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Matz
11-28-2005, 08:05 AM
I don't know if this will be valuable for anyone here or not, but I documented my GReddy boost gauge installation this weekend. It's mostly complete, except that it doesn't cover the mounting of the gauge itself. Mine is bolted to my steering column, though.

Big thanks to earlyapex and MarkSAE for pointing me in the right direction!

Stuff you'll need:
[list]
- philips screwdriver
- small flathead screwdriver
- soldering iron
- solder
- wire loom
- 1/4" shrink tube
- wire strippers
- XActo knife for insulation stripping, and likely for firewall penetration
- voltmeter (optional, but I recommend one)
- small zip ties
- butt splices + crimper (optional -- you can use solder + shrink tube)
- (4) 20 gauge wires to extend clock lines - red (+12), black (GND), white (parking lights), and orange (ignition)
- your GReddy gauge, of course
- small hands
[/list:u]

DISCONNECT YOUR BATTERY - TERMINAL!

Step 1: pull off climate controls dials
http://www.initialdproject.com/evo8/HowToInstallGauges/step1.jpg
should look like this after:
http://www.initialdproject.com/evo8/HowToInstallGauges/step2.jpg
Step 2: unscrew the two screws holding the climate panel down
http://www.initialdproject.com/evo8/HowToInstallGauges/step3.jpg
http://www.initialdproject.com/evo8/HowToInstallGauges/step4.jpg
Step 3: carefully pull off the climate panel
http://www.initialdproject.com/evo8/HowToInstallGauges/step5.jpg
http://www.initialdproject.com/evo8/HowToInstallGauges/step6.jpg
http://www.initialdproject.com/evo8/HowToInstallGauges/step7.jpg
should look like this after:
http://www.initialdproject.com/evo8/HowToInstallGauges/step8.jpg
Step 4: remove stereo by unscrewing the four screws
http://www.initialdproject.com/evo8/HowToInstallGauges/step9.jpg
Step 5: unscrew the two screws holding the clock panel down
http://www.initialdproject.com/evo8/HowToInstallGauges/step10.jpg
Step 6: mount the pressure sensor under the hood
http://www.initialdproject.com/evo8/HowToInstallGauges/step11.jpg
Step 7: hook up T connector
http://www.initialdproject.com/evo8/HowToInstallGauges/step12.jpg
Step 8: route sensor wire through firewall
http://www.initialdproject.com/evo8/HowToInstallGauges/step13.jpg
Step 9: carefully remove the clock panel. Start from the stereo area, and gently pry up with a screwdriver wrapped in a towel. Pry from left to right, and the panel will eventually pop out. I could never get the left side off completely, though.
http://www.initialdproject.com/evo8/HowToInstallGauges/step14.jpg
Step 10: remove the clock and hazard light connectors
http://www.initialdproject.com/evo8/HowToInstallGauges/step15.jpg
this is the connector you want to tap into:
http://www.initialdproject.com/evo8/HowToInstallGauges/step16.jpg
Step 11: pry off crimp connector lock:
http://www.initialdproject.com/evo8/HowToInstallGauges/step17.jpg
Step 12: using a wire stripper, nick the insulation in two spots, about 1/8" apart:
http://www.initialdproject.com/evo8/HowToInstallGauges/step18.jpg
Step 13: Bend the wire at the two nicks, and the insulation should split apart, exposing the copper wire underneath. Now carefully cut through the insulation between the two breaks, and peel the insulation away.
http://www.initialdproject.com/evo8/HowToInstallGauges/step19.jpg
Step 14: using a small screwdriver, pry up the plastic retainer and pull out a wire
http://www.initialdproject.com/evo8/HowToInstallGauges/step20.jpg
Step 15: solder the extension wire to corresponding clock radio wire
http://www.initialdproject.com/evo8/HowToInstallGauges/step21.jpg
Step 16: don't forget to use strink tuebe around the wires! If you have a heat gun, use it. I forgot to get one so I used the upper part of my soldering iron, which is typically a big no-no.
http://www.initialdproject.com/evo8/HowToInstallGauges/step22.jpg

