chickenwafer

iTrader: (9)

Hmmm, my bet would be either, A) you can go to the turn signal switch lever (where the lights are controlled) and find the wire the controls the parking light signal and tap into that, or you can, B) goto the fuse box and find the fuse for Parking Lights and tap into the power off that fuse. But I'm not possitive if the 8 has a fuse just for it's parking lights (might be tied into the whole headlights, but then you will get your gauges to illuminate red only when the headlights are switched on), but I would bet it does.
Basically what they are saying is you need to tap power to something that only comes on when you have your headlights or parking lights on. So even the light in the ash tray that comes on with the lights on would be a switched power source. That would be the easiest bet and what I will probably do. Tommorow I'll check that possitive wire coming from the ashtray light to make sure there isn't power to it unless the head/parking lights are on with my multimeter.


Dave

chickenwafer

iTrader: (9)

oh I forgot to add Howard- how well do those ProSports seem to match the stock gauges??

howardteets

I would say about the same if not better than the autometer nexus gauges. The only downside I see is that they will be red at night vs the somewhat purple color. I suppose you could wire the gages to be white all the time and turn the dimmer on the interior all the way up so the OEM gages are always white too.

Another option would be to disable the leds that give the OEM gages the purple color. I think I saw a DIY on here somewhere to do that.

I personally like the purple color at night. Maybe some LED's can be rigged up to do the same to the Prosport gages.

Thanks for the tips on where to tap for power.

howardteets

Did some checking with the voltmeter. Not sure if I'm telling you guys something you already know but...

Both of the small connectors on the ashtray get 12V when the lights are turned on. One is the ashtray light and the other is the lighted ring around the lighter.

The bigger connector gets 12V when the key is in the Accesory position to send power to the lighter.

These are the easiest sources to get to I see.

chickenwafer

iTrader: (9)

Yeah I have my radar detector and 7" monitor hardwired to my cigg lighter. But I don't want to overload the circut so I might go somewhere else for main power, but the ashtray light is where I'll go for parking light power (to turn the gauges red)

Dave

auzoom

I wish they would do one of these in RHD

howardteets

RHD have been available for quite a long time. We've been waiting what seems like forever for a LHD option. Although it was worth the wait, since Lotek's is actually reasonably priced.

Check out here for the RHD:

http://www.japanparts.com/db/partsli...maker=&volkey=

howardteets

I did some more poking around with the voltmeter. If you look at the female side of the harness for the radio, the top left and top right have 12V constantly even with the key off. Top left is the ground (black wire, obviously) and the top right is the positive (red wire with a blue stripe). I assume this is for the radio memory (station presets, audio settings, etc...)

I think I'm going here for the battery. There are some settings with the gauges you can change. Going to the radio power, I've got constant power to the gauges to keep the settings active after vehicle shutdown.

Does anyone know how difficult to back pin these connectors? I've done this before at work for projects but I had a specific tool made for that specific brand of connector to remove the pins. It's a little cleaner but am I better off cutting, splicing and soldering?

jskup1

iTrader: (7)

Some gauges such as the NEXUS gauges require an accessory wire which maintains power through engine cranking. Neither any ashtray or radio/ac wiring accomplishes this. I forget the color of the wire, but there is one going into the TPMS module right under where the LOTEK pod is.

sixgen3sgte

just ordered mine hopefully i'll get it by the end of the month

RA-Eight

iTrader: (6)

Yeah, you can't complain. You can get FEED's pod.

chickenwafer

iTrader: (9)

Wait- so it needs a CONSTANT 12v source? Going to the ciggerette lighter does give you a constant 12volts- I have my radar detector hardwired there. When I put in the key and turn it to ACC the radar comes on and starts beeping, and keeps beeping even while I'm cranking the engine over, so I know it's getting power all the time (with the key in).
But from I gather the gauges need a constant 12v source for memory and such, correct? I'll have to hunt around the fuse box for that.

