NLXTACY
Wits' End
Hey there folks. First off let me start by saying this is a COMPLETE rip-off of one of PHOTOMAN's ideas:
https://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/57345-coolant-washer-bottle-level-alarm-mod.html
This write up just happens to be for the simpletons out there (like me) who are thinking about doing this install.
I will start by saying that this project took me total of about 12 hours now but that is ONLY because I don't have parts at the ready, I didn't know where I wanted to route stuff and I really wasn't trusting myself to do this right so I really over analyzed everything. If I had to do this all over again and I had ALL the materials ready, I could probably do the entire project in about 3 hours.
Tools needed:
• wire cutters
• 1.25" drill bit (PHOTOMAN's happened to be 1.5", the sensors I got were both 1.25")
• drill
• solder/flux/soldering iron
• wire loom
• electrical tape
• razor blade
• ATC blade adaptor (this allows you to piggy back on another fuse) *this is now in a fuse panel
• zip ties
• fine hacksaw blade, no handle needed
• lighter
• red and black 16 gauge automotive wire
• 10 and 12MM sockets and wrench
• and of course.... a frosty beverage...or 12
I got two sensors from the junk yard. One was bad and the other fine. I didn't feel like spending another half day looking for more so I just went next door to the Pontiac dealer and got a new sensor and pigtail. IF you decide to go the new route, here are the part numbers:
• GM 12363368 (Indicator Switch) $61.52
• GM 12126499 (Connector) $41.26
Step one: Before doing anything you really need to decide where you want to mount everything. For me there were (4) key parts:
• The windshield washer bottle sensor
• The coolant overflow tank sensor
• The ELK 960 signal delay
• The warning LED
Now the reason I decided to do the windshield tank as well because they were both at the same location and both could be handled at the same time. So why not?
Now if you read PHOTOMAN's original write up there was some discussion about the need of using the ELK960 delay. I opted for using it because I really wanted to eliminate the false positives. See, I would know that the washboard road was causing the light to go off. But my frantic wife calling me in the same situation thinking the truck is about to explode because of the LED is another story. So I am using it. I wont go into the set-up of it because PHOTOMAN already did that. (link up top)
The ELK960 only needs 4 wires. 2 power, 1 ground and 1 to active the switch. The two power wires I just tapped into the Cig Lighter fuse right in the fuse panel. The ELK960 comes with double sided sticky tape, so I slapped that onto the back of one of the computers found in the footwell of the driver's side on the left hand side. It was a bare spot. Pretty much begging to have something stuck to it. The ground was just a body bolt that I found nearby. The trigger wire goes to the LED.
Now the LED I decided to install INSIDE the cluster. You don't have to. The reasons I did this was to make the install cleaner looking, to have the light right next to the temp. gauge AND because I had to get back in there anyway because the little graphics that light up got tweaked the last time I had the cluster open. I just went with a flashing LED which only requires a .25" hole to be drilled. Then the LED is press fit in so it can pretty much anywhere.
At the same time you can decide where you want the windshield washer sensor LED to be installed. This one I mounted outside the cluster.
https://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/57345-coolant-washer-bottle-level-alarm-mod.html
This write up just happens to be for the simpletons out there (like me) who are thinking about doing this install.
I will start by saying that this project took me total of about 12 hours now but that is ONLY because I don't have parts at the ready, I didn't know where I wanted to route stuff and I really wasn't trusting myself to do this right so I really over analyzed everything. If I had to do this all over again and I had ALL the materials ready, I could probably do the entire project in about 3 hours.
Tools needed:
• wire cutters
• 1.25" drill bit (PHOTOMAN's happened to be 1.5", the sensors I got were both 1.25")
• drill
• solder/flux/soldering iron
• wire loom
• electrical tape
• razor blade
• ATC blade adaptor (this allows you to piggy back on another fuse) *this is now in a fuse panel
• zip ties
• fine hacksaw blade, no handle needed
• lighter
• red and black 16 gauge automotive wire
• 10 and 12MM sockets and wrench
• and of course.... a frosty beverage...or 12
I got two sensors from the junk yard. One was bad and the other fine. I didn't feel like spending another half day looking for more so I just went next door to the Pontiac dealer and got a new sensor and pigtail. IF you decide to go the new route, here are the part numbers:
• GM 12363368 (Indicator Switch) $61.52
• GM 12126499 (Connector) $41.26
Step one: Before doing anything you really need to decide where you want to mount everything. For me there were (4) key parts:
• The windshield washer bottle sensor
• The coolant overflow tank sensor
• The ELK 960 signal delay
• The warning LED
Now the reason I decided to do the windshield tank as well because they were both at the same location and both could be handled at the same time. So why not?
Now if you read PHOTOMAN's original write up there was some discussion about the need of using the ELK960 delay. I opted for using it because I really wanted to eliminate the false positives. See, I would know that the washboard road was causing the light to go off. But my frantic wife calling me in the same situation thinking the truck is about to explode because of the LED is another story. So I am using it. I wont go into the set-up of it because PHOTOMAN already did that. (link up top)
The ELK960 only needs 4 wires. 2 power, 1 ground and 1 to active the switch. The two power wires I just tapped into the Cig Lighter fuse right in the fuse panel. The ELK960 comes with double sided sticky tape, so I slapped that onto the back of one of the computers found in the footwell of the driver's side on the left hand side. It was a bare spot. Pretty much begging to have something stuck to it. The ground was just a body bolt that I found nearby. The trigger wire goes to the LED.
Now the LED I decided to install INSIDE the cluster. You don't have to. The reasons I did this was to make the install cleaner looking, to have the light right next to the temp. gauge AND because I had to get back in there anyway because the little graphics that light up got tweaked the last time I had the cluster open. I just went with a flashing LED which only requires a .25" hole to be drilled. Then the LED is press fit in so it can pretty much anywhere.
At the same time you can decide where you want the windshield washer sensor LED to be installed. This one I mounted outside the cluster.
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