Repeat steps 14 - 16 for the remaining three wires

Step 17: reconnect battery and test all of the connections with a voltmeter. disconnect battery again.
Step 18: put a zip tie below the shrink tube to prevent it from slipping (I had to because I couldn't shrink the tube enough with my soldering iron tip
http://www.initialdproject.com/evo8/HowToInstallGauges/step23.jpg
Step 19: wrap wire loom around the four extension wires. Also zip tie for strain relief.
http://www.initialdproject.com/evo8/HowToInstallGauges/step24.jpg
Step 20: connect the ends of the four extension wires to your GReddy control box. I used crimp connectors for now, until my PCB arrives
http://www.initialdproject.com/evo8/HowToInstallGauges/step25.jpg
Step 21: tuck the control box away behind the radio. You should probably zip tie it down, but I didn't since it's coming back out in a couple of weeks anyway.
http://www.initialdproject.com/evo8/HowToInstallGauges/step26.jpg
Step 22: reconnect battery

That's it! Put everything back in the reverse order, and you should be good to go.

This installation was the precursor to the Gruppe-S / Craig Hardy gauge panel installation that I'll be working on soon. The four extension wires will be soldered into a PCB I have coming in this week, and that panel will make connecting my other three gauges (EGT, coolant temp, oil temp, plus buzzers) really simple. Here's the PCB design that is being fabricated for me:

http://www.initialdproject.com/evo8/images/GReddy_gauge_board.gif

Post if you have any questions!

earlyapex
11-28-2005, 10:50 AM
Step 9: carefully remove the clock panel. Start from the stereo area, and gently pry up with a screwdriver wrapped in a towel. Pry from left to right, and the panel will eventually pop out. I could never get the left side off completely, though.

If you take the surround out at the factory dash gauges (tach, speedo, etc) then the clock panel will snap off.

Matz
11-28-2005, 11:02 AM
Step 9: carefully remove the clock panel. Start from the stereo area, and gently pry up with a screwdriver wrapped in a towel. Pry from left to right, and the panel will eventually pop out. I could never get the left side off completely, though.

If you take the surround out at the factory dash gauges (tach, speedo, etc) then the clock panel will snap off.

yeah, it looked that way to me. I was too lazy to look for the clips / screws for the surround, so I just did my best with the limited space.

vtluu
11-28-2005, 11:11 AM
Nice job. Maybe I missed it, but why is it necessary to tap into the clock harness?

earlyapex
11-28-2005, 11:17 AM
Nice job. Maybe I missed it, but why is it necessary to tap into the clock harness?

because it's a really easy place to find all the wires you need. Small harness, easy to tap.

vtluu
11-28-2005, 11:25 AM
I found it much easier to tap the factory stereo harness. If you're real lazy, you can just buy one of those aftermarket stereo harness adapters and tap that--most of those have the wires labeled on the package. Anyway I'm not using the stereo harness for anything else... And the wires can be shorter--lighter. :lol:

earlyapex
11-28-2005, 11:46 AM
And the wires can be shorter--lighter. :lol:

are you f***ing kidding? 2" of wire? bwhaahha

Why you still have your carpet? AC? airbags? glove box?

Hell the lint under your seats probably weigh more.

vtluu
11-28-2005, 11:49 AM
Hmmph. I'll have you know I just cleaned the lint out from under my seats. :skid:

methods4
11-28-2005, 11:53 AM
Cigarette lighter for teh simple win.

Matz
11-28-2005, 01:45 PM
Cigarette lighter for teh simple win.

Damn, that would be too easy. :) I was planning on using the cigarette lighter for my Valentine One installation.

Matz
12-02-2005, 08:03 AM
Got the boards in yesterday, and they look great. Can't wait to get the CH panel from Gruppe-S, as that's the only puzzle piece missing right now! I'll post the next set of installation pics when the time comes.

MarkSAE
12-02-2005, 01:12 PM
Got the boards in yesterday, and they look great. Can't wait to get the CH panel from Gruppe-S, as that's the only puzzle piece missing right now! I'll post the next set of installation pics when the time comes.

Got a picture of the board Dave? Are you going to solder the wires directly to it?

I'm patiently waiting for my CH panel as well. This wait will be well worth it since we won't have to rig up any mounting tabs for it. I finally received the correct color radio relocation kit yesterday. The first one I got was a light grey one for the lancers.

Matz
12-02-2005, 01:56 PM
Got the boards in yesterday, and they look great. Can't wait to get the CH panel from Gruppe-S, as that's the only puzzle piece missing right now! I'll post the next set of installation pics when the time comes.

