92 gauge cluster, upgrade, pics of internal components. (diesel tach - adding egt and boost to factory cluster)

[cody c]

So, there is a couple gauge threads running now, was on the fence to add to (sidetrack) or create a new thread. Went with new. Im gonna post some pics first of the factory components, and then get into what Im thinking for the modification in the next post(s)

Note: the small scratch between number 6 and "M" to see how light shines through..

 

[cody c]

More pics, then, the plan

 

[cody c]

So, plan is...

I have a diesel (6BT) in my 80, rev limit is 3000RPM, so half the tach is not used.

The white gauge faces were for the 93+ 80 series, and do not line up with the 91-92 speeds, and revs, also I think one of the side gauges was different.
I knew there may be issues before I ordered, but Im going to send the company "whitegauges.net" my gauge faces so they can add them in to they're system.

I want them to do a custom tach, where it ends at 3K, and redlines for 2500-3000. Then hide the rest of the lines. With the rest of the real estate on this gauge, I want to put boost and pyro there.

I'm thinking a small needle gauge could fit maybe. But looking at how the light goes through the material, I think I will use digital gauges, which read through and are maybe hidden.

The black face i put a scratch in to see the light come through, the scratch will be hidden except for back lighting, and digital numbers look like they will shine through both the face and white plastic cover.

As an FYI, I had the truck broken into and A pillar gauges torn out about 7 years ago. Adding this into the stock cluster will keep that hidden and not attractive to theft, plus it will not be obtuse or take up more space. This pyro from china and a similar boost gauge I think may fit in behind the cluster. I have the boost on order

19.31€ 10% OFF|Car Exhaust Temp Gauge Exhaust Gas Meter Digital With Sensor EXT Temperature Meter Turbo for 4WD Hilux Patrol EGT etm 01|Uitlaattemperatuurmeter| - AliExpress

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Id like to add both pyro and boost behind the face, whenever I get the boost gauge Ill see how it fits. I might see about custom ordering the gauge faces to say "boost" or "egt" beside or above the numbers when I get it laid out.

Also, I think there may be a chance that toyota gauges (maybe from a different and narrower cluster) could be fit into the 80 series gauges, and actually add in something like oil temp, or trans oil temp onto the factory gauge face.

 

[cody c]

Oh, meant to ask, anyone have a spare speedo gauge face with km's as the primary unit (Japanese or foreign market) for the 91-92 surplus to they're needs?

Edit: measured it out, this is what I think Im gonna go with, and I believe both the pyro and boost gauge will fit in place. Im going to print this off later in paper and see how it looks, and order the cheap pyro as well. The two boxes will be where the digital gauges sit roughly, but wont be on the printed face.

I think this looks good, any constructive cosmetic comments are welcome, after I get this done it will be available from the vendor.

 

[Rollinns]

Looks like some really nice progress. Keep up the good work!

I've thought of adding: Boost, EGT, Transmission temp, and an aux fuel gauge

I experimented with OLED displays but wanted to try to get something that looked more OEM and is not super bright at night. For many of the smaller displays, it can be very tricky to get them to dim. I've ordered some stepper motors designed for automotive dash gauges, and planned to remove the gear indicator lights and use some of the tach space since I won't need it with a 4BD1T diesel. I'll also get rid of the check engine light and probably use that for the "Wait to start" light.

I'm still waiting for most of those parts to arrive, I'll need to make my own PCB boards for the steppers to mount to, and then work out all the other kinks, but I've got several other projects that need attention now.

I talked to a local print shop about printing in white ink, but he wasn't really interested. I'll likely try to get the shape I need for the clear parts of the gauge faces, have them laser cut, and paint or use a black vinyl sticker on the front and white and orange paint on the back or under the vinyl sticker to make the faces. Then 3D print the thin black part that covers the edges of the faces.

I'm not interested in pillar mounted gauge pods for many reasons, but I may have to use temporary gauges to dial in the fuel adjustment for acceptable EGT numbers.

Right now I'm also waiting for the parts for the shut-down and fuel enrichment (for startup) levers and the schematic and custom bracket for that. That and a custom glow plug controller needs to be sorted before the gauges.

 

[cody c]

Thanks. There's some decent real estate in the cluster to mount other gauges, especially with the tach only using half of it for a diesel, especially a low revving Cummins 12 valve.

I think A fella could maybe mod the voltage gauge to be a second fuel gauge, and replace the voltage gauge with a digital output. Could easily put that mid top on the tach face.

Also.. for those not in the know, if you use the back face for the existing faces, the back lighting only shines through the white spots, so changing locations of dashes and text doesn't really work, as it doesn't shine light through... But to add digital gauges behind they should/would work if you scratch off the black paint on the front of the face, it doesn't look good until you put the white plastic face on top and then the digits show through.

I'm going to print the face off in paper, and then line things up for where I need to scratch of the paint on the face.

