger, so the wires to the clock were totally unused. For the gauge lights I tied into the dimmer that the rest of the gauges in the dash use.

 

[etc.]

Looks great.

You didn't use a metric adapter for the oil pressure sending unit?

 

[Scramble]

Nice job, how hard was it to run the wires from under the dash up the A pillar?
I'd like to see pics of that because I'm doing gauges in the spring time.
Thanks

 

[octanejunkie]

Nice work, looks great

I got used to an oil pressure gauge and trans temp gauge on my pickup, I drive with trust as my co-pilot in my T4R

 

[Rock_Rat]

Surprised the Autometer Gauges don't come with pre-made connectors that plug directly into the gauges like the AEM gauges. When I was reading your write-up I thought you were finishing up the other end of the harness.

 

[DeadFlanders]

Looks great.

You didn't use a metric adapter for the oil pressure sending unit?

When you say metric, do you mean BSPT? If so, nope I used NPT.

Like I mentioned, I couldn't really find anywhere on the internet where they said specifically what thread pattern that was, and I don't have the Factory Service Manuals. I did find an article over at Yotatech where they said that the NPT will work fine, just make sure to use some teflon.. So far so good, last oil change there was no leaks around it.

 

[DeadFlanders]

Surprised the Autometer Gauges don't come with pre-made connectors that plug directly into the gauges like the AEM gauges. When I was reading your write-up I thought you were finishing up the other end of the harness.

These are the first gauges I've ever hooked up. I'll have to take a look at AEM, cause I'm not sure what you mean by pre-made connectors.. Sounds like you mean a pigtail or something? But then I'd have to solder that to another why or use another crimp?

 

[etc.]

When you say metric, do you mean BSPT? If so, nope I used NPT.

Like I mentioned, I couldn't really find anywhere on the internet where they said specifically what thread pattern that was, and I don't have the Factory Service Manuals. I did find an article over at Yotatech where they said that the NPT will work fine, just make sure to use some teflon.. So far so good, last oil change there was no leaks around it.

I've been looking for the information also and a google search brought me to your thread.

Metric meaning the size of the hole and of course the thread pitch. Everything I've found on a 4runner is metric, I can't see why that would be different. Autometer also offers metric adapters.

Either way, thank you for the information.

 

[DeadFlanders]

I've been looking for the information also and a google search brought me to your thread.

Metric meaning the size of the hole and of course the thread pitch. Everything I've found on a 4runner is metric, I can't see why that would be different. Autometer also offers metric adapters.

Either way, thank you for the information.

Yeah, this is where I was frustrated, cause I just couldn't seem to find a straight answer on-line. In the following article one guy says it is an M10x1, and another says it is BSPT. Not really sure if that is the same thing or not.

5VZ-FE installing oil pressure guage - YotaTech Forums

The following article says that Japan uses BSPT, which is why I figured that the guys that said it is a BSPT fitting must be right.

Ralston Instruments - Made in the USA

However, now that I'm looking those articles over again.. The BSPT fitting are listed using standard (3/8), so there must be straight up metric pipe fittings as well.

What I did worked fine, but it does bug me a bit. I really would have liked to have found exactly the right fitting size for this. Until you brought this up, I was confident that it was BSPT. And I was ok using an NPT adapter in it, because that NPT/BSPT article basically said that the main difference was just a slight difference in the thread angle, and that threads per inch and all of that were the same. If it really is metric, I wonder what the differences are between it and the 3/8" NPT fitting that I used. I wonder if threads per inch was slightly difference or anything.

I think I need to go look around on-line (e-bay) and see if I can pickup a factory service manual. The internet is great, but sometimes you just can't find that one little bit of data that you need.

 

[phattyduck]

Toyota has a long history of using BSPT threads for tapered fittings.

If an NPT thread worked more than about 1 turn, it isn't metric threads. So, technically incorrect to use NPT, but with thread sealant it is 'fine'. I would expect it to start to weep a bit in the future, but you can cross that bridge when you get there.

-Charlie