JustJeff

iTrader: (13)

Hey everyone, while replacing my water pump I decided to add an aftermarket temp gauge (Prosport). I've got a wiring issue that I'm going to be working out this weekend.

Problem is that the gauge isn't operating correctly. It acts very sporadically. Doesn't go through the the entire opening ceremony of the needle sweeping the full range and then back to zero, sometimes won't go through any sweeping at startup, sometimes will sit stuck at diff points on the gauge.

Story is that I had a machine shop tap one of the air bracket threads for the Prosport sender. I also had them grind down the outside of the housing tap so the sender could sit deeper in the housing. Possible problem is that the Prosport sender makes contact with the factory sender (for A/C, IIRC). Can this cause a grounding issue?





I'm planning on taking the sender out, recalibrating it, when tightening it down I'll leave it backed out some so it's not making contact with the other sender. Use some sealant to make sure there aren't any leaks.

Quick question about calibrating a sender. I can't find the info on Prosports site or install instructions. I get some water to about 210 degrees and drop the sender in the water. Do I leave the gauge plugged into the sender or use a thermometer in the water? Or doesn't it matter so long as I'm sure the water is around 210?

The other issue which is more vague and less easy to get any solid advice on...is the wiring at the dash. I thought I wired the gauge in correctly at the dash. I went from the ashtray light (the non-black one, either blue/red or black/red..can't remember now). I grounded the gauge through my headunit ground. I combined the dimmer wire from my headunit to the ashtray light. I created a short. I lost my headunit power and interior lights and the idiot cluster and clock pulsed dimmly. I didn't blow any fuses. I cut the wire feeding from the ashtray light and simply wired in the lighting from my headunit illumination.

The previous owner had an aftermarket headunit wired in. I need to go through the wires, cause something obviously isn't right.

JustJeff

iTrader: (13)

The pics didn't link

I'll edit them and add later tonight for now here are links to myspace

http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/inde...1-210a4cd8d973

http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/inde...d-cfe96b2744ee

Hypertek

iTrader: (3)

ur pics are private dude.. get the url for the pic itself, right click, picture properties


I think its cuz u got prosport gauges, i think i read that sometimes they arent that great.
http://zilvia.net/f/chat/139074-pros...ew-pics-2.html
inexpensive gauges arent always the best.
they are eye candy but thats it

I tapped the 12v ignition source and light source from my climate control , seems better than tapping from the cig ligther or stereo.

JustJeff

iTrader: (13)

I'm at my folks house for the day so I can't access files on my computer at home. I'll link again but not from my logged in profile. Tonight I'll edit pics or do photobucket...er something.

I had heard mixed things about Prosports. Someone on the forums had problems with their boost gauge, but for the most part I had read they were good, economical gauges. I figure for as little as they cost I'd give them a shot.

I've got a Greddy v2 boost gauge and may end up adding more of the same if I don't like the Prosports, but I'm really not into namebrands so long as cheaper brands function as well.

http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/inde...ageID=28884473

http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/inde...ageID=28884491

http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/inde...ageID=28884498

http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/inde...ageID=28884470

I tested these links, but myspace might be autologging me in when I click on them.

darkling

30 cent copper washer your probably grounding it to the other switch

JustJeff

iTrader: (13)

I've already got a 16ga split soldered onto the ashtray light so it'll be easiest to stick with that. These Prosport gauges are bright as the sun...definitely needs to be dimmed. Does the climate control source allow for dimming? Guess I'll be going to dinner in a little while and can see when I get in the car.

I need to pull my stereo and go through all the wiring. Its been several years since I wired in the stereo or the boost gauge. I remember that the previous owner had done something odd with his headunit wiring. I seem to remember having a similar grounding issue with boost gauge, but don't recall the specifics of it. I lost one of my amps and need to rearrange my wiring, consolidate the boost gauge with stereo, and other gauges that are being added. Next oil change I'm adding an oil pedestal sandwich/adapter, oil pressure and oil temp gauges. I want to make sure I've got large enough ground wiring, run the dimmer light wiring from the same source.

Come to think of it, adding 5 light sources to the same interior light wiring might be a bad idea. Should I spread the wiring out? If I"ve got consolidated 16ga wiring for my aftermarket stuff but it eventually feeds into OEM wiring of probably 20ga, is that potential for problems? I suppose so long as everything is grounded accordingly I'll be ok.

Hypertek

iTrader: (3)

yeah you can use a multimeter to find the dimming source on the climate wiring harness so the dimmer works.

JustJeff

iTrader: (13)

Thx for the heads up on putting images in the thread, now I know and can post gratuitous pics of boring things

Dirty engine


Original tap


Was afraid it didn't have enough exposure


After having outside of housing machined


Two sensors touching


More clean engine


DIN panel via Ebay

JustJeff

iTrader: (13)

Problem with the reading and opening ceremony is fixed. It was grounding like Darkling suggested. I backed the sender/sensor off a couple of turns, smeared some RTV around it. It's reading correctly now. Goes through the opening ceremony and reads around 180 in stop-n-go traffic.

I didn't want to mess with coolant spilling out so I didn't remove the sender and calibrate it..of course didn't put any washers on. I'm keeping an eye out for leaking but I think I'll be ok on that end. I used that plumbers white tape on the threads and with the RTV around it also I'm betting that it won't leak.

I still need to work out the wiring for the lighting. It won't illuminate till I turn on the parking lights. Then it goes to amber like it's supposed to, after the illumination turns on it stays on even if I turn off the parking lights. I wired it per the instructions, leaving the wire for white illumination/day time running non-connected.