Got a picture of the board Dave? Are you going to solder the wires directly to it?

I'm patiently waiting for my CH panel as well. This wait will be well worth it since we won't have to rig up any mounting tabs for it. I finally received the correct color radio relocation kit yesterday. The first one I got was a light grey one for the lancers.

oops, I forgot to snap a pic last night. My phone camera sucks, so I couldn't get a good image with it. I'm definitely soldering wires directly, as I don't want to look for automotive-type headers (waterproof, etc). Just solder and hot glue! Still gotta order the buzzers, too.

MarkSAE
12-02-2005, 02:30 PM
So what are you going to use for buzzers? Greddy doesn't sell buzzers directly, so I would imagine you have to find some on your own. I guess anything that accepts a 12V signal will do.

Matz
12-02-2005, 03:04 PM
So what are you going to use for buzzers? Greddy doesn't sell buzzers directly, so I would imagine you have to find some on your own. I guess anything that accepts a 12V signal will do.

Yes, I have two different kinds. I spec'd out the lowest power 12V buzzers available. Three of the same frequency for temp gauges, and one higher-frequency buzzer for boost.

MarkSAE
12-02-2005, 03:54 PM
So what exact buzzers are you getting and where did you get them? Hearing a buzzer in the car would be good. I remember having a buzzer stock in my old 1st gen Rx7 when revving past redline. Kinda cool actually.

Matz
12-02-2005, 05:11 PM
So what exact buzzers are you getting and where did you get them? Hearing a buzzer in the car would be good. I remember having a buzzer stock in my old 1st gen Rx7 when revving past redline. Kinda cool actually.

I buy most of my electronics from Digikey (http://www.digikey.com), but there's a local place called Jameco (http://www.jameco.com) that's also good, and they do will call. The boost buzzer I used was digikey part #102-1115-ND. The other three are 102-1116-ND.

I usually go with Digikey because their catalog is more detailed. I needed the exact pin spacing and pin thickness to do the layout, and Jameco doesn't offer this information.

You can't pick a sound with these buzzers, as I opted for the simple approach. So the boost is about 4kHz, and the others are 3kHz. I could program a simple custom PIC to get various tones, but that's not really necessary IMO.

However, it would be good if the next revision of the board had several digital logic ICs in there to allow a pushbutton to silence the buzzer. I can see a situation where the temps get high, and I have to endure a painful 'eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee" while I pull into the pits. :? So yeah, maybe I will do that next...

Matz
12-02-2005, 05:56 PM
So what exact buzzers are you getting and where did you get them? Hearing a buzzer in the car would be good. I remember having a buzzer stock in my old 1st gen Rx7 when revving past redline. Kinda cool actually.

by the way, let me know if you want any... I have to place an order, and there's a $5 handling charge on orders under $25, so I'd like to add stuff anyway to get over the minimum amount. However, if you're not using my board, you can probably just swing by Jameco and pick one up, thus avoiding shipping charges entirely.

MarkSAE
12-02-2005, 06:41 PM
The idea of having that buzzer be on continuously in an overheating situation would be super annoying. I think I'll hold off on the buzzer idea and stick w/ the warning light for now. I glance down at my gauges a few times a lap anyway. Thanks for the offer though. ;)

Matz
12-02-2005, 07:37 PM
The idea of having that buzzer be on continuously in an overheating situation would be super annoying. I think I'll hold off on the buzzer idea and stick w/ the warning light for now. I glance down at my gauges a few times a lap anyway. Thanks for the offer though. ;)

It's good for the boost gauge, though. I will probably hold off on the temp buzzers as well, until I can redesign the board.

Matz
12-03-2005, 12:14 AM
Here are the pictures of the PCB:

http://www.initialdproject.com/Evo8/HowToInstallGauges/greddy_rev1_front.jpg
http://www.initialdproject.com/Evo8/HowToInstallGauges/greddy_rev1_back.jpg

I just realized that my camera has noticeable aberrations when taking closeups. :?

MarkSAE
12-03-2005, 08:16 AM
The PCB looks good Dave! Are you going to put a shield on each side of it to cover the exposed live wires?

Matz
12-03-2005, 10:46 AM
The PCB looks good Dave! Are you going to put a shield on each side of it to cover the exposed live wires?

Thanks!

