 | Home > Maintenance & Modifications > Gauges advice - what, how, where? |
 
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| donmacn Member Since: 06 Nov 2017 Location: Nth Scotland Posts: 1852  
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Hey guys,
I'm going google-eyed searching the web for a good 'way forward' and have ended up with information overload, so hopefully I can get some good advice here as usual. The background is that in the next few months I'm likely to put a new intercooler and some sort of upgraded turbo on my 300tdi. She's an old girl, at 24 years, and 225k miles. I know the history (intimately!) for the last 17 years or so. On the basis of knowing this I'm looking to restore a bit more low-down oomph. Before I do anything I want to know where I'm starting from EGT; Boost; and Tacho. But - I don't really want a dash-top MUD pod or similar as a long-term solution. I don't even want one of the Td5/later style centre consoles - hoping to keep the 300tdi dash as uncluttered as possible. So I'm thinking I'll make up a temporary 3-gauge panel in thin plywood or alu plate with EGT/Boost/Tacho. I'll fix this to the dash-top somehow. Hoping I can power this from a 3-way power & earth combo plugged into the cigarette lighter. I'd also use this for the first few months of the new intercooler/turbo installation and set-up. Long term, I'm thinking I'd keep the EGT, maybe in place of the clock - as it seems to be the 'engine critical' piece of information. VDO gauges seem good - but about £130 for the tacho; £60 for the boost; haven't found their EGT yet (and I think I'd want a precis, digital EGT anyway). So - get to the point Donald! - any thoughts on this approach? Anyone done anything similar that's nice and neat with a 300 dash? Any recommendations for a gauge set? I've considered the likes of the Madman - once you're buying three gauges, then a multi-gauge comes closer to being financially sensible, but a) I've read that even the EMS2 is now being phased out, without a replacement being available and b) I'm not completely sure it could simultaneously measure all three readings above. As always, any advice gratefully appreciated. Ta Donald 1994 Defender 300Tdi 110 SW - owned since 2002 - 230k miles and going strong (The 'rolling restoration' or tinkering thread: http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic58538.html ) 2000 Range Rover P38 4.0L V8 in the past.. RR classic - fitted with 200Tdi 1984 RR classic - V8 with ZF auto box 1993 Discovery 300Tdi not to mention the minis and the Type 2 VW camper... |
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9th Nov 2018 6:01pm |
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| donmacn Member Since: 06 Nov 2017 Location: Nth Scotland Posts: 1852
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Thanks Conan,
That's more or less. exactly what I'm thinking of. At this stage I'm anticipating it will be temporary, but who knows. So I'm thinking of an aluminium mounting like that, stuck down wih velcro or similar. I see you've gone for the Stack guages. They seem to be good - but three of them would be a bit expensive for a 'temporary' solution. Food for thought. As a follow-up question, how do you find visibility with those gauges from the driver's seat? They're not angled towards you at all, are they? Donald 1994 Defender 300Tdi 110 SW - owned since 2002 - 230k miles and going strong (The 'rolling restoration' or tinkering thread: http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic58538.html ) 2000 Range Rover P38 4.0L V8 in the past.. RR classic - fitted with 200Tdi 1984 RR classic - V8 with ZF auto box 1993 Discovery 300Tdi not to mention the minis and the Type 2 VW camper... |
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10th Nov 2018 9:26am |
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| gilarion Member Since: 05 Dec 2013 Location: Wales Posts: 5115  
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Though this is a TD5 dash the top dash padding is the same on a 300TDi and I fitted a Bolt on Bits dash gauge where the ash tray was, The good thing about this pod sitting over the ash try hole is that all the wires are easily fed through the hole without any cutting or drilling.
The bottom pod was bought from eBay for about £4.00 though you have to drill the gauge holes.  Click image to enlarge For those who like Welsh Mountains and narrow boats have a look at my videos and photos at.. http://www.youtube.com/user/conwy1 |
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10th Nov 2018 12:13pm |
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| Conan Member Since: 05 Sep 2016 Location: the danger zone Posts: 53  
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Yes i went for Stack gauges cause it's not tzmporary and i can't afford cheap stuff 😉 Visibility looks alright but I can't really tell because they are not wired up yet. As for the mount, it's rather heavy. Not sure it'll hold up with velcro only... |
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10th Nov 2018 1:26pm |
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| Conan Member Since: 05 Sep 2016 Location: the danger zone Posts: 53
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Where did yiu feed your wires through the bulkhead? I was thinking where the main wiring loom goes. There seems to be three predrilled holes and one of them is not being used.. not sure i can feed wires for foyr gauges though... |
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10th Nov 2018 1:29pm |
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