Fitting gauges in the Centre Console

[Ibysmalls]

Hi all,

I love having gauges on the car just to give me indications of health of the engine. They also look nice. So i ordered Oil pressure, oil Temp and Vacuum gauges. 52mm.

After trying to decide where I wanted them I thought if replacing the clock / LCD display area with 3 gauges. A very tight fit and involved using he tools:

Junior Hack saw
Junior hack saw blade
Stanley knife
Cutters
Tape
Hot glue gun
Cable crimpers

Ring type crimp (for earth)
Wire connector crimp (to connect to ign +)

I followed a tutorial on Youtube in how to remove the dash on the clio and started to take the clock out of its casing:

Gauges to fit in:

Starting to remove some of the plastics to create space:

More filing and cutting:

Test fit the gauges and adjustments:

Power:

Start cutting the bottom bit for the clock surround:

Also added a bit of black duct tape just at the front of the gauges to hide away the silver.

There is a very convenient earth bolt behind the clocks so I crimped the neg to that. And the positives went to the Yellow wire on the Plug for the old clocks which I cut. Yellow is Ignition live.

Im really happy with it so far. I brought the vacuum cable through the grommet on the passenger side behind the ecu and put a T-piece in where the vacuum pipe goes on the front of the Inlet manifold.

I need to drain the oil and insert the sandwich plate in for the oil temp and pressure.


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[dann2707]

Great stuff @Ibysmalls

What sandwich plate did you get, and sender unit?

 

[Ibysmalls]

The sandwich plate was from eBay :

The senders for the oil pressure and oil temperature came with the gauges which were also a eBay jobby.

Im really happy with the result on this mod.

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[Ibysmalls]

My next move is going to be a custom rev lighting that will go around the current clock surrounds. I need to buy a rev gauge that has lights inside is for each rev segment and extend them lights to the dash.

Should look really cool.


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[t90_lle]

What brand gauges have you used? I been thinking about getting a 2 pod A pillar for oil temp an boost pressure, were they hard to wire in?

 

[Ibysmalls]

The gauges are not branded. Some Chinese ones that work really well.

Wiring was easy, but routing the signal wires for the presure and temp sensors to the sandwich plate was a slight mission.

Had to unclip the steering fluid and washer bottle for better access to the grommet, and after creating some space in the grommet behind the ecu wiring / top of footwell I was able to pull the wires through.

Well worth it, you can really start to know your cars behaviour and give the oil chance to either warm up before you go for a blast or let it cool down before you turn it off.

Pillar pods - you'll have to find a different source of ign live power and earth.


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[t90_lle]

Cheers, I been looking for the pods that mount above the clock in the recessed area... I've seen pictures but can't find one for sale anywhere

 

[Ibysmalls]

You can get universal pods ones on ebay that are like the subaru type ones but ive not actually seen ones moulded for a clio yet.


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[t90_lle]

See pics attached bud

 

[Ibysmalls]

That fits nice. But personally for me theyll be too high and maybe obstruct some view of the road.

Other thing a person can do is get a plate that has 3 guage cut outs that go where the Cd player is.


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[eon172]

I'm going to fit mine like this me thinks...


https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=i&r...59csBcby_nhWuB0qTXK-T9Eg&ust=1499367884594169

(Thank god for Google image caching, no thanks to photobucket's recent changes [emoji35] )

 

[Ibysmalls]

That looks quite good imo


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[eon172]

As I'm only putting one gauge in, I don't think it's worth going your route, otherwise I would have.

 

[Ibysmalls]

I have 4 of the single 52mm holders at home just lying there.


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[Ibysmalls]

Theyre cheap on ebay


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[eon172]

I'm going to use a spa gauge with external alarms

 

[t90_lle]

I've managed to get hold of the guy who made the fitted upper and lower gauge pods and am in talks with getting a couple shipped to the U.K. :up:

 

[Ibysmalls]

Ooo. Nice stuff !


