Factory Temp Gauge

[Gear_Head]

DT, For the gauges mounted on the dash, I drilled 2 small holes per mount and used SHORT sheet metal screws. If you use screws, you have to be careful not to mount the gauges too far back. There is a black box electrical assy in the middle under the dash. I saw it when I installed the Kicker DX3.5 speakers in the dash. The chrome gauge cups are easy to install if you do it sequentially from drivers side to passengers side. You will have room for the screwdriver to tighten the cup to the mount without the next gauge being in the way. I ran all of the elec & mechanical sensor and oil tube lines thru the chrome loom to keep the drilling of the dash to a minimum. That way if I decide to remove the gauges, I can fill the holes with #8 x 1/2" flat black truss head screws purchased from http://www.partsexpress.com (a bag of 100 for some rediculously low price) and it won't look really out of place.

ZZ, the closest that you will come to matching the face of the gauges is Autometer ultralite gauges. They match perfectly during the day, but with illumination at nite the cruiser gage pod blacks out and the numbers are lit. The ultralite gauges do not and do not match very well when illuminated. The Sport comp gauges (pictured in my post) do not match during the day, but IMHO are easier to read at nite and match pretty well if you use the green illumination cap (supplied with the gauges by autometer) to cover the lamp before installing the gauges. I liked the lunar gauges (green Electrolumisecent backlit) but they (and the cobalt gauges Blue Electrolumisecent backlit as well) only come in the smaller 2 1/16" diameter. That is the size for the pillar pod and you should look seriously at the lunar and the cobalt gauges at
http://www.autometer.com
[?]
Alan

[ZZCruzr]

Alan, Thanks for the gauge info. - I will check it out. Gregg

[DTs_PTGT]

ZZCruzr,

Wasn't trying to steal your thunder with my antifreeze question. It just came about as I was answering your question re: feedback on water temp. gauge.

[Sci-Fi]

quote:Originally posted by DTs_PTGT



In the meantime, can anyone tell me what type of anti-freeze to use to refill my cooling system? I know a bunch boiled off while it was overheating and I need to top it off. I know I'm supposed to use a 50-50 mixture of anti-freeze with distilled water but again I don't know what type to use.

Any help would be appreciated.

Can buy Zerox G-05, http://www.valvoline.com/pages/produ...asp?product=10 , or go to your dealer and buy a gallon. Seen G-05 at the local Pep Boys the other day.

[DTs_PTGT]

Thanks for the info, Sci-Fi.

I went to my dealer yesterday and picked up a gallon from them. Cost me a mere $16 for a gallon of antifreeze! [:0][B)]

[ZZCruzr]

DTs_PTGT - its all good. I just can't figure out why a gauge would be engineered to perform like: "when I'm in the middle, don't worry about it, when I red line - freak!". All my previous cars' temp gauges moved around (in other words, displayed the temperature). This one seems like an idiot light. When the car starts it reads totally cold, when the engine is running, regardless of actual outside temp. or stress on the motor, it reads a hair under middle. I haven't (knock on wood) seen it read anything else. That's at stop and go when it is 95 degrees out, or doing a 100 mph on the interstate when it is 90. It seems stupid to have a temp gauge that is just "window dressing"...so now I got to buy a REAL water temp gauge and plug a hole that could have been for something else, cause I can't trust this thing to tell me ANYTHING! STUPID AND DUMB!

[jramosGT]

The behavior of the GT water temp gauge is duplicated in my '93 RX-7. Unfortunately (for me and many others), the RX-7 gauge pops to the top when the engine is already overheated. This causes a failure in the water-sealing o-rings (analogous to head gasket) requiring a rebuild. Earlier (like 3 months ago), I asked the same question, that is, how accurate is the PT gauge. I was told by several that it was spot on. I doubted that, but also didn't want to have to drill to install the sending unit for the aftermarket water temp gauge. Gear Head, did you just tap into the OE temp gauge line, or did you drill?