The board will be mounted over the lexan / polycarb sheet, so the bottom side won't be a problem (that's where all of the wires are soldered). The top side will have to be shielded somehow, and i think I'll just hot glue around the wires, and that's about it. I have to cover the +12V pads where the temp buzzer are with glue, but the one exposed trace on top is likely okay -- I made that trace the ground line on purpose.

Matz
12-18-2005, 10:49 PM
Next set of steps -- getting the Gruppe-S CH gauge panel to fit

I finally got my Gruppe-S gauge panel in last week, and boy is it sweet. The only issue is with the GReddy warning gauges, which actually interfere with the plastic surrounding the stock stereo compartment. Today, I went ahead and made the necessary modifications, outlined below:

Things you'll need:
[list]10mm socket wrench with a 6" extension[/list:u]
[list]Dremel tool with sanding attachment[/list:u]
[list]small screwdriver; the one I used is shown below[/list:u]
http://www.initialdproject.com/evo8/HowToInstallGauges/small_screwdriver.jpg

Step 1: Identify the piece that needs to be removed. See the screws that used to hold in the stereo? All of the plastic around it needs to go, as well as the metal frame.
http://www.initialdproject.com/evo8/HowToInstallGauges/step27.jpg
Step 2: Did you see the "X" in the previous picture? As MarkSAE pointed out, there's a little screw back there that needs to be removed. It's actually not bad to get out. Just remove the glove box, and using your little screwdriver, remove the screw. I've circled it in the following picture:
http://www.initialdproject.com/evo8/HowToInstallGauges/step28.jpg
Step 3: Clip off the plastic nub that holds the metal bracket in place. I've taken a blurry picture from the back side, shown below. The plastic nub is circled in yellow:
http://www.initialdproject.com/evo8/HowToInstallGauges/step29.jpg
Step 4: Now that the annoying little plastic nub is gone, you can break off the part of the metal frame that gets in the way of the gauge. Simply bend it back and forth a few times and it'll come right off!
http://www.initialdproject.com/evo8/HowToInstallGauges/step30.jpg
http://www.initialdproject.com/evo8/HowToInstallGauges/step31.jpg
http://www.initialdproject.com/evo8/HowToInstallGauges/step32.jpg
Step 5: Finally, using the Dremel sanding bit, remove enough plastic to alllow the gauges to sit flush. I went a little overboard and took off too much plastic, but oh well.
http://www.initialdproject.com/evo8/HowToInstallGauges/step33.jpg

The gauge panel looks damn good with them gauges installed!
http://www.initialdproject.com/evo8/HowToInstallGauges/installed.jpg

I still haven't wired anything up, though. I'll finish the wiring this week, and will install the sensors as I build up enough courage to tackle those tasks. :) Here's what the control box panel looks like right now. I still have to notch it and drill the holes for the 10mm screws for fastening. Tomorrow, I'm going to tap the panel so I can put in the standoffs and my PCB.
http://www.initialdproject.com/evo8/HowToInstallGauges/controlbox_panel.jpg

MarkSAE
12-19-2005, 09:03 AM
Here are pictures of the bracket I made to mount my controllers. I attempted to mount the boxes on the board by using screws, but had no luck. The #4 self-tapping screws were too big. I found that 2-56 machine screws fit into the original holes well, but any misalignment of the holes and it wouldn't start threading. I decided that it was too much trouble to use screws to mount the boxes and ended up using those sticky pads that came w/ the gauges. That actually worked out really well.

I still need to wire up the sensors and the gauges. I should have most of it done by tonight hopefully. I got sidetracked this weekend by doing a lot of xmas shopping.

http://www.norcalevo.net/gallery/albums/album385/DSC06606.sized.jpg

http://www.norcalevo.net/gallery/albums/album385/DSC06607.sized.jpg

http://www.norcalevo.net/gallery/albums/album385/DSC06608.sized.jpg

http://www.norcalevo.net/gallery/albums/album385/DSC06609.sized.jpg

http://www.norcalevo.net/gallery/albums/album385/DSC06610.sized.jpg

Matz
12-19-2005, 09:06 AM
Cool, that's great that you got your panel cut and it's attached to the frame! I still have to do that. I don't understand why the #4 sheetmetal screws were too big for your boxes, though. All three of my boxes attached to the panel with them just fine. :?:

MarkSAE
12-19-2005, 10:00 AM
Hmm.. I found the #4 screws were too big to screw into the plastic standoffs inside the control boxes.