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[Djw John]

I'm planning on fitting a joint oil temp and pressure gauge and a water temp one too.

Or possibly a scangaugen instead, easier, shows more, looks neater etc etc.

 

[eon172]

An alternative I was/might still look at (if my spa pressure sensor is knackered)...


http://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/322217535576?_mwBanner=1

Proving difficult to source a UK located one though.

 

[Archtects]

The sandwich plate was from eBay :

The senders for the oil pressure and oil temperature came with the gauges which were also a eBay jobby.

Im really happy with the result on this mod.

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This looks awesome. I'd like to do something similar but I'm not to sure how I'd go about it. I've got some time coming up soon where I might be able to do it. How much did the gauges cost?

Its This or see if I can change it to a led gear changeight. Clock doesn't work lol. Irritating

 

[Ibysmalls]

The gauges were about £12/13 each on eBay

Im really happy with it as well, plus it scares the people directly behind me as they can see gauges through the rear window haha.

Regarding the shift light, i wanted to also extend the shift light in the clocks to something more in my face as I can rarely see it when it comes on.


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[t90_lle]

Been doing some more research it's says online the cables are 520mm I assume you extended them to reach the oil sandwich plate? Any pics of how you routes them??

 

[M.C..]

I'm going to fit mine like this me thinks...


https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&ved=0ahUKEwibl4Pl6vLUAhUPblAKHdxtC6EQjRwIBw&url=https://www.renaultsportclub.co.uk/forum/track-focused/track-cars/4246-clio-182-track-car-build&psig=AFQjCNHUVq59csBcby_nhWuB0qTXK-T9Eg&ust=1499367884594169

(Thank god for Google image caching, no thanks to photobucket's recent changes [emoji35] )

View attachment 1326038

That is my car if you want anymore photos let me know :smile:

 

[eon172]

That is my car if you want anymore photos let me know [emoji2]

Very nice [emoji6]

Now you mention it, what does the cable entry look like from the back of the dial, did you hide it somehow? where did you take your cable through the dash top?

I've been wondering which way to run the cable to the front of the engine too, could you suggest a good route?

Cheers!

 

[M.C..]

I will get you some photos on Sunday as I am out tomorrow

 

[Ibysmalls]

Once dash is off fully, everything is soo much easier to route. The cable for the sensors went through a grommet under the scuttle panel under the bonnet. I googled a few pictures and talks on it as people use the same grommet to push AMP power cable through to battery.

Ill try making a quick video for you tomorrow.


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[Ibysmalls]

Ive made a quick video. How do I upload a video on tapatalk from my phone?


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[eon172]

When you press reply do you not get this option....?

 

[M.C..]

@eon172
I drilled a new hole in the bulkhead and fed the cable through and fitted a grommet, once the cable was through it was routed in some cable trunking to the right of the engine (as you are in front of the car) around and down to the sandwich plate.
You can see it in the photos and it follows the same route as cables that are already there.

 

[eon172]

@eon172
I drilled a new hole in the bulkhead and fed the cable through and fitted a grommet, once the cable was through it was routed in some cable trunking to the right of the engine (as you are in front of the car) around and down to the sandwich plate.
You can see it in the photos and it follows the same route as cables that are already there.
View attachment 1336657
View attachment 1336658
View attachment 1336655
View attachment 1336654
View attachment 1336656

Nice and neat, that's helpful thanks, I can clearly see the route give taken.

For your gauge mounting bracket, is that custom or off of the shelf item, I can't quite make it out?

Cheers.

 

[M.C..]

It is just something I made as I could not find anything suitable.
Just a piece of bent steel for the mount to the dash and a piece of bent aluminium for the gauge.
This is the best photo I have ATM I will try and get a better one tomorrow.

 

[M.C..]

@eon172
Hope these are ok

 

[eon172]

That's great, I can see what you've done and rather straight forward too, thanks allot for sharing.