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    Installed Digital Ambient Air Temperature Gauge, BJ

    I originally installed this temperature gauge in October 2006.

    Reasons for Choosing a Digital Air Temperature Gauge
    Digital gauges are more accurate, have greater stability over the long run (no moving parts) and have much greater resolution compared with analog models. For purposes of measuring temperature at least, they would seem to be the undisputed choice. Even in the 2 1/16" diameter size, the digital readout is large enough to be easily seen even when placed some distance from the driver.

    I selected the Cyberdyne Ambient Air Temperature gauge with silver bezel. It has a Blue Ice colored 3-digit LED readout with a range of -22 to 158 deg F. The instrument is also available with an SI readout of -30 to 70 deg C. The readout scrolls ICE for one minute when temperature falls to 37 deg F (2 deg C), or below. Included with the gauge is an ambient air temperature sending unit (sensor). Also included is a set of instructions for wiring and troubleshooting the gauge and a second set describing the mounting and wiring of the sender. Both the gauge and the sender are available separately, if desired. Additionally, Cyberdyne makes amplifier, oil, transmission and water temperature gauges with the appropriate markings and sending units. For more information on the entire Cyberdyne line, go to: http://www.cyberdynegauges.net

    I purchased my instrument (with included sender) from: http://www.egauges.com for US $64.75 plus shipping. The part number is: A024E351Y. Separate ambient temperature senders are available from egauges for US $13.71 each. The part number is: SENSS7E.

    The current prices for both are the same.

    How I plan to Use the Gauge
    Of course, measuring ambient temperature air is the intended use for the gauge and that's interesting information to have available. I like that feature in my wife’s 3i. For those who want to use the gauge for its intended purpose, Cyberdyne advises mounting the sender in the front bumper as far away as possible from the heat of the engine. They go on to state that the sender can be secured in place with a cable tie.

    However, the gauge can be used to measure the air temperature in any environment if the range of the sender is not exceeded. I intend to mount mine in the air box so that I can measure the actual temperature of the intake air as read by the IAT sensor. Knowing the importance of maintaining the inlet air at as low a temperatue as possible for maximum power output, I like to experiment with different air box feeds and intake types to determine which types of configurations and systems yield the best results. In other words, my main interest is using the gauge for research purposes. I'm also interested in observing how air box temperature varies with the ambient; ultimately, I hope to provide data that some of our Forum members might find interesting and useful.

    This gauge could also be extremely useful for those with turbo engines. Mount the sender in the charge pipe at the outlet of the intercooler to measure the efficiency and effectiveness of various IC configurations. The temperature limitation of the sender would preclude its use at the IC inlet, so keep that in mind.

    Mounting the Sending Unit
    The sender is a small, sealed cylindrical object with two wires about 8" long protruding from it; a black ground wire and a white signal wire. It's ~ 1/2" (12.5 mm) long with a diameter of ~ the same dimension. Cyberdyne makes no mention of how it functions but I'm guessing it's a thermocouple that generates a small voltage proportionate to temperature that’s transmitted to the digital circuitry of the gauge. I don't think the unit is a thermistor since my understanding is that they can function only over a limited temperature range.

    In any case, begin by removing the air box upper cover. Undo the clips that hold the two sections together, disconnect the MAF and IAT sensors' wiring harnesses and remove the clamp that holds the air hose to the MAF sensor. Then remove the upper cover and MAF sensor as a unit from the air hose by carefully twisting and pulling at the same time. After the upper cover comes free, remove the air filter element and the lower part of the box will be exposed. It's here that I wanted to mount the sender, on the atmosphere side of the filter, so that if it ever broke loose it would not be ingested into the engine (recall I have no MAF screen). Using a number size drill gauge, I determined that a no. 22 (.157") wire size drill bit would give adequate clearance for the sender wires. This size isn't critical - just make sure it's large enough to pass the wires without chafing them but not too large that it would be hard to close up if you're running a sealed intake system or want to prevent the ingestion of hot, underhood air that would contaminate the data sent by the sensor. Make sure the hole is low enough that the sending unit, once installed, will clear the air filter element.

