Q's: Custom inst cluster in AE85. Dash templates and more...

[Stealer Of Souls]

Well. My current dash has some issues (wiring issues on the water temp, tacho doesn't work properly above 6500RPM, speedo sometimes plays up, fuel gauge is oddly inaccurate) and I have some gauges that I want to install also. So I was thinking that since I'm reconditioning an engine to go into the car, and onto that engine I will fit the senders for some aftermarket guages (oil pressure, water temp, oil temp, fuel/air) I would look into replacing the whole instrument cluster.

The engine is a blue top 4AGE. But I want to reuse the dash when I build a fresh high rpm 4AGE.
The car is my street car/weekend racer.

I will have these gauges:
Fuel level
Water temp, Oil Temp, Oil Presure, Fuel/air ratio (4in1 guage)
Tacho (10,000rpm?)
Speedo (240kph?)

and wire up leds to indicate:
Turn signal
High beam on
Handbrake/brake fluid level

Are there any "must haves" that I've forgotten?


Because I already have this guage I'll probably also put this on (assuming there's room) Voltmeter, In/out temperature, Clock (4in1 gauge)

And I'll probably put on LEDs showing
Radiator fan operation
Shift light LED (possibly moving bar type)
EWP operation (moving bar type)


Any other useful things I should look at?
Does anyone have a template of the original instrument cluster that I can copy? I'd like to start getting things together before I pull the dash apart.

[Malcolm]

might want to look at what the law says about changing speedo. Presumably you can get one with a built in odometer and get the reading adjusted to suit?

[Santa'sBoostinSleigh]

engine check light?

some kind of indication your headlights are on? (ie dash backlights on OE dash)

[Malcolm]

engine check light?

some kind of indication your headlights are on? (ie dash backlights on OE dash)

most aftermarket gauges are also backlit (so you don't need to wear a head-mounted torch when driving at night )

[Jebus]

Yep, just make sure you wire the illumination light off the guages into the lights and not constant 12v.

[RomanV]

You two just need to 'arden up, and eat more carrots.

[Santa'sBoostinSleigh]

engine check light?
some kind of indication your headlights are on? (ie dash backlights on OE dash)

most aftermarket gauges are also backlit (so you don't need to wear a head-mounted torch when driving at night )

no sh|t Shirlock main reason i mentioned it - so you dont drive along with no headlights on at not realise youre being an arrogant tosspot

[sergei]

The high beam light is the part of the circuit which switches high beam and lights, if you will replace that with LED your high beam will not switch on, so to do that you will have to rewire the light relays or add a 100Ohm 5W resistor in parallel to LED.

[t0ms]

oil pressure warning light
fuel low warning light
altenator light (over and under charge, over being regulator is poked under being alternator is poked)
any warning light with regards to the engine.

youw ill notice a light faster than a gauge if you racing.

[Stealer Of Souls]

The high beam light is the part of the circuit which switches high beam and lights, if you will replace that with LED your high beam will not switch on, so to do that you will have to rewire the light relays or add a 100Ohm 5W resistor in parallel to LED.

Got that sorted. I've already re-wired my headlights.

oil pressure warning light
fuel low warning light
altenator light (over and under charge, over being regulator is poked under being alternator is poked)
any warning light with regards to the engine.
youw ill notice a light faster than a gauge if you racing.

I saw once an aftermarket fuel guage which had a warning light... I haven't done much research on fuel guages. But yeah, definitely need one...
Oil pressure... I knew there was another light that came up...
Alternator light circuit doesn't work on my car anyway. So I bought a little digital guage that beeps at me if it finds over/under voltage...

Yeah. As for dash lights, just figured that all the guages I've looked at had backlighting so would just use that.

Engine check light... Well, I don't know if mines hooked up... But if it is then I'll add that to the list.

Cheers. Keep the good ideas coming.