95-01 to 02+ gauge upgrade?


andybellus

andybellus

New member
Has anyone changed the gauges out on a older 1995-2001 260/280ss to the newer 2002+ style? Or another aftermarket gauge option? Any information that you could provide on the process would be great!

I'm looking for information on this as I'm currently in the market for a new to me 260 or 280ss and I'm not a big fan of the gauges on the 95-01 models but can't find a 02+ I can afford. So more than likely this is going to be one of the first projects on the new boat once I get it.

Also if you have a 260 or 280ss on the west cost and are looking to sell let me know!!!

Thanks Andy
 
some here have upgraded with Livorsi gauges, some have upgraded with Faria. they are pretty much standard sizes but i think Formula flush mounts the gauges (VDO) in those years. a newer guage will have a bezel (with color/finish options to boot) but they still fit in the same holes. if your dash panels are flat, they are pretty easy to work with. if they are molded with curves and contours they are a little more difficult. either way if you are only changing the gauges, it shouldn't be a problem.
 
Actually, you will need to create a new panel for the gauges. I'm in the middle of this project myself and the gauge panel holes in my '98 are larger than the Faria gauges I bought.
 
i posted some bad info, sorry for the confusion :-[ gustaf is correct, the flush mount holes are larger and won't work with newer bezel type gauges. YIPPEE, time for new dash panels!!
 
gustaf said:
Actually, you will need to create a new panel for the gauges. I'm in the middle of this project myself and the gauge panel holes in my '98 are larger than the Faria gauges I bought.
Click to expand...

Gustaf, what size Faria gauges did you buy that are to small? I'm guessing maybe a "box set" with 4" tach and speed-O?
I ask becasue I looked at a "box set" with two 4"(3.375") Tach and Speed-O gauges that wouldn't work with my(260ss) stock hole size(3 3/4) but the separately available larger 5"(4.375") gauges should work, so I "factory ordered" them through West Marine.

When they show up and I start install, I'll know for sure if it all works with the stock panel/layout and just enlarging the stock holes a little bit. Then I plan to either platidip the panels or have them hydrodipped.

Edit: Also found it funny that I originally posted this prior to owning my now 260ss
<<<<
 
the standard gauge sizes are basically 4" and 2". If you have the factory flush mount gauges, neither of these will work with the factory holes. You seem to have found a work around for the 4" gauge by going to the 5" size but i'm not aware of a work around for the smaller gauges. maybe a 2 3/4" inch would work but i don't know if those are even available. i'll try to get a few pics for ya after the holiday so you can see what i mean.
 
Please I'd love to see them!

I measured the small gauge holes for the stock gauges at 1 7/8 and the new gauges need 2.026 so should just need some opening up of the existing holes unless I'm missing something....

Again I'm working with a 2000 260ss with stock panel/gauges
imagejpg1_zps11a5b1c0.jpg
 
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While I did not go with a boxed set, I did go with the 4" tachs and speedo because thats all they had in the design that I wanted and also were the only ones that had hour meters in the tach. I did not want to have to add separate hour meters.
For the sync gauge, I am actually having one modified. I found a diesel sync gauge with the correct design (face, bezel, etc) but had to purchase a gas sync gauge as well so that I can make one correct gauge that matches the rest.
 
here are a few photos showing the sizes i incorrectly posted on this subject, this is a standard 4" gauge, you can see that it will not work with the factory panel because the hole is too big. on mine this isn't that big of a deal because the panel is flat aluminum. you can easily trace out a new panel, cut it with a standard jig saw and drill new holes for whatever sizes you prefer. wrap or paint with your favorite color and there ya have it, a new dash! :D
 

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first pic looks like a fit but it isn't, second pic shows how the new gauge fits thru the existing hole in the factory dash panel.
 
Look what finally showed up ;D

5inchgauges_zps3512362b.jpg



After almost two months of waiting for these two 5" gauges, looks like I'll finally be able to start this project over the weekend. I plan on documenting everything as best I can so that others that are looking to upgrade have an idea of what they are getting into ahead of time.
 
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Looks great 97fastech, almost went that route, but didn't want to spend the additional money over the Faria. I'm trying to do this upgrade on the cheap myself so I can try to update my audio system as well.

Noticed a few people in your thread say that you'd need to swap out the stock senders and another guy with a 2000 280ss that said everything worked fine with his stock senders when swapping to his Faria gauges. Did you have to change senders for your gauges to work, or just for piece of mind having new stuff?

FWIW, I was concerned about my existing fuel sender compatibility between the stock VDO and the new Faria gauges so once I got the fuel gauge I rigged it up and it worked just fine like the guy with the 280ss. So saved so $$$ and additional work which I was happy about!
 
Went with all new senders, except fuel, for the piece of mind. My stock gauges quit working, felt this was half the problem. Plus with the rebuild of the motor only made better sense to change them out now.

Come on spring, getting antsy with the motor rebuild almost complete.
 
Well, jobs done and I couldn't be happier. However, I didn't get near as many pics as I thought I did of the process so if anyone is looking to do this and has questions just ask. It was very simple to do took about 4hrs, all stock senders worked with these gauges and all stock wiring was used with no cutting or splicing(used terminal to ring/post adapters)

Before (sorry only before shot I had)
image.jpg4_zpssqufwq0o.jpg


After
image.jpg1_zpsnlxwqggw.jpg


image.jpg3_zpshg7vhgmg.jpg
 
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Here is a pic of them, the new gauges only have ring/post terminals. I used these so I didn't have to cut off and replace all the stock spade/tab connectors. Plug and play this way.

image_zpscxcny4c6.jpg
 
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Hi 97fastech, I looked at your gauge set up on the other forum, it looks real clean with the additional bezel. Are they Livorsi bezels? I am buying the faria gauge set for my 280ss and was hoping to do the same thing.
 
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