Single pod a-pillar boost gauge install

[BluMicaR]

Anybody do this yet? I have my single pod from '*************.com' and a gauge from prosport, the white/amber. The pod comes black plastic, so I started by going over it lightly with 400 grain sandpaper, then I washed it off (dust). After drying it got two even, thin coats of white primer for plastic (model shop, any). Then later in the day I coated it similarly with 'light gray', I can post later what the exact brand and color code was, it's model store paint, again. It's a perfect match for the grey a-pillar plastic. The prosport gauge lights up at night amber to match the interiors. Tomorrow night I'm going to a buddy's house and we're going to get it all installed - I'll post pics, either 'how-to' or at /least/ a finished product image. Just wondering if anyone else has done it? I was going to try and wire through the hood pull, as I've read that's a good place.

[BluMicaR]

Info coming later this evening with pictures on how to do this. My gauge is in - it's in the a-pillar single pod, wires down the door jamb to a tap into wires under the drivers kick panel, by the dead pedal. Sender wire is through the hood pull, and power under hood for sender wired into fuse box. Looks very nice and invisible install.

[nullmod]

Looking forward to the pix. Thanks in advance for posting.

Nullmod

[BluMicaR]

Looking forward to the pix. Thanks in advance for posting.

Nullmod

I'm a slow bastard; I chose, instead, to be with my girlfriend last night and do some installations that way versus taking digital photos... (rei)

I will take photos tonight and post a basic how-to telling you all which wire to tap where and how to get into panels and such for the above mod. I love my gauge - Prosport amber/white boost gauge matches exactly our amber interior lights, and the paint I used on the pod match exactly the gray a-pillar plastic. Very happy with my gauge.


(ricer)
Livin' my life a quarter mile at a time... lmao

[BluMicaR]

Under the kick panel near the dead pedal you want to tap an orange wire with a yellow line, and recurring double silver dots. That's an ignition power wire.

Here's the final product installed:
117357

[BluMicaR]

117358

[BluMicaR]

Ho-kayyyy, comments? I was having computer TROUBLE last night at home - work computer works just fine though! Hehe. Trickiest part of the install was getting the a-pillar off and on, there's a plunger clip at the top that pops out, and is 'in place' pushed in. When you take the pillar cover off it's fine, it pulls it out, but when you put it back on you have to slide the head of that plunger clip/post into this just-as-big-as-the-head slit under the top of the plastic cover. The plunger keeps getting pushed in very easily so you have to get needlenose and pop the fucker back out again. Then start all over - Rotus helped me immensely in the instructional area, as far as how to take stuff apart and such. His tips, however, as far as, "Stand outside the car and look down into your window while you clip the plunger's head into the plastic cover," would work FANTASTIC had I not had about an 8" strip of limo tint atop my front window, effectively making light's journey into my required area impossible. So I did it blindly, and it sucked - but you get the 'hang' of it, believe it or not. Overall, personally, I'm much happier with this install than if I'd had it atop the steering column, beside it as I've seen one person do, or above my stereo on the dash. Also, it's low enough that I'm not interfering with the airbags at all - you'll see them in there just to about halfway down if you pop the a-pillar cover off. If anyone wants to do this and wants info/tips, give me a holler/pm. You can get single pillar pods at:

*************.com - I talked to Rob there, he's a good guy, they're fast, but not so much about the 'communication'

glowshiftdirect.com - the order from crossover came in a box from glowshift, with a sticker, so I know it's a glowshift part

Glowshift is cheaper, but I had a good experience with crossover, so if you order, you know crossover is 'vouched' for - can't say the same myself for glowshift. Good luck, happy trails!

[iguanaboy]

Can you post the color code for the paint cause my pod is on the way

thanks

[BluMicaR]

Can you post the color code for the paint cause my pod is on the way

thanks

I'll do it tonight, code and brand. I used a white primer, also, which I will list. You'll additionally want to pick up some 400 grain sand paper and rough up the surface of both the pod and the screw-head covers before painting. On your covers, you won't use a primer - it makes the paint too thick and when you pop them on or off it will peel or chip off. I speak from experience. :) I sanded and repainted them without primer and they are perfect. For the pod, though, make sure you sand it very well, and very evenly, but don't press hard, just make sure to rough the whole thing up evenly and carefully. I spent about 10 minutes on the pod making sure each area was sanded correctly and the whole thing was even - then wipe it off with a wet or damp towel and let it air dry before you do any painting.