    There isn't much clearance in the working area so a power drill is out of the question. However, the plastic of the air box is so soft that it can easily be drilled by hand. I used a pin vise to drill up to 1/8", then switched to a drill bit holder tool (accomodates drill bits to 1/4") to finish the job. After the hole is deburred and any drilling debris removed from the box, insert the sender wires from the inside until it's positioned as close to the inner wall as possible. Then, lock it in place by using a cable tie on the wires against the outer wall of the box. If you want to insure against possible leaks, put a dab of sealant around the tie. This mounting method insures that the sender is exposed only to the intake air and is not in direct contact with the walls of the box thereby possibly contaminating the data since there is obviously a temperature differential between the two. I'm somewhat unsure if this mounting proceedure will be secure over the long run since the sender is just hanging from the wires and may be subjected to movement from the air flow that may in time damage the connection between sender and wires and render it inoperable. Only time will tell. If there should be a problem, I'll obtain a new sender and using duct tape, affix the wires to the inner wall of the box, but still keeping the sender itself from direct contact with the wall. That should solve any problem. Reassemble everything in reverse order and the sender mounting installation is complete.

    Wiring the Sending Unit
    Cyberdyne includes long lengths of white and black wire to connect the short leads from the sender to both ground and gauge. Using Western Union splices, rosin core flux applied with a toothpick and a Weller 40W iron, I soldered the additional lengths of wire to the sender wires and, after cleaning the flux off the joint with a small brush dipped into 91% isopropyl alcohol, covered the splices with heat shrink tubing. I then formed the wires into a twisted pair (probably unnecessary for electrical shielding purposes since they carry DC, but they look better that way) and ran them back to the main grounding point. This is where the battery negative cable is grounded and also serves as my common instrument ground point to which my previously installed tach is grounded. Using a 22-18 AWG ring terminal with a 1/4" opening, which I crimped and soldered to the black wire, I grounded the sender wire to the same point.

    Because of clearance problems, I can't run a wire through the plug in the firewall from the engine bay side (I can't get my hands in there) so I fed a length of green Alpha 18 AWG with a 600V and 105 deg C rating through the firewall from the cockpit side and soldered it to the white temperature sender wire near the common ground point, again covering the splice with heat shrink tubing. Inside the cockpit, I soldered the other end of the green wire to the white sender wire coming from the OAT gauge. The reason I used green instead of white is that, already having a white signal wire running through the firewall for the tach, I wanted a different color code to make tracing easier should future problems occur. This completes the temperature sender wiring. I obtain my Alpha wire from: http://www.mouser.com


    For those who don't know how to run a wire through the firewall, I’ve written a description of the procedure which I carried out when installing my digital tach. You can access it at:
    http://www.wihandyman.com/forum/showthread.php?p=623835&#post623835

    In the next post, I’ll detail how I mounted the temperature gauge.

    Happy Motoring!

    Below are photos that illustrate the wiring process:
    Upper left: placement of sender and its wires exiting air box.
    Upper right: twisted pair running from air box to ground point.
    Middle left: sender ground wire connected to ground point.
    Middle right: OEM rubber plug in firewall through which I run my instrument wires (16 AWG black ground; 18 AWG white tach signal; 18 AWG green temp sender).
    Lower: view of temperature sender
    Attached Files
    Last edited by goldstar; 04-22-2010, 08:54 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

    #2
    Mounting the Temperature Gauge

    Mounting Considerations
    Temperature readouts, whether ambient or air intake system related, do not require constant monitoring. Therefore, for me at least, an in your face display is not desirable. Dashboard space, closer to the driver's line of sight is scarce, therefore why not save it for a gauge or gauges that require more frequent attention? Casting around for a suitable mounting area, I hit on the idea of using the cover over the cupholders as a mounting base for the following reasons:
    1. I wanted a location that would provide good visibility but not be directly in my field of view.

