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Firebird lsx guys - need some help with guages

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Old 08-01-2011, 10:02 PM
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Firebird lsx guys - need some help with guages

I am getting closer and closer to getting my ls1 91 firebird up and running. Right now I am stuck on what to do with the gauges. I want your guys opinions on what would be the best route to go with the guages.

Did you guys get the stock gauges to work? Aftermarket? I have even seen some use the 4th gen cluster, but only on Camaros. I don't think the gauge cluster would even fit in the 3rd gen firebird dash.

Anyway, give me your opinion, post what you used or better yet post a pic of your setup. Thanks a bunch.

EDIT: Forgot to mention I am using a 4th gen gas tank and 10 bolt as well.

Last edited by nhra-trans-am; 08-02-2011 at 11:31 PM.
Old 08-01-2011, 11:20 PM
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Re: Firebird lsx guys - need some help with guages

All my guages worked perfect. Only gauge I had to "get to work" was my tach. Added a resistor and now it works.
Old 08-02-2011, 06:23 AM
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Re: Firebird lsx guys - need some help with guages

Originally Posted by Mkos1980
All my guages worked perfect. Only gauge I had to "get to work" was my tach. Added a resistor and now it works.
x2, including the resistor! lol
Old 08-02-2011, 08:04 PM
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Re: Firebird lsx guys - need some help with guages

Bird electric gauges work fine with engine swaps
Old 08-02-2011, 11:34 PM
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Re: Firebird lsx guys - need some help with guages

Originally Posted by Mkos1980
All my guages worked perfect. Only gauge I had to "get to work" was my tach. Added a resistor and now it works.
Originally Posted by Jaysz28
x2, including the resistor! lol
Forgot to mention, that I also have a 4th gen gas tank as well. Not sure how that will affect the gas gauge.

I'm kind of a noob when it comes to wiring/gauges. What did you guys have to do to wire up the gauges to get them to work? And what resistance did you have to use to get the tach working and how do you add it?

Thanks.
Old 08-03-2011, 10:38 AM
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Re: Firebird lsx guys - need some help with guages

Snap in a mid 90's grand am fuel level sender to the 4th gen bucket. It is the correct 90ohm sender and will drive your stock gauge

Most gauges are 1:1 connection, find the wire associated with them and connect it to the LSx output

Booster wire for the tach just brings the voltage of the signal up slightly because the LSx output is rather weak and the firebird tachs have a hard time reading it. Use a short length of small wire on either end of a 68- ohm resistor. Tee into the PCM IGN fuse wire at the PCM and the tach output pin from the PCM. 99-04 PCMs are B19 and R10 respectively. Dont forget to have the tach signal converted from 4 cyl mode to 8 cyl mode in the tune
Old 08-08-2011, 04:57 PM
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Re: Firebird lsx guys - need some help with guages

As stated above everything will work.If you havent already then get a 3 wire cts sensor for the pre 99 fbody and connect the third wire to your coolant guage wire.

I have done the booster wire and resistor and have found that my factory tach is off by about 500rpm but the pcm wasnt programmed for v8 tach output.Luckily I have a autometer tach for more accuracy and it set at 4 cyl mode and reads fine off the same signal wire from the pcm.

Oil pressure wires directly to the oil pressure sensor

Speedo is direct to the pcm.

That should cover you completely.
Old 08-08-2011, 05:01 PM
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Re: Firebird lsx guys - need some help with guages

Still need to work on my interior and finish all these odds n ends.
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Old 08-08-2011, 05:17 PM
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Re: Firebird lsx guys - need some help with guages

I still used my 2 wire CTS and factory temp guage prob. Just bought adapters so I can screw them into the differant threaded heads.
Old 08-09-2011, 11:38 AM
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Re: Firebird lsx guys - need some help with guages

Originally Posted by Pocket
Booster wire for the tach just brings the voltage of the signal up slightly because the LSx output is rather weak and the firebird tachs have a hard time reading it. Use a short length of small wire on either end of a 68- ohm resistor. Tee into the PCM IGN fuse wire at the PCM and the tach output pin from the PCM. 99-04 PCMs are B19 and R10 respectively. Dont forget to have the tach signal converted from 4 cyl mode to 8 cyl mode in the tune
I have read that the PCM can bring the voltage up on its own, there is an internal pull up built in, since you have to re-program for the output just have the pull up circuit enabled too
Old 08-09-2011, 01:40 PM
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Re: Firebird lsx guys - need some help with guages

Originally Posted by scooter
I have read that the PCM can bring the voltage up on its own, there is an internal pull up built in, since you have to re-program for the output just have the pull up circuit enabled too
Got a link how this is done? Id love to stop wiring in extra resistors
Old 08-09-2011, 01:56 PM
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Re: Firebird lsx guys - need some help with guages

Originally Posted by Pocket
Got a link how this is done? Id love to stop wiring in extra resistors
I THINK I read on NastyZ28.com, but it may have been on LS1tech. I just tried to search on nastyZ but I didnt find it.

Someone found that the stock ECM is capable of pulling the circuit voltage up higher and will drive a OEM tach properly without a resistor. Even if I could find the thread the posted didnt specify where the enable was located in the programming.
Old 08-09-2011, 03:13 PM
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Re: Firebird lsx guys - need some help with guages

Might have been some kid running his mouth too

Resistor works, that much is certain
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