4 replies to this topic

[Klevdo2202]

Hey guys

Bought 2 Smiths gauges (voltmeter and vacuum) and one Lucas gauge (ammeter) for £10 ! complete bargain I thought....

I want to wire the smiths gauges to the car, I don't really fancy the ammeter so my brother is having it, anyone got any wiring diagrams for the smiths?

Here's some pictures...

Regards, Kelvin

[maggies_minder]

im also interested in this, ive got the same as above but with oil pressure gauge aswell, but mine are all TIM ones.

[dklawson]

Smiths voltage gauges work by internal resistance heating just like the fuel and temperature gauges that have been around since the mid-1960s. They are not polarity sensitive. All you need to do is to hook one of the male spade lugs on the back of the volt gauge to a good earthing point. The other terminal should be connected to a switched, fused, 12V supply. Most of the green wires behind the dash should be OK for a volt meter. Remember that the Smiths volt meters respond slowly. Don't expect their needles to jump up immediately when you supply power.

I noticed there is no light bulb for the volt meter but there is for the vacuum gauge. Any MG or Triumph 52mm gauge will be a good donor... or take the one from the Ammeter you are giving away. Wiring the lights up simply requires you to tap into the dash lighting circuit. However, you will also need to run an earth wire from the mounting screw of the vacuum gauge to a good earthing point just for the light bulb to work.

You got an excellent deal at £10.

[WorksReplica]

Hello there, i am a new mini owner and am having trouble on getting a smiths vacuum gauge to work. I removed the guage from the dashboard and secured some piping to the rear. I sucked through the piping ensuring the guage was responding, and it was. So all of that now together, i fitted the piping through a hole to the engine bay and here's where i'm stuck. I have twin SU-carbs, but as far as i can see i don't have a given take off that i am able to use? If anyone could point me in the right direction as to where i can apply this pipe, i'd be thrilled!

Thanks in advance!

[dklawson]

Some of the Mini parts vendors have carb spacers that have barbed fittings installed just for connecting vacuum gauge tubing. Of course, if you have some tiny barbed fittings you could also modify the spacers you currently have. Another possibility is to connect the vacuum tubing to the intake manifold. If you have a brake servo, this can be as easy as putting a large "T" fitting in the vacuum line to the servo and using step-down adapters to connect the gauge's vacuum tubing. If you don't have a brake servo, your intake manifold might still have a LARGE plug installed where the brake servo would normally attach. You can drill and tap that plug to accept a small barbed fitting for the vacuum tubing.