Well, this is my first thread/post on these forums but this seemed like the best place to post my question. My first truck is an 88 Dakota 2WD with a 3.9L and a three speed Automatic. I'm relatively new at this, so these may be stupid questions but anyway; My Dakota doesn't have gauges for the Engine Temp, or the Oil Pressure. Instead it has idiot lights, which are all well and good, but I'd just prefer to have gauges of some sort, and I'm wondering if there's some way I can install something like some Sun-pro gauges or otherwise just so I'd have the added piece of mind? Are the sensors that trigger the idiot lights something I could use for this? Or are they strictly for telling when something is definitively wrong?

 

You can install aftermarket gauges. They will work independently of your idiot lights. The sending units for the warning lights won't work for gauges because they're just an on/off switch. But you can, in most cases, remove the stock switch and replace it with an aftermarket sending unit to work the gauge. Obviously, the idiot lights will no longer work if you do this.

 

Another option is getting the wires and sensors for the later model cluster that has a tach and all the others. Not positive on everything you would need but thats another option that bolts right in with no modification to the cluster housing.

 

Thank you for answering my questions guys. Would you happen to know where the sensors are located? That would save some headache on my part.

 

Tach I think is on the distributor, coolant temp sensor is next to the thermostat behind the alternator, speedo is cable driven, self explanatory there. Those are what I know off the top of my head, check the faq for the wiring diagrams to find the others.

 

the tach runs off the negative side of the ignition coil(white wire iirc). i just wired an aftermarket on in on my 91' and found it was the same wire color as my 93' was.

 

Thanks. When I replaced the valve cover gaskets and generally cleaned the engine a bit I noticed the coolant sensor, and I already knew the Speedo was cable driven but it pays to double check so I don't end up breaking something. What about the oil pressure, is it the wired unit sort of to the left of the distributor?

 

yes it is.

 

Just get some gauges from your local parts store, I used sunpro gauges. They worked great and easy to install.

 

I have Sunpro gauges in my 85 C10 Shorty, and they're alright. I think I'll go with Equus this time around, I like the look of them better and they seem to be designed a little more intuitively.