DIY gauge cluster with Maxigauge
#1
Elite Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Schwarzenberg, Germany
Posts: 1,553
Total Cats: 101
DIY gauge cluster with Maxigauge
Hi,
inspired by the "Don't need no stinkin gauges" thread I thought I try my long planned gauge cluster swap. I planned this swap for a long time because I was annoyed of all the missing values in the OEM cluster and all the gauges in my air-outlets.
In this thread you will be able to watch if my attempt is going to be win or fail...
These are just my first thoughts and preparations:
I got a spare 99-00 gauge cluster from a friends killed 10AE and dismantled it completely.
*insert pic here*
From a member of the German MX-5 board I got a DWG (CAD) file for the OEM gauge cluster including the backside.
Now the thread about the Maxigauges gave my idea a final push to start my own gauge cluster.
I ordered the Large-LCD version of the Maxigauge from Hakan.
The gauge will show the following values:
Oil Pressure (oilP)
Oil Temp (oilT)
Coolant temp (Wts)
Rpm (Rpm)
Exhaust Temp (Egt)
Air-fuel wideband (Afr) zeitronix zt2
Boost-Vacuum (Map)
Volts (Batt)
and these alarms:
Mininum Oil pressure: red led and sound
Max Wts: red led and sound
Rpm: shiftlight blue led and sound
Max Egt: red led and sound
Lean afr alarm: red led and sound
Hakan is a great guy to deal with, he replies on mails very fast and is very helpful with every detail of the gauge. (You can get a lot of different custom settings, gauges etc.) I want to use OEM VDO sensors for oil pressure, oil temp and water temp - no problem!
- I made 2 designs on how my gauge cluster could look like.
Design Nr. 1 - I would have to swap the fuel level gauge to the right side and
the ODO LED
Nr. 2 - I could leave the fuel level gauge and maybe the ODO LED (but I don't know if it will fit together with the maxigauge)
QUESTION:
I got 2 "spare" holes in design two - upper and right little gauge pod. What other gauges would you put in there?
Lets go on:
- I scanned the OEM gauge circuit
and I made a little drawing on what goes where:
I ordered the VDO sensors and an adapter plate for the oil-temp sensor for the oil filter. When everything is arrived I will go on and keep you informed!
Greetings from Germany
inspired by the "Don't need no stinkin gauges" thread I thought I try my long planned gauge cluster swap. I planned this swap for a long time because I was annoyed of all the missing values in the OEM cluster and all the gauges in my air-outlets.
In this thread you will be able to watch if my attempt is going to be win or fail...
These are just my first thoughts and preparations:
I got a spare 99-00 gauge cluster from a friends killed 10AE and dismantled it completely.
*insert pic here*
From a member of the German MX-5 board I got a DWG (CAD) file for the OEM gauge cluster including the backside.
Now the thread about the Maxigauges gave my idea a final push to start my own gauge cluster.
I ordered the Large-LCD version of the Maxigauge from Hakan.
The gauge will show the following values:
Oil Pressure (oilP)
Oil Temp (oilT)
Coolant temp (Wts)
Rpm (Rpm)
Exhaust Temp (Egt)
Air-fuel wideband (Afr) zeitronix zt2
Boost-Vacuum (Map)
Volts (Batt)
and these alarms:
Mininum Oil pressure: red led and sound
Max Wts: red led and sound
Rpm: shiftlight blue led and sound
Max Egt: red led and sound
Lean afr alarm: red led and sound
Hakan is a great guy to deal with, he replies on mails very fast and is very helpful with every detail of the gauge. (You can get a lot of different custom settings, gauges etc.) I want to use OEM VDO sensors for oil pressure, oil temp and water temp - no problem!
- I made 2 designs on how my gauge cluster could look like.
Design Nr. 1 - I would have to swap the fuel level gauge to the right side and
the ODO LED
Nr. 2 - I could leave the fuel level gauge and maybe the ODO LED (but I don't know if it will fit together with the maxigauge)
QUESTION:
I got 2 "spare" holes in design two - upper and right little gauge pod. What other gauges would you put in there?
