Author Topic: Aftermarket Guages into a U13 LX (Read 7374 times)

P-Unit · « **on:** Jan 10, 2007, 11:22PM »

Not sure if this counts more as a performance or maintenance issue, if it needs moving please move it, and thanks in advance for all answers.

When i first got my car i had some issues with the temperature of my oil, its since fixed itself up through the sorting of an electrical problem in relation to the AC.

In order to know if this is happening to me again (and because I'm a young and foolish male with a vehicle) i have decided to install 3 guages along my right pillar: oil pressure, oil temperature and water temperature. I'm nearly done building custom pods for them so they're about ready to be hooked up the car.

My problem is I'm pretty good by my own reckoning with automotive electronics; light, sound and other associated 12V devices are my forte, as soon as you pop the hood i want it closed again because its a little more daunting.

My questions are:

1.
Where is my oil so i can screw on the PSI and Temperature Guages??

and 2.
Where do i pop in the water temperature guage??

Once these are wired up with my specially designed Racing tacho (do not worry its not a 5" "monsta") ill post up some pics of my custom "cockpit" for all to see.

Thanks in advance, Pete.

LUP15 · « **Reply #1 on:** Jan 12, 2007, 04:01PM »

the oil temperature and pressure you will need to get a sandwich plate to go in between your filter and the block... the water temperature you will need to get an adapter which goes in your coolant hose

these are for electronic guages tho... its illegal to have oil running through the cockpit just to let u know if u got mechanical ones.. plus i wouldnt want an oil leak with pressurised oil in the cabin

any more q's just ask

P-Unit · « **Reply #2 on:** Jan 12, 2007, 04:24PM »

Ive already bought the guages, they're Drift branded but not the ones which go black when they turn off, i can post up pics if anyone is interested.

1 more question, whats a sandwhich plate and have you got any pics of these spots??

Cheers, Pete.

LUP15 · « **Reply #3 on:** Jan 15, 2007, 10:23PM »

one of these puppies

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/OIL-PRESS-TEMP-GAUGE-ADAPTOR-nissan-toyota-honda-subaru_W0QQitemZ320071741599QQihZ011QQcategoryZ50140QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

P-Unit · « **Reply #4 on:** Jan 28, 2007, 08:00PM »

With the water temperature i already theoretically have that signal happening in the back of the dash cluster, does this mean that i can bypass the collant hose adapter and run a cable into the back of the gage as a direct electronic signal?

Also as an update, my tacho/voltmeter is in (yes one unit can do both and not be 5") and I'm very happy with the way it looks, ill post pics if anyone is interested.

Ka-Bluey · « **Reply #5 on:** Jan 28, 2007, 08:04PM »

Yea go on. Shows us what you've done.

Kranzy · « **Reply #6 on:** Jan 28, 2007, 08:07PM »

You'll probably find it wont run properly of the stock sender if you picked it up from behind the cluster. Reason for this is dependent on the sensor they use resistance to determine temperature. Its doubtful that both sensors will share the same resistance at the same temp.

I too am keen to see some pics.

P-Unit · « **Reply #7 on:** Jan 28, 2007, 08:36PM »

Thanks for the info, will give the gages a crack this weekend, and ill take a few pics of the voltmeter/tacho tomorrow in good light.

*hint*, the Gage is on the drivers door and is not of conventional Gage style.

Jono · « **Reply #8 on:** Jan 28, 2007, 11:55PM »

I had an after market temp gauge in my Corsair when the standard one wasn't working. It was running off the original gauge wire and seemed to work fine, it sat around 80-90°C most of the time.

P-Unit · « **Reply #9 on:** Jan 29, 2007, 09:56PM »

Here's what happens when you drop hints from April till Christmas, your girlfriend finally gives up and buys you the car thing you wanted.

Here it is with the car off:

And once with all the lights on:

And yes I'm well aware that the pillar cover is off, its in the garage playing with the custom foam pods...

