HOW TO: Install Boost Gauge into Drivers Vent

[ThreeEdgedSword]

I was wondering, in a couple of the pics you've got in instrument cluster / cluster hood partially released - is it held in with screws or just more tension clips?

I'm going to be installing a Defi Red Racer Gauge and I'm going to try wiring the illumination in reverse of what Defi calls for (Bright LEDs for daytime, regular for nighttime) and see how that looks.

 

[GhostMercury]

Anyone know how to do this just clamping wires with t clamps? walmart didnt have "add a fuses" and I want to install this thing tonight

 

[GhostMercury]

shouldn't the ilumination wire be separate on a separate fuse so that it get dimmer at night time?

 

[Aaron@JSC]

I was wondering, in a couple of the pics you've got in instrument cluster / cluster hood partially released - is it held in with screws or just more tension clips?

I'm going to be installing a Defi Red Racer Gauge and I'm going to try wiring the illumination in reverse of what Defi calls for (Bright LEDs for daytime, regular for nighttime) and see how that looks.

I am not sure which pic or cluster you are referring to-- give me some more details and I would be happy to help.

Anyone know how to do this just clamping wires with t clamps? walmart didnt have "add a fuses" and I want to install this thing tonight

You can use T-taps but make sure you get high quality ones. If they dont make a good connection you will be ripping it apart to reinstall them. There is always old-school soldering too.

shouldn't the ilumination wire be separate on a separate fuse so that it get dimmer at night time?

I put the illumination on the switched wire because I wanted the gauge to light up all the time. On the BF series the gauge face is tinted and if it isn't on all the time you can't read it. I am pretty sure you would want the racer gauge on all the time too.

 

[ThreeEdgedSword]

I am not sure which pic or cluster you are referring to-- give me some more details and I would be happy to help.

The photos on the second page, where he's showing the glove box/driver's kick panels pulled. Some of them look like the instrument cluster or the cluster shroud is partially removed. I'm wondering because that's where I'm looking at getting power for the headlight on/off signal.

As for the brightness, I'm going to wire it up at work and see what the different brightnesses look like - maybe I'll need a gauge visor. We'll see.

Update: Tested it - with the white wire (illumination) disconnected from B+, the gauge lighting is bright (looks pretty close to factory cluster lighting), with B+ applied to the white wire, the gauge lighting is low (pretty close to how the gauge lights look w/ headlights on). I'll have to install it to see if it's sufficiently bright to not require a visor or not, however.

Also, as far as hose clamps for the sensor, the local industrial hardware place had some 3/8" spring style hose clamps that should work great. Constant tension and a little closer to factory-look install.

 

[Aaron@JSC]

The photos on the second page, where he's showing the glove box/driver's kick panels pulled. Some of them look like the instrument cluster or the cluster shroud is partially removed. I'm wondering because that's where I'm looking at getting power for the headlight on/off signal.

I am still a little fuzzy on where he is talking about, but the drivers lower dash removes with one screw (behind the hood pop) and the rest are tension clips. The glove box comes out by removing the long piece of trim the goes around the radio display and then exposes 3 screws to the gove box. then there the rest is tension clips and it just pops right out. To get to the headlight switch you would have to take off the steering column cover which is removed with one or two screws from below.

 

[ThreeEdgedSword]

I am still a little fuzzy on where he is talking about, but the drivers lower dash removes with one screw (behind the hood pop) and the rest are tension clips. The glove box comes out by removing the long piece of trim the goes around the radio display and then exposes 3 screws to the gove box. then there the rest is tension clips and it just pops right out. To get to the headlight switch you would have to take off the steering column cover which is removed with one or two screws from below.

The part above the steering column, with all the factory gauges in it?

That's what I'm trying to figure out how to remove - I'm thinking I'll wire the gauge to that dummy light for "headlights on" for the headlights on/off signal.

 

[GhostMercury]

I put the illumination on the switched wire because I wanted the gauge to light up all the time. On the BF series the gauge face is tinted and if it isn't on all the time you can't read it. I am pretty sure you would want the racer gauge on all the time too.

yea but does your gauge get dimmer at night time? I think that ilumination wire just lets it know to get dimmer at night.

