Writeup: JamesSpec Gauge Cluster

[Sharingan 19]

So I've gotten a lot of questions recently on how I made my gauge cluster, I said I would do a writeup so here it is.

I wanted to add some aftermarket gauges to my interior to replace the always broken oil pressure gauge, and the useless boost gauge in the stock cluster. I also wanted to upgrade the temp gauge since I planned on raising boost as well. Since I was replacing the other 3 might as well do the fuel level gauge as well right?......not so much.

I mounted the boost gauge on the column cover but what about the other 3...?


for a split second I considered a triple A-pillar pod but that was too rice. Then I considered a DIN panel, but the radio area is too much of an inconvenience to look down there for important gauges like temp and oil psi. Idiot light area seemed like a good idea, but what about when I want to add WB, egt, or fuel pressure gauges? Plus I never liked how the space where the now useless stock gauges just goes to waste.

The original plan was to replace the temp and oil pressure gauges w/ 52mm Prosport units (now for sale - brand new) in the original location and get an aftermarket fuel level gauge. Anyone who has searched can tell you that's easier said than done. I soon realized that was not a viable option.

Then Prosport came out with their line of 45mm Amber Series gauges....BINGO. Now I had the space (theoretically) to fit two gauges in the stock cluster while retaining the stock fuel level gauge!

First you have to take the front (black part) off the stock cluster and trim out the center section EXCEPT FOR THE bezel around the stock fuel level gauge. Bear in mind that the clear plastic does not come off (easily or without trying to break) so you will be trimming it backwards. Tie a string on the parts you don't want to cut, sounds silly but it may save you having to buy new cluster cover. When you first trim the bezel the line will look jagged, I very carefully trimmed the bezel down using a dremmel wood/plastic trimming tool, until i got it looking pretty nice. The silver disks are 48mm (estimated gauge face size before I got the actual gauges) mounted to a rough cardboard template affixed using holes for the plastic mounting posts. As you can see the initial cut of the cluster was not sufficient so I had to make another pass (silver pencil line).


Once that is done, you need to make room on the backside of the cluster (white part). Remove the gauges which are held on by phillips head screws. Then clear out anything that looks to obstruct your gauges; I measured the depth of the gauges, and cut anything that might have touched the gauges in their mounted position. Conveniently, the only thing you need to do for pass-throughs for the gauge wiring is remove the stock light bulb socket


After you are comfortable with your template transfer it to your material of choice...I chose 28 gauge aluminum due to its availability (home depot) cost, rust aversion, ease of cutting (Cutco super shears ftw!) and thickness.


Cut out the gauge mounting holes in the template...


A look at the mounting on the back side....


You will need to "detach" the stock fuel level gauge from the its twin, the temp gauge. It's pretty easy, just be careful and take your time. There is a steel spine behind the plastic, be aware of this and make sure the gauge is held securely when you cut it. When its time to install, you can re-use the stock mounting locations to keep the half-gauge in place.


Time to fit the gauges. First tried using the included mounting brackets but it was too long and made contact with the white part of the cluster...


"Take a little off the top"....


Much better...


Now for the test fit....


Now its coming together...


Graphite bezels look cool and all but not really what I was going for, some satin black Color Coat from SEM will help reduce glare and match the rest of the interior a lot better.



Now time for assembly....


There was one minor clearance issue, which was easily resolved by drilling an additional hole in the mounting plate...


Putting it in the car... I combined the power, ground, and illumination wires respectively so there are only 3 wires to worry about. I will probably go back and use and actual connector for a "quick disconnect" feature.


[IMG]http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/hs034.snc6
/166494_676632920491_45000098_34990397_4048285_n.jp g[/IMG]

Finally.....

[RETed]

What does this have anything to do with "Jspec"?


-Ted

[Sharingan 19]

Originally Posted by RETed

What does this have anything to do with "Jspec"?


