Mounting aftermarket gauges in 1g cluster

[Tsi_User]

I figured i'd share what I was working on over spring break. The goal of the project was to replace the stock water temp and oil pressure gauges in a 1g cluster but keep all of the other factory gauges intact. I know it's far from perfect, but it turned out ok so I'll share some pics:

stock gauges removed and mounting plastic removed:

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What had to be changed on the back of the autometer gauges. All of the threads in the back had to be ground down, the wire terminals had to be bent back and the plastic light harness has to be cut and re-soldered. Also, the black gauge trim had to be ground out to make a larger opening for the autometer gauges. Dont make fun of me for this one it was only half way done i swear

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some of the wiring pics, this was the biggest pain in the ass..

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what the almost-finished product looks like. I didn't put the clear cover over the cluster for the pics, but it DOES fit just fine. They gauges are not completely flush with the stockers but I dont think they look half bad.

Pushing in the gauges:

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What it looks like almost finished:

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I'll post some final pictures and night pics later today.

UPDATE:
Got the other trim on, here's what it looks like finished:

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[Plaser]

pretty sick man! A+

 

[architechnik]

You get a gold star for creativity! I never would have braved hacking up the cluster. Could you get black bezels to make it meld into the rest of the cluster? How is your clearance for the plastic shield that goes over the whole thing?

 

[Tsi_User]

pretty sick man! A+

Thanks

architechnik- it's true that there is no turning back from this . the mountings for the stock gauges are long gone, but I had an extra gauge cluster sitting around so I figured what the hell. Im sure it would look more stock with black gauges, but I already had a boost gauge this color so I stuck with that style. And the clear plastic trim BARELY fits over the gauges, it is a very tight fit but trimming the back of the Autometers made it possible.

 

[16gpoweredgsx]

Looks good, I want to do this to my spare cluster, but change all the gauges out.

 

[Tsi_User]

Updated the pics with the finished product

 

[1992awdlaser]

Good work.

I have been thinking about finding an extra cluster to do this with some gauges. I would want to do a boost gauge, water temp, oil pressure, tach, and possibly speedometer. The speedometer is the only one I would think about leaving out.

 

[talonalex92]

I did this with one of my 1gs, It turned the way yours did only I did the 3 middle gauges and just cut holes in the back of the plastic rather than modifying the gauge itself. Looks sweet tho!

 

[Defiant]

I'd want to see the bezels painted flat black. But otherwise, cool.

 

[nfernotalon]

Hell yea nice job do mine now.

 

[Tsi_User]

Good work.

I have been thinking about finding an extra cluster to do this with some gauges. I would want to do a boost gauge, water temp, oil pressure, tach, and possibly speedometer. The speedometer is the only one I would think about leaving out.

I'd want to do the tach too, but from what I understand aftermarket tachs (or at least ones that would match ultra-lites) are alot deeper.

 

[Hal]

If you have a little ingenuity, they can all be replaced:

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[tommy260]

Just had to show him up, eh ^^^

 

[talonalex92]

Looks good, I would have chose different gauges but its all preference. Looks good.

 

[nfernotalon]

Bad ass! Do they sell the tach and speedo gauges that same size or close to it?

 

[architechnik]

Bad ass! Do they sell the tach and speedo gauges that same size or close to it?

That tach is definitely much larger than the stock. I'm guessing he just trimmed it out to fit it in there.

Hal, do you have any pics from the rear of the cluster? What did you cut out to make that setup?

It seems that you would have to remove everything, but then the blinker and panel lights would not work. Is this the case in your setup or did you create an alternative system that still displays those other indicators? Seriously, even some of the lights are covered by that tach bezel.

 

[Hal]

All oem lights are fully functional in this setup.

You need to seriously gut the cluster case, modify the rear silkscreen circuit layer and replace the oem cluster harness connectors to attach to the modified silkscreen.

No pics of the rear, sorry.

 

[4pistons]

Hal, your instrument panel looks awesome!! Good job.

I did my gauge install about six years ago Gauge pods

It was a PIA and I wouldn't recommend it as an easy retrofit.

Rick - '91 GSX

 

[97eclipseNT]

Hal i'm did you use a mechanial speedo and if so did you have to modify it at all to work?

 

[Plaser]

thats awesome!!

 

[thebird_19]

Put a fuel level guage in to match the other two and it would look alot better, but props for just going for it. Most people don't have enough guts to do that.

 

[slowgsr]

Great idea! This is a project i think i will tackle on my DSM, since i already have 3 gauges where one of the center vents was, i need room for another 2 and im not a fan of pillar pods, so this will be a great place.

I can keep water temp and oil pressure in the cluster, and put my EGT/Wb02/boost in the other location.

 

[HighBoostLaser]

thats sick both modified clusters

 

[Tsi_User]

All oem lights are fully functional in this setup.

You need to seriously gut the cluster case, modify the rear silkscreen circuit layer and replace the oem cluster harness connectors to attach to the modified silkscreen.

No pics of the rear, sorry.

Yep, that's the only reason why I didn't take this route, I dont know anything about the silkscreen circuit layer etc..

Looks great though!

 

[HIGHPSI4]

I did this mod a couple years back. Works great and is worth the effort. I replaced the oil and water gauges and put in white faces too. Turned out good.