 

[PCspeed3]

Does anybody have a DIY on installing the Ventpod with a 52mm Defi Racer? The Racer gauge does not require the control unit in the golve compartment does it? thanks

 

[zoomjriverszoom]

This may be an obvious answer question but I am having difficulty locating the correct vaccum line to cut...more than likely because I am a n00b at engine work and can't locate the BPV. Would appreciate some info and possibly some pics to help find it, 08 speed3 if that makes a difference. Thanks!

 

[zoomjriverszoom]

Please disregard last post, I figured it out...n00b FTW!

 

[Aaron@JSC]

yea but does your gauge get dimmer at night time? I think that ilumination wire just lets it know to get dimmer at night.

no, but the BF series you can manually adjust the dim, I just keep it at a level that is easily seen all the time.

I had a co-worker that suggested I install it this way, so I did. It might work the other way too.

on a traditional gauge, it doesn't have any or it has very little light in the 'day' when the headlights are off, and then when the headlights go on, it lights up. However the BF gauge is tinted when its off, so if there is no light you can't see it at all. Thats why I set it up to be on all the time.

 

[Ferdball]

Sorry to wake up an old thread, but this is the best gauge install thread on all 3 forums.

6. Under your drivers side dashboard, follow the trunk release cable and locate the point at which it passes though the firewall. There will be a rubber grommet around the cable. Pull the rubber grommet out of hole and feed a wire hanger or wire snake through the hole in the firewall. It will come out inside the engine bay near the drivers strut tower.

I think its actually best if you sliced a hole in the grommet for the wire. Having the wire going through the hole outside the grommet might lead to the wire stripping to be scraped off by the firewall.

14. Removing the inner vent was even harder. With the lower dash removed, you can access the inner vent cup on each side. I used a very large flathead screwdriver to push the tabs in that release the cup from the opening. Pictured below is the underside of the cup (marked with white writing) that you want out. This is not the best pic and I know it doesn't show you much. The tabs your need to put pressure on will be obvious when you get to this point.

All you need to do is rotate the inner cup 10 degrees counter clockwise. It will slide out easily.

15. I worked the outer vent cup on each side with a screwdriver until I was able to pop it out of the vent opening. This was the hardest part of the whole install process, because it took a LOT of pressure to pop it out, to the point where it felt like you were breaking it. Just go slow and be careful. Once you get the two vents out, the opening will look like this:

Rotate, pull.

Overall, this was a good How-To. Thanks!

 

[evilmonkey]

Old thread..new member sorry...correct me if I'm wrong but,shouldn't the BOOST gauge show BOOST? All I see is vacuum. I installed my gauge to the pressure hose in the back of the engine (closest to the firewall) near the EGR. No vacuum, just boost. Isn't there a vacuum tube that shows both? Is it possible to "T" them both together to show both vacuum and boost? Or will that cause problems with the BOV opening properly? I'm new to turbo cars but I'm no stranger to muscle cars, my last mustang i built was a 347 stroker motor with a vortech supercharger (11-20 psi) good for low 11's in the quarter mile. thanks in advance...hope someone reads this lol

 

[Ferdball]

Old thread..new member sorry...correct me if I'm wrong but,shouldn't the BOOST gauge show BOOST? All I see is vacuum. I installed my gauge to the pressure hose in the back of the engine (closest to the firewall) near the EGR. No vacuum, just boost. Isn't there a vacuum tube that shows both? Is it possible to "T" them both together to show both vacuum and boost? Or will that cause problems with the BOV opening properly? I'm new to turbo cars but I'm no stranger to muscle cars, my last mustang i built was a 347 stroker motor with a vortech supercharger (11-20 psi) good for low 11's in the quarter mile. thanks in advance...hope someone reads this lol

Check the first post. On the first picture, it shows the correct hose to tap. Its the one between the manifold and the BPV, not the one near the firewall.

 

[evilmonkey]

yeah thats just vacuum it doesnt show boost, the one near the firewall shows actual boost

 

[evilmonkey]

anyone acknowledging the fact that this set up only shows vacuum and not boost?

 

[Indeskize]

anyone acknowledging the fact that this set up only shows vacuum and not boost?

i used the line right off the BPV and i have both boost and vacume

 

[evilmonkey]

No, you guys are right. i just didn't see boost in the video.Didn't realize boost wouldn't show unless under a load.thanks for being cool and not flaming this nubb lol

 

[AutoEuphoria]

Thank you for the write-up. It helped me greatly installing my boost gauge!