Dave

jskup1

iTrader: (7)

It needs a constant 12V and a 12V accessory source which stays on during cranking because the Nexus gauge self-calibrate when they receive power and if there is an interuption in that (during engine cranking) they won't calibrate. If you take a meter and check and the wires to the lighter, you will see that you temporarily lose power when you turn the key from acc to on. You don't need to do this for all gauges though. Check the install instructions.

howardteets

From what I saw with the voltmeter and experience when I've tried to charge a cell phone the cig lighter only gets 12V when the key is in the acc position. I was going to go there for the gauges to be white as indicated in the instructions with the gauges. The light in the cig lighter/ashtray get 12V when the lights are turned on. Here's where I was going to get my red color for night time use.

For the constant 12V I'm tapping into the black and red/blue wires on the radio harness. I had the key out of the ignition and in my pocket and was picking up 12V at these to wires. I would assume these would still have 12V during cranking for the memory in the headunit.

I just got home from work and finished eating and am on the way out to thegarage to do some splicing and soldering. Probably won't run the wiring for the sending units tonight though. But I will be able to connect them at get atmospheric readings. I'll let you guys know how it goes.

chickenwafer

iTrader: (9)

I bet the radio memory has constant 12v during engine cranking, otherwise your radio presets would be gone when you cranked the engine! And I know the radio doesn't have a flash memory because you loose your presets when you disconnect the batt or pull the room fuse.

howardteets

Well almost all done. Got all the wiring done. That's all for tonight. Probably gonna get the sender wiring through the firewall on Sunday. For now though here's some pics of what they look like. White is with the headlights turned off and the reddish orange is with the headlights on.

Wiring was pretty easy. Took about 2.5 hours with about 1.5 hours attributed to phone calls.

I did find something I really like about these gauges. If one of the sending units were ever to fail you're going to know it. The gauge flashes and beeps to let you know of the failure. Once I got all the power and lighting wiring all done I turned to key to admire my work. Once they went through their opening sequence all the gauges flashed and beeped. I turned the key off and plugged in all the senders and they now work as they should. Of course with the exception that oil pressure & temp and manifold pressure are all zero (for obvious reasons since I had them sitting on the floor).

Now I just have to get that turbo kit to actually use the boost half of the vacuum/boost gauge.

howardteets

Sorry guys couple more things.

1) I pointed out a hose in one of the pics attached. Can I tap into this for manifold pressure? The gauge came with a T fitting that is about this size. I'm not up on my intake knowledge so I wanted to be sure before I go cutting hoses.

2) Not sure what you guys are using for oil filter sandwich adapters but I came across this one in the pic. I bought it from GlowShift Gauge's Ebay store. I'm pretty sure it's the same one on the Prosport website but it was cheaper on Ebay.

chickenwafer

iTrader: (9)

howard let me know if the Glowshift adaptor works- I was looking at it but I was thinking I would just go with RB because it's a garranteed thing, but it's $68 bucks vs, what, $20 for the glowshift adaptor?
I'll have to chech about that hose- not sure but it looks like you could read vaccum off it.

sixgen3sgte

it will, thats the hose that goes to the little accuator thing on the intake , no real sure what it does

basically it restricts air flow under a particular amount vaccum

i nerver under stood why things like that excist on cars, i guess its just a fuel economy or emissions thing

howardteets

Thanks. I thought so but I wanted to be sure before I cut a hose found out it was wrong and that the dealer would want $30 for.

jskup1

iTrader: (7)

Nope, it doesn't either. It has a constant 12V which is always on for the memory funtions. When you crank the engine, it temporarily goes out as well. I was really surprised at what little keeps power the whole time from turning the key from acc to on and starting the engine. If you use the sport comp 2s or the carbon fiber series, you shouldn't have to worry about this though, you should be able to use a standard 12V acc connection. I believe the Nexus gauges are the only Autometer gauges which require this.

VarneyMazda

so what should we tap into?

VarneyMazda

to finsh everything off i ordered 6 prosport gauges and the racing beat gauge pod to go with everything..

Personally ive delt with expensive gauges. i think its a pain trying to find a place for the main control box to go.

howardteets

I tapped into the radio and the gauges seem to be keeping memory. The mute for the beeping on start up hasn't come back on. Of couse I haven't actually cranked the engine yet. I haven't had to start the engine yet and don't want to since I don't feel like running it long enough as to not flood it. I'll let you know.

JB_Rotary

If you don't have a sun roof couldn't you tap into it via the fuse box. That's how I "hard wired" my radar detector.


ordered