    2. I wanted a location that would require virtually no modification to the car that couldn't be undone easily. Should I have to return the car to stock configuration, two small holes in the cup holder cover should be easy to repair.

    3. Since the gauge would be surface mounted, as in the case of my tach, I wanted a location where only a very small run of wire is visible before it disappears into the console and then up behind the instrument panel where the circuit connection points are accessed.

    4. I don’t use the cup holders in my car and consequently they are wasted space. I never drink any beverage nor do anything else that might distract me when I’m driving nor does anyone else who rides with me. On trips, or during vacation time, we carry a cooler in the trunk and only eat and drink after we stop.

    5. I personally like the look of the gauge prominently sitting there. It has that WW II military aircraft chic look that really turns me on. Additionally, this location provides space for another matching instrument should the need ever arise.

    Sitting in the driver's seat proved that if the gauge was angled up facing towards the driver, visibility was ideal with just a slight sideways and downward shift of the head, without being at all obtrusive. The only drawback is that with the gauge mounted on the driver's side of the cover, symmetry demands that a second gauge be mounted on the passenger side to balance things out. But that's a problem for another day.

    To obtain the proper mounting angles for best visibility, and to house the gauge, I obtained 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. This is the same cup I used to mount my digital tach. The diameter of the two mounting holes in the cup base are just the right size for an M5 bolt or screw. Drill two holes in the cupholder cover matching the holes in the cup base and at the angle you desire using a no. 7 (.201") wire gauge drill. After that it's a simple matter to bolt it to the cupholder cover correctly angled towards the driver and, once fixed in place, the cup can be tilted up or down and then locked in position. I used the same stainless steel A-2 (equivalent to 18-8 stainless) metric hardware that I had previously used to mount my tach, available 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

    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 underside of the cupholder cover. The large O.D. fender washers will help spread the load on the plastic cover and help prevent cracks or breakage. Because of the nature of the mounting location, installation is a little awkward unless you have the right tools. In order to tighten the nuts, obviously the cupholder cover must be partially open for wrench placement. This in turn reduces the clearance available for a screwdriver between the top of the cup base and the ashtray. Since the M5 x .8 nuts require an 8mm wrench and the matching screws take a no. 2 Philips screwdriver, using an 8mm box wrench on the nuts (to ensure minimal cover opening) and a stubby no. 2 Philips (or a ratchet with a Philips driver) up top will make the job a fairly easy one.

    The strap that clamps the mounting cup to the gauge is affixed to the cup mounting base with two ¼-20 x ½” slotted round head screws and two external tooth lockwashers supplied by Autometer and incorrectly identified as 10-32 x ½” size. However, I prefer replacing the RH machine screws with ¼-20 x ½” hex head bolts and placing SAE ¼” flat washers between the bolt heads and the lockwashers. One source for these bolts is Pep Boys where I found a package of four sold under the Dorman Keep-Tite brand. This change prevents the lockwashers from digging into the underside of the bolt head and makes it easier to adjust the position of the instrument and secure sufficient tightness using either a socket or box wrench (11 mm is a perfect fit), and avoids the danger of a slipping screwdriver damaging the gauge. I should also point out that once the gauge is mounted in the position indicated, the ashtray can no longer be used if that’s a consideration for anyone.

    Finally, painting black the temperature gauge mounting bolts and SAE flat washers, as well as covering the wires between gauge and console with black, ¼” diameter split wire loom will go a long way towards improving the appearance of the installation. I used a water-based acryllic enamel model paint made by Poly Scale. 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 black paint will do the job. I just happened to have this on hand and it matches the tach mounting cup base color almost exactly. Before painting, I cleaned the bolts and washers with a small brush dipped in 91% isopropyl alcohol and applied the paint with a no.4 red sable round artist’s brush. Because it’s self-leveling, the paint went on smoothly and evenly and no primer is required. Because of the thin coating produced by model paints, after a couple of days I applied a second coat.

