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    Installed Digital Tachometer, BJ

    I originally installed this tachometer in July 2006. During ~ 3 years, 9 months of service it has performed flawlessly without any problems.

    Reasons for Choosing a Digital Tachometer
    Digital tachs are more accurate, have greater stability over the long run (no moving parts) and have greater resolution compared with analog models. Additionally, because of my mounting location in front of the instrument panel, I required a 2 1/16" instrument in order not to obscure the stock gauges. While this size is more than adequate for an easily readable digital display, I consider it much too small for optimal visibility in an analog readout with all the numbers and markings that must be accomodated in such a small space. For an analog tach, I'd want a minimum case size of 3 3/8"-too large for my purposes.

    I selected the Cyberdyne 4-Cylinder mini-Tach with silver bezel. It has a Blue Ice colored 3-digit LED readout, with a range of 0-9999 RPM. With its x 10 multiplier, it has a resolution of 10 rpm. The part number is: A052E351N. Included with the tach are three pages of instructions and troubleshooting information. For more information on the entire Cyberdyne line, go to:
    http://www.cyberdynegauges.net


    I purchased my instrument from: http://www.egauges.com for US $66.75 plus shipping. Cyberdyne also sells gauges with a memory function at additional cost but I have no need for that. Although most digital gauge manufacturers sell tachs that must be configured for the number of cylinders with which it will be used, Cyberdyne makes cylinder specific models for 2, 4, 6 or 8-cylinders. Plug and play - hook up the wires and you're set to go.

    Mounting the Tachometer
    To house the tach, I ordered an Autometer metal 2 1/16" Mounting Cup, part number ATM-2204. The cost was US $12.90 (currently $15.90) plus shipping from egauges. Since I planned to mount the cup on the upper steering column cover, both for good visibility and the ability to see the tach without having to take my eyes very far off the road, that part must be removed in order to drill the mounting holes. Following the FSM, remove the four Philips head screws from underneath the lower column cover and then separate the two sections. I found it easiest to do this by inserting a thin-bladed spackle knife between the two parts and then prying them apart. Once removed the top cover can be drilled out for the mount. The two mounting holes in the Autometer cup base are just the right size for an M5 bolt or screw. I ordered the following stainless steel A-2 (equivalent to 18-8 stainless) metric hardware from http://www.boltdepot.com
    M5 x .8 x 16mm Philips pan head machine screws
    M5 x .8 self-locking nuts (with nylon insert)
    M5 flat washers
    M5 fender washers

    Although my machinists handbook calls for a close clearance hole diameter of 5.3mm (.209") for an M5 screw, because the column cover is plastic and relatively soft, and not having any metric-sized drill bits, I used a no. 7 wire gauge drill bit (.201") to drill the two mounting holes. I drilled the two holes offset to the right of centerline so that the tach would not obscure my view of the speedometer over its most viewed portion. I have a clear view of the speedometer from 0 to 100 MPH and can see the upper range by a slight shift of my head. Don't mount the cup base too far to the right, or left, or you'll have clearance problems with the mounting screws hitting the light and wiper switch frames under the cover. I have my cup base mounted as far to the right as possible without interference.

    With a no.2 Philips screwdriver and an 8 mm socket or boxwrench, mount the cup base with the screw head and a flat washer from the top through the base and a fender washer and self-locking nut on the bottom side of the cover. The large O.D. fender washers will help spread the load on the plastic cover and help prevent cracks or breakage. In addition to the two mounting holes, I also drilled a 3/8" access hole for the tach wires on the front part of the cover, directly in line with the mounting holes. Debur the hole and because the cover is plastic, a grommet is not needed. BTW, should I ever have the misfortune to have to sell my car to a non-enthusiast, it's easy to go back to OEM by just replacing the upper cover with an unmodified one. I found the Mazda parts nos. for replacement covers:
    Black BJOJ-60-221-00
    Brown BJOJ-60-221-22

    In my next post, I'll explain how I wired the tach into the system. For now, I'll post some pics of how the tach looked after the initial installation. Obviously, the wires hanging out of the steering column cover are only a temporary arrangement.

