A wiring question people!

[Daniel M]

Hi People...

I posted a message r.e. oil pressure and battery dials to put in my facelift 440. I have the dials, but i need some help from someone who perhaps has some experience or can see where i might be going wrong. Here's the story so far....

I have cut in to the wire from my clock to connect the dials up. I have now encountered a problem though. The clock wiring is as follows: 1 Brown wire, 1 Brown and White wire, and 1 Red and Black wire. I have conected both the brown wires to the matching wires on the back of the dials, but this leaves me with the Red and Black wire from the clock, which the dials dont have.

There are two spare wires on the back of the dials-one is Green and Yellow, but i cant remember what the other wire is :9. When i touch the spare Red and Black wire (from the clock loom) on either of the two spare wires (on the dials), the oil dial goes straight to maximum and the battery goes up half on one wire, and just out of the red on the other, even with the ignition switched off. Im not too concerned about getting the oil pressure to work at this stage, just interested in getting the battery meter to work when the ignition is switched on. Any ideas? Shuld i tap into a different wiring loom?

Cheers in advance,

Dan

hey dan,
erm..... why have you cut into the clock loom!? maybe im missing something here!!!!

matt.

[Daniel M]

Hi Matt...

It was actually a suggestion by a friend (a non forum member, but a 440 owner). Would you reccomend some other loom to wire into?

Dan

Well for the oil pressure youll need to wire it into the sender unit wherever that is located in the oil system under the hood - battery voltage wise as its a volt meter you should just be able to hook one side of it to the + and the other side to the - and the meter should read twelve volts (~13.8 when engines running (alternator charge)).

Think thats what your trying to do - sorry if its not - brain isnt working at the moment. Although what might get you going im probably going to be installing dolby surround in da 440! Not sure what sort of difference it will make to FM (although the unit does say it simulates 5.1 surround sound from 2 RCA inputs if need be) - but for my dvd player/car computer thats going in will make a HUGE difference.
As the processors single din im going to be ripping out the heater controls under the radio and using servos for controlling them from the car computer (series of relays). Technically i could build in primative climate control with the computer altering the temperature of the blower depending on the incar temperature. Failing that one day ill get round to fitting air con! Looks about his room at all the 440 bolt on bits to fit... one day!

BTW the brown wires are battery ground (ala all 440 wiring), green/yellow will be probably one sensor and the battery will be the other.

If your stuck give me a shout and ill see if i can figure it with you!

[Daniel M]

Hi Matt...

Been side tracked recently. Got the dial's to work (except the oil pressure). Used all four wires in the end-not sure how it works, but it does! It moves when i rev it, and when the stereo is on too.

The whole centre console is out now-making a nice mounting plate for the dial's. They look really cool, specially at night!

Cheers, Dan...

hey dan
where bouts you mounting them in the console?

cheers

[Daniel M]

Hi Matt...

As i never have and never intend to smoke in my baby, i chopped the cigarette lighter off ages ago, and split all the wires to power my footwell neons and my boot neons (both on seperate switches).

After much cursing, swearing, blood and the obligatory "plastic trim" cuts all over my hands, i have the bugger in! Took all my centre console out and just removed the cigarette lighter and ash tray completley. I mounted them in some Carbon Fibre covered MDF and made some custom brackets on the back. All in all, it took me about 4 hours to get it all out, fiddle, swear, chop, and get all back in.

But the job instantly became harder by the fact that the ash tray etc sits on the curved part of the console-and MDF doesn't bend x( ! I debated getting some acryllic and bending it on the "machine thingy that bends plastic" (!) at college, but even then the dials wouldn't sit flush because the surface would then be curved and the trim and housing of the dials is square!!

So the wood is flat, which leaves a little gap under and above the dials, but you can only just see the gap at the top (and i mean only just, prob. about 3mm of it) because of the seating position. Even the passenger can hardly see it. Looks very tidy, i must admit! Looks good at night too-all glows up nicely. It's not quite sure how to handle the stereo though! When the beats kick in, it jumps about a bit!

I've got a few pics, so i'll post them when i get them developed.

Now im going to stop fiddling with my interior-i've had quite enough for a while!! :9

Speak soon, Dan

Hey Dan,
Sounds good - you going down to that rolling road thing then i can have a look!!!! (Also we can compare BHP :P)
I *think* ive sourced that reflective number plate surround from a scrap car ..... /ducks whilst dan gets stressed ...... oh and a velour interior, rear disc brakes, 96 style clusters, body coloured electric wing mirrors etc.. etc.. so my car will be near enough the CD model :D
As for the gap, use filler and fill the gap (take forever though), then sand it flat and paint. Thats what ive had to do with the heater slot to make it din sized (looked din sized till i ripped out the heater, then found the slots too big for my dolby processor head unit - so have had to build the console up involving bostic glue, plastic strips and LOADS of filler. Still getting it totally flat, but looks quite good if i may say so myself.
Currently driving round with like 5% of the trim on, so its quite a mess with cables here there and everywhere!
Dials sound cool, definatly need to have a look at them!
Matt.

[Daniel M]

Hi Matt...

Cant be bothered to do the whole filler thing. It looks pretty good so i`ll leave it as it is-im sure im bound to unearth some other prob (as i always seem to!). Won't be down to the rolling road thing-really pushed for time-work and college etc.

Yep-still after the number plate surround-but i can handle it, as my 440 had a Velour Interior, rear discs, colour coded electric wing mirrors as standard (gloats, sticking his chest out :9!!)

Sounds like the work is all mounting up for you, but will def. be worth it at the end-how many other 440's like that round your way? None i bet. An individual, cool and most importantly, quality car! They can keep their Fords and Vauxhalls, im happy in a Volvo!! (And considerably safer!)

Keep up the good work-and if you do find a reflective number plate surround, as well as a bodykit spoiler, let me know! Oh, how is the ol bodykit deal BTW? Is he letting you buy it?

Dan