Intellitronix installed

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SmashBack

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Hey everybody I'm not a frequent poster but thought somebody might like to see this. Trying out these gauges as they'll work with the coming LS swap and the old 350 that's in there now. Paid about $270 new on Ebay which included the metric thread adapters for the LS swap.

Turned out good I think. Did things a little different from their directions which are a bit confusing.

1. Plastic washers are between the circuit board and the metal overlay from the factory. Without them there, looks like I had a short that disabled the speedo and messed with the other gauges.

2. I thought I was low on oil pressure before, assuming the tick mark on the factory gauge was reading about 10 PSI as idle. Engine has 30-50k, hard to say, best guess based on what the previous owner told me when I bought it in 2013. Now it's showing 3-4 at idle. Either there's a gauge/sender problem or the engine isn't long for this world.

3. Speedo doesn't work at all. Need to re-check wiring, always shows 0 and odometer showing 4 (was like that on first startup).

4. Glued the smoked glass panels with silicone to the black metal overlay, don't think I'll put the factory clear piece back on per the directions. This thing will end up being way thicker than stock so I'm curious how the factory dash bezel will fit afterwards. Waiting to put that back until I get my new dash pad in and resolve the issues with the speedo.

5. Very strange, when I have the panel hanging out of the dash, everything is fine. Once it's set in the dash, none of the lights for the other accy work (wiper, hvac control). The headlights work fine, but the gauge panel doesn't dim properly - where it will dim if it's not placed in the dash. If any of that makes sense. I assume I have a short somewhere, going to check the connector I installed and the heat shrink.

6. I used Painless # 40011 connector to replace the factory connector. Works ok, but the pins move back and forth easily. For $12 some odd dollars I think this cheap plastic connector should be a bit better and include a couple of extra pins. If you ever need new pins, good luck measuring to get replacements (they're just some molex type).

7. I think this one was already calibrated for LS tach - sounds like LS is same as 4 cylinder output and that can only be changed by Intellitronix. That's ok since I'll have an LS in there before too long. However if I'm right about that, it would be nice to be able to change that with a switch or something. Maybe someone can confirm that for me, since Intellitronix doesn't appear to answer their phone or return phone calls for tech support.

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SmashBack

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Just FYI, I've called, left messages and sent emails. I'm not getting any response from Intellitronix after more than two weeks of trying. I don't often make disparaging statements about companies online but in this case I'd steer VERY clear of these clowns. Junk product and no support. After some searching I'm not the only one having issues with their junk either. Oh, and I can't confirm since I can't get in touch with them but it looks like this tach only goes to 6k....WTF!
 

rpcraft

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LS 6.0 364 CID
I was reading this post to see what the date of install was and start a count down to see how long until you remove it and go back to stock. Looks like I missed it already.

I've never been a fan of these digital gauges, mainly because they look weird in a truck, but also because I have never seen one that didn't have a problem. Additionally the customer support for them seems to be about par for what you are experiencing. I know many of us here have a Knight Rider and Airwolf fetish because many of us are children of the 80's, but it's just never looked right on the dash of our trucks.... I hope you get it sorted, but I doubt it's going to work out well for you.
 

dvdswan

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Oil pressure gauges are 0-60 or 0-80 depending on yr and sender. Chevy says 7 psi is for normal idle, but I've always been at 15-20 psi at idle with any sq. I've had. (right at the 1st tick mark).

Sorry to hear of you troubles connecting back with company.
 

hatzie

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The Molex connetors like Painless # 40011 are poor at best. I've fought with these connectors in older Eldorado, New FLyer, Orion, Nova, NABI, and Gillig transit coaches. They don't last long in service because the connectors are large and clunky with no strain relief... and they're open to the wet atmosphere in the vehicle.

Find a Deutsch DT or Delphi connector that has enough terminals. They're sealed. The seal itself provides a wire strain relief and they don't require special insertion or extraction tooling.
The painless MOLEX part you listed is a twelve position connector so you need at least that many terminals.

The twelve position Deutsch DT connectors would be the following.
DT04-12PA..Female connector shell... takes Male terminals.
W12P..........terminal wedge lock for DT04-12P shells
DT06-12SA..Male connector shell... takes Female Terminals.
W12S..........terminal wedge lock for DT06-12S shells

I usually use the Deutsch DT & DTM Size 16 & 20 Mil type open barrel terminals that crimp with the Daniels AF8-TH165 or AF8-TH1A eight indent Avionics crimp tools.

You can crimp the stamped Deutsch terminals with the Delphi 12085271 tool. If you intend to roll your own LS harness you'll want the 12085270 & 12085271 tools for the Delphi Metripack, Weatherpack, and Packard connectors.

The DT-RT1 wedgelock tool is handy. You can make one out of a cheapo screwdriver with a grinder.

I usually stick with real Deutsch shells and wedgelocks. The knockoff terminals from TE-Connectivity seem to be of equal quality so when there are supply interruptions I buy AMP terminals.
 

rpcraft

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MOlex is for computer boxes and industrial machines. Deutsch terminals are the way to go. I'll be using as many of them as possible on most of my retrofit, including the tail-light pig tails, headlights, etc etc. Anything I can do to make sectioning the main body harness a little more install friendly
 

78C10BigTen

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Oil pressure gauges are 0-60 or 0-80 depending on yr and sender. Chevy says 7 psi is for normal idle, but I've always been at 15-20 psi at idle with any sq. I've had. (right at the 1st tick mark).

Sorry to hear of you troubles connecting back with company.
My square runs way low pressure at idle. My burban always did too.
 

Frankenchevy

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Hot idle on my 327 was always above 12 psi. It was 60psi with cold oil and choke rpm. Most times I’d look down at it at stops it’d be 15ish, cruising was 40+.

3-4 seems really low, but considering your previous gauge read 10psi, there’s probably something wrong between the sender and gauge.
 

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