    Happy Motoring!
    Attached Files
    Last edited by goldstar; 04-28-2010, 03:34 PM.
    02 DX Millenium Red - The Penultimate Driving Machine
    MP3 Strut Tower Bar kit; Cusco Front Lower Arm Tie Bar
    MSP Springs, Struts, Stabilizer Bars, Trailing Links, #3 Engine Mount
    Kartboy Stabilizer Bar Bushings; Nyloil Shifter Bushings; Red Line MT-90 Gear Oil
    MP3 Shifter, Knob and Aluminum Pedal Set
    Suvlights HD Wiring Harness; Osram Night Breaker H4 Bulbs; Exide Edge AGM Battery
    Summer: 5Zigen FN01R-C 16 x 7" Wheels; Yoko S.drive 205/45-16s
    Winter: Enkei OR52 16 x 7" Wheels; Falken Ziex ZE-912 205/45-16s
    Modified OEM Air Intake; Racing Beat Exhaust System; Techna-Fit SS Clutch Line
    Denso SKJ16CR-L11 Extended Tip Spark Plugs; Magnecor Wires
    Power Slot Front Brake Rotors; Techna-Fit SS Brake Lines; Hawk HPS Pads
    Red Line Synthetic Engine Oil; C/S Aluminum Oil Cap
    Cyberdyne Digital Gauges: Tach; Ambient Air Temp; Voltmeter

    #2
    Wiring the Tachometer into the System

    The Cyberdyne tach arrives from the factory with four wires connected to it internally, each about one foot in length. Red for B+, black for ground, purple for the nighttime dimmer wire and white for signal. The first thing I did was to solder extension wires to them so the various pickup points could be reached. I extended the ground wire with a 4' length of 16 AWG; likewise the signal, B+ and dimmer wires had 3' of 18 AWG added to each. I used 16 AWG for the ground since I planned to install other digital gauges in the future for which this would serve as a common ground conductor. The wire I use is made by Alpha and is rated at 600V and 105 deg C. It's available from: http://www.mouser.com

    I used a Western Union splice to connect wires end-to-end and coated the splice with rosin core flux applied with a toothpick before soldering. It makes the solder flow more easily even when using the proper rosin core solder. I soldered the connections with a Weller 40W iron. I cleaned all flux off the joints with 91% isopropyl alcohol and then covered them with heat shrink tubing.

    I fed the four wires through the cup and its grommet. I already had four 'puller' wires coming up underneath the column cover and out through the cover's wire access hole. I connected each puller wire, in turn, to the tach wires and pulled them through the cover and out the bottom underneath the instrument panel. When all the wires were through, I discarded the puller wires. I did this so that I wouldn't have to remove the steering column cover again. Then I mounted the tach in its cup by tightening the clamp screws on each side.

    Ground Wire
    It's suggested that at least for digital tachs, it's a good idea to ground directly to the battery, or main grounding point, to eliminate the possibility of ground loops or ground current flow that could disrupt the accuracy of the tach. Consequently, I ran the ground wire through the firewall (through the rubber plug near the clutch pedal) and connected it to the ground plate near the battery in the engine compartment. In order to accomplish this operation a hole must be made through the plug. To do so, I went under the instrument panel with an awl and pushed and poked my way through the right side of the plug. It takes a bit of force and it’s an awkward position to work in but if you plug away at it (remember, awl or nothing at awl), you’ll succeed in creating an aperture. I then enlarged the opening a bit by chucking a drill bit in my handheld holder tool (accomodates drill bits to 1/4") and reaming it through. I completed the job by feeding the 16 AWG ground wire into the engine compartment.

    In the engine compartment I cut the ground wire to length to reach the ground plate. I used a Lightning Audio gold-plated terminal from their BSRT1416 set, a 16-14 AWG ring terminal with a 1/4" opening. Since it's a closed end terminal and I prefer to solder as well as crimp wherever possible, I drilled out the opening with a no. 52 (.063") wire gauge drill bit chucked in a pin vise so that I could do both. Then, I attached the terminal with the same bolt that holds the battery negative terminal ground wire to the ground plate.

    Signal Wire
    The easiest way (for me) to access the OEM tach signal wire was to connect to it where it attaches to the diagnostic port in the engine bay. The port is located on the extreme left side of the engine compartment right behind the strut tower. This meant that the white signal wire from the tach also had to be fed through the plug in the firewall alongside the ground wire. Isolating the purple/white tach wire was difficult as it had to be separated from the eight other wires all bundled together coming out of the port. I used an X-Acto knife and very carefully cut away the covering over the wires being careful not to cut into the wires themselves. There's very little working room but it helps if the wiper motor plug is disconnected. After exposing the wire and cleaning away all the goo with alcohol, I connected the signal wire from the tach to it using a red 22-18 3M Tap-In Squeeze Connector. This enables a spliced connection to be made without having to cut the primary conductor. I then re-taped the remaining eight wires with electrical tape to restore protection to them.