I ordered the pyro, but the company I mentioned above "whitegaugefaces.net" isn't answering email or phone so I assume they are shut down for the moment. Not sure when this will all resume so ill work with paper and do what i can until I can order.

been thinking about using a Vinyl cutter, but I don't know that it will work as well as these guys. Might give it a try at some point though if they aren't open in a few weeks or a month or whatever. Ill take a snapshot with the paper on it and post that for reference.

Edit: also thinking about adding two small (3mm) LED's for tank indicator. Still playing with the design.

 

[Rollinns]

Sounds good, I'm going to try with a vinyl cutting first as well since it's much cheaper and easier than dealing with a printing company for minor design tweaks to get everything aligned.

I really like the tank indicator light idea, now I just need to 3D print an insert for the skinny storage / cup holder above the AC/heat controls to hold more switches since I'll likely run out of space for a tank selector switch. When you figure out how to dim the LEDs for that, please share it.

 

[cody c]

Sounds good, I'm going to try with a vinyl cutting first as well since it's much cheaper and easier than dealing with a printing company for minor design tweaks to get everything aligned.

I really like the tank indicator light idea, now I just need to 3D print an insert for the skinny storage / cup holder above the AC/heat controls to hold more switches since I'll likely run out of space for a tank selector switch. When you figure out how to dim the LEDs for that, please share it.

cant you just run a PWM (pulse width modulator), youd have to have the illumination ccts that are fed by LED isolated to it as a feed, you might be able to swap all instrument cluster lights, and swap out the factory dimmer to one of these:

Some links below as resources:

3.9€ 33% OFF|PWM DC Motor Speed Controller Switch DC 20A Stroom Voltage Regulator 10 60V PWM High Power Drive Module 60A 12V 24V 36V 48V|Motorcontroleur| - AliExpress

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2A LED PWM Dimmer with Bypass (pair)

Features Easily accomplish a low/dimmed level and a high power signal on nearly any automotive LED device. Assembled in USA Overview This is a set dim level 12V PWM dimmer, perfect for automotive use with dimming on the positive channel. Most other dimmers operate by modulating the negative...

www.diodedynamics.com

I like the one in the second link, it has a bypass, so you could run dash lights at full brightness for say daytime driving, and then at the adjusted lower brightness for night time. So your dash lights could run off/ full (running lights)/dimmed for night driving.

You could also run other signals to the bypass so all dash lights would run bright, you could run a flasher relay to bypass and all dash lights would flash dim/full.

 

[White Stripe]

These guys make custom oled gauges. You could make the whole cluster oled but that's like 2000.00. But they have small insert gauges too.

Zada Tech

Zada Tech specialises in monitoring and controlling systems. This includes digital dashboards and custom made dashboard and instrument panels, with high quality rendering graphics, within the automotive industry. Internal combustion engine (ICE) cars and Electric Vehicles (EV).

zada-tech.com

 

[cody c]

Oh cool. Ill be getting laid off work in a week in a half, so $2K on gauges aint in my budget if you know what I mean.

Pestering my good bud with a vinyl cutter to make a couple things is doable though in the meanwhile.

 

[PrinzChaz85]

More pics, then, the plan

How did you get the clear plastic face off the front of the guage cluser ? I need to swap a super worn / scratched one soon.

 

[cody c]

it’s 4 or small black tabs that you push in with a flat blade screwdriver along the perimeter. It’s actually super easy

 

[cody c]

Got the first gauge in the mail. I can separate the housing off of it easily with two screws, and should be able to hot glue it to the clear plastic shell that sits behind the gauge face.

trying to get a hold of the custom order guys at the aftermarket gauge face place still. Will update when I get a pinch more headway.

 

[cody c]

Update

 

[Rollinns]

I didn't get a chance to look at this thread for a while, I like the progress. Please continue to post updates.

 

[cody c]

Hey bud, ya, I’m supposed to get stickers for the gauges in the next couple days, it should be after that I’ll be done with it and I’ll post a couple more pics.

 

[davegonz]

If I can't get the HDJ80 gauge cluster that I got from @bottombracket to work on my 1992 HZJ80, I might be doing something similar. The Poverty Pack HZJ80 gauge cluster has a TON of empty space.

Edit: Here's a pic.

 

[Tank5]

I just found this thread. Great idea and progress. I had the egt and boost guages on the a-post but don't like them there. This would be ideal.

 

[cody c]

Ya. Sorry I haven’t updated this, it’s about a 35 minute drive each way to pick up the stickers at buddy’s place and I mixed up plans and they went to a different location when I went there last.
Anyways, the links are above for the temp and pressure gauges so anyone can have a try at it with a spare cluster. Whenever I get the stickers figured out and installed I’ll try and get the file to share for others to get vinyl cut.

 

[Rollinns]

Any pics of this fully installed?