    Happy Motoring!

    Below are photos of the gauge installation after painting and fitting with wire loom:
    Attached Files
    Last edited by goldstar; 04-21-2010, 11:06 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


      #3
      Wiring the Gauge

      The Cyberdyne temperature gauge 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 hookup points could be reached. I extended the ground wire with a 4' length of 16 AWG, likewise the signal wire and the B+ and dimmer wires had 4' of 18 AWG added to each. Again, I used Alpha 600V, 105 deg C wire.

      Install the grommet in the mounting cup and feed the wires from the instrument through the grommet and then through the hole in the left side of the console and out through its side and up behind the instrument panel. Then, place the temperature gauge in the mounting cup.

      To connect the signal wire into the circuit, run the white wire from the gauge until it joins the green wire already in place through the firewall and solder the two wires together, afterward covering the splice with heat shrink tubing, as previously mentioned in post #1.

      To connect the ground wire into the circuit, run it through the firewall to the main ground point in the engine bay. Cyberdyne recommends this procedure since it's important to avoid ground current flow and ground loops when dealing with digital circuitry. Since I already had a tach ground wire in place running through the firewall, I simply connected to it the black wire from the temperature gauge using a blue 16-14 3M Tap-In Squeeze Connector, under the instrument panel and out of sight.

      To connect the remaining two wires from the gauge into the circuit, again refer to my post in the digital tach installation thread in which I explain where the various connection points I used to source B+ and dimmer voltage are located:

      http://www.wihandyman.com/forum/showthread.php?p=623835&#post623835

      In my case, I simply ran the temperature gauge B+ and dimmer wires to where the respective tach gauge wires were already connected and joined them using red 22-18 3M connectors. The gauge should now be operable.

      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


        #4
        Some Additional Considerations

        Those of you who read my tach thread How-To will recall that I found the LED readout excessively, and at night even dangerously, bright. I solved that problem completely by using disc-shaped material cut from Axius Window Tint Strip applied to the face of the gauge. The full details are in that thread. Fortunately, no such problem exists with the temperature gauge. Due to the gauge being outside my direct line of sight as well as it being much farther from my eyes than is the tach, the display is neither too bright, day or night, nor does it affect my night vision at all when I look down to glance at it. It's really unobtrusive. Additionally, since the gauge angles towards the driver, it's essentially outside the field of view of the passenger. One less task to complete.

        It occurs to me, for anyone thinking of purchasing this gauge (or a similar one) that its utility could be greatly increased if it were used with more than one sensor. Sensors are inexpensive and could be placed in a variety of positions to monitor various areas of interest. For example, why not mount one in both the air box and the front bumper? When changes are being made to the air intake system, connect the gauge to that sensor to acquire the data; at other times the gauge can serve to read ambient air temperature. As already noted, not all functions have to be monitored at all times. It should be relatively easy, rather than hardwire the sensor to the gauge, to equip each one with a plug-in connector to allow selective attachment. Why not go a step further and take the high tech route? Mount a relay in the engine compartment and select between senders by flipping a switch while you're at the wheel. WOW!

        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


          #5
          The Gauge in Operation

          This is not meant as a systematic account of the relation between ambient temperature, driving mode, and air box temperature. Nor should any of the data I present here be considered definitve. Additionally, this thread is not the proper venue for this kind of information. I intend to attempt to present more reliable and definitive data in a separate thread at a later point. This present information is meant solely to give you an idea of how the gauge functions and what to expect if you install one of your own.

          I'll attempt to give a linear account of this test mission.

          Before starting, I checked the local weather on my computer which specified the local NWS temperature as 54 deg F (12 deg C). My car had been parked all night and at startup, the gauge read 56 deg F (13 deg C). I had already noticed that even with a dead cold engine, on a warm sunny day the engine bay temperature is already above ambient. However, today it was cool with an overcast sky so I took the gauge reading of 56 deg F (13 deg C) to be the true ambient.