    Dimmer Wire
    This wire has to be connected to a circuit that is only energized when the lights are on. It occurred to me that the easiest place to find such a circuit would be at the fog light switch harness. I don't have fog lights but the harness is in place of course with its plug attached to the cover plate that masks the missing switch. To gain access to the harness, I removed the driver's side panel using a tape-wrapped screwdriver as shown in the FSM. It came out fairly easily and I was able to remove the plug and check the contacts with my DVM. I found that the green/black wire attached to the plug became energized only when the light switch was turned on. Consequently, I attached the purple dimmer wire from the tach to this wire using another red 22-18 3M Tap-In Connector.

    B+ Wire
    For this connection, I needed a circuit that was energized only when the ignition switch was in the ON position. I thought I would hunt around the fuse block to see if I could find an easily accessible wire that fit this requirement. According to the FSM, to access the fuse block the front side trim on the driver's side has to be removed. This requires removal of the fastener which can be pried out with a small flat blade screwdriver. After pulling up on the inside of the front scuff plate and unsnapping it from its fasteners, the side trim plate can be pulled out uncovering the fuse block.

    The first thing I noticed were two easily accessible blue/white wires coming out of the back of the fuse block. Since it would be very easy to tap in to either wire, I decided to check them out first. I placed a sewing needle in the positive clip of my DVM, grounded the other lead, turned the ignition switch to ON and pierced the insulation of the blue/white wire closer to the passenger side of the vehicle. Miraculously, the DVM registered ~12V and then 0V when switched to ACC or OFF. I had found my candidate. Next, I started pulling fuses and, unbelievably, the circuit went dead showing I was on the right side of the fuse for circuit protection. Checking the fuse cover, it turned out that it was a 10A fuse labeled R.Wiper that I assume means rear window wiper-something the DX doesn't have. Apparently, I found an unused fused circuit that I can now use as a dedicated one to power my tach (and any other digital instrument I might want to add). I connected the tach B+ red wire to this circuit using a third red 22-18 3M Tap-In Connector, and my tach wiring was complete.


    Happy Motoring!

    Here are some photos of my various hook-ups that you might find useful - or not:

    The first image is of the firewall plug showing the black ground wire, white tach signal wire, and green OAT gauge sensor wire (installation not covered in this thread).

    The second image is of the diagnostic port also showing the connection between the tach and OEM signal wires.

    The third image is a detail view of the connection between the white tach wire and the OEM signal wire. Note how the purple/white OEM tach signal wire has been separated from the rest of the wires in the diagnostic port bundle to enable the connection.

    The fourth photo shows the B+ connection behind the fuse block.

    The fifth photo is of the fuse block. The fuse in question is in the second row from the top, right side, colored red (10A). In the diagram of the fuse panel shown in the Owner's Manual, it is listed as fuse #5.

    The final photo illustrates the dimmer wire connection to the fog light harness.
    Attached Files
    Last edited by goldstar; 04-20-2010, 07:38 AM.
    02 DX Millenium Red - The Penultimate Driving Machine
    MP3 Strut Tower Bar kit; Cusco Front Lower Arm Tie Bar
    MSP Springs, Struts, Stabilizer Bars, Trailing Links, #3 Engine Mount
    Kartboy Stabilizer Bar Bushings; Nyloil Shifter Bushings; Red Line MT-90 Gear Oil
    MP3 Shifter, Knob and Aluminum Pedal Set
    Suvlights HD Wiring Harness; Osram Night Breaker H4 Bulbs; Exide Edge AGM Battery
    Summer: 5Zigen FN01R-C 16 x 7" Wheels; Yoko S.drive 205/45-16s
    Winter: Enkei OR52 16 x 7" Wheels; Falken Ziex ZE-912 205/45-16s
    Modified OEM Air Intake; Racing Beat Exhaust System; Techna-Fit SS Clutch Line
    Denso SKJ16CR-L11 Extended Tip Spark Plugs; Magnecor Wires
    Power Slot Front Brake Rotors; Techna-Fit SS Brake Lines; Hawk HPS Pads
    Red Line Synthetic Engine Oil; C/S Aluminum Oil Cap
    Cyberdyne Digital Gauges: Tach; Ambient Air Temp; Voltmeter

