Aaron's Custom ST16x Econometer

The front panel is an optional extra from Xecuter and you could buy them in all colours as well as red, blue.

I don't want to alter the stock interior at all but altering a spare screen pillar cover could be another option,
you can get gauge kits to fit there so why not?

 

Yup, there is a good chance this is where I will put mine.

I will be using mine primarily for the Vacuum gauge and had considered mounting it in the lower part of the steering column (where the gap is when the column is lowered), I have my steering column set quite low so it shouldn't impair my view of the gauge cluster and would be easy to hide the harness, I'll get it sussed when I purchase one.

BTW Kev, nice job on the XBOX, very clever.


Hey Aaron, does the screen illumination come in different colours and can something like this be 'dimmed' with a dimmer switch ?, I have read here that some lads have used LED's in their gauge cluster but the dimmer does'nt work properly, it's either on or off. I believe that even household LED's can't be dimmed, anyone know if this is actually the case ?

NOTE :- I have just done some googling and found this but have no idea what it means and I quote.

Yes. It is done by a technique called pulse width modulation. Similar to the principle used by incandescent lamp dimmers. Reduced duty cycle = reduced average current/power = reduced apparent brightness. Integrated circuits for this purpose are available from several sources.

Artificial means of dimming LEDs also exist such as the patent-pending LEDdim dots and blocks.

 

Yes - on the XBOX you can change the LCD illumination via the Xecuter menu or even on XBMC (media centre),
so it must be programmable. Colour isn't variable though

 

why not order some RGB LED's and use them sas your back-light, then use your separate circuit to dim and change the colour?

 

I had a Dension HDD music player in my car a couple years ago, it's display looked exactly the same, I bet they used the same panel

 

Yup....... he's on to it and I can't wait to buy one :cheers

 

Hopefully it'll be in a USDM system (MPG, etc)... I have all the resistance readings & whatnot off my gauges, so I'm down for one.

 

if it is glued it will be around the edge.

 

Sorry to go off-topic but Roy raised something interesting
The later Celi's and Camry's etc came with 3 and 4 wire O2 sensors. I've no idea how that works but would it be possible to use one to read 02, AFR, Exhaust temp etc?.
I could send you some to try. If so it could save a lot of welding and cash
Silly question maybe but those gauges would cost $300 here at least

 

All JDM gen4's have 1 wire O2 sensors, I had to adapt mine for the bigger port on the gen5 exhaust
UK models don't have a O2 sensor so I presume run in open loop
Soods good - home made AFR!

The AFR is directly proportional to the temp? dunno, ie a lean mix will be hotter than a rich mix
on n/a motors this should be easy to work out but on turbo's the turbo itself affects the exhaust temp, either cooling it or heating it up depending on how hard the turbo is working.

The article is interesting - key points were:
70% of vehicles failing emissions have bad O2 sensors
Sensors should be changed every 50 000km - hands up everybody who has.
As sensors age they make less voltage indicating a lean mix which causes the ECU to pump more fuel even thought the motor isn't lean

We have a problem regarding the O2 sensor, besides whether it's fitted or not and the type fitted.
Another thing to consider is the location - mine has it next to the steering rack now but it was originally on the headers. Some of us have it in the headers and others have it further back - dunno if/how that affects things but it will definitely affect exhaust temp

 

What I mean is I don't think my O2 sensor works - at all
The article states that a 1 wire sensor works from 600 deg up, the most I've been able to measure is around 300 deg at the headers and further down it's even colder.

How can I make it 4 wire and working constantly?

 

Yeah, no problem soldering etc
I was thinking to join one black-white to earth
The sensor wire stays and the heater wire from the TVIS as I think it's only needed below 4000rpm anyway
Could this work? or is the current draw too high

I'm measuring using a handheld IR heat gauge which is damn accurate, the headers are wrapped and I don't get more than 300degC anywhere, I guess gas temp inside would be a little higher and have fitted a FPR to test different fuel levels vs performance vs exhaust temp

A far cry from my race rotary which would lite up at 1100degC