Electrical :: AutoMeter Boost Gauge Install

[FlynHawaiian]

yah there are two phillips screws in the back. use one and you have a mount with no need to drill .

My only problem I have noticed is at night it's hard for me to see because I'm wierd and turn all my lights down low. I might have to find a 12v always on

[DarkMiniCooperS]

Yes I used the stock hole to screw it.

[Bahamabart]

Originally Posted by DarkMiniCooperS

Yes I used the stock hole to screw it.

wow EVEN BETTER.

And I spent time modifying the extended bracket when I could have been drinking beers.

Nice job

[DarkMiniCooperS]

Originally Posted by Bahamabart

wow EVEN BETTER.

And I spent time modifying the extended bracket when I could have been drinking beers.

Nice job

Or you could have drink beer while modifying the bracket...

[Bahamabart]

Originally Posted by DarkMiniCooperS

Or you could have drink beer while modifying the bracket...

The bracket in my pics was bracket #2 BECAUSE beer was involved with Bracket #1. why am i laughing?

[COR BLMY]

auto meter ULTRA LITE

Boost (mechanical)
H2O temp (electric)
Oil pressure (electric)

[Bahamabart]

Originally Posted by bpago

auto meter ULTRA LITE

Boost (mechanical)
H2O temp (electric)
Oil pressure (electric)

thats called "a GAUGE CLUSTER" .

[FlynHawaiian]

whats up with the steering wheel how you get it red?

[COR BLMY]

AUTO ZONE cover
$6.99

It is neopreen(?) and mesh
I furst put it on when my hand was in a cast and didn't want to mess up the wheel.

Now I like it
Good feel and yes it is RED

Liked it so much that I bought a couple of spares

[DarkMiniCooperS]

Originally Posted by Bahamabart

The bracket in my pics was bracket #2 BECAUSE beer was involved with Bracket #1. why am i laughing?

LOL funny story! But it's a matter of quality not quantity... I guess it wasn't Corona...

[Bahamabart]

Originally Posted by DarkMiniCooperS

LOL funny story! But it's a matter of quality not quantity... I guess it wasn't Corona...

No they were Coronas . I think its a matter of the lime - they don't go well with dremels.

[///ACS330Ci]

I gotta ask ... can you see any of them while you're driving? It seems like the steering wheel would be right in the way.

Originally Posted by bpago

auto meter ULTRA LITE

Boost (mechanical)
H2O temp (electric)
Oil pressure (electric)

[Bahamabart]

how is this line of sight -

[Bgreens]

how did you mount the gauges around the tach/speedo combination? I have only seen gauge mounts for the normal set up with just the tach. I have the combination due to the Chrono package and would love to cleanly mount a boost gauge.

[DarkMiniCooperS]

A friend of mine ordered the kit I' writting abou there, and he has the Chrono Pack. It should be all good. We'll install it in the next 2-3 weeks, and I'll post results here!

[DarkMiniCooperS]

so, what's up with the sticky status? lol

I think it helps many people and almost every MCS owner would like to add a boost gauge to their MCS, without drilling holes to their awesome interior!

[DarkMiniCooperS]

Woohooo!!! my thread finally made it to the sticky status!

I hope many people will find it useful and install a boost gauge to their MCS!

[///ACS330Ci]

I gotta ask (again) ... can you see any of them while you're driving? It seems like the steering wheel would be right in the way.

Originally Posted by bpago

auto meter ULTRA LITE

Boost (mechanical)
H2O temp (electric)
Oil pressure (electric)

[SSMini]

Now we need a oil pressure gauge install write up...

[DarkMiniCooperS]

BahamaBart, using a 15psi limit boost gauge, does your gauge's needle gets stopped at the limit ?

[COR BLMY]

YES
I can see them all.
OK I can see 7/8 th of the boost gauge and if you notice thats why it is up-side down.
But that really is a FUN gauge.
I'll try to take a photo holding the camera at EYE level.

This took me quite a bit of work
Basiclly the gauges are all mounted on a flat alum plate (thank you city of C*****D, it was a stop sign).
There are 2 MAIN screws on the back of the speedo / tach. With longer bolts and spacers it works great.

I really should have done a write-up as I did this before all the good info here.
They all work & the gauges come with red light covers...
(I punched a small hole in each and now they are ORANGE and match the other dash lights in color and brightness.

[///ACS330Ci]

Originally Posted by bpago

thank you city of C*****D, it was a stop sign

[resipsamcs]

Excellent write-up and how-to! Did the install with a friend this weekend, very pleased with the result. My 15% pulley, etc., equipped car is topping out at 15-16 psi boost. It's a blast watching the needle and knowing when the car is in vacuum and when it is in boost. The gauge looks really cool as well.

Here are a few personal observations: Screw used to attach gauge cup bracket to tach - #8 1 1/2 inches cut down slightly (1 1/4 inch should be just right); I tried two types of supposedly bright amber led 194 bulbs - standard cheapo 5w amber worked the best (I don't really understand this), though being backlit, the gauge is not especially bright at night; several zip ties and some convoluted tubing hid the vacuum line to the gauge real well in the engine compartment; wired to the driving lights switch and ground on a dashboard screw.

This is a great lower cost alternative to the cost of a dual gauge pod plus gauges.

Thanks DarkMini

[DarkMiniCooperS]

Thanks a lot for the review Resipsamcs!

Enjoy your boost gauge, and don't forget to keep an eye on the road too lol

[MINIotaple]

Okay, this is going to sound very stupid to all of you, but I don't understand the process of 'getting power' from one of the wires. I'm assuming you're splicing one of the wires and running one end to the gauge, but how exactly is that done? I've never had to do electrical work, so...