    Comment


      #3
      Finishing Touches

      Subsequent to the initial mounting procedure, I performed three modifications. The strap that clamps the mounting cup to the gauge is affixed to the cup mounting base with two 1/4"-20 x 1/2" slotted-head screws. The Autometer instructions refer to these screws as 10-32 x 1/2" but this is wrong. The problem here is that it is awkward to tighten the screws using a screwdriver and quite a bit of force is needed to tighten the clamp sufficiently to hold the gauge securely while at the same time positioning the gauge at the best angle for visibility. Also, one slip and a considerable amount of cosmetic damage, or worse, could be done. I found it expedient to replace the screws with 1/4"-20 x 1/2" hex head bolts. One source for these is Pep Boys where I found a package of four sold under the Dorman Keep-Tite brand. It's also a good idea to place a 1/4" SAE flat washer between the bolt head and the supplied external lockwaher to prevent the lockwasher from digging into the underside of the bolt head thus making angular adjustment more difficult. An 11 mm socket is a perfect fit for an American 1/4" bolt hex head. With this setup, using a ratchet and extension, it's much easier to attain sufficient tightness and maintain the proper mounting angle with less chance of doing damage.

      To give a more finished appearance to my tach installation, I painted black the 1/4-20 bolts and SAE flat washers that clamp the tach-fixing strap to the mounting cup. Because it was almost an exact color match, I used a model paint made by Poly Scale. This is a water-based acryllic enamel paint. The color I chose dries to a flat finish and is named Steam Power black. I'm not advocating the use of this paint specifically as any flat back paint will do the job. I just happened to have this on hand.

      Before painting, I cleaned the bolts and washers with a small brush dipped in 91% isopropyl alcohol. I applied the paint with a no.4 Red Sable round artist's brush and, because it's self-leveling, the paint went on smoothly and evenly. No primer is required with this paint. After the paint dries and cures, I'll determine if it needs a second coat-at this point it looks like it will not. This is only a consideration because of the thin coating produced by model paints compared with regular paints.

      When painting, keep the bottle or can away from the steering wheel area and brush carefully so you don't get paint in places you don't want. If you use water-based paint, keep a wet cloth or paper towel handy to clean up spills. Once acryllic enamel dries, it's almost impossible to remove. I was able to do the job with no problems. About a week later, I gave everything a second coat. It didn’t look as if it were needed but because the paint I used is designed to provide a thin coating suitable for models, I thought the extra protection provided by an additional coat would be a good idea.

      Finally, I covered the short run of wires between the mounting cup and the upper steering wheel column cover with black wire loom.

      Happy Motoring!

      Views of the final installed appearance:
      Attached Files
      Last edited by goldstar; 04-28-2010, 03:36 PM.
      02 DX Millenium Red - The Penultimate Driving Machine
      MP3 Strut Tower Bar kit; Cusco Front Lower Arm Tie Bar
      MSP Springs, Struts, Stabilizer Bars, Trailing Links, #3 Engine Mount
      Kartboy Stabilizer Bar Bushings; Nyloil Shifter Bushings; Red Line MT-90 Gear Oil
      MP3 Shifter, Knob and Aluminum Pedal Set
      Suvlights HD Wiring Harness; Osram Night Breaker H4 Bulbs; Exide Edge AGM Battery
      Summer: 5Zigen FN01R-C 16 x 7" Wheels; Yoko S.drive 205/45-16s
      Winter: Enkei OR52 16 x 7" Wheels; Falken Ziex ZE-912 205/45-16s
      Modified OEM Air Intake; Racing Beat Exhaust System; Techna-Fit SS Clutch Line
      Denso SKJ16CR-L11 Extended Tip Spark Plugs; Magnecor Wires
      Power Slot Front Brake Rotors; Techna-Fit SS Brake Lines; Hawk HPS Pads
      Red Line Synthetic Engine Oil; C/S Aluminum Oil Cap
      Cyberdyne Digital Gauges: Tach; Ambient Air Temp; Voltmeter

