Glowshift Digital Gauge Install
03-04-2010, 06:45 PM
#1
Glowshift Digital Gauge Install
I could not find one review or pictures of these gauges installed anywhere on the net. With Nordsksog out of business indefinitely there are very few options for digital gauges. There is Cyberdyne which are pricier then these (and crappy I read) and then I found Glowshift. I went ahead and took a blind leap of faith on these gauges.. but Glowshift was relatively inexpensive and everything just worked!
Here is what I bought:
Glowshift Digital Water Temperature gauge (red) : $49
Glowshift Digital Oil Temperature gauge (red) : $49
Glowshift Digital Oil Pressure gauge (red) : $64
Glowshift Oil Filter Sandwich Adapter : $29
Glowshift Water Temp Sensor Adapter : $15
Racing Beat Gauge Pod : $110 (60)
All the gauges already include sending units, even the oil pressure gauge! All you need apart from the gauges are the oil sandwich plate and water temp adapter! Glowshift CS was really on point, I called them and immediately they determined which oil filter sandwich plate I needed. They also made some shipping arrangements that I asked without a fuss. I got it the next day, but then again I live 2 states over, USPS Priority Mail ftw!
Anyway, install went swell. I have an initial minor oil leak at the sandwich plate, shouldn't be a big deal. The wiring is just time consuming, not difficult. For the gauges I grounded in the passenger foot well area, I simply grounded 1 wire and tapped 3 sources off it. I did the same thing for the switched 12v line, tapped 1 wire on the cigarette lighter harness and tapped the 3 sources for all 3 gauges. I did not bother wiring the headlight switch for them to auto-dim. I ran the sensor wires from the engine bay into the cabin through a small hole to the left of the windshield wiper bottle. I mounted the gauges in the racing beat gauge pod by using the brackets provided by Glowshift, though I had to do some modifications.
I did NOT have to (or wanted to) do an oil change to install the oil sandwich plate, though some may want too. Sure I lost a bit of oil when I unscrewed the oil filter, but not much. The weird oil filter location and gravity work in our favor here . I grounded the 2 sending units from the oil sandwich plate to a factory ground to the right of the brake master cylinder.
As for the water temp sensor, that was a pain. The battery box was a pain to get out. I did not have to cut the factory hose. All that is needed is to remove a factory aluminum (?) tube that connects the upper radiator hose to the hose that runs up to the thermostat. Gonna lose a bit of coolant there. I removed that tube and simply slipped in the water temp sensor in the middle (34mm) and tightened it up using the clamps that Glowshift provided, voila! No leaks from there. Grounded the sending unit to the cross member underneath the battery.
Only thing that came as a surprise to me is that the upper radiator hose where I installed the water temp sensor does not have coolant flowing through it when the car is cold due to the thermostat being closed. Meaning the water temp gauge is absolutely useless until 180f, when the thermostat is open and coolant flows through. This is only because of the spot I chose to install the water temp adapter. Common sense but I did not realize this until I had the gauges on and wondered why my water temp still said 68f (lowest temp the gauge can read) and my AP said 120f!
Anyway, that is pretty much it. If I missed something feel free to ask. Took me 4 1/2 hours total, and this was working in a Home Depot parking lot.
I'll get better pics in the morning.. these were taken on an iPhone.. so... yeah
Here is what I bought:
Glowshift Digital Water Temperature gauge (red) : $49
Glowshift Digital Oil Temperature gauge (red) : $49
Glowshift Digital Oil Pressure gauge (red) : $64
Glowshift Oil Filter Sandwich Adapter : $29
Glowshift Water Temp Sensor Adapter : $15
Racing Beat Gauge Pod : $110 (60)
All the gauges already include sending units, even the oil pressure gauge! All you need apart from the gauges are the oil sandwich plate and water temp adapter! Glowshift CS was really on point, I called them and immediately they determined which oil filter sandwich plate I needed. They also made some shipping arrangements that I asked without a fuss. I got it the next day, but then again I live 2 states over, USPS Priority Mail ftw!
Anyway, install went swell. I have an initial minor oil leak at the sandwich plate, shouldn't be a big deal. The wiring is just time consuming, not difficult. For the gauges I grounded in the passenger foot well area, I simply grounded 1 wire and tapped 3 sources off it. I did the same thing for the switched 12v line, tapped 1 wire on the cigarette lighter harness and tapped the 3 sources for all 3 gauges. I did not bother wiring the headlight switch for them to auto-dim. I ran the sensor wires from the engine bay into the cabin through a small hole to the left of the windshield wiper bottle. I mounted the gauges in the racing beat gauge pod by using the brackets provided by Glowshift, though I had to do some modifications.
I did NOT have to (or wanted to
) do an oil change to install the oil sandwich plate, though some may want too. Sure I lost a bit of oil when I unscrewed the oil filter, but not much. The weird oil filter location and gravity work in our favor here . I grounded the 2 sending units from the oil sandwich plate to a factory ground to the right of the brake master cylinder.As for the water temp sensor, that was a pain. The battery box was a pain to get out. I did not have to cut the factory hose. All that is needed is to remove a factory aluminum (?) tube that connects the upper radiator hose to the hose that runs up to the thermostat. Gonna lose a bit of coolant there. I removed that tube and simply slipped in the water temp sensor in the middle (34mm) and tightened it up using the clamps that Glowshift provided, voila! No leaks from there. Grounded the sending unit to the cross member underneath the battery.