For painting, do quick, light coats. If the first coat doesn't cover or isn't 'whole' (ie you still see black when applying primer) don't worry about it. Better 2-4 coats instead of one thick one, also let it dry about an hour in front of a fan each coat. I waited overnight to do my gray coat on top of the primer, but probably didn't have to. Don't forget to do the tiny 2mm ends of your plastic pod, you'll be seeing the open-pod side every day and the end of the plastic not gray would get annoying if you are as OC about your car as I am.

You'll be going to a hobby store to get your paint, can pick up sandpaper there too. What gauge are you ordering? I can tell you very specifically how to wire if you've gotten a Prosport amber/white gauge, but either way the ignition power wire is the orange wire with a yellow stripe and recurring double silver dots. Okay, I need more coffee. (coffee)

[Demi]

What kinda gauge is that? I love that it matches. Very nice mod dude. I want to do the three in the center and if i could find Oil temp/boost/and AFR that was in red i would be a very happy camper.

[uncletime]

a couple things... 1) thanks for the info on install and painting 2) nice, clean install you did. and finally 3) where can i get the pants hanging on the wall in the middle?..

[BluMicaR]

What kinda gauge is that? I love that it matches. Very nice mod dude. I want to do the three in the center and if i could find Oil temp/boost/and AFR that was in red i would be a very happy camper.

It's a Prosport "52mm Amber Performance Gauge". I got electrical over mechanical because I didn't want to run more tubing through my firewall - not lauding one or the other here gauge flamers - I just wanted to run one sender wire through the wall instead of a sender wire and a vacuum tube. You can find the amber selection here:

http://www.prosportgauges.com/amber.php

They have all the gauges you mentioned, just have to find a triple pod now, I know crossover has triple gauge a-pillar pods, and double - somebody has the dash top b/c I've seen them.

As to what color gray I used to paint my pod. After painting it with a Testors spray can of white primer, I then used:

Tamiya Color For Aircraft: AS-2 Light Gray (IJN)

It's in a 100ml net volume can with two star stencils on the front in red and blue. Check this out, hehe:
117410
That's the exact can, if you could see the code at the top you'd see 'AS-2', here's where I linked it from:
http://www.hobbylinc.com/htm/tam/tam86502.htm

Oh, and the pants are ladies' silk pajama pant bottoms, medium, from Kohl's last fall in a blue on dark blue paisley. :)

[uncletime]

Oh, and the pants are ladies' silk pajama pant bottoms, medium, from Kohl's last fall in a blue on dark blue paisley. :)

haha thanks!

[Demi]

It's a Prosport "52mm Amber Performance Gauge".
http://www.prosportgauges.com/amber.php

They have all the gauges you mentioned, just have to find a triple pod now, I know crossover has triple gauge a-pillar pods, and double - somebody has the dash top b/c I've seen them.

Damn those are good prices! I hate that they only take paypal, suppose i need to go ahead an join the 21 century an get myself an account.

[Blang]

Did you have any problems on the install with the side curtain airbags?

[sierra248]

Can u dim the prosport guages with the dimmer?

[M3 5MT]

Nice job, looks good.

Am I crazy, or is the 3-pod cluster available for the center of the dash, where the NAV would be if you had it? I could swear I've seen that before....anyone?

[BluMicaR]

There IS a 3-pod available for the center dash, I've seen a couple different options - poke/search around here.

There is no dimmer for the prosport gauge, I'm not sure if you can wire it into the dimmer knob or not... You may want to ask someone more knowledgeable like Rotus8.

I had zero problesm with the side curtain airbags, they are further up in the a-pillar. If you pop it out as I've described here you'll see them in there - so long as you put your pod lower than their lowest point you will be just fine.

[madeye moody]

117358

Hey I think it looks great but I'm concerned about the airbag deployment.
If I could see how the panel will deploy out and insure I'm not killing a passenger with it then I'm game.

[Demi]

There IS a 3-pod available for the center dash, I've seen a couple different options - poke/search around here.