          The first stage involved driving for ~ 3 miles through a mostly residential area with occasional stops for traffic lights and a speed not above 45 MPH. During this stage the temp climbed from the initial 56 deg F (13 deg C) to 68 deg F (20 deg C) with a brief excursion to 70 deg F (21 deg C) at a long traffic light. I have already noticed that in slow traffic and at long lights the temp rapidly climbs over that which is displayed while actually driving.

          The second stage began with my entrance to I-287, and because traffic was light, I was able to run at a constant 70 MPH for ~ 5 miles. During the run the temp dropped from 68 deg F (20 deg C) to 65 deg F (18 deg C) where it remained until I left the interstate.

          The third stage involved ~ 8 miles of two-lane country highway driving with only one short traffic light stop. Because traffic was again light, I was easily able to maintain a 40-45 MPH speed for most of this leg. During this part of the trip, the temp climbed back up to 68 deg F (20 deg C).

          The final stage consisted of ~ 3 miles of residential driving with speeds no higher than 40 MPH and two brief traffic light stops. When I reached home, the temp had climbed to 70 deg F (21 deg C) at engine shutdown.

          One hour after I completed my run, I restarted the engine to check the temp reading. It registered 97 deg F (36 deg C), 27 deg F and 15 deg C more than at shutdown, and obviously all due to heat soak. I've consistently noted this phenomenon during the brief time I've observed the gauge except when the engine is allowed to cool down completely before restart. The additional heat due to soak is usually dissipated within 5 minutes of the resumption of driving on the road - longer if in traffic.

          Summary
          My air intake is located in a high pressure area that receives ambient temperature air. Assuming the true ambient to be 56 deg F (13 deg C) as stated, the maximum temp rise while driving was 14 deg F (8 deg C) and only 9 deg F (5 deg C) on the interstate. I'd say that's pretty good temperature performance for this particular, essentially OEM, system. It's interesting to note that SAE net HP figures are based on a 77 deg F (25 deg C) ambient intake air setting (that's intake, not air box air temperature).

          It was cool here that day. Obviously, at higher ambient temperatures the air box temperatures will be higher and often well over 77 deg F (25 deg C). The important point here is the differential between ambient and air box temperatures with the object being to keep it as small as possible for maximum power output. A couple of days before, it was much warmer (ambient close to 80 deg F; 27 deg C) and, after driving until the temp gauge read 85 deg F (29 deg C), as an experiment I let the car idle for ~ 8 minutes. In that time the temp climbed to 128 F (53 deg C) at which time I drove off and within five minutes the temp dropped back to 85 deg F (29 deg C). One thing is clear from the small number of observations I've made so far, regardless of the ambient, idling raises the air box temperature fast and furiously.

          As a preliminary finding, it appears that the higher the rpm, the briefer the traversal of a molecule of air through the intake duct thus minimizing the effect of duct heating on charge temperature.

          I'd sure like to know the temperature in the intake pipe of an SRI.

          One final thought. The gauge responds to temperature changes very rapidly - one of the advantages of digital operation.

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

          Happy Motoring!
          Last edited by goldstar; 04-22-2010, 10:50 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


            #6
            Replaced sensor: July 2008

            From the time summer was approaching in 2008, I felt that my gauge was giving inaccurate readings - specifically it seemed to be reading too high. I can't demonstrate this scientifically as its based solely on my experience of the typical range of temperatures normally displayed given my particular environment. For what ever reason, I assumed the sensor had gone bad. Perhaps because of the extreme environment it inhabits as compared with its more usual mounting when used simply as an OAT sensor. Being mounted in the air box, the sensor must occasionally be exposed to temperatures approaching or even exceeding its design maximum of 158 deg F (70 deg C) which, over time, may trigger some failure mode. However, all of this remains speculation. As the original sensor was installed on October 4th, 2006 it had been in place for ~ one year and 9 months.

