Wiring up shift light to LEDs

[mattjk]

Had this idea the other day as my mate was given a C4 for a courtesy car and his dash lights up red when the car is about to hit the limiter, anyone thought of maybe wiring up some high intensity red leds to the shift light? then place them somewhere noticeable behind the dash. Thought id be quite a cool and cheap mod if it would work? Anyone thought/done this before? Wouldnt have thought it be a to difficult mod the worst would be taking the dash apart.

 

[McBunny]

why would you want to know that you should have changed up ages ago ?

 

[daveymacivor]

I concur.

 

[mattjk]

I didnt ask for advice on shifting, just wheather it could be done in your eyes? Because lets face it that little led in the corner it pointless it doesnt catch your eyes at all where as if there was. And if your saying you should have shifted up before it comes on then why do people bother remapping and upping the limit??

Matt

 

[N!CK R]

i reckon it could quite easily be done.
you could just tap into the shift light wire and add on some more LED's.

Could look quite good if done properly.

 

[Monkey_beast_182]

The Clio maxes in torque and Bhp well before the red line, so you should be changing well before hitting it. Also, strictly speaking it's not a "shift" light, more an "over-rev" light - keep bouncing it off the limiter and you'll soon have oil pouring out your exhaust!

MB_182

I didnt ask for advice on shifting, just wheather it could be done in your eyes? Because lets face it that little led in the corner it pointless it doesnt catch your eyes at all where as if there was. And if your saying you should have shifted up before it comes on then why do people bother remapping and upping the limit??

Matt

 

[McBunny]

I didnt ask for advice on shifting, just wheather it could be done in your eyes? Because lets face it that little led in the corner it pointless it doesnt catch your eyes at all where as if there was. And if your saying you should have shifted up before it comes on then why do people bother remapping and upping the limit??

Matt

because the remap alters the power curve so it makes more power at the top end. main benefit for people on here of higher limiter is 1/4 mile means you have to cahnge gear less

 

[mattjk]

No okay thats fine, i didnt really wanna get into an argument about it just thought as i got next week off work i mite have a stab at this, its hard sometimes to get the shift perfect and i think that if the dash flashed up red it would help stop bouncing the limiter! I may have a stab at it next week

 

[Rob's172]

^^ how about wiring it up to give you an electric shock, that will soon stop you hitting the limiter

sounds like a plan tho, let us know how it goes

 

[graham_172]

'how to' coming soon!

 

[mattjk]

Alrite guys ill grab some LED's and try and wire them up but wont be til next week. Do i need 5v or 12v?...

Cheers

 

[fuel_slut]

Sounds like a good idea.

And yes you do need to take it to the redline as when you change gear you drop back into your max power zone. The rev range is there to be used or the redline would show 6,500 prm wouldn't it?

 

[McBunny]

Sounds like a good idea.

And yes you do need to take it to the redline as when you change gear you drop back into your max power zone. The rev range is there to be used or the redline would show 6,500 prm wouldn't it?

nope

 

[ColinG]

my v6 sees the gear light...regulary...many times a day..

pulls like a train till the light comes on so no point changing earlier is there!

 

[ChrisR]

why would you want to know that you should have changed up ages ago ?

It depends though, the situation might be you either change up only to have to change back down again a second later, plus you waste the time it takes you shifting twice, or you leave it in gear a little longer.

 

[AstoN]

Why take the piss out of him wanting to change gear later??

Queers.

You don't like to rev your car more, i do, and so does he, so shut it.

fuel_slut was right, u leave it longer so as soon as you change you don't drop rev's cause ur already pretty much at the power spot.

And for the record, i wouldn't add a shift light for a road car unless it was really discrete and looked factory... For a track car, defo go for it.

 

[clioruss]

Urrrrr, shift lights
Touring cars
F1 cars
Rally cars
NASCAR

need i go on, nothing wrong with them and how you want to use them, i would like to see the result when you done, and those that change no more than 1200rpm regularly just have never lived

 

[Monkey_beast_182]

Why take the piss out of him wanting to change gear later??

Queers.

You don't like to rev your car more, i do, and so does he, so shut it.

fuel_slut was right, u leave it longer so as soon as you change you don't drop rev's cause ur already pretty much at the power spot.

And for the record, i wouldn't add a shift light for a road car unless it was really discrete and looked factory... For a track car, defo go for it.

You're mistaken if you think we're taking the piss out of him for wanting to fit a shift light, or for wanting to change gear later. The truth is, what we are commenting on is that the "shift" light on the dash of the Clio 182 isn't that - it's an overrev light, and you actually need to change gear before you hit that to drop it into the power band on the next gear. Unless you remapped your ECU, changing gear on the pseudo-shift light will always put you to the right of your maximum torque on the power curve.

If you really wanted to have a shift light, there are loads of after-market Rev counters that have lights with customizable rev limiters - I was looking at getting one for my old Astra as it didn't have a rev counter! (then I realised that was lame!)

MB_182

 

[mattjk]

It not so much that i want a shift light, i just thought it would look pretty to have a couple of LEDs behind the clocks to turn the dials red. Also that little light in the bottom is so pointless youd never spot it anyway so i thoguht if the dials light up like a sore thumb you cant go wrong Im not gunna put them anywhere stupid just so that the clocks go red when its about to bounce

 

[ChrisR]

like I said above, if it's a choice of "over rev" a little or have to change gear, twice, I know which saves the most time

 

[SoA2k6]

I know what you mean mate. My friend had a Citroen C4 from work, and the dash lighting up red was an impressive feature. Go for it, take some pictures and write a nice guide.