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Thread: 289 gauge wiring

  1. #1
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    289 gauge wiring

    I just opened the box for the 289 gauges and they look great. I noticed the wring pigtails on the back of the gauges has a different connector than is on the Ron Francis wiring harness. For some reason i thought the new gauges and new harness were direct plug ins.

    I could use some tips on how you wired up your 289 gauges. Thanks guys!
    FFR8551 289 FIA build in progress.

  2. #2
    Senior Member cnutting's Avatar
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    Yes, the 289 gauges have different connectors. I ended up doing major surgery on my harness. I would lay out the harness, the 289 gauges and their senders. Follow the gauge instructions to hook them up. Once you see how everything goes, mark up a copy of the RF schematic. Use this markup to plan your cuts and splices. Take it wire by wire and you should be ok.

    The trailer hitch adapter will also need to be included in this since there is some cutting needed for the rear harness too.
    FFR #8833 289 FIA 3-link
    1965 289, TKO600 from Forte's Parts Connection
    Body and Paint by Mike's Auto Restoration
    Picked up 3/5/2016, First start 4/22/2017, MA legal 7/11/2018
    Build Thread http://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showt...FIA-build-8833
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    I think i have a better understanding of the general wiring, but i'm still confused on the 289 gauge wring. Where do "power distribution cable to plug all guages into" wires go?

    dash wiring.jpg
    FFR8551 289 FIA build in progress.

  4. #4
    Senior Member edwardb's Avatar
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    Speedhut red gauge power -> RF brown gauge feed.
    Speedhut black ground -> RF ground. Any one. Doesn't matter.
    Speedhut dash lighting -> RF white dash lighting. For both the white wire in the red/black/white harness (needles) and also to the inverter (backlighting).
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    OK starting to make more sense. Where/what is the inverter? I guess part of my misunderstanding was the needle and the gauge lighting is separate.

    Here is the rear of my water temp gauge. The rest are basically the same. So i would think that i would want to daisy chain the red gauge power, the grounds, and the white dash lighting? Then the yellow/red stripe and yellow/black stripe are the senders back out to the sensors on the engine.

    Wow, i need an automotive electrical course. Lol......and this is my second build!

    Edit: Found the inverter in the box. I think this is all making sense now.

    Last edited by Bguetter; 10-23-2017 at 06:40 PM.
    FFR8551 289 FIA build in progress.

  6. #6
    East Coast Speed Machines Erik W. Treves's Avatar
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    just go on to the speed hut website and download the directions.... the pictures will make the most sense
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    One last question....for now. I have an older 289 kit. My speedometer doesnt say GPS on the face and doesnt have the built in turn signals/high beam indicator. Is this a GPS speedometer?

    Last edited by Bguetter; 10-23-2017 at 06:38 PM.
    FFR8551 289 FIA build in progress.

  8. #8
    Senior Member cnutting's Avatar
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    I'd say no. Yours looks like mine which is non GPS.

    Happy to hear that it's starting to make sense. Take good notes on your final wiring. Next up for you is the rear harness converter...
    FFR #8833 289 FIA 3-link
    1965 289, TKO600 from Forte's Parts Connection
    Body and Paint by Mike's Auto Restoration
    Picked up 3/5/2016, First start 4/22/2017, MA legal 7/11/2018
    Build Thread http://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showt...FIA-build-8833
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    Senior Member edwardb's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bguetter View Post
    Here is the rear of my water temp gauge. The rest are basically the same. So i would think that i would want to daisy chain the red gauge power, the grounds, and the white dash lighting? Then the yellow/red stripe and yellow/black stripe are the senders back out to the sensors on the engine.
    You're getting it!

    Quote Originally Posted by Bguetter View Post
    One last question....for now. I have an older 289 kit. My speedometer doesnt say GPS on the face and doesnt have the built in turn signals/high beam indicator. Is this a GPS speedometer?
    Early GPS units didn't have the indicator lights (I know, I have one...) but it should be pretty easy to tell. (1) Is there a GPS antenna in the box and a gold connector on the back of the gauge for the coax cable? If so, GPS. (2) Are there two separate multi-colored wires like the ones you had out of the water temp gauge, in addition to the power and lighting wires? If so, not GPS and those wires are for the speed sensor in the transmission.
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    Quote Originally Posted by edwardb View Post



    Early GPS units didn't have the indicator lights (I know, I have one...) but it should be pretty easy to tell. (1) Is there a GPS antenna in the box and a gold connector on the back of the gauge for the coax cable? If so, GPS. (2) Are there two separate multi-colored wires like the ones you had out of the water temp gauge, in addition to the power and lighting wires? If so, not GPS and those wires are for the speed sensor in the transmission.
    It appears i have a non-GPS speedometer. Bummer. I like the built in high beams and indicator lights on the new ones. I'll have to decide if i want to purchase separately from Speedhut @ $179
    FFR8551 289 FIA build in progress.

  11. #11

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    I just posted this is the other thread on this subject.

    I'm more confused than ever!!! Haha

    So it appears there are different gauge sets and within those new versions and older versions. As well, it seems that the RF harnesses can be different. Mine are the later version of the 289 FIA gauge set with the clockwise speedometer and turn signal and high beam indicators on the face of the speedo.