            It seemed that the original sending unit had become faulty and started to transmit data causing the gauge to read much higher temperatures than ambient even during steady-state, non-stop, high speed, cruise conditions. These readings were totally out of line with past measurements. In fact, since the start of summer, my gauge displayed temperatures mostly in the 90s and the 100s F (30s C) pretty much irrespective of the ambient temp, and driving mode. Therefore, I felt the unit had become defective.

            I purchased a new sensor from my usual vendor as listed in post #1. The price was still the same at US $13.71, and with S&H of $9.16, the total cost was $22.87 (the current price is also still the same). It comes with two inline crimp connectors and a length of connecting wire neither of which I used or needed as the basic wiring was previously done and I don't crimp, I solder. Or if I do crimp, I solder the crimp. Instructions are also included.

            Replacement is quite easy and essentially follows the steps I outlined in post #1. As I had originally hardwired the original sensor into the circuit, I simply cut the wires coming from the sensor and, after removing the air box cover and air filter, pulled it out of the air box from the inside. After installing the new sensor, I cut its wires to length, stripped the ends, stripped the ends of the connecting wires that run to the common ground point and the gauge, spliced the wire ends together, fluxed and soldered the splices with a 40 watt iron, removed the flux residue with 91% isopropyl alcohol, and covered the joints with heat-shrinkable tubing. Then, after I cable-tied the wires coming out of the air box to a secure mounting point to keep them from moving, I was done. Refer to the photos in post #1 for more details.

            I didn’t like having to cut, re-splice and re-solder the wires connecting the sensor to the rest of the circuit and would much prefer to have had a connector in place. Then, I could have attached the plug or socket to the replacement sensor leads and simply plugged the assembly in to the rest of the circuit. I looked around for such a connector but couldn’t find a suitable one that wasn’t either too costly, required special tools to install the contacts, or seemed sturdy enough to withstand the rigors of an underhood environment. If any of you can recommend a suitable 18-22 AWG, 2-conductor model, please let me know.

            A test run indicated to me that the new sending unit was providing accurate data to the gauge as the displayed temperatures tracked closely with the ambient air temp, the running mode, and the vehicle speeds in a manner similar to the results obtained in past test runs.

            The replacement sensor has now been in operation for 1-year and 9-months (same as the original) and has so far functioned well with no problems to date.

            Happy Motoring!
            Last edited by goldstar; 04-22-2010, 09:00 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


              #7
              So you mean the inlet side (hot side) of the intercooler?

              It would be very cool to see the temps the turbocharger is giving and one verify the results with the AFR and driving conditions.

              Comment


                #8
                That would indeed be cool.

                The temperature sender would have to be mounted in the outlet side of the intercooler as I'm sure the charge temperature at the turbo outlet would be above its 158 deg F maximum rating.

                It seems to me that this IC outlet temperature would be the one you'd want to know in order to relate it to the A/F ratio, driving mode, and ambient air temperature. Also, the temperature here would be roughly analogous to the air box temperature in a normally aspirated engine - that is, a reading of the charge temperature before it's about to enter the IM.

                You could also compare the effect on IC output temperature of feeding the turbo air inlet with underhood vs. ambient temperature air.

                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
                  Subject aside real quick, What camera do use for the above documentation?

                  Like how they are sharp, high resolution with good color.

                  Comment


                    #10
                    I use a Canon PowerShot A1100 IS digicam. It's a compact point and shoot which suits me fine since I'm not a very good photographer. I use it mostly on AUTO but do make occasional adjustments for close-ups, landscape, and action. If the photos look good, it's the camera, not me.

                    Brief specs are 12.1 megapixels and 4x optical zoom. It uses 2-AA cells but I bought an optional Canon battery charger with 4 Ni-MH rechargeable cells along with a Canon case so I can carry it on my belt when I'm out. I replaced the standard memory card with a Transcend SDHC 4GB model.

                    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

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