gauge install

pgarner

pgarner

TC ModFather
Points
417
Location
Lockerbie, SW Scotland
Car
Octy smoke machine
FOr those who can remember before i chuck in the carputer i had gauges installed in the dash.
the only one that is still installed is the Boost gauge as i didnt have anything to blank off the pipe with so its currently hidden behind the ashtray.

so heres the plan

2 gauges installed in where the ashtray is - boost and oil temp
2 installed in the handbrake cover - oil pressure and voltage

got a ashtray from a scrappy ( only thing that was left in the car ) worked on it but ended up that it was around 2mm too big
currently awaiting lower console to come onto ebay have been in touch with a guy that thinks he should have more in next week. so will all be fabed together
and got a handbrake trim off the bay, same guy thats trying to source the lower console.

heres a pick of it
0776_1.JPG


sorry had to use the ebay one as forgot to take a pic before i started.

as it currently stands

3317116074_4abef6ce9b.jpg


also hidden under the tape is 2 holes for power and reset for the carputer.
need to smooth it down prime and paint to match the black trim thats in the car. then drill the 2 holes. this will be done at work as i dont have a 52mm holesaw that could drill through it.

As for the ashtray

this is what it looked like

3316398213_9627e6f93a.jpg



and this is what it looks like now

3317225504_878bf3b18e.jpg



Still needs some smoothing out on the sides before being affixed to the lower console where it will be primed and sprayed

i know the gauges fit this as i cut up the gauge holder that they were originally in. hot glued to the ashtray then covered in fleece material and fiberglassed. i was shocked at how strong this actually was
 
Re: guage install

this all looks good you have put alot of work in the carputer over the past months. this is a stupid question but what will you use the puter for ?
 
Re: guage install

carputer currently does all my music, videos, dvd is possible with external drive ( ive not bothered fitting one to save on power drain ) GPS using Microsoft Mappoint 2009, engine diagnostics using vagcom. and some basic games. Basically for what a decent head unit would have cost to do all of above (and ive yet to see one the does diagnostics) i would have had to spend £700+ i spend just under £300

The handbrake part was smoothed down and primed last night. primer showed up a few low spots on the filler so going to smooth over later, prime again and paint. Hopefully will be ready to take into work on wednesday to drill out the holes
 
Re: guage install

ok ran into a problem, work only have 51mm hole saws, 2" apposed to the 2 1/16" that i need. fitter was going to drill it to 51mm then bore / sand it out to 52mm until he say how thick the area was. so on good old ebay this morning and picked up a 52mm one this mornign so should hopefully be here in the next couple of days
so heres how its looking just now all smoothed down and "pilot" holes in place

3330266021_770d780b05.jpg


still not found a lower console yet.
 
Re: guage install

okay 52mm holesaw arrived this morning
have drilled out the holes, just about killed my drill the resin was that thick.
anyway
3334332443_aa5769b5e5.jpg

test fitting the gauge fits

and primed the area again
3334332905_3370076f0b.jpg


hoping to get it painted this afternoon.

found a few center console on the ld bay at last just watching to see what there like closer to the end times
 
ok been painted
looks a close match to the OEM considering that it was grey to start and VW classed it as a satin finish whereas i used matt

3336707620_348f07dfa6.jpg


only 1 tiny little problem.
the red power button - one of the wires broke so need to remove it and solder it back on.
two oil guages are currently fitted just to test that they fit, going to fit the boost guage in there just now possibly to make save having a hole and until i can get the lower console
 
Last edited:
there is, put it in the other night when i was getting the takeaways in for work ( half hour to cook everything) cant get the guages to work so im hoping its just a blown fuse. good job i checked before putting all the trim back on properly
 
I probably wouldn't have checked that! Glad you spotted it first. Does this mean your car is dashless at the moment?
 
no it was half in but hadnt bolted it back down, first notice it because the lights didnt come on. at this point some of the dash under the steering wheel was removed, relay cove, lower console around the gear stick ( which is going to need replaced as found a small hole in the leather ) and the armrest. the handbrake area with the guages was in but not bolted down.

when i put all the dash back after putting the puter in i must have caught the earth wire. all fine now but i think im needing to redo the wire for the oil temp sensor as the reading at the sensor is 0.46v but 0.26v at the terminal block, think the heat might have got to it.

will put up photos later or tomorrow as didnt have phone with me. youll have to excuse the paintwork as well, the handbrake surround and gearstick surrond are VERY tight fits and scrapped some of the paint off. none left at the min will have to get some to touch up
 
looks pretty neat, its in a bit of an akward place though to be seen, dont fancy lookin down to check them while your driving :lol: bit of black airfix paint will fix that up :p
 
there just temporary, those 2 will be moved up to where the ashtray currently is with the spaces there being used for oil pressure and possible voltage
 
Ok update time
ebay finally turned up a cheap lower console. however an aftermarket gaiter had been fitted resulting in 4 small holes in the console.
695c_1.JPG

cant see the small holes in the back so not sure if this was the actual image or is pinched off somewhere else.

ok took the ashtray part from above apart and hot glued in place then used carpet to cover the hole at the back


this was soaked through in resin and allowed to dry before chop strand was added to the underside to give more strength.
bit off filler used as the resin had caused the carpet to stretch and dip slightly in the middle and filled in the 4 holes

sanding and filling later, a quick coat of primer to make the highs and lowes more obvious


more sanding before giving it more primer and finally painting it satin black today




needs some sanding down the back and another coupe of coats of paint.
then its a cause of ordering up the voltmeter and fitting in the car
 
im fine grans was taken in hosptal last monday as shes not been able to eat for a couple of weeks. camera wouldnt go right down the throat but went far enough to find a groth which has come back as cancourous, since then shes had cat scans to check for spread and theyve came back clear so hoping for the best.
hense why ive not been online much
 
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