Gauge Wiring Help Needed

[Fredeberle]

Gauges all wired in pod & pod mounted on pillar.
Dash cover off, now what wires do I use to connect the hot leads for lights & tranny temp ?
Manuals haven't come from Ebay yet and not sure of the Chilton diagrams.
Coming along slowly but I'm getting there !
Hope to try the boost fitting tomorrow.
Thanks again for all the help.

[HowieE]

The easiest place to pick up the dimmer circuit is to pop out 1 1/4 x 5 in panel on the right hand side of the instrument panel, between it and the radio. Behind the panel you will find 2 connectors. The gray wire, circuit #8, is the dimmer circuit. Stick a pin through the wire and test with a voltmeter while changing the dimmer to be sure.

[Fredeberle]

HowieE,
On mine which I have all apart, those connectors are hooked up to the passenger side air bag shut off and the second one is to a cargo light switch which only seems to work when the door is open or the dome light is on.
Nothing off the light control switch itself ?
How about the radio hot lead for the tranny gauge?
It seems only hot when the key is on.
Thanks, Fred

[rjwest]

Please explain? are you just trying to wire in the
lights or the power for the gages ( digital or analog ) I'll look in my 96 Helms..

[HowieE]

I think you will find the wire in question on the cargo switch connector as it is used to light the switch. If not look behind the left hand front kick panel for a 4 wire connector postion D, angain a gray wire.
If not circuit #8 feeds the following, Fog light switch, Cargo lamp switch, Rear liftgate switch, Radio, Rear window wiper switch, Heater and ac control, Rear aux heater switch, the instrument cluster, and Transfer case lamp, The first 2 options above are a little eaiser to get to.

[Fredeberle]

rjwest: Just trying to get juice to the tranny temp gauge (analog) and something for the 3 gauge lights when other lights are on.
Can't believe all the tiny wires they use for everything !
EGR & boost don't need juice from what the directions say.

[rjwest]

Look for a unused fuse slot. Usually has
only one metal slot in fuse location.check power is switched on with ign.
get fuse, wrap wire around fuse leg that does not have metal contact.install fuse

or.: go to parts store and get a Piggy back fuse
holder, it replaces a fuse ( radio is good candidate )and has 2 fuse positions. one for
fuse that is replaced with piggy back holder
and one that goes to a wire for new circuit, crimp to it for new seperate circuit....( suggest all gages power wires to a single wire than to fuse block )


You can get wire into drivers side fuse block
real easy
I would suggest you use a NEW 12v feed rather
than tap into some of the PCm and control circuits, Strang things can happen..


for the light in the gage you can
wire it to the 12v for the gage or splice into
the harness under the dash, I think that is the info that previous reply was giving you,
I also thought you were looking for " dimmmed
light source " You do need a voltmeter ,
cheap at radio shack/walmarts/. Straight pin in
wire works to verify correct one,should vary voltage with dash dimmer knob.
I will look under my dash and see where I wired in..

[MTTwister]

rjwest - I was thinking about putting a "pot" on the "Pod" to use as a dimmer switch for the Pod Lights - since they're gonna be right in your face. having trouble finding a small enough pot - and Not Sure what range would be needed ( 0 - 1K, 10K? )

Ever considered doig this, and any hints on the resistance? Anyone?

[rjwest]

On the left side of the dash on 96, and latter I assume,
is a Fuse panel. The little cover you see when opening drivers dood. Pull fuse number 14,
should be DIMMED instrument lights. Try lights
should be out.

Now, get a voltmeter and see which side of fuse,
metal contact in fuse panel, has voltage.( with fuse out )
Wrap the new instrument panel lights supply wire around one of the fuse " legs ".
Install fuse so the leg of the fuse with wire is
insereted into the side that was " not powered "

Or get a piggy back fuse and replace this fuse
with it , you will now have a seperate " dimmed "
circuit oon the other fuse/wire.

Do not know how 95 and older is wired.

INFO A piggy back fuse holder ( my terminology )
is a small block that plugs into a fuse location
. it has 2 fuses mounted on it at a 90 deg.

1 fuse is for original circuit. other fuse
goes to a short wire that is spliced to what
ever you want to , to provide additiona fused circuit.

For a extra "pot" I would guess 0-100 ohms.

[Fredeberle]

Thanks guys, I'm all set :D
rjwest: that piggyback fuse worked great, put the tranny gauge to the radio fuse.
I don't really drive much at night so just to have the gauge lights working if needed I put in a toggle switch picking up a hot lead from the cargo lamp switch.
Now just have to put in everything on the other ends of the gauges when my hands give me a break and stop aching.