Only thing that came as a surprise to me is that the upper radiator hose where I installed the water temp sensor does not have coolant flowing through it when the car is cold due to the thermostat being closed. Meaning the water temp gauge is absolutely useless until 180f, when the thermostat is open and coolant flows through. This is only because of the spot I chose to install the water temp adapter. Common sense but I did not realize this until I had the gauges on and wondered why my water temp still said 68f (lowest temp the gauge can read) and my AP said 120f!
Anyway, that is pretty much it. If I missed something feel free to ask. Took me 4 1/2 hours total, and this was working in a Home Depot parking lot.
I'll get better pics in the morning.. these were taken on an iPhone.. so... yeah
Last edited by alz0rz; 10-25-2010 at 09:50 AM.
03-04-2010, 07:01 PM
#3
03-04-2010, 11:27 PM
#4
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lol i have the same exact setup! looks good. i originally had em on the pillar, but ended up having to move em to the ashtray to put in my boost and a/f. lookin good though, i love this setup its clean
03-04-2010, 11:37 PM
#6
I did it for the lulz
03-05-2010, 12:05 AM
#7
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well i have the racing beat sandwich plate and im guessing the parts are similar..well the racing beat sandwich has an o ring on the bottom, dunno if this one has one too, but if it does, make sure thatthe oring is properly secured and hit it with some oil so it sits right on the sandwich. also make sure your oil filter is on tight as well.
03-05-2010, 12:18 AM
#8
haha yeah ive had em for a bit now. i just didnt have time to post up pics or an install, and the last few months have been busy for me so i havent been sniping the forums like i usually do lol.
well i have the racing beat sandwich plate and im guessing the parts are similar..well the racing beat sandwich has an o ring on the bottom, dunno if this one has one too, but if it does, make sure thatthe oring is properly secured and hit it with some oil so it sits right on the sandwich. also make sure your oil filter is on tight as well.
well i have the racing beat sandwich plate and im guessing the parts are similar..well the racing beat sandwich has an o ring on the bottom, dunno if this one has one too, but if it does, make sure thatthe oring is properly secured and hit it with some oil so it sits right on the sandwich. also make sure your oil filter is on tight as well.
03-05-2010, 01:54 AM
#11
I zoom therefore I am.
looks great.. and +1 for not getting the cyberdyne gauges. All three of them failed on me within a month and i was unable to get the vendor or cyberdyne to even return a phone call or email. they're now sitting in a box in my garage waiting for the day I can throw them at someone
Here's my current defi gauge set up:
http://www.youtube.com/v/MrG28laPgdY&hl
Here's my current defi gauge set up:
http://www.youtube.com/v/MrG28laPgdY&hl
Last edited by laythor; 08-31-2010 at 07:52 PM.
![mike[piston eater]'s Avatar](https://www.rx8club.com/avatars/mike%5Bpiston-eater%5D-48728.gif?dateline=1334247180)
03-06-2010, 05:26 PM
#16
This damn oil leak is pissing me off... I took it apart today and flipped the o-ring and it hasn't stopped it.. it's such a pain to work in that area.. my knuckles are beat to hell..
and sorry guys no day pics yet.. completely forgot today...
03-07-2010, 12:35 PM
#19
I did it for the lulz
i've been thinking about just ditching that whole plate and getting the rb one
i haven't heard of anyone having problems with that one
03-07-2010, 07:54 PM
#20
new pics on first post!
yep me too except i haven't heard anyone ever having a problem with the prosport either.. i was helping a friend with his install today and I looked at the prosport adapter and I am def going to be picking that up. it has 2 inner groves so I only assume it will be better at containing the oil. it is $35 from raceroots. i'm going to go with that one. this oil adapter plate sucks ***!
note to anyone else.. everything else seems okay.. but the oil filter plate from glowshift.. sucks!
note to anyone else.. everything else seems okay.. but the oil filter plate from glowshift.. sucks!
Last edited by alz0rz; 03-07-2010 at 07:56 PM.
03-07-2010, 08:04 PM
#22
I did it for a little of both. Water temp is good to stay ontop off, and as im sure you're aware the oil pressure gauge on the rx8 cluster is a dummy gauge.
also, these will be put to better use in the future if/when i do turbo the car.
also, these will be put to better use in the future if/when i do turbo the car.
03-07-2010, 08:06 PM
#23
I did it for the lulz
new pics on first post!
yep me too except i haven't heard anyone ever having a problem with the prosport either.. i was helping a friend with his install today and I looked at the prosport adapter and I am def going to be picking that up. it has 2 inner groves so I only assume it will be better at containing the oil. it is $35 from raceroots. i'm going to go with that one. this oil adapter plate sucks ***!
note to anyone else.. everything else seems okay.. but the oil filter plate from glowshift.. sucks!
yep me too except i haven't heard anyone ever having a problem with the prosport either.. i was helping a friend with his install today and I looked at the prosport adapter and I am def going to be picking that up. it has 2 inner groves so I only assume it will be better at containing the oil. it is $35 from raceroots. i'm going to go with that one. this oil adapter plate sucks ***!
note to anyone else.. everything else seems okay.. but the oil filter plate from glowshift.. sucks!
