Plasma dials

bigdaddycain · Post by **bigdaddycain** » Fri Mar 04, 2011 11:49 pm

I'd like to give you the benefit of my experience maviczap, but these are the first set of auxillary dials i've dabbled with! I'd be very tempted to have an oil pressure gauge fitted in your dial pod... Have you determined why the oil pressure light isn't working though?

maviczap · Post by **maviczap** » Sat Mar 05, 2011 10:06 am

No, I don't know why its not working

I thought it was the printed circuit boad on the instrument pod, as the glow plug light doesn't go out.

There's obviously a short somewhere, but electrics aren't my favourite subject.

I do know the oil presure switch & wire are connected, so its either the switch or a wiring problem

jaylee · Post by **jaylee** » Mon Mar 07, 2011 12:11 pm

maviczap wrote:Right I need some advice before I go and splurge some cash on some dials.

I've got a mount to hold 3 dials above or below the radio. 3 x 52mm holes

One is going to have a clock, but as my oil pressure light isn't working, I wanted to fit an oil pressure gauge as a precaution. But do I go for a mechanical one or an electronic one?

Then the other one was going to be a water temp gauge, or would an oil temp gauge be better?

Recommendations please?

I did a little scouring of the tinternet & found a few fourums & the like on mechanical V electronic gauges..

What i found out is some mechanical gauges can be noisy unless you fit on the turbo gauge for instance a special tee piece that cuts or stops the noise.. These noiseless Tee valves things are not always supplied with the kit.
Then you have the hoses/pipes that go to the mechanical gauge themselves... It is suggested these hoses must not be pinched or allowed to chafe running through bulkheads or behind dash...

With regards to the turbo gauge i fitted here where space was tight i went for an electronic unit. Conecting a Tee from the turbo running a short relativity straight piece to the sensor bolted in the engine bay under the drivers seat, then running the wires from the sensor through a grommet for the existing loom in the drivers foot-well & up to the A pillar!
Electronic dials on the whole are not as deep into the dash (by about 3/4 inch?) compared to the mechanical version.. Where space is tight, the electronic version may be more appropriate...?

Here in the "glory hole" cover i made a loom from the dials running to a multi block connector at the back of the hole.. This space can still be used!!

The dial on the left (or right from the back) was a duff one (they sent a no quibble replacement) gutted & fitted with a series of warning bulbs. It even flashes for the alarm.. I had cut the hole at this point, & had no choice but to rig up something functional...

Did mention i also got the plasma gauges to dim with the main dials!??

Hope this helps!?

maviczap · Post by **maviczap** » Mon Mar 07, 2011 3:05 pm

As usual you are a fountain of knowledge Jaylee.

I'm going to go with electronic gauges I think, given the problems of pinching & chafing

Electrics are not my strong point, although I did manage to wire up the coolant alarm

I know you dials dim with the instrument lights, as you've wired them into the reostat, not sure my bongo has an instrument dimmer, not found it yet.

Not sure I'm up to wiring them in this way either

bigdaddycain · Post by **bigdaddycain** » Mon Mar 07, 2011 3:20 pm

I've been meaning to ask Jaylee... How did you manage the grooves on the gloryhole cover surrounding the dials? Two layers of something prior to trimming? Nice touch however you did it!

Do you find you don't stick quite so much in your gloryhole these days? I'm still astounded you've managed to squeeze two into one gloryhole, i don't see that very often.

jaylee · Post by **jaylee** » Mon Mar 07, 2011 3:37 pm

bigdaddycain wrote:I've been meaning to ask Jaylee... How did you manage the grooves on the gloryhole cover surrounding the dials? Two layers of something prior to trimming? Nice touch however you did it!

Do you find you don't stick quite so much in your gloryhole these days? I'm still astounded you've managed to squeeze two into one gloryhole, i don't see that very often.

It's made from the table bit on the mid seat backs, which a member was going to skip... The grooves are the cup holders!

Some trimmers/converters must have a fair few surplus...

I can still hide my sat nav & suction bracket... There's still a surprisingly reasonable amount of room.. Plus the back-light too!

bigdaddycain · Post by **bigdaddycain** » Mon Mar 07, 2011 3:55 pm

Of course!

Good thinking Jamie!

jaylee · Post by **jaylee** » Mon Mar 07, 2011 3:59 pm

bigdaddycain wrote:Of course! Good thinking Jamie!

Cheers Ste! It takes a little working out cutting wise to centre the holes with the odd shape glory hole & avoiding the scrivet clip fastening holes too, but you do get a slightly flatter line with the dial surrounds...

jaylee · Post by **jaylee** » Mon Mar 07, 2011 4:04 pm

& you could trim the recess with more chrome!???

Though that ain't my thing....

maviczap · Post by **maviczap** » Mon Jul 25, 2011 10:36 am

Right I still haven't got round to doing this, but I will fit the oil pressure gauge asap.

What I need to know if I'm fitting an electronic gauge where does the sender unit thread into. Do you take out the original oil pressure switch and replace it with the sender for the gauge or is using an oil filter sandwich plate and easier option?

Pics or diagrams would help this numpty

I like the sandwich plate option, as I can fit the oil temp gauge at the same time

Plasma dials

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