Jody1 Posted December 14, 2014 Report Share Posted December 14, 2014 Trying to mount an autometer boost guage in stock location, but the guage is to deep. The only active write-up I can find is the TEP one, and the pics are to blurry. Not sure about puncturing the circuit board, etc. Any link with photos would be great. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lionbull Posted December 14, 2014 Report Share Posted December 14, 2014 (edited) Bore a hole the size of the provided fitting through the plastic backing(Not the circuit board). It is softGrind the 2 little threaded rods down/offFit that up and it will be obvious.You can cut the clear part of the plastic circuit board. Edited December 14, 2014 by lionbull Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jody1 Posted December 15, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 15, 2014 What would you bore through the plastic with? I guess you have to remove the circuit board before boring? What do you cut the circuit board with? I remember reading a long time members post on this topic, with photos, but I haven't been able to find it. It seemed as though there were a few finer points to consider. Especially for an amateur. Thanks lionbull Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lionbull Posted December 15, 2014 Report Share Posted December 15, 2014 (edited) it will be a rough cut if you dont take out the circuit board.If i was not in a hurry when i did mine i would have removed the board and done it alot nicer. I am alot more patient these daysTake your time and remove the board and use a step drill to make a nice circular hole in the plastic backing(not the circuit board).You will notice a gap in the board where you drill. Take a razor blade and cut the plastic carefully.As you start doing this you will get comfortable. it is not a hard mod. You took art and crafts?The gauge should be 2 1/16 btw Edited December 15, 2014 by lionbull Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jody1 Posted December 15, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 15, 2014 I think home economics was right after, so arts and crafts never stuck. Lol. Removing that circuit board looks like a bear but it is what it is. Thanks. If there were any pics, that would be great. It was Indiana who had posted the thread I was referring to but his pic hosting has expired. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jody1 Posted December 15, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 15, 2014 I think he said run the guage light wires into a nearby light socket as well.? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lionbull Posted December 15, 2014 Report Share Posted December 15, 2014 (edited) looking at the back of the gauge, there is a blue connector, bottom left. look for a black yellow and a green white wire.The BY is a variable ground and the GW is your positive.I have a spare cluster picks pending Edited December 15, 2014 by lionbull Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psu_Crash Posted December 15, 2014 Report Share Posted December 15, 2014 Yes, I just tapped into one of the lights for the cluster. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lionbull Posted December 15, 2014 Report Share Posted December 15, 2014 here is the connector with the 2 wire next to each other.Before you button everything up in the car make sure it dims etcdo not hook up the speedometer cable until you are satisfied with the job http://i1115.photobucket.com/albums/k549/lionbull1/photo-1.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lionbull Posted December 15, 2014 Report Share Posted December 15, 2014 yup the easier way is betteruse a bulb socket like said before Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jody1 Posted December 15, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 15, 2014 So after removing the board and performing my step drill surgery.... Wire into connector or... Put my guage white wire into one side of a dash light socket and put the black wire in 180* on the other side of the light socket? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lionbull Posted December 15, 2014 Report Share Posted December 15, 2014 (edited) option 1 stuff both wires in a bulb socket.option 2 ground wire on boost gauge bulb spliced into BY wire and positive boost gauge bulb wire in GW wirethe circuit board is not hard to remove. just take your timefit up thd gauge befor you remove thr circuit board. you may be able to use a razor blade right where the clear plastic is, and save time, instead of removing the board. Edited December 15, 2014 by lionbull Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jody1 Posted December 15, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 15, 2014 Thanks Lionbull. Since I got this cluster drug out.....are the 8? Big bulbs, and the 8? Smaller bulbs? Generally available at local stores? May change them. I appreciate you walking me through this. I catch myself thinking about screwing up the electronics and what would be involved in replacing them and I start to shake.lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lionbull Posted December 15, 2014 Report Share Posted December 15, 2014 i have not looked in local stores.so you can tell us what you find.i will go back in the cluster at some point and get nicer bulbs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jody1 Posted December 19, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 19, 2014 Looked up a UCW post on dashboard light bulbs. His post was accurate for me. Big bulbs are 158's or 194's for more wattage. 74 for the small. Approx $2 per light if you buy the packs in the front of the store.Approx $2 per 10 lights if you buy the packs for mechanics in the back of the store. The LED option sounded appealing but I didn't try it for fear of shortened longevity. Once again, the thought of having to mess with this old circuit board frequently, outweighed the value of LED lights. My decision was based entirely on secondhand info. though, and the LED's may work fabulously. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lionbull Posted December 19, 2014 Report Share Posted December 19, 2014 Thanks for sharing Jody1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jody1 Posted December 20, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 20, 2014 Thanks Lionbull . And psu. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scott87star Posted December 20, 2014 Report Share Posted December 20, 2014 The LED option sounded appealing but I didn't try it for fear of shortened longevity. ?? LED's last forever, that is one of the selling points besides the almost perfect efficiency. You'd never have to change a bulb again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jody1 Posted December 20, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 20, 2014 The info I read was from this forum. It was more to do with the circuitry-series. I'll try to dig it up again. I could have easily misinterpreted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jody1 Posted December 20, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 20, 2014 (edited) The thread indicates voltage regulators and resistors are necessary to run LEDs in the cluster. This wasn't a mod I wanted to perform, but it looked great. http://www.starquestclub.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=122154 Molehill for you Scott, mountain for me. Edited December 20, 2014 by Jody1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G54Bstore Posted December 24, 2014 Report Share Posted December 24, 2014 Man there's some nice led lit clusters on that thread link Jody.There was a guy about 5 years ago putting led lights in the ac controls.I payed him to do mine. I'd do my own if I was gonna customize my dash and ac controls now though.I'll be putting a boost gauge in stock location in the next week or so..I'll take a lot of pics and maybe share.Did the original.thread maker guy here ever get the gauge installed? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jody1 Posted December 24, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 24, 2014 No doubt. The clusters look awesome. I stopped short of the LEDs though. If I were prepared to condition the voltage on the printed circuit board I'd do it. But I don't want to solely put LEDs in the sockets and call it done right now. If could operate a soldering iron with any precision life would be easier. Lol. As far as putting in the aftermarket boost guage- no, I haven't installed one yet. I've got an autometer boost guage now, but it is just too big for my liking, due to space constraints in the dash. Looking into lower profile guages right now. I've got it figured out though-finally. Many thanks to Lionbull. Trying to be extra careful with the dash circuitry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lionbull Posted December 24, 2014 Report Share Posted December 24, 2014 you don't need the gun. its too clumsyyou need the soldering iron http://www.electronicecircuits.com/electronic-circuits/auto-heat-limiter-for-soldering-iron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts