Indiglo Install?

[smithers_0990]

I should be getting my gauges today and wanted to know if they will turn on and off with the lights (like they do stock). If not does anyone know what wire and what harness it is that controls that? If not I will just spend a bunch of time looking for it.

Also how do I get the stock gauges off? I know about all the screws, (I have taken the entire thing apart before) Do I have to cut the gauges? I really dont want to cut either set of gauges to get them to fit on.

Thanks

 

[Jeph]

Where did you order them from?

 

[smithers_0990]

http://www.mazdamp3.com/vbb225/showthread.php?s=&threadid=22353&highlight=indiglo

www.procarparts.com

Anyone with an answer to my questions?

 

[Jeph]

Hehe, thats my thread...

Well i ordered mine annd installed them last week.
You can't get the old gauges off without cutting them off, and it'd be a pain in the ass anyways. You can't get them on without cutting the faces either.
What i did was i made slits towards wher ethe screws are, and kept making the slit longer until i could slide it over the needle. It looks pretty clean because the screw covers it up.
The gas and temp gauge is nearly impossible to get on. I broke my temp gauge, and reattached it to just read running temp.
I slit it enough to get it on, but it slipped going over the temp needle, and it fell off. WHen a needle breaks, it doesn't snap in half or something, it just comes out of the housing, and it can't be put back in.
My advice for the fuel/temp gauge is to slit it in a clean line fron one hole to the other, and point the needles straight up, then you can slide the gauge face on in one continuous motion. I should've done this, but thought i could do it the other way.
Don't worry about cutting into the indiglo, it still lights up just fine.

 

[Jeph]

Oh yeah, heres how i wired mine. There is a black and green wire in the far right harness, thats the power one you'll want to tap into. It turns on and off when you turn your lights on and off.
You should get some huge ass metal plate thingy with the dial and a switch mounted to it. You can take the dial and switch out and mount them without the stupid plate. I cut the wires, and ran them into my ashtray, and then re-attached the wires to the switch, i believe the dial was just long enough to reach the ashtray, and it works out perfect because 1. i don't smoke, 2. its a cleaner looking install, and 3. i don't have to mount that huge plate thing.

 

[smithers_0990]

Ok thanks

Im gonna take a very long time to put the gauges in. I just found out that they dont come untill Wednesday so I have some time to think about the install.

One more thing... Do the gauges constantly change color or do they stay the same untill you physically turn the color knob?

Later

 

[Jeph]

No problem, be very very very careful with the fuel/temp needles. i figure i can get a new temp gauge when i get my turbo anyways. Not one in the dash. And thats probably the best one to break if you do break one though.

 

[Jeph]

The knob controls brightness, while the switch controls color, they can be green or blue. I personally think its really cool when they are dimmed really low blue, and then you get the regular one turned up high, so the needles are bright, and there is a blue/red hue from the cluster.

 

[smithers_0990]

Sweet

Im pumped

Cant wait

Did you install your alarm yourself or did an installer do it for you?

Thanks for the help.

 

[Jeph]

I started to do it myself, but there were so many miscellanious parts that i didn't have, and weren't in the alarm box. I'm pretty good when it comes to wiring stuff. But this was a little much even for me. And i didn't know how to program the remote, so i had it professionally done. I had a hookup though. It was hella cheap.
Those alarms are marked up like 200%

 

[smithers_0990]

What kind of stuff have you hooked up B4 the alarm as far as car stuff. Im thinking of fetting an alarm but I dont trust any of the shops around here to do it correctly. I too am pretty good at wiring stuff up. I have done countless CD Players, speakers, and subwoofers and a few DVD systems. I also have a friend who knows quite a bit as well. He would know how to program a remote for me. After a few other mods I think that I will try the alarm install.

Believe me I know that they really mark up the cost of alarms. I use to work at Best Buy. My friend got an $800 alarm for about $200. Its just insane.

Later

 

[Jeph]

I've done tons of audio installs, neons, my friends keyless entry. Mostly audio stuff though.

 

[Jeph]

Yeah, I got mine from a friend at best buy, along with all my car audio stuff, we must have spent like 3 grand there before his discount. The price of alarms is ridiculous.

 

[Jeph]

Heres a pic of my gauges at dusk

 

[smithers_0990]

Looks good. Can't even see the cut marks. It dosen't even look like you broke a needle either.

I will do an extensive picture taking procedure tommorow as far as what to cut and where to cut.

later

 

[Jeph]

If i took a closer up pic you could see the cut marks a little, but only if you are actually looking for them. Are these the same ones you're getting or did you get the other ones?

 

[Volley2six]

I got those. They came yesterday. I took my whole cluster apart and then WIMPED out because I was so afraid of breaking a needle. I called three different places today to see if they install them and none of them could. I don't know what to do.

I guess I'll be doing them myself. Smithers, if you do it before me you HAVE to do an extensive picture filled explanation.

Zooooom, can you explain your suggestion for the fuel/temp install? U think I should cut a clean slit from one hole to the other?

Help Help Help Thanks Thanks Thanks

 

[Jeph]

there are 2 holes where the needles should "fit through" right? well if you can cut a very clean cut between the two, then it will make life soooo much easier
Here is a dumb photoshop of what i think you should do
The black line is where the cut should go.
If you do that, you can point both needles up, CAREFULLY, and slide the gauge on fairly easily.
DO THIS AT YOUR OWN RISK. I don't want anyone getting mad at me because i told them to do this, but they still broke a needle.

 

[smithers_0990]

I got these... http://www.procarparts.com/store/displaydetails.cfm?pid=MAZ-PGE-9801-SLGW-XXXX-SVGX

The thing is... I dont want to cut the wiring on the back of the gauges. I think that would be bad.

Do I hook up the fuse to the green/black wire?

Thanks

 

[Jeph]

you don't need to hook up a fuse to the green wire. It will be fused through the fuse box since you are using a stock wire.

I didnt notice any wires on the back of mine, maybe i was wrong. You can cut through the indiglo material without any problems, but you're right, i probably wouldn't want to cut into any wires