Ammerty · « **Reply #10 on:** Jan 29, 2007, 10:05PM »

nice, i haven't seen anything like that before, hows it look at night, not to bright

P-Unit · « **Reply #11 on:** Jan 30, 2007, 06:02PM »

It has a light sensor so it dims at night so it doesn't glare at you, its also a peripheral vision Gage so I'm practicing not looking at it, it works really well and is an ace little Gage toy.

Ammerty · « **Reply #12 on:** Jan 30, 2007, 06:15PM »

looks awesome mate - top stuff

AndrewtMills · « **Reply #13 on:** Feb 16, 2007, 06:35PM »

Only problem u be getting all the time is.. WTF are those light over there?

Nice setup.

Marty · « **Reply #14 on:** Feb 17, 2007, 04:03PM »

Quote from: LUP15 on Jan 15, 2007, 10:23PM

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/OIL-PRESS-TEMP-GAUGE-ADAPTOR-nissan-toyota-honda-subaru_W0QQitemZ320071741599QQihZ011QQcategoryZ50140QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Ok I bought an adapter plate and the adapter doesnt fit over the top of the old thread thing.
Im assuming I need a longer adapter but I havent read of anyone else having dramas with these so I dont know if its just a dodgy kit or not

P-Unit · « **Reply #15 on:** Feb 17, 2007, 04:29PM »

Here are the Pods.

Might have to change the design to attract less attention.

Wolf In Sheep’s Clothing · « **Reply #16 on:** Feb 17, 2007, 06:12PM »

Quote from: -=|Marty|=- on Feb 17, 2007, 04:03PM

Ok I bought an adapter plate and the adapter doesnt fit over the top of the old thread thing.
Im assuming I need a longer adapter but I havent read of anyone else having dramas with these so I dont know if its just a dodgy kit or not

http://www.amnet.net.au/~orion/attesa/images/sandwich/adapter.JPG
http://www.amnet.net.au/~orion/attesa/images/sandwich/adapter2.jpg
http://www.amnet.net.au/~orion/attesa/images/sandwich/noadapter.JPG
http://www.amnet.net.au/~orion/attesa/images/sandwich/thekit.jpg

You have to cut off the stem of the threaded part.

Easiest way it to Get a cloth and stuff it into the hole, make sure it is in deep enough that it is atleast half way past the threded part and make sure there is no space around the edge of the hole for shit to fall in, Next you have to cut part of the stem off, the part that does not have any thread on it. The point of the cloth is to stop metal falling into the engine. Once its off you can pull the remanding part of the cloth out of the stem. Now the adapter should fit.

I read a post somewhere on the net showing how to do it this way, Ill have to try and get some pics.

There is another way of doing it but I beleve it was much more complicated.

EDIT:

http://forum.pulsar.org.au/showthread.php?t=59081

This should help!

Marty · « **Reply #17 on:** Feb 17, 2007, 07:22PM »

genius, off to malz tomorrow for a hacksaw,
thanks.

JelloBello · « **Reply #18 on:** Feb 17, 2007, 07:24PM »

I have an angle grinder

Ka-Bluey · « **Reply #19 on:** Feb 18, 2007, 08:16PM »

Hey P-Unit, nice pods, just a small question.. Is that it? Or are you going to fiberglass them to the piller so that they run smoothly and look like they are supposed to be part of the piller??

P-Unit · « **Reply #20 on:** Feb 18, 2007, 09:29PM »

I'm gonna rebuild them and change the color scheme, white is gonna get me in a lot of trouble.

But yes i am changing it and yes it will look like its part of the pillar.

Those photos are proof I'm making progress...

Abaddon · « **Reply #21 on:** Feb 19, 2007, 10:48AM »

Quote from: P-Unit on Jan 29, 2007, 09:56PM

And once with all the lights on:

Well someone really likes them...who IS that in the mirror unbuttoning their pants?

P-Unit · « **Reply #22 on:** Feb 19, 2007, 09:34PM »

That would be my 13 year old brother, as far as i know he doesn't unbutton his pants at my car...

might need some surveillance gear...

Abaddon · « **Reply #23 on:** Feb 20, 2007, 12:46PM »

Oh...so now P-Unit has brought child pR0n to antrx...he should be ashamed