The Madness cooler is also one of the least expensive of those I've found, but its the only one I've found with the ports for the senders. The $$$ adapter plate could still be used by looping the two cooler ports together with a section of hose - but that would take the stock oil cooler (albeit quite small) out of the picture. So I agree with Steve.

 

New Gauge Prices - Still not too bad. The electric gauges without peak recall and warning (in red) are in short supply because Marshall is moving away from that design.


7411 - Vac/Boost, 30" Hg - 30 PSI (mechanical) $57.99

7471 - Vac/Boost 30" Hg - 30 PSI (stepper) $108.99

7421 - Voltmeter, 0-18V (electric) $57.99

7472 - Voltmeter, 0-18V (stepper) $66.99

7433 - Oil pressure, 0-100 PSI (electric) $79.99

7473 - Oil pressure, 0-100 PSI (stepper) $89.99

7434 - Water temperature, 100-260°F (electric) $73.99

7474 - Water temperature, 100-260°F (stepper) $82.99

7435 - Oil temperature, 170-310°F (electric) $79.99

7475 - Oil temperature, 170-310°F (stepper) $89.99

Marshall Dimmer for stepper gauges $25.00

RAC Dimmer for steppers (integrates with MINI's dimmer) - $45.00


Oil pressure, oil temperature and water temperature gauges include the sending unit with 1/8" NPT connection.

Stepper motor gauges have peak recall and warning functions.

CravenSpeed mounting systems and sender unit adapters are still available at a good price, also.

Please call Custom Mini Shop at 559.320.0004 or e-mail steve@blackoaks.com for ordering information. Thanks.

Steve

 

Anyone istall an Oil temperature guage in an R56 (Gen 2) car yet? I'm curious as to where the sending unit is installed. The Oil drain plug sticks straight down so that is not an option. Any info would be appreciated.

 

Just ordered a set from Kellen At craven speed. Cant wait to get them. Had to cancel a order at promini they had autometers. I talked to Kellen and he said they match overall in look and lighting spot on

 

Good luck Michele R53 I know that Custom Mini Shop and Marshalls have designed a great gauge that works great with the Craven mounting system. Something about having a gauge system that works while looking stock along with great customer service.

 

This may have been covered,(I'm sure it was) but I have combed this thread and still need some advice.
I'm going to install a boost and water temp gauge both electric.
My question is where should I tap for the gauge lights so they work with the dash dimmer?
Can I use the wire that the speedo uses for both of the new gauges? And which wire would that be?
If not, could you guys give me simple instructions on where to tap into.
I have a 2004 S.
I have read that some have used the cig. lighter. Is there a closer and easer place?
Thanks in advance. :D
Rich

 

For the actual dimming, use the gray wire with the red stripe that come out of the tach wiring harness. I tin the end of a wire with solder and push it into the back of the connector, then tape it into the rest of the harness so it can't move. For gauge power you can get switched 12 volts from the lighter or from the purple with stripe (forgot color of stripe) in the steering column. I prefer the steering column because the wiring is close and shorter.

Steve

 

Steve, YOU ROCK!
That's what I was looking for.
Thanks
Rich

 

Steve,
When I tapped into the gray wire with red stripe on the b ack of the tach, I got an annoying buzzing noise (even when the car is turned off). See my post below. Any suggestions???

 

I sounds like you have a short somewhere. There should be now power on any of those circuits with the lights and ignition off.

Steve

 

Newest Addition





Water/Volt/Boost-Vac

 

I'm beginning the installation of water temp and oil pressure w/Marshall stepper gauges. The instructions call for a constant power source for the purple wire in the gauge harness. If i am not using the recall or warning functions do I really need a constant power source? Can I get by with ground, switched power, signal and switched lighting source?

Also Is it advisable/possible to unplug the tach from the wiring harness (under the dash panel) i.e. will disconnecting the tach show up in the odometer or maintenance mileage or is that info stored elsewhere?


Regards
Dennis

 

Dennis,

There's information on the power stuff starting at post # 547 in this tread. But to paraphrase: As long as you don't want the recall function, or to dim your gauge lighting you will not need the constant +12v. If you want to dim your gauge back lighting, they do not work in a conventional way. I've designed a circuit that will dim the back lighting using the factory dimmer, or Marshall has one that uses a separate dimmer ****. Steve from Custom Mini Shop sells both type, please PM me if you need more detail on dimming.

I don't believe that disconnecting the Tach will have any effect on, but I personally can't verify it.

 

I can't answer your question but just want to let you know that SRTech is at AMVIV this weekend and might not be able to respond to posts. I'm sure he will be back in next week helping everybody out

 

Working on installing my Craven Speed tap less oil adapter and am getting some leakage from the extra plugs on the adapter. Anyone have a suggestion for sealing these plugs - silicone, teflon tape, crank em down really really tight?