      Comment


        #4
        Reducing the Display Brightness

        The only problem I have with this tach is that the display is brighter than it needs to be, even in daytime driving. Disconnecting the purple dimmer wire from the headlight circuit and permanently connecting it to the red B+ wire would make the display brightness just about perfect for the daylight hours but would do nothing to help the situation after dark. Not only is the dimmed nighttime display still bright enough to be distracting, it's also dangerous because it interferes with my night vision adaptation. I consider this a design flaw since one would think this parameter would have been investigated during the design phase. Cyberdyne also makes digital instruments with red, green and amber-colored readouts but I don't know how the degree of readout brightness of those instruments compares with the Blue Ice model that I own. I've also been told that red may be the best choice for a display color because it doesn't degrade night vision - something to consider for those intending to purchase a Cyberdyne gauge.

        After looking at possible fixes for the brightness problem I decided to try fitting a disc-shaped piece of window film onto the gauge face. At Pep Boys, I found a Windshield Tint Strip marketed by Axius. This charcoal grey colored material affixes itself to the surface by static cling and requires no glue. It's claimed to have a 35% visble light transmission (VLT) characteristic.

        I measured the tach gauge face with an inside caliper and obtained a reading of 1 23/32". Using the Axius Window Tint Strip mentioned earlier, I set my drawing compass to a radius of 27/32" to yield a slightly smaller diameter, and had my wife cut out three discs of the material (she's better at this than I am). I applied each disc to the gauge face, one disc at a time, by simply pressing it in place and checking the display brightness after each application. It took all three discs to block out enough light and create a level of brightness I considered acceptable for daytime driving. At night, in conjunction with the dimming circuit, the brightness is also reduced to the point where it's no longer distracting. The tint discs have remained firmly in place for almost 4-years now and, although this is kind of a backwoods engineering solution, it works, so I have no need to look for a more elegant method.

        Happy Motoring!
        Attached Files
        Last edited by goldstar; 04-11-2010, 09:50 AM.
        02 DX Millenium Red - The Penultimate Driving Machine
        MP3 Strut Tower Bar kit; Cusco Front Lower Arm Tie Bar
        MSP Springs, Struts, Stabilizer Bars, Trailing Links, #3 Engine Mount
        Kartboy Stabilizer Bar Bushings; Nyloil Shifter Bushings; Red Line MT-90 Gear Oil
        MP3 Shifter, Knob and Aluminum Pedal Set
        Suvlights HD Wiring Harness; Osram Night Breaker H4 Bulbs; Exide Edge AGM Battery
        Summer: 5Zigen FN01R-C 16 x 7" Wheels; Yoko S.drive 205/45-16s
        Winter: Enkei OR52 16 x 7" Wheels; Falken Ziex ZE-912 205/45-16s
        Modified OEM Air Intake; Racing Beat Exhaust System; Techna-Fit SS Clutch Line
        Denso SKJ16CR-L11 Extended Tip Spark Plugs; Magnecor Wires
        Power Slot Front Brake Rotors; Techna-Fit SS Brake Lines; Hawk HPS Pads
        Red Line Synthetic Engine Oil; C/S Aluminum Oil Cap
        Cyberdyne Digital Gauges: Tach; Ambient Air Temp; Voltmeter

        Comment


          #5
          Driving Impressions

          After some experience driving with the tach, I can state I have no problem processing the data from the digital display compared with that from an analog instrument. Despite its 2 1/16" case size, the tach is extremely easy to read because of the size of the digital numerals compared with the crowded-together numerals and graduations of an analog gauge in this size. This would be the case even if the gauge were mounted closer to the windshield rather than in its current location. As a matter of fact, data acquisition can be speeded up even further by ignoring the third digit as doing so means you will be off by no more than 90 rpm. For example, assuming you want to shift at redline 6,500 rpm, when the first two digits read 65, ignore the third digit and make the shift. It's easy to do this with a little practice. Incidently, for those who require an adjustable shift light, Cyberdyne's 3 3/8" tach includes one along with a bargraph indicator and a high rpm recall feature.

          In addition to the greatly increased resolution of the digital instrument, there are additional benefits from its increased accuracy. As an example, consider the idle mode. According to the FSM, fully warmed up this should range between 650 and 750 rpm. With accessories off, my gauge transitions from 069 to 070 rpm (x 10) but never deviates outside that range. With AC on, the FSM specifies an idle speed of 700 to 800 rpm and, under that condition, the gauge transitions from 074 to 075 rpm, again with no deviation outside that range.