Matz
12-19-2005, 10:11 AM
Hmm.. I found the #4 screws were too big to screw into the plastic standoffs inside the control boxes.

Well, at least you have them on the panel, that's all that matters. :) Mine went in like butter, though. Didn't even feel like I was cross threading.

Matz
12-24-2005, 03:24 PM
FINALLY. I got around to working on the gauge electronics, and it was way more of a PITA than I had originally expected. I had a lot of problems getting my panel to fit back there, so I had to dremel rounded cutouts so the cables could clear. After sticking my boost gauge onto the panel with the sticky pads (the other three were screwed in), I ended up having to pry it off because the placement was a bit off -- I couldn't get it to clear the lower part of the stereo frame.

So after hours of dremeling and soldering, I got the gauges in. I just tested coolant and oil temp with a cup of hot water, and it looks good.

However, I think I'm in trouble now. I plugged the sensors into the control boxes before going through the firewall. The other end is ridiculously large, and I can't find a good place to put them through the firewall! Can anyone offer me some advice? Is there a way to get the waterproof connectors past the firewall, or should I quit bitching and moaning and take everything out agagin, so I can push the wires through the firewall first?

Thanks in advance. :)

earlyapex
12-24-2005, 04:00 PM
However, I think I'm in trouble now. I plugged the sensors into the control boxes before going through the firewall. The other end is ridiculously large, and I can't find a good place to put them through the firewall! Can anyone offer me some advice? Is there a way to get the waterproof connectors past the firewall, or should I quit bitching and moaning and take everything out agagin, so I can push the wires through the firewall first?

Thanks in advance. :)

There is a huge rubber grommet in the passenger side right footwell. You could stick your fist through the hole with the rubber grommet removed, ok, maybe a little girls fist, but there is for sure enough room for what you need. This is the hole that Mitsubishi uses to run their gauge pack.

You do have to remove the back half of the fender liner though...

It's under the glove box and to the right, in ACD equipped cars, it is right by the ACD ECU.

this might help for where to look:

http://www.norcalmotorsports.org/users/bryan/mods/EVO/acd_location.gif

Matz
12-24-2005, 04:32 PM
There is a huge rubber grommet in the passenger side right footwell. You could stick your fist through the hole with the rubber grommet removed, ok, maybe a little girls fist, but there is for sure enough room for what you need. This is the hole that Mitsubishi uses to run their gauge pack.

You do have to remove the back half of the fender liner though...

It's under the glove box and to the right, in ACD equipped cars, it is right by the ACD ECU.

Thanks, Bryan. Marshall showed me a grommet a while back, but it's only < 1" in diameter. Is that the one? He told me to pop it out, then cut a slit and a hole in it to form a seal around the wires after they are passed through... however, I didn't think these connectors would make it through. I'll give it a shot!

dohcvtec
12-24-2005, 05:50 PM
No, Bryan is referring to a different spot. The one you're talking about goes right through the firewall behind the passenger front strut. Bryans location is more in the fender.

MarkSAE
12-24-2005, 07:23 PM
If I were you, I'd take everything apart again and just route the wires through that hole behind the passenger side strut. The small connector that goes into the control box fits through that hole pretty easily.

I finished my install a few days ago. I logged a total of 18 man hours working on this project. :shock:

Matz
12-24-2005, 10:53 PM
If I were you, I'd take everything apart again and just route the wires through that hole behind the passenger side strut. The small connector that goes into the control box fits through that hole pretty easily.

I was afraid that you'd say that. :) My only concern is pulling the stuff out again and messing up the wires somehow. I hot glued the connections just to be safe, but I don't really want to take any chances. However, it may still be easier than going through the fender. I'll look into it either tomorrow or Monday. Definitely not gonna rush it.


I finished my install a few days ago. I logged a total of 18 man hours working on this project. :shock:

I will probably have spent about the same amount of time once I'm done. I'm assuming that you included the EGT and coolant sensor installations? Did the EGT go smoothly for you? Nice work completing this project, and thanks for all of your advice along the way!

MarkSAE
12-25-2005, 12:24 AM
I will probably have spent about the same amount of time once I'm done. I'm assuming that you included the EGT and coolant sensor installations? Did the EGT go smoothly for you? Nice work completing this project, and thanks for all of your advice along the way!