Dennis

 

When installing the tapless adapter we ended up putting several wraps of teflon tape. Almost to the point where we had to much, making sure that it does not go off the end and become a block hazard latter.

 

Chief
Just to be sure you talking about the 6 individual hex pipe plugs right? From what I see inside the adapter the plugs are almost too long as the ends of adjacent plugs are hitting each other when really tightened.

Thanks for the help Navy

Dennis
SGT USMC 100 years ago

 

Dennis, take the plugs tight but make sure they have the teflon on them. I would not kill them but take them flush.

 

I used a liquid thread sealer on mine, vs. Teflon tape. Just have sure it's for oil, gas, etc.

 

According to Paul ant Marshall, the constant 12v purple wire is only used to return the needle to 0 when the power is turned off.

Steve

 

Steve
Welcome back from AMVIV - hope all went well. As per Mr. Murphy I did not read your message until after everything was installed and buttoned up. I have not connected the purple wire for the time being. The gauges do hold a reading for bit after the car is shut down but do return to zero after awhile.

I'm a little concerned about water temp as I am reading just a little above 220 which seems really hot - ambient temp here is about 40 today. Oil press seems to be about the forum ave. of 30 at warm idle and rises and falls as I would expect.

A couple of things about the install that I'll mention just for future ref. My OEM sender was installed so that the release catch for the wire connection was underneath the body - took a mirror and a dental pick to release it. I do not believe anyone has mentioned that a 7/8 deep well socket is needed to remove the OEM sender (at least that is what I needed) and that the body of the tapless connector takes a 1' wrench. If you are doing this yourself it would not hurt to have an extra O ring on hand for the tapless connector - where it installs into the head - the O ring is a number 114 - Since I was having problems getting the ports in the tapless connector to quit leaking I had the fitting on and off a few times and it not hard to pinch the O ring if you do not make sure it is seated in the groove on the end of the connector.

Getting the pipe fitting into the tapless connector is a bit of a feat - I could see anyway to install it until after the tapless connector is installed.

In a previous post I mentioned how the plugs for the un-used ports of the tapless connector bottom out against each other. I wound up using teflon tape as per Chief Tron and do not seem to have any leaks but a pipe fitting is supposed to have tapered threads that actually create the fluid seal it's just that the length of the threaded ports is so short there is not enough thread length for the job. I'm sure it is a function of the available space in that area.

Dennis

 

Dennis,

My R56 runs between 217 and 220 at normal operating temps. From what I have heard most of the 2007+ models run hotter then the older R53 series.

 

Back again after running the gauges (water temp and oil pressure both stepper gauges) for a bit. Took a 200 mile round trip yesterday and noticed that the oil pressure gauge is bouncing around quite a bit. At speed (70+) the pressure registers about 60 lbs. but swings as high as 80+ before dropping back. I believe the mini has a 90lb? pressure relief valve but the pressure does not get that high - sometimes to about 75 before going back - I am used to gauges that ready a steady pressure and only rise and fall with rpm changes. I do not suspect an wiring problem as the pressure never goes to zero but I am wondering about the sending unit. Anyone have similar experiences or advice?

Dennis

 

I have an '09 JCW and see the same thing. Mine will go as low as 40 PSI and as high as 70. It will bounce maybe 5-10 at the most at a somewhat steady RPM. Not sure if it's the sender, location (Top of the Head in the '09) or just the way the Mini oil pump is. I was also assuming that the stepper motor gauge was more precise and being this is the first experience with this type of gauge that it was just more sensitive to the fluctuations.

 

Well I think I sorted out my problem.

Tried adding a ground wire directly to the body of the sender and then to the neg terminal of the battery. While there was some improvement there was still some of the "bounce" I described initially.

Went to my local independent nut and bolt supplier to talk to them about pipe plugs. They described two types - Plugs for fluid and air or dry plugs. Something about the difference in the actual taper of the plugs. I bought several of each then tried them in a jig I had made up in anticipation of re-cutting the taper with my lathe so that the plugs did not protrude so far far into the body of the tapless connector. What I found was that the fluid type plug extended just as far as the plugs supplied with the connector. However the air or dry plugs sealed before actually entering the interior of the connector.

Finally had time to remove the complete oil sender/tapless connector setup and redo it. Stripped out all the teflon tape and this time used Loctite Thread Sealant 567 (this is not a thread locker) with the air/dry type plugs. Everything back together and a 20 minute test drive later - no bounce and a very solid even reading consistent with that of a customer of Steve at the Custom Mini Shop.

While it may be a bit early to celebrate, my experience is that if something of this type is going to leak it will either leak right away or not at all but I'll monitor it and let you know if there is a change