-Ted

I knew there was something missing from the eveil forum... these comments ^^^ lol
My name is James - It was built to my specifications...

J - Spec.

[RETed]

Originally Posted by Sharingan 19

I knew there was something missing from the eveil forum... these comments ^^^ lol
My name is James - It was built to my specifications...

J - Spec.

Sounds reasonable...

I've edited the thread title to reflect the more accurate description.
Most people would associate "Jspec" with "Japan spec" - i.e. JDM or Japan Domestic Market, implying the unit or product was made for Japan-only consumption.

We don't want people to get confused, right?


-Ted

[Max777]

This is probably one of the better write ups on here, thank you for your contribution.

PS: Rename the title to say "45mm gauge mod for OEM cluster"

[Mazdabater]

Looks neat

[lh6601]

I like

[My5ABaby]

Pretty nice. Do you have any daytime pics of the finished product?

[Pete_89T2]

Very nice job, would like to see daytime pictures as well. This would probably work even better on an S5 cluster, since the S5 already has circular gauge cut outs vs. the 1/4 circle style used in the S4s, so there won't be any shape mismatchs between the stock fuel gauge and the oil/temp/boost gauges.

Not to nit pick, but the illumination brightness levels between the stock & Prosport gauges is different. Might just be an artifact of how it's all wired and where your dimmer settings were at you took the picture - maybe the stock gauges were on minimum brightness, and the Prosports were at full illumination? Can the Prosports be wired in such a way that you can use the stock dimmer to adjust brightness along with the stock gauges?

[Sharingan 19]

Originally Posted by Pete_89T2

Very nice job, would like to see daytime pictures as well. This would probably work even better on an S5 cluster, since the S5 already has circular gauge cut outs vs. the 1/4 circle style used in the S4s, so there won't be any shape mismatchs between the stock fuel gauge and the oil/temp/boost gauges.

I don't know if I agree. For one S5 clusters are pink...good luck matching that to anything lol.
Also, although the gauges are round, they are still too small to accomodate a useful size gauge, so you would have to end up doing the same thing I did. The only thing that might work, are those little cheap sunpro/auto-gauge/ gas station triple gauge pods, those things look like they might be 30mm

Not to nit pick, but the illumination brightness levels between the stock & Prosport gauges is different. Might just be an artifact of how it's all wired and where your dimmer settings were at you took the picture - maybe the stock gauges were on minimum brightness, and the Prosports were at full illumination? Can the Prosports be wired in such a way that you can use the stock dimmer to adjust brightness along with the stock gauges?

Actually, the difference isn't as significant as that pic suggests, the cell phone camera does a poor job of picking up light differences...at least w/o messing w/ iso and other settings; and this isn't hondatech, lol.

Yes I have. I actually ran some led replacement bulbs (single led - cool blue) for a while before I did this mod. The single led bulbs aren't brighter than stock incandescent and the cool blue made the stock gauges look more yellow than orange. I have the 4-led bulbs in the turn signals and the are plenty bright so perhaps using those in the "warm" (incandescent replica) or amber color would look good.

These leds have a built in circuit so they can be dimmed by the stock switch (just like the gauges, also led lit). However the dimming is non-linear so they don't dim@ the same rate as the incandescents. Perhaps a full led cluster would be more uniform in appearance, but I just keep it on the one of the top 3 brightness settings and it looks great.

[Sharingan 19]

Hard to eliminate ALL the glare considering its 1 in the afternoon, but you get the idea...

[JerryLH3]

Pretty nice.

On my old N/A, I did a single DIN gauge cluster with water temp, oil pressure and oil temp. I've often considered making a complete replacement gauge pod because of some of the inherent faultiness of the stock gauges. I constantly mull it over, but probably will not do it on my current TII.

[Sharingan 19]

Of course not, confusion bad. Clarity good.

[tweiss3]

Do you happen to remember the size of the stock oil pressure gauge hole?

[Rotary#10]

Nice and clean !