Gauge replacement

[JENSHAMMER@HOTMAIL.COM]

Ok, I am tired of my gauges giving up and going out. I am going to install Nordskog digital gauges to match the rest of the interiors digital red "motif". Have any of you done this type of install? I need information on which sending units must be replaced (coolant temp, voltmeter, gas level, oil pressure, and I would like to install the tranny temp on my 200-4r to replace clock). I would like to replace all the sending units, just for good measure, but the budget is tight and I need a new hood. Thanks in advance
Jens

 

[WayneLBurnham]

I love mine....but, then again, I'm a gauge NERD!

(God I hate Earthlink....20 mins writing a reply and it goes offline to save bandwidth...when it's so slow I can't even d/l movies....which of course lost all my pending post except the title! I need to get a new cheapy ISP like Netscape and fire them TODAY! I won't even mention the "spam only" email service...)

ANYHOW....

I have not only the red Nordskog main and auxillary panel, but during my monster dash/HV (not "AC" yet! )/radio upgrade that took it down for almost 3 months..second longest down time for an improvement yet...I also made an auxillary dash top gauge panel out of fiberglass (padded and covered like the dash) that holds another eight digital gauges. (Some are Nordskog also, but the vacuum/boost, fuel pressure and A/F meters are cyberdyne and ultralights.)

These things are GREAT! They are perfectly visible in all lights (the other colors aren't, sadly) and, despite what some bastards at work like to ridicule as the "Kitt the Junker Car" look, they are maybe the single most gratifying aesthetic aspect of the whole project so far.

I have had an intermittent problem with the high beam indicator and the headlight door opener thingy has never worked right, but neither fault is due to the gauges but the switches or wiring.

By the way the installation of the Nordskog panel is anything but "drop in." Not only is there extensive wiring, which I have always actually enjoyed because I'm just not 'right', but you actually have to take a dremel to the main circuit boards like they are a cheap rifle in the hands of a kitchen table "gunsmith". The gauge holder bodies in the car are usually broken somewhat, so your epoxy skills are quickly improved as well. Putting the gauges in and out without breaking up the newly repaired ones is not light weight stuff either.

I love the appearance of mine enough I will alter other vehicles to have digitals now.

If I wasn't so dim I'd take a pic and post it - although power's off until the engine goes in, but again, I'm not sharp enough to do that.

I recommend it, but be careful - it's pricey and very involved and takes a surprising amount of time to do it. You'll want to replace all that ancient wiring and vacuum tubage and fix the disconnected and leaky heating vents while you're down there. It is a big undertaking.

BTW, I welded in a fitting on my new Moroso 7 qt pan for the oil temp sensor and just replaced the diffy drain plug for that temp sensor, but my tranny guy talked me out of doing something similar to the generally thin tranny pan and instead drilled and tapped a hole in the main valve body case on the T400 for less chance of leakage.

 

[WayneLBurnham]

Oh..senders....forgot...

You use your original fuel level sender, you can use your original oil pressure and water temp sender - but they include some of theirs I believe, but they are only about $20 anyhow (compared to the $450+ kit.) Your electrical measurement becomes voltage and just requires a "purish" live 12V connection. The oil temp you have to add, but the sender is again, only $15-20. On mine the tranny temp in the panel did replace the clock (I think...) I haven't drivne the poor thing since July when I finally blew up the last motor...hopefully I'll be able to claim otherwise in a week!

Now the speedo sender is electrical. Perhaps your tranny already uses one, mine didn't and it had to be changed.

This really isn't a low buck upgrade, to be honest.

It is REALLY worth it though. You also will need a lot of extras like a bunch of multicolored wire, a raft load of connectors (I use the exquisite but priciest posilock types and gold plated for any spade or ring type.) I used I believe 15 tubes of two part epoxy for the whole project - probably 5 alone on the dash pods. BTW, EVERY type of epoxy I used worked great - that stuff has REALLY improved.

I also replaced all the vacuum tubing with garish obnoxious ricer styled red silicone stuff from HoseTechniques (do NOT use that soft crap from Autozone for vacuum!) and that was pricey too. (It also comes in Boring Black!) (I'm happy to note I FINALLY replaced the last of the car's enormous amount of vacuum hose with that or aluminum tubing when I installed the SSBC vacuum pump in the nose cone - that is a mess in the headlight pod area! Now I should never have to replace that hose again. (The silicone effectively never ages or degrades.)

 

[JENSHAMMER@HOTMAIL.COM]

cars and spaceships

Thanks for the very detailed and informative reply, thankfully I've recieved that every time I've posted a problem on this forum. I wish I could say the same for rel life mechanics. Hope you dont mind, but I'll probably pepper you with questions til we're both blue in the face since you've already done this. What all is connected to vacum lines behind the dash? I am not replacing the headlight mess, and I am keeping the speedo and tach mechanical gauges with red lights added behind them. So call it...

Water temp, replaced straight over, use the same sender.
oil pressure, replaced straight over, same sender.

gas gauge, same sender? I hope so, as this would seem tough to change.

My tranny temp (not installed) is a mechanical face, running off a 3 wire setup, one ignition then ground and posi I believe plug in the sender built into the tranny. I suppose I should email the company (bowtie overdrives) to see if the 200-r4 temp sensor works on a nordskog digital face.

No oil temp gauge, not yet. Not until I have 2 other gauges I need to add, though I admit it is quite important.

Where did you buy your kit? I havent seen a kit, I was going to buy them individually for 60-85 bucks apeice, no senders included that I know of.

I am doing my best to eliminate all the vacum controlled item in my car, the headlight actuators went out, the brake booster started leaking... I really like electrically conrolled things! My door poppers are installed and work great, I will shave the handles once I am ready to re-paint. Also, does anyone have a loose price estimate on getting a ear diff rebuild and gear ratio change? I cant call any shops, my phone was run over... long story. Thanks everyone!

Jens

 

[curtis]

I put in Nordskog. fuel level, oil pressure, water temp, voltage, air/fuel meter.

used all Nordskog senders except fuel level which is still original sender. A couple notes, the fuel shows as a remaining percentage in the tank. Mine runs out at 25%. Also if the voltage going to the fuel guage is over 13.5 volts the guages overheats or something and turnsitself on and off several times a minute. If run the car with park lights on, this problem disappears. Do not hook up the dimmer power wire for the air/fuel guage. Because I run park lights all the time, that guage is a little too dim for daylight. Using a Bosch heated type O2 sensor in the right side header collector. I think they look pretty good. Had to grind off part of the backside of the cluster panel so the guages would sit in there better. Took me about 10 hours to put it all in and wired up. Around $600 expenses.