Hi All, I’ve taken some bits of my dash off today (2006 Exige S) to remove what I suspect is a faulty switch pack module but also to scout out wiring opportunities to fit an oil temp gauge.
I’m looking to fit the gauge in the vent just above the light switches, so being able to rob wiring from there would be ideal. Are there any noddy guides to the wiring/connections found behind there? I’ve got connections for the side lights, dipped beam, fogs and an additional connector for the panel lighting.
For the gauges I require (I believe):
Positive
Negative
Ignition Live
Lights Live
I’ll be sorting out an auto electrician to make the splices once I know what’s what - but I’d like to be armed with some information (as to know whether I need to extend any wires first) before having somebody hack around back there.
Can I ask why you’re planning an oil temperature gauge, please? The two most critical would surely be oil pressure and coolant temperature, since they give the best insight into engine well-being and impending issues…
Depending on the exact gauge, you will need:
Fused +ve ( live with ignition on)
Earth
Sensor feed
Backlight +ve
Backlight -ve
Water temp follows oil temp as they are both cooling the engine (oil lubricates as well, obviously). My BMW has an oil temp gauge and no water temp. You could just connect the water temp sensor to the an oil temp sensor and it may display on the standard dash. Depending on the car the temp may or may not be used by the ECU. I personally would not remove a cooling vent on an Exige which gets toasty in summer. If you have water temp you don’t need oil temp, same argument the other way round. On some cars with oil and water temp gauges one if faked from the other in software. I know this as my company wrote the dash board code.
Thanks for the recommendations for gauges, but I respectfully disagree about a water temp sensor making an oil temp sensor redundant and vice versa. I’ve run track cars before that are able to maintain water temperature efficiently whilst oil temps continue to climb and climb and I quite like having visibility of that. I’m particularly interested in monitoring the oem twin oil cooler setup on the Exige as I’ve heard stories of them over-cooling, but then contradicted by parts diagrams that suggest the cooler circuit is controlled by a thermostat… a temp gauge will tell me one way or the other.
I’ll be running Water Temp(oem stack), Oil Temp, Oil Pressure and Boost Pressure (though that last one I find pretty pointless, and is simply a byproduct of a multi purpose gauge that I’m using). Longer term I’ll be dropping the boost sender once I find an appropriately sized oil pressure/temp gauge that I’m happy with.
As for sacrificing a vent, in my Elise (ran it through 3 summers on and off track) I never had the face vents open because I didn’t like to be sand blasted by grit I admit the hardtop of the Exige may change that, but I’ve gained AC (until it inevitably breaks) so I think I’ll be ok.
I’ve been doing further research, and I think I’m going to opt from making a connector from a head unit ISO adaptor so I can simply hot swap it in and out if I ever revert. I can get all the wiring I need from the head unit loom, so happy days - I’ll post back here once done just in case anyone else finds the thread from a search.
Sorry to hijack this but I’ve noticed a ton of grit coming through the vents onto the dash, never had this with my Elise. Was starting to think it was the fan self destructing. I live near the sea, Is it the beach relocating?
Some people fit stockings/tights over the inlet tubes for a makeshift pollen filter. Like I said earlier I generally just keep the face vents closed, the dash keeps getting covered in dust from the “demister” ones but I find it the lesser of the two evils!
Got an autoleads ISO extender which cost a couple of quid and had a pinout printing from t’internet (which I didn’t end up needing, as the wires were labelled directly anyway). I used piggy back spade connectors with a blob of solder and then a load of insulating tape/heat shrink.
Extended the wires a bit with some 18 gauge stuff and then connected to the plug supplied with the gauge. Works a treat, and is completely reversible. Can probably utilise the same setup for any different gauge model when I switch to something I prefer longer term and could also work for dashcams etc if I was that way inclined I guess.
I admit the hardtop of the Exige may change that, but I’ve gained AC (until it inevitably breaks) so I think I’ll be ok.
