In every thread that I've read. the thread falls short of anyone having definitive answers on how to linearize the temp gauge. I tried reading the FD write-up and mirroring it to the S5 but I'm just getting stuck. I don't want to put in an aftermarket water temp gauge even if it is easier and/or cheaper. I'd just like my gauge to respond to changes in temp like the S4 or linearized S6 does.

 

I searched real quick so i wouldnt have to ask but could you explain this "linearizing" of the temp gauge?
Matt

 

Basically, in an S5 gauge, there are three positions: (non-linear gauge)

Cold - Normal - Overheated 5 minutes ago.

Now, when your car warms up it'll move from the cold to the normal position. While there, it won't move until your temp exceeds around 215 degrees.

In an S4 gauge, Normal is about 1/4 of the way up. With a properly functioning thermostat and radiator, it'll stay there, but there could be minute changes in position. Basically, a linear gauge responds to small temperature changes and gives you a better idea when your car is about to overheat as opposed to letting you know on the verge of an overheat as the S5 nonlinear gauges do.

 

I've always heard it referred to as

Cold - Normal - New Engine

 

gotcha thanks for the info, that kinda scares me owning an S5 myself, if anyone speaks up or figures it out id like to know how to do this as well.

 

well, it shouldn't

A properly maintained cooling system is the first thing you should have in an RX-7 anyway. All modern temp gauges are nonlinear anyway. Don't let a non-linear temp gauge stop you from owning a 7!

 

haha of course of course i just meant that's something that's not the greatest of things to be told "yea as soon as your temp gauge gets to hot your motor is already toast"

 

which part are you stuck at?

 

where to start......

 

Bump to see if this ever got answered for FC's...

The FD instructions are here:

http://tinyurl.com/m9efq

Right click on link, select "Save Target As..." and save it to your hard drive.

 

Too bad no one has attempted this yet.

 

Link not workee for moi.
Unfortunate, as this would interest me as well.

 

waste of time. it will still suck compared to an aftermarket one

 

not really, why not have a more sensitive gauge, especially if you don't want to add gauges to ruin the look of your dash?

 

Bump to see if any progress has been made in the past 4 years? Looked around, found nothing. Fingers crossed!

 

problem is the gauge, nothing else.

arghx explained it pretty well.

 

I've spent a goodly amount of time contemplating/mangling gauge clusters and would advise against screwing around with the stock dummy gauge.

It would be possible to integrate real gauges into the stock cluster however.
I had spent some time planning just that before deciding that I didn't care for the stock layout and moved to the Miata cluster instead.

 

even the miata cluster had the same issue... lol.

 

Yes, it does.
I liked the layout well enough to go to the trouble of fixing it though.

 

Yeah I'm with arghx. An aftermarket gauge costs like $50 at autozone. Your dash already looks ruined, because its made with piece of **** plastic that breaks if you look at it wrong. Its about as under-engineered as the temp gauge you want to fix. Thank Mazda.

 

Compared to FD plastic, the FC stuff is the proverbial brick shithouse.
A VDO water temp gauge and sending unit is @$35 from egauges.com.

 

Stupid double post.


Grrr.

Oh hey...I got my 5 year badge a few days early.
Thanks Santa!

 

you mean your dash. as usual Mazda was early to the party, but the 2010-2011 cars don't even have temp gauges anymore.

 

That's why I got this for my Mazda6.

http://www.ultra-gauge.com/ultragauge/index.htm

 

Random thought, what if you were to get an electric fan thermostat and wire it up to a LED or something along those lines? Im sure it wont be as simple as it came up in my head but maybe a some what cheap fix to aftermarket gauges??