Yeah, those hours included the EGT probe mounting. Mounting each sensor is like a project in itself.. haha..

The drilling and tapping of my exhaust manifold went pretty smoothly. I actually used a 11/32" drill bit since I didn't have a 21/64. I only turned my tap like 1.25-1.5 turns in the hole.

Drilling a matching hole in the exhaust manifold heat shield was a bit tricky since I didn't use a hole-saw. I drilled a 1/2" hole w/ my largest drill bit then used my die grinder to open the hole up enough to clear everything. The angle the probe comes off the manifold wasn't straight either.

What sucks is that the heat-shield coating comes off real easy, so mine doesn't look very clean any more. I spilled some oil on it a while back. Once I wiped off the oil, the coating came off along with it.

For the longest time, it felt like I was never going to finish. I just kept going and finally, it's all done. Here are some pics of the sensor mounting.

http://www.norcalevo.net/gallery/albums/album385/DSC06633.sized.jpg

http://www.norcalevo.net/gallery/albums/album385/DSC06634.sized.jpg

http://www.norcalevo.net/gallery/albums/album385/DSC06635.sized.jpg

http://www.norcalevo.net/gallery/albums/album385/DSC06637.sized.jpg

http://www.norcalevo.net/gallery/albums/album385/DSC06643.sized.jpg

http://www.norcalevo.net/gallery/albums/album385/DSC06645.sized.jpg

earlyapex
12-25-2005, 12:42 AM
Mark you might want to swing the coolant temp probe adapter around so the coolant probe is coming up from the bottom.

There are times when that hose isn't full of liquid and is basically just a stream.

MarkSAE
12-25-2005, 01:09 AM
Mark you might want to swing the coolant temp probe adapter around so the coolant probe is coming up from the bottom.

There are times when that hose isn't full of liquid and is basically just a stream.

Good point. I was wondering why you had yours upside down. I'll flip mine over.

Matz
12-25-2005, 09:09 AM
Lookin' good! I know this doesn't help now, but for the heat shield, I picked up a unibit because it makes drilling progressively larger holes easier, and doesn't bite weird and bounce around like drill bits. Thanks for posting the pics -- I will mount my EGT in the same spot. :) I ordered a new 36mm adapter from prostreet, so I can't get my coolant going until that comes in and after I have it stripped and reanodized.

Matz
12-26-2005, 10:59 PM
I finished my EGT sensor installation today, but haven't hooked it up to the gauge, yet. Man, that was brutal. I got the manifold tapped and ready in about 10 minutes, but then when I was screwing in the bung, I dropped it. So what should have been about 15 minutes tops turned into a tiring game of "find the bung in the engine bay". After fishing around with my magnet unsuccessfully, I gave up and had to drive the car up onto the ramps. Damn, it was loud with that exhaust leak! My neighbors were wondering what the hell was going on in my garage. :) I pulled off the undertray and was lucky enough to find the piece... so finally, it's in. :)

And as obvious as this may sound, if you ever do an EGT sensor installation, wear gloves, or be careful. At one point, I touched the manifold and it melted the exterior of my work gloves. Yikes!

Anyhow, here are some pics:

drilled and tapped!
http://www.initialdproject.com/evo8/HowToInstallGauges/egt1.jpg
bung and sensor threaded in
http://www.initialdproject.com/evo8/HowToInstallGauges/egt2.jpg
need to borrow the deburring tool at the office tomorrow:
http://www.initialdproject.com/evo8/HowToInstallGauges/egt3.jpg
ran sensor wire under spark plug cover
http://www.initialdproject.com/evo8/HowToInstallGauges/egt4.jpg
still gotta run the sensor cables through the firewall... yuck.
http://www.initialdproject.com/evo8/HowToInstallGauges/egt5.jpg

EVO GRIM
12-27-2005, 08:03 AM
NIce work Dave. I found out that laying down next to the car and hitting the undertray from the bottom helped my locate the thing I dropped and sometimes get it to a spot where you can reach it with out taking the whole thing off.

Matz
12-27-2005, 08:41 AM
NIce work Dave. I found out that laying down next to the car and hitting the undertray from the bottom helped my locate the thing I dropped and sometimes get it to a spot where you can reach it with out taking the whole thing off.

