Making The R32 Water Temperature Gauge Useful

[Bozz]

I want to