          I also find the blue-colored readout visually appealing and highly visible.

          Since I've gone digital tach, I'll never ever go back.

          If a digital tach is good enough for Formula 1 and IndyCar it should be good enough for us.

          Embrace digital, it's the wave of the future.

          Happy Motoring!
          Last edited by goldstar; 04-11-2010, 07:53 AM.
          02 DX Millenium Red - The Penultimate Driving Machine
          MP3 Strut Tower Bar kit; Cusco Front Lower Arm Tie Bar
          MSP Springs, Struts, Stabilizer Bars, Trailing Links, #3 Engine Mount
          Kartboy Stabilizer Bar Bushings; Nyloil Shifter Bushings; Red Line MT-90 Gear Oil
          MP3 Shifter, Knob and Aluminum Pedal Set
          Suvlights HD Wiring Harness; Osram Night Breaker H4 Bulbs; Exide Edge AGM Battery
          Summer: 5Zigen FN01R-C 16 x 7" Wheels; Yoko S.drive 205/45-16s
          Winter: Enkei OR52 16 x 7" Wheels; Falken Ziex ZE-912 205/45-16s
          Modified OEM Air Intake; Racing Beat Exhaust System; Techna-Fit SS Clutch Line
          Denso SKJ16CR-L11 Extended Tip Spark Plugs; Magnecor Wires
          Power Slot Front Brake Rotors; Techna-Fit SS Brake Lines; Hawk HPS Pads
          Red Line Synthetic Engine Oil; C/S Aluminum Oil Cap
          Cyberdyne Digital Gauges: Tach; Ambient Air Temp; Voltmeter

          Comment


            #6
            Signal Acquisition Problems

            I'll preface this section by stating that all 3 digits of the tach are displayed clearly and cleanly with perfect linearity. I bring this up because, in Cyberdyne's instruction sheets' troubleshooting section, mention is made that sometimes the tens digit is unreadable in certain vehicles. To eliminate this problem, Cyberdyne suggests the following remedies: replace spark plug wires and spark plugs; check coil and timing of vehicle and route the tach signal wire differently keeping it away from other noise-imposing wires. I also think it's important to connect the instrument ground wire as close to the battery negative terminal as possible to eliminate ground loops and ground current flow.

            In any case, for those considering purchase of a Cyberdyne tach, I've had absolutely no problems of any kind with my tach's operation and I can recommend it as a reliable, useful device.

            I'm also wondering what the tach signal waveform looks like. Someone told me that it's a +12V square wave but i don't know for sure. Unfortunately, my oscilloscope is no longer working or I'd put a probe on the wire and observe it for myself. Does anyone know the answer to this burning question?

            Happy Motoring!
            02 DX Millenium Red - The Penultimate Driving Machine
            MP3 Strut Tower Bar kit; Cusco Front Lower Arm Tie Bar
            MSP Springs, Struts, Stabilizer Bars, Trailing Links, #3 Engine Mount
            Kartboy Stabilizer Bar Bushings; Nyloil Shifter Bushings; Red Line MT-90 Gear Oil
            MP3 Shifter, Knob and Aluminum Pedal Set
            Suvlights HD Wiring Harness; Osram Night Breaker H4 Bulbs; Exide Edge AGM Battery
            Summer: 5Zigen FN01R-C 16 x 7" Wheels; Yoko S.drive 205/45-16s
            Winter: Enkei OR52 16 x 7" Wheels; Falken Ziex ZE-912 205/45-16s
            Modified OEM Air Intake; Racing Beat Exhaust System; Techna-Fit SS Clutch Line
            Denso SKJ16CR-L11 Extended Tip Spark Plugs; Magnecor Wires
            Power Slot Front Brake Rotors; Techna-Fit SS Brake Lines; Hawk HPS Pads
            Red Line Synthetic Engine Oil; C/S Aluminum Oil Cap
            Cyberdyne Digital Gauges: Tach; Ambient Air Temp; Voltmeter

            Comment


              #7
              I am having the same issues with the brightness with the wideband from Innovate. The display is ridiculous bright at night, besides been distracting to me is super ricey and tend to attract the cop's eyes more than usual.

