Stewart Warner Gauges/ALTA Pods installed - Page 2

elpappy · #26 05-04-2008, 08:06 PM

Driver View

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Close up of the boost gauge. The lights that come with it are red and blue. The red DOES NOT match the stock lighting of the MC. I have ordered a orange light in hopes of matching.

This gauge is designed to be a dash mount...I'm going to cut off the end of the pegs for a more clean look. I used the Alta pod and it does not have a back.

Stewart Warner are the people who make the OEM gauges so its a match

. Just thought I would post these to help everyone out. If anyone has any questions feel free to ask!

MiniJayhawk · #27 05-04-2008, 08:30 PM

Don't cut them off. Grab them with a pair of pliers and twist them out. They are screwed in and will unscrew out. I also ran my wiring under the tach mount to hide them.

Juiceman · #28 07-13-2008, 07:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MiniJayhawk

The instll was about a 3 out of 5 for difficulty. 5 being the most difficult. Depends on your patience and basic wiring skills. The only trick was grounding the threads of the water temp sensor because I was tapping into a plastic tank instead of the engine block/manifold.

Where did you run the temp bulb through the firewall??

MiniJayhawk · #29 07-13-2008, 07:48 PM

I ran the wiring through the firewall in the same place as the ALTA guage install instructions.

Juiceman · #30 07-13-2008, 07:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MiniJayhawk

I ran the wiring through the firewall in the same place as the ALTA guage install instructions.

Ok so the H20 guage is electronic not an old style mechanical gage....So you dont need to drill a large hole for the temp bulb.

MiniJayhawk · #31 07-13-2008, 08:04 PM

Correct. (I think) The sensor taps into the coolant tank and two wires run through the firewall to the gauge.

Juiceman · #32 07-13-2008, 08:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MiniJayhawk

Correct. (I think) The sensor taps into the coolant tank and two wires run through the firewall to the gauge.

Ok thanks for the info!

samroberto · #33 08-01-2008, 06:13 AM

I'm looking at getting the very same Boost gauge setup, Alta pod, SW competition, etc.

* So this boost gauge is mechanical ?? ... I thought electronic ones were the ones you want to get ? ... I'm an electronic newbie and have no clue what I need -
If I buy the SW boost gauge from Summit racing, the Alta POD, do I need to buy the ATP or ALta MAP tap to the manifold ??

PLEASE HELP !! Much appreciated

MiniJayhawk · #34 08-01-2008, 07:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by samroberto

I'm looking at getting the very same Boost gauge setup, Alta pod, SW competition, etc.

* So this boost gauge is mechanical ?? ... I thought electronic ones were the ones you want to get ? ... I'm an electronic newbie and have no clue what I need -
If I buy the SW boost gauge from Summit racing, the Alta POD, do I need to buy the ATP or ALta MAP tap to the manifold ??

PLEASE HELP !! Much appreciated

Yes, the boost gauge is mechanical. The temp gauge is electronic. You do need the Alta tap.

Bahamabart · #35 08-01-2008, 07:24 AM

there is a sticky, I believe in electrical section that covers boost gauge install.

you can go either mechanical or electrical. Mechanical is what most do and is pretty easy - tap boost/vacuum line and tap electric for light.

When looking at gauges - there are many scales available. For example if your running a 15 pulley your max psi is 14.5 so a 15 boost scale is perfect.

One note about SW. I picked one up 6 months ago and am a bit disappointed for the needle no longer zeros out to zero. Before I had just a boost gauge (no vac) so perhaps this is common, I don't know.

MiniJayhawk · #36 08-01-2008, 07:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bahamabart

One note about SW. I picked one up 6 months ago and am a bit disappointed for the needle no longer zeros out to zero. Before I had just a boost gauge (no vac) so perhaps this is common, I don't know.

The SW instructions say that it may not zero out exactly when the car is turned off. That is normal, supposedly. Mine happens to zero out.

samroberto · #37 08-01-2008, 08:14 AM

Is tapping into the electrics for the backlighting very difficult ??
If I'm only doing a boost gauge, and not also an electrical water temp, etc., what would the most difficult processes be ? And how on earth do you run it from the tach to the engine ... (

) I read something about it in the Alta installation directions and got a little confused..

THANKS !!!

CaMiniMe · #38 08-01-2008, 10:59 AM

your setup looks very clean. i was looking at altas site. their site says $80. is that $80 for one pod or both pods?

samroberto · #39 08-01-2008, 01:36 PM

In the ALTA directions, it discusses connecting illumination wires to underneath the center console - did you do the same thing or did you tap into wires behind the tachometer ??

After talking to Adam and reviewing their gauge install PDF, it looks like now the only really confusing part still for me is the wiring and illuminating.. Getting the sensor /manifold adapter in place and feeding everything through the firewall seems easy enough.
But the part about red wires and ground wires and OBD2 ports...

CaMiniMe · #40 08-05-2008, 12:07 PM

Could someone with the SW gauges help me out and give me the depth of the guages? i marked it in the pic
thanks

**ADAMSALTAMINI** · #41 08-05-2008, 04:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CaMiniMe

your setup looks very clean. i was looking at altas site. their site says $80. is that $80 for one pod or both pods?

Thanks for asking! Should be $69.99 for each.

Let me know if I can help in anyway further!

bearcat245 · #42 09-01-2008, 10:54 AM

Adam,
The Alta website shows the pod at $79.99.
Where can we get it for $69.99?
Thanks

**ADAMSALTAMINI** · #43 09-01-2008, 03:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bearcat245

Adam,
The Alta website shows the pod at $79.99.
Where can we get it for $69.99?
Thanks

WELL if you buy it today off our website and input the "LABOR" coupon code, you get 10% off! Go for it!

MiniJayhawk · #44 05-19-2009, 11:45 AM

By the way, mine are now for sale. I sold the Mini and took them out before the sale. Everything you need included except for the general power wiring which you can get at the local hardware store for a few bucks. Check out the Marketplace under R56 Parts. http://www.northamericanmotoring.com...p?product=5231

jproz · #45 06-02-2009, 04:36 PM

I just finish the install that MJ started this thread with.
I used the cravenspeed hot link coupler versus drilling into the overflow tank.
I followed the alta wiring instructions for finding the right wires.
I also used the cravenspeed flexpod versus the alta ones ...

Works like a charm...

I bought the sylvania amber bulbs as well ... and they show more yellow than amber ... so I'll likely do the same as MJ; red marker to the clear bulbs that came with the gauges.

windfall · #46 07-11-2009, 06:07 PM

I have Marshall gauges which use an LED instead of a regular bulb. LED's don't like a dimmer, so I cannot connect them to the DSC button in the console. Does anyone know what the color of a wire that is switched by the lightswitch is?
Thanks.

MINIdriver85 · #47 07-12-2009, 03:42 AM

If my memory doesn't fool me, the stock gauges have a red/white or red/grey wire going to them, that's for the lighting, so it is under the light switch. I used it for my SW gauges in which I fitted the optional leds, and it works perfectly

windfall · #48 07-12-2009, 06:43 AM

The red/gray is dimmed and Marshall tells me that their gauges use LED's which do not like being dimmed unless you have a purpose built switch, so I am looking for a wire that is just on/off with the light switch.

MINIdriver85 · #49 07-12-2009, 07:53 AM

Well, I don't know of any wire like the one you're searching, sorry

Hopefully someone else will be more helpful

windfall · #50 07-12-2009, 06:10 PM

OK. It turns out that the LED's dim fine, so you can just hook it up to the red/gray wire. Thanks.