    Some of the plugs in my gauge harness are compatible with plugs on included with my gauge set. Some are not. See the pictures below. The white plugs on the harness will plug into each of the engine function gauges. Not so for the speedometer and the Tachometer.

    So the question is, do I use the plugs then deal with the grounds and lights separately? There are many more wires in the gauge harness that seem to need a home. Guess I will figure that out as I go.

    Gauge connections RS2.jpg
    Gauge conntions RS1.jpg

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    Quote Originally Posted by japollon View Post
    I just posted this is the other thread on this subject.

    I'm more confused than ever!!! Haha

    So it appears there are different gauge sets and within those new versions and older versions. As well, it seems that the RF harnesses can be different. Mine are the later version of the 289 FIA gauge set with the clockwise speedometer and turn signal and high beam indicators on the face of the speedo.

    Some of the plugs in my gauge harness are compatible with plugs on included with my gauge set. Some are not. See the pictures below. The white plugs on the harness will plug into each of the engine function gauges. Not so for the speedometer and the Tachometer.

    So the question is, do I use the plugs then deal with the grounds and lights separately? There are many more wires in the gauge harness that seem to need a home. Guess I will figure that out as I go.

    Gauge connections RS2.jpg
    Gauge conntions RS1.jpg
    I think i have a pretty good general understanding of the wiring. I’ll be tackling it this weekend and taking good notes for each gauge. I’ll post my progress either here or on my build thread.
    FFR8551 289 FIA build in progress.

  13. #13
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    Got a good chunk of the dash wiring finished up this afternoon. Pretty straight forward once i laid everything out and read back through the wiring threads.

    Question on the gauge sender wiring. It seems to me it would be easier to use the supplied senders that came with the gauges vs. going back through the chassis wiring harness for the gauge senders. Any problem with bypassing the main harness for the senders and going straight to the sensors on the motor?
    FFR8551 289 FIA build in progress.

  14. #14
    Senior Member edwardb's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bguetter View Post
    Question on the gauge sender wiring. It seems to me it would be easier to use the supplied senders that came with the gauges vs. going back through the chassis wiring harness for the gauge senders. Any problem with bypassing the main harness for the senders and going straight to the sensors on the motor?
    Electrically, there's no difference. Hard to say one way is better than another. I prefer to use the RF harness wires and route everything through the RF connectors. Would make it a bit easier to separate the dash should I ever have to. Only the water temp and oil temp (if used) actually need the Speedhut connectors at the sending units. But really, it's a personal preference. Do what you think is best.
    Last edited by edwardb; 10-29-2017 at 07:05 PM.
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  15. #15
    Senior Member cnutting's Avatar
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    I used the 289 specific senders and everything worked fine. There were some tense moments with the surgery though. Keep good notes.

    Edwardb makes some good points to keep the harness. As he said, personal preference.
    FFR #8833 289 FIA 3-link
    1965 289, TKO600 from Forte's Parts Connection
    Body and Paint by Mike's Auto Restoration
    Picked up 3/5/2016, First start 4/22/2017, MA legal 7/11/2018
    Build Thread http://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showt...FIA-build-8833
    "Insanity is contagious" - Joseph Heller

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    Quote Originally Posted by cnutting View Post
    I used the 289 specific senders and everything worked fine. There were some tense moments with the surgery though. Keep good notes.

    Edwardb makes some good points to keep the harness. As he said, personal preference.
    I guess now i'm confused. My gauges came with senders that plug directly into the back of the gauges and run to the appropriate sensors on the motor. No surgery needed. For me, it looks like if i wanted to go back through the main harness, i would need to perform surgery.
    FFR8551 289 FIA build in progress.

  17. #17
    Senior Member edwardb's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bguetter View Post
    I guess now i'm confused. My gauges came with senders that plug directly into the back of the gauges and run to the appropriate sensors on the motor. No surgery needed. For me, it looks like if i wanted to go back through the main harness, i would need to perform surgery.
    Yea... Cut off the connectors on the gauges and splice onto the RF wires. No big deal. As surgery goes, strictly of the out-patient variety. But if you don't want to, then don't.

    On an aside note, from what I've seen of the new RF harness that has the Speedhut connectors already installed on the dash harness (nice BTW) there will still be surgery involved to put connectors on the other end at the sending units where necessary.
    Build 1: Mk3 Roadster #5125. Sold 11/08/2014. Build 2: Mk4 Roadster #7750. Sold 04/10/2017. Build Thread
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    Build 5: 35 Hot Rod Truck #138. LS3 and 4L65E auto. Rcvd 01/05/2021. Legal 04/20/2023. Build Thread. Sold 11/9/2023.

  18. #18
    Senior Member cnutting's Avatar
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    Sorry about that. I used the senders and connected them to the gauges, but ended up cutting out a lot of unused wiring.
    FFR #8833 289 FIA 3-link
    1965 289, TKO600 from Forte's Parts Connection
    Body and Paint by Mike's Auto Restoration
    Picked up 3/5/2016, First start 4/22/2017, MA legal 7/11/2018
    Build Thread http://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showt...FIA-build-8833
    "Insanity is contagious" - Joseph Heller

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