              Will give it a shot at the window tint you recommend, the only deal is the front glass is convex which may be hard to make the tint stick at the edges.

              Thanks for the detailed write-up and photos!

              Comment


                #8
                Originally posted by psiturbo View Post
                Thanks for the detailed write-up and photos!
                Your welcome, I'm glad you found it useful.

                The window tint really tames the brightness problem and it does have a powerful clinging action. However, as you state, the convex glass on your wideband could present a problem with getting the tint to stick. I've never tried to apply it to that kind of surface so I can't offer any advice in that regard.

                Good luck in your efforts and I hope you can get it to work. If possible, let us know the results.

                Happy Motoring!
                02 DX Millenium Red - The Penultimate Driving Machine
                MP3 Strut Tower Bar kit; Cusco Front Lower Arm Tie Bar
                MSP Springs, Struts, Stabilizer Bars, Trailing Links, #3 Engine Mount
                Kartboy Stabilizer Bar Bushings; Nyloil Shifter Bushings; Red Line MT-90 Gear Oil
                MP3 Shifter, Knob and Aluminum Pedal Set
                Suvlights HD Wiring Harness; Osram Night Breaker H4 Bulbs; Exide Edge AGM Battery
                Summer: 5Zigen FN01R-C 16 x 7" Wheels; Yoko S.drive 205/45-16s
                Winter: Enkei OR52 16 x 7" Wheels; Falken Ziex ZE-912 205/45-16s
                Modified OEM Air Intake; Racing Beat Exhaust System; Techna-Fit SS Clutch Line
                Denso SKJ16CR-L11 Extended Tip Spark Plugs; Magnecor Wires
                Power Slot Front Brake Rotors; Techna-Fit SS Brake Lines; Hawk HPS Pads
                Red Line Synthetic Engine Oil; C/S Aluminum Oil Cap
                Cyberdyne Digital Gauges: Tach; Ambient Air Temp; Voltmeter

                Comment


                  #9
                  I will bring up a point on the color. The color blue is the most fatiguing color. It is very hard on the eyes. Yellow is very easy on the eyes.

                  This can also be applied to headlights. Blue does not cut through harsh conditions (ie. rain, snow, fog, etc). Yellow is the best in that department.
                  -Dennis
                  95 Nissan Pathfinder 4x4 - 191k miles

                  I'll be back in the BG game eventually!

                  Comment


                    #10
                    norwood, much as I like going back and forth with you on this, as a moderator I have to think of what's good for the Forum first so I don't want to clutter up this thread with irrelevant and extraneous material. Consequently, I'm deleting the last few posts. This thread is about installing a digital tach not whether one likes or dislikes the instrument. I'm not trying to silence you as I know how important this topic is to you since you stated you'd rather die than use a digital tach. Why don't you start a thread in General Automotive telling us why you hate them so much? I'm sure you'll find many members who'll agree with you. I look forward to your discussion.

                    Happy Motoring!











                    i
                    Last edited by goldstar; 11-26-2010, 03:55 PM.
                    02 DX Millenium Red - The Penultimate Driving Machine
                    MP3 Strut Tower Bar kit; Cusco Front Lower Arm Tie Bar
                    MSP Springs, Struts, Stabilizer Bars, Trailing Links, #3 Engine Mount
                    Kartboy Stabilizer Bar Bushings; Nyloil Shifter Bushings; Red Line MT-90 Gear Oil
                    MP3 Shifter, Knob and Aluminum Pedal Set
                    Suvlights HD Wiring Harness; Osram Night Breaker H4 Bulbs; Exide Edge AGM Battery
                    Summer: 5Zigen FN01R-C 16 x 7" Wheels; Yoko S.drive 205/45-16s
                    Winter: Enkei OR52 16 x 7" Wheels; Falken Ziex ZE-912 205/45-16s
                    Modified OEM Air Intake; Racing Beat Exhaust System; Techna-Fit SS Clutch Line
                    Denso SKJ16CR-L11 Extended Tip Spark Plugs; Magnecor Wires
                    Power Slot Front Brake Rotors; Techna-Fit SS Brake Lines; Hawk HPS Pads
                    Red Line Synthetic Engine Oil; C/S Aluminum Oil Cap
                    Cyberdyne Digital Gauges: Tach; Ambient Air Temp; Voltmeter

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