Yeah, I actually did that first. I had my brother-in-law look from the top with the flashlight while I banged on the undertray, but it got stuck somewhere. I was lucky because I could hear which side it was on, so I didn't actually take of the *whole* thing. :) Turns out the bung was not directly on top of the undertray, but bounced further back when I was hitting it. :lol:

MarkSAE
12-27-2005, 08:43 AM
Good job Dave! Your EGT probe is mounted slightly further up the runner compared to mine. So the probe came up straighter compared to mine.

Matz
12-27-2005, 08:53 AM
Good job Dave! Your EGT probe is mounted slightly further up the runner compared to mine. So the probe came up straighter compared to mine.

It's a little further up, but I did actually tap the angled part of the runner. The trick is to drill a pilot hole part way at an angle (so it's normal to the runner), and then rotate the drill while drilling so that it's straight up. Once I had that pilot hole, the rest was easy. The harder part was tapping the hole because it engaged at different points, so it was tough to tap straight up, but I guess I got lucky. I probably did about 3 turns vs. your 1.5, since I had this problem. However, it's still tight enough and sealed (I think).

Matz
01-02-2006, 11:09 PM
I wasn't real thrilled about it, but I ended up taking everything apart again so I could get the sensors through the firewall. I highly recommend this approach for everyone. If I had done it right the first time, it would have saved me a little heartache.

Anyhow, you'll need to pop out the rubber plug in the firewall on the passenger side. To make your life easier, I'd remove the glovebox, as well as the passenger door scuff plate and kick panel (I think the FSM calls it something else, and I can't remember the proper name).

Here's a picture of it after the plug was already popped out:
http://www.initialdproject.com/evo8/HowToInstallGauges/wiring1.jpg

And here's a picture from the passenger seat:
http://www.initialdproject.com/evo8/HowToInstallGauges/wiring2.jpg

You'll want to use a fish tape to get the wires through. Luckily, I had one from when I did the ethernet wiring in my old house:

This is what I started with, but you can't tape everything to the tip of the fish tape or you'll have a hard time getting it through the firewall:
http://www.initialdproject.com/evo8/HowToInstallGauges/wiring3.jpg

Instead, I recommend spacing the connectors apart 4 inches or so, so that the fish tape can flex:
http://www.initialdproject.com/evo8/HowToInstallGauges/wiring4.jpg

Now feed the fish tape + wires through the hole in the firewall:
http://www.initialdproject.com/evo8/HowToInstallGauges/wiring5.jpg

Look for the wires inside of the car, and pull them through!
http://www.initialdproject.com/evo8/HowToInstallGauges/wiring7.jpg
http://www.initialdproject.com/evo8/HowToInstallGauges/wiring6.jpg

Now remove the tape and pull the fish tape out. Plug the ends into your control boxes, and you're good to go!

My EGT is now working, which is great. I only need my oil sensor and coolant sensor adapters... no ETA on those parts. :(

MarkSAE
01-03-2006, 12:59 AM
Heh.. slowly but surely, you're getting there! I commend you on taking everything apart to get the done job right. You made the right choice. ;)

Someone on EvoM mentioned you can tap the water line running through the turbo for a water temp reading. That actually might be easier than tapping the upper radiator hose since the line is small and you can use regular brass fittings.

The thing that bugs me about having my water temp sensor on the upper radiator hose is that you don't get a reading until the thermostat opens. If the thermostat fails closed, you'll get no reading. So having the sensor read off the turbo water line would be better since water is always flowing through it.

Matz
01-03-2006, 06:38 AM
Heh.. slowly but surely, you're getting there! I commend you on taking everything apart to get the done job right. You made the right choice. ;)

:) Well, I don't know if commendations are in order. The only reason I took everything apart was because that seemed a LOT easier than any of the other approaches... hehe


Someone on EvoM mentioned you can tap the water line running through the turbo for a water temp reading. That actually might be easier than tapping the upper radiator hose since the line is small and you can use regular brass fittings.

The thing that bugs me about having my water temp sensor on the upper radiator hose is that you don't get a reading until the thermostat opens. If the thermostat fails closed, you'll get no reading. So having the sensor read off the turbo water line would be better since water is always flowing through it.

That's great info, thanks! I already have parts on order, which is a bummer, but your point about the thermostat is a good one (and one that I totally would never have thought of in the first place).