[Gear_Head]

You don't have to drill, The metal turbo water cooling lines are connected by a hose just under the the front elbow of the air inlet pipe between the outlet of the Intercooler and the inlet on the throttlebody. That hose (3/8 ID) can be removed and be replaced by 2 hoses connected to a 1/2: brass Tee fitting. The configuration would be like this: Out of the cooler line on top into one section of thr TEE. Out from one of the other ports in the TEE to the other metal cooler line. A 1/2 in bushing (Long neck) can be used to insert the mechanical temp probe. I know this sounds complicated but it is really not. I'll get some pics tomorrow and add them to this post. The hardest part of the whole thing is routing the temp probe thru the firewall as the probe line, connection to the gauge, and connection to the temp probe are all 1 piece and cannot be disconnected. I have my gauge connected this way, as well as Flashback2. Thats where I got the connection data from. I'll post Pics Tomorrow its too Dark to take good pics now. [}]

AS PROMISED Here are the pics:







Parts needed:
Qty. 1 (1/2" Brass Tee fitting)
Qty. 2 (1/2" brass Male hose barbs for 3/8 ID Hose)
Qty. 4 (standard hose clamps for 3/8: ID Fuel line)
Qty. 1 (4 or 5 ft length of 3/8" ID Fuel line)
Qty. 1 (roll of teflon thread sealing tape)
Qty. 1 (autometer mechanical water temp gauge)
gauge comes with all the rest of parts needed
for installation.

Alan

[mhleung]

Hey DTs_PTGT,

I have almost exactly the same problem...I was in stop-and-go traffic in heavy rain. It was a 35-minute drive that rarely went above 30mph. When I arrived at the underground parking garage, I parked the car, and all of a sudden I heard a boiling sound from under the hood, and saw the temperature went straight up. The warning light and siren also came on.

What I did here was to turn the heat to maximum and the car cooled down; then I switched off the engine and called my dealer. It did not occur the next day, so I thought it must have been a fluke, but I still brought it to the dealer anyway so they could check it out.

It was left there overnight. When I picked up the car, they said that they could find nothing wrong with the car after diagnosis and test drives, and they were not able to duplicate the problem.

Friday arrived, and it was raining again. Guess what? It happened again! However, it has not occured ever since then. I did the following things since the first 2 overheats, and none of them has caused any further overheating:

1) Switched to 5W-30 Mobil1 synthetic oil at 5500km. The engine sounded much smoother now, for some reason.
2) Installed an Airaid last week...much more mid-range and top-end response now! No more hesitations!

[DTs_PTGT]

quote:Originally posted by mhleung

Hey DTs_PTGT,

I have almost exactly the same problem...I was in stop-and-go traffic in heavy rain. It was a 35-minute drive that rarely went above 30mph. When I arrived at the underground parking garage, I parked the car, and all of a sudden I heard a boiling sound from under the hood, and saw the temperature went straight up. The warning light and siren also came on.

What I did here was to turn the heat to maximum and the car cooled down; then I switched off the engine and called my dealer. It did not occur the next day, so I thought it must have been a fluke, but I still brought it to the dealer anyway so they could check it out.

It was left there overnight. When I picked up the car, they said that they could find nothing wrong with the car after diagnosis and test drives, and they were not able to duplicate the problem.

Friday arrived, and it was raining again. Guess what? It happened again! However, it has not occured ever since then. I did the following things since the first 2 overheats, and none of them has caused any further overheating:

1) I went track racing for 2 hours - cooled down by opening the hood after 10 laps or so.
2) Switched to 5W-30 Mobil1 synthetic oil at 5500km. The engine sounded much smoother now, for some reason.
3) Installed an Airaid last week...much more mid-range and top-end response now! No more hesitations!

I took mine to the dealer yesterday and as I suspected, they couldn't find anything wrong. It hasn't happened again since that one time, but I'm keeping an eye on the temp. gauge and listening for the air fan.

Funny you mention rain because it was pouring at the time it happened. I guess I'll make sure to take her out for a spin the next time it rains (should happen any minute now!).