Lets go on:
- I scanned the OEM gauge circuit
and I made a little drawing on what goes where:
I ordered the VDO sensors and an adapter plate for the oil-temp sensor for the oil filter. When everything is arrived I will go on and keep you informed!
Greetings from Germany
#4
Elite Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Schwarzenberg, Germany
Posts: 1,553
Total Cats: 101
@djp0623 - yes it's backlit.
More parts rolling in:
Oil filter adapter plate, VDO oil and water temp sensors.
I will have to do a double adapter plate - one for the sensors, one (with thermostat - already installed for my oil cooler). But I have found this already done and working.
More parts rolling in:
Oil filter adapter plate, VDO oil and water temp sensors.
I will have to do a double adapter plate - one for the sensors, one (with thermostat - already installed for my oil cooler). But I have found this already done and working.
#10
In this case he can simply reverse the two.
We could get into the ergonomics of a tach gauge vs. tach readout, but that stuff is probably boring. I will simply say its easier to get relevant information from a tach gauge than a tach digital readout.
Last edited by Seefo; 03-13-2012 at 04:52 PM.
#11
Elite Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Schwarzenberg, Germany
Posts: 1,553
Total Cats: 101
I would also love to keep the mech. tach. Problem is - to keep the German TÜV happy I have to keep a OEM speedo. I will see with which I will be going once my Maxigauge arrived ( it's already on the way from Turkey)
#12
Elite Member
iTrader: (3)
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Outside Portland Maine
Posts: 2,023
Total Cats: 19
I will be excited to see how this progresses. It is unfortunate that you cannot keep the stock tach and just use the digital speedo, but maybe if you used the second design you could put a very small tach in one of the two other locations? An actual needle for tach is very nice to have, though to be honest I actually don't look at it too often.
#13
Elite Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Schwarzenberg, Germany
Posts: 1,553
Total Cats: 101
I might consider a small speedo.
More parts are coming in - LEDs for all the backlighting of the cluster.
Have to wait for the Maxigauge to arrive - was shipped on Monday, but might take another week. (Shipping from Turkey to Germany seems to take awfully long)
More parts are coming in - LEDs for all the backlighting of the cluster.
Have to wait for the Maxigauge to arrive - was shipped on Monday, but might take another week. (Shipping from Turkey to Germany seems to take awfully long)
#14
Elite Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Schwarzenberg, Germany
Posts: 1,553
Total Cats: 101
O.K. your hints about the tach got me thinking:
I think I am going to build myself a "little rpm gauge" where the OEM water temp gauge was sitting - looks like this when finished. (I will be going with the small tach, big speedo to keep the TÜV happy here - I also have a design for a small speedo though...
As I don't have the Maxigauge yet I cannot so anymore work.
I think I am going to build myself a "little rpm gauge" where the OEM water temp gauge was sitting - looks like this when finished. (I will be going with the small tach, big speedo to keep the TÜV happy here - I also have a design for a small speedo though...
As I don't have the Maxigauge yet I cannot so anymore work.
#16
Elite Member
iTrader: (11)
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Overland Park, Kansas
Posts: 5,360
Total Cats: 43
I just got a great idea. Not sure how they check it, but leave the "Speedometer" dial face but swap it mechanically for the tach? Obviously if they function checked stuff that wouldn't work... Just a thought.
#19
Elite Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Schwarzenberg, Germany
Posts: 1,553
Total Cats: 101
After a whooping 46 days (!) from sending the package (thanks Hakan) to receiving it - my Maxigauges finally arrived. (I guess I could have sent someone to walk to Turkey and get the package for me - thanks Deutsche Post - your are really fast !)
This is what I got:
Now, when I find the time I am going to get my install done!
This is what I got:
Now, when I find the time I am going to get my install done!