There is no dimmer for the prosport gauge, I'm not sure if you can wire it into the dimmer knob or not... You may want to ask someone more knowledgeable like Rotus8.

I had zero problesm with the side curtain airbags, they are further up in the a-pillar. If you pop it out as I've described here you'll see them in there - so long as you put your pod lower than their lowest point you will be just fine.

I have not been able to find that damn thing! I want a three pod so badly i cant stand it!

As far as the dimmer switch goes you just solder a resistor into the ground wire split the ground off so its....
////////////---------Switch----------ground
---------<
////////////-----------resistor--------ground
Sweet diagram i know.
the load is split between the gauges and the resistor, there for the lights dim. That works IF the back light has its own power source, which im sure some how it does, you might just have to open the gauge up. If its a vacuum line it should be good to go with just the power wire.

[tru-boost]

i have an a-pillar pod too. i just kept it black though. and i didnt go through the hassle of removing the pillar. i used self tapping scews. the install took less than an hour with wiring and everything!

[BluMicaR]

I have not been able to find that damn thing! I want a three pod so badly i cant stand it!

As far as the dimmer switch goes you just solder a resistor into the ground wire split the ground off so its....
////////////---------Switch----------ground
---------<
////////////-----------resistor--------ground
Sweet diagram i know.
the load is split between the gauges and the resistor, there for the lights dim. That works IF the back light has its own power source, which im sure some how it does, you might just have to open the gauge up. If its a vacuum line it should be good to go with just the power wire.


First as to the airbags this is a lot of work up over not much, just like worrying about hydro-lock too much. As long as the pillar area where the bags are is left alone, it'll be okay - they pop out of the top and a slit on the side by expelling the plunger you have to hook the pillar into/off of when they go. As long as you have mounted beneath the bags, which you can clearly see when you're under the pillar, everything is copacetic.

I thought there was a way to hit the dimmer, and that's what I suspected it might entail, and that is WAY more than I want to get into - at night it isn't /quite/ as bright as the interiors all the way up. I'm just fine with that - what I am going to do is go to Best Buy and see if there is any computer monitor anti-glare screen I could cut into a little circle just right for the front of my gauge because it's REALLY hard to see during the day even with the glare collar on. Unless anybody has a suggestion other than that to reduce my glare? It won't even go away with polarized sunglasses, so that is a LOT of glare.

Look around (search) for the triple pods, I've seen the pillar ones on *************.com and I think they'd be on glowshiftdirect.com as well. I have seen two different types on the board about a month or two ago, in people's posts, so they shouldn't be /too/ hard to find. Look up 'gauge' or 'pod' or possibly 'dash'.

I took a while to do this because I have never done anything of the sort, I've put cold airs in a few cars, and done engine stuff, but I was being incredibly careful, and only had an hour a night and I didn't want to rush ANY part of it. Last thing I wanted was an airbag in my face from being too rough or to screw up wiring or worst of all, somehow marr my interior be it fabric or plastic scratched or broken. I think now I'd take about 2.5 hours to do it, knowing what I do, and the worst part would still be feeding the sender wire through the hood pull - I'm 6'4" 320lbs, big dude, wasit is 42 it's not fat so much as everything is scaled up... My fingers and hands don't like being nimble in little areas, and my back DAMN sure doesn't like leaning into the car under the steering wheel and pulling wires through tiny holes. (eekdance) Hehe.

[sierra248]

You guys think its worth removing the A-Pillar or to just use some very short self tappers and go at it like that? Oh and anyone figure out if you can wire these into the dimmer yet?

[BluMicaR]

^Not sure what you mean; instead of 'installing' wires under the plastic?

[Demi]

You guys think its worth removing the A-Pillar or to just use some very short self tappers and go at it like that? Oh and anyone figure out if you can wire these into the dimmer yet?

See my previous post. I would pick up a multimeter, and see what the radio dimmer line is putting out. Does it provide a ground or voltage? If so how much? Either way i would just pick up a relay at radio shack on the cheap and use the radio dimmer wire to actuate the relay to the ground/resistor circuit. Sounds so much harder than it is. Myself i dont dim my cluster so i dont want to dim my gauges.

