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amb temp gauge and eco gauge
Posted: 18 Nov 2008 10:47 pm
by pyro
evening all, long time no speak!
ive just got an ambient temperature gauge (inc sender) and a vacuum gauge from j340glt and basically im just wondering how to fit them. ive looked through the green books (or whatever colour they are!)and still a bit confused on how to fit the sender, and how to plumb the eco gauge in. any one have any tips that they are willing to share? i have to get them fitted and working in a few hours due to having to drive everywhere being the only driver in a student house!
cheers - ben
ps think they are both VDO's
Posted: 18 Nov 2008 11:07 pm
by J340GLT
Hello Mate
The blue leaflets dude!! You using the whole gauge panel or just putting the two gauges in your old cluster?
Regards
Jay
Posted: 18 Nov 2008 11:10 pm
by Jos360
With a VDO gauge it's very simple. With a Smiths gauge, it's probably the same but i just don't know.
You take out your gaugeset:
-2 screws on the top-bracket
-4 pins from the steeringcolumnprotectionpanel, to fit your hand behind the gauges
-Take the 2 horizontal cable-bars from the gaugepanel and take the speedocabel away (turn the plastic retainer easily and pull it back)
-Put the steering wheel in neutral position to be able to pull out the gaugepanel.
You open the gaugeset:
-Remove all the screws from the back of the set, including the one behind the metal plate.
-Take the back plate off, revealing just the bare gauges, with no glass.
-Take the dummies out of the place for the ecometer and amb.temp meter
-Put the gauges in place, pressing them firmly in position
-Put the casing back on the panel, keeping the paper for the indicator lights in place
-Put the screws back
The ambient temp. sensor has to be placed in the right-side trumpet that holds the front bumper on the car. The click-system has to click in the right side of that trumpet, about 20cm in the thing. On most cars, the cables are already there, tied together just outside the trumpet. If not, you should make a cable from the sensor to the gaugepanel. Someone else can probably tell you how.
Posted: 18 Nov 2008 11:13 pm
by J340GLT
Hes got the wiring and sender mate, he will just have to find the two wires under the dash as its not a GLT
Posted: 18 Nov 2008 11:15 pm
by Jos360
In my 360i, the cables were already there, but in my 360GL they weren't. Thats why you should check if they are there first

Posted: 18 Nov 2008 11:56 pm
by pyro
coolio cheers guys
sounds like i have an excuse to skip my professional skills lecture tomorrow! (they tried to teach me how to type on powerpoint last week.....)
ben
Posted: 19 Nov 2008 09:46 am
by trabitom99
Try some of these posts too:
http://www.volvo300mania.com/forum-uk/v ... php?t=3128
http://www.volvo300mania.com/forum-uk/v ... .php?t=688
http://www.volvo300mania.com/forum-uk/v ... .php?t=967
It's something well worth fitting IMHO, the econ gauge particularly is a real hoot! The ambient temperature gauge isn't really that accurate - mine tells me the current air temperature under the bonnet, not really that useful
Tom
Posted: 19 Nov 2008 10:51 am
by Jos360
If you place it right, it should tell you the temperature just above the wheel, in the wheelarch.
Posted: 19 Nov 2008 10:56 am
by trabitom99
In my GLi it's flapping around somewhere in the engine bay. That's very inaccurate, obviously
However, the GLT has the sensor where it is supposed to be - stuck inside the bumper holders (?). And here too, if I'm in traffic, the temperature rises and rises to the max mark at 40°C.
I don't really care though, still nice to have! And it's a good ice warner too ...
Tom
Posted: 19 Nov 2008 01:56 pm
by pyro
bish bosh bash... and the gauges are fitted, temp gauge works and isnt that far bad. checked it against my dads Citroen C3 (:() hada few isues with it not working to start with then looked at the connections on the back of the dash, the copper was tarnished, quick scrape with some steel wool and jobs a good un.
the spade connectors were taped up just near the steering column.
i realise the eco gauge might not work brilliant j340glt, but does anyone know what size vacuum pipe it uses?
and ive looked at the blue leaflets and im not sure where the pipe goes on to on the carb/inlet. anny offers?
its a b200k
cheers - ben
Posted: 19 Nov 2008 03:04 pm
by Jos360
If i'm not wrong, you can use any vacuüm hose from after the throttlevalve. There is one going to your Renix unit (behind the battery), you can fix another vacuüm hose on that with a T-bit (don't know the english word...)
Posted: 19 Nov 2008 04:50 pm
by Chris_C
I'm not sure on the B200k mate, but certainly on the 200e there are tapping's you can fit to the manifold, you take out a bolt and fit in a threaded sleeve. Jos' way would also be fine.
Jos, T-piece, but as ever perfectly understandable mate!
Posted: 19 Nov 2008 06:50 pm
by J340GLT
Well done geezer glad its fitted, as for the Econ gauge its not the fact that its not working brilliant im not sure if its working as I didn't have it connected in my car as where the needle settles is in the wrong place..
Regards
Jay
Posted: 19 Nov 2008 08:12 pm
by pyro
i had a tinker with it before i fitted it and i thought id got it working i can get the needle to move so some thing is right. but in my tinkering i set the needle to the wrong side of the gauge (i blame the beer) are they surpose to settle in the the red when the ignition is turned off?
if that makes sense...
cheers - ben
Posted: 19 Nov 2008 10:07 pm
by J340GLT
yeh they settle in the red when its off..