For those of you that are interested, here's the thread on evom (http://forums.evolutionm.net/showthread.php?t=115497) that Mark is talking about.

earlyapex
01-03-2006, 12:56 PM
The thing that bugs me about having my water temp sensor on the upper radiator hose is that you don't get a reading until the thermostat opens. If the thermostat fails closed, you'll get no reading. So having the sensor read off the turbo water line would be better since water is always flowing through it.

But if the tstat fails closed you get no reading like you said so then you would know something is wrong no?

I think the water temp through the turbo would fluctuate way more than the upper rad hose, and run much much hotter.

You could possibly tap at the tstat housing as well.

MarkSAE
01-03-2006, 01:21 PM
But if the tstat fails closed you get no reading like you said so then you would know something is wrong no?

I think the water temp through the turbo would fluctuate way more than the upper rad hose, and run much much hotter.

You could possibly tap at the tstat housing as well.

If the t-stat fails shut after your car's warmed up, then you might not know.

You can place the sensor on the water line that enters the turbo, so you get a temp reading of the water right after it comes out of the t-stat housing.

I like the idea of having a bung welded on the t-stat housing best.

earlyapex
01-03-2006, 01:25 PM
I like the idea of having a bung welded on the t-stat housing best.

Yup, that's how I had it on the WRX.

Matz
01-03-2006, 01:32 PM
I like the idea of having a bung welded on the t-stat housing best.

Yup, that's how I had it on the WRX.

One of the guys on evom said that 42 Draft Designs (www.42draftdesigns.com) is coming out with a thermostat housing replacement this week that has an extra bung welded in. I may end up getting that one.

earlyapex
01-03-2006, 01:36 PM
One of the guys on evom said that 42 Draft Designs (www.42draftdesigns.com) is coming out with a thermostat housing replacement this week that has an extra bung welded in. I may end up getting that one.

You could probably even get your stock one fabricated up for cheaper. I might do that or buy this 42draft one. The only thing under the hood on my car that doesn't look stock is that blue coolant temp adapter. :?

Matz
01-03-2006, 01:39 PM
One of the guys on evom said that 42 Draft Designs (www.42draftdesigns.com) is coming out with a thermostat housing replacement this week that has an extra bung welded in. I may end up getting that one.

You could probably even get your stock one fabricated up for cheaper. I might do that or buy this 42draft one. The only thing under the hood on my car that doesn't look stock is that blue coolant temp adapter. :?

It should be possible to just tap the stock housing with a 1/8" NPT tap, right? You shouldn't even need to weld in a bung... but I will also probably just buy the 42DD one.

earlyapex
01-03-2006, 01:51 PM
It should be possible to just tap the stock housing with a 1/8" NPT tap, right? You shouldn't even need to weld in a bung... but I will also probably just buy the 42DD one.

If it's anything like the wrx one, it's rather thin to do that.

MarkSAE
01-03-2006, 04:29 PM
The t-stat housing wall is not thick enough to tap an NPT thread. I definitely wouldn't do it. I've seen some people crack their housings doing that, which is a really bad failure mode if it cracks on you while you're on the road or at the track.

I'll probably get the 42DD one when it comes out. It might be cheaper to get it fabricated locally, but I'd rather pay to get one from someone who's done all the homework. Not everyone can welding aluminum right. Welding casted aluminum like the stock t-stat housing is even harder.

Matz
01-03-2006, 11:43 PM
The t-stat housing wall is not thick enough to tap an NPT thread. I definitely wouldn't do it. I've seen some people crack their housings doing that, which is a really bad failure mode if it cracks on you while you're on the road or at the track.

I'll probably get the 42DD one when it comes out. It might be cheaper to get it fabricated locally, but I'd rather pay to get one from someone who's done all the homework. Not everyone can welding aluminum right. Welding casted aluminum like the stock t-stat housing is even harder.

Okie dokie! Glad I didn't try that one. :)

Hey, look what I got today!
http://www.initialdproject.com/evo8/HowToInstallGauges/stickers.jpg

Matz
01-16-2006, 07:05 AM
Mods: can you please move this to the Troubleshooting and Install Help forum? Thanks!

Matz
07-29-2006, 11:42 AM
Mods, can you please sticky this how-to? Thanks!

Matz
12-17-2006, 11:37 PM
mods: is this sticky-worthy?