[Prosport Gauges]

Damn those are good prices! I hate that they only take paypal, suppose i need to go ahead an join the 21 century an get myself an account.

We take cc by phone or check/money orders by mail too.

[Demi]

SWEET! I just gotta save my pennies now! Good stuff.

[Prosport Gauges]

Also-Clear Lens Series & Digital Series coming out next month.

[silverspeed03]

Here's what my dual A-pillar pod looks like. I'm getting my wideband installed tomorrow.

[BluMicaR]

Bump

[Haltech]

Was there a +12V wire down there by the ignition wire you tapped too? Which one is it?

I finally found a silverish dye to match the stock pillar after 2 months of searching. I also added low luster clear to it. Here's the part #'s for anyone interested:

SEM Plastic/Leather Prep Cleaner: SEM 38353
SEM Color Coat: 15083 Silver
SEM Color Coat: 13023 Low Luster Clear

http://www.levineautoparts.com/semvinandpla.html

[Prosport Gauges]

With regards to dimming the gauges:

No they are not dimmable-as we use surface mount led's to light the gauge and they have a very small operating range between being off and on. So the range to dim them is about 2 volts-nothing really.

[Bravnik]

Was there a +12V wire down there by the ignition wire you tapped too? Which one is it?

I finally found a silverish dye to match the stock pillar after 2 months of searching. I also added low luster clear to it. Here's the part #'s for anyone interested:

SEM Plastic/Leather Prep Cleaner: SEM 38353
SEM Color Coat: 15083 Silver
SEM Color Coat: 13023 Low Luster Clear

http://www.levineautoparts.com/semvinandpla.html

I just installed mine yesterday. I patched mine to the ACC wire for power. Unless you have the premium series, you don't need the constant power connection as you have nothing to hold in memory.

However, if anyone knows which wire in the bundly by the foot rest is constant 12v, please let us know. I will be switching to the premium series in a few months.

[Haltech]

I just installed mine yesterday. I patched mine to the ACC wire for power. Unless you have the premium series, you don't need the constant power connection as you have nothing to hold in memory.

However, if anyone knows which wire in the bundly by the foot rest is constant 12v, please let us know. I will be switching to the premium series in a few months.

Ive got the premiums... Thanks

[Bravnik]

If thats the case then you have to run a 12v for the Boost Gauge in the engine compartment (assuming you have a electrical boost gauge). Worst case you can pull a power wire through the hood release and connect both 12v wires together in a single run and tie it off on the postivie post on the battery.

However, there has to be a contanct 12v in that bundle somewhere you would think.

[fullout83]

So haltech how close of a match did you find? Does it look factory, or is there still a pretty obvious difference in color?

[Haltech]

So haltech how close of a match did you find? Does it look factory, or is there still a pretty obvious difference in color?

Its hard to say. Its pretty damn close though. The other 6-7 cans of dye i have dont match for shit. Either too dark or too light. This seems to work but the color changed a bit when i shot it with the clear. It dries like a dye too, so it isnt shiney nor does it have any kind of rubbery feel to it. I couldnt get any auto body shop to get me a dye in the factory color. Ive painted this thing 8 times and should have had the gauges in long ago, but i wanted it to match as close as possible. I can live with these results.

Ill find the constant +12V, just figured someone found it already. I wont pull a + into the car from the battery since theres 1 or 2 +12vs in there somewhere. You guys did the hard part finding the ACC. Thanks.

[BluMicaR]

Its hard to say. Its pretty damn close though. The other 6-7 cans of dye i have dont match for shit. Either too dark or too light. This seems to work but the color changed a bit when i shot it with the clear. It dries like a dye too, so it isnt shiney nor does it have any kind of rubbery feel to it. I couldnt get any auto body shop to get me a dye in the factory color. Ive painted this thing 8 times and should have had the gauges in long ago, but i wanted it to match as close as possible. I can live with these results.

Ill find the constant +12V, just figured someone found it already. I wont pull a + into the car from the battery since theres 1 or 2 +12vs in there somewhere. You guys did the hard part finding the ACC. Thanks.


I have gotten a lot of compliments on the paint I selected even at the dealership, bought it at a modelling shop. Finding that ACC wire wasn't so much fun; poking damned wires with a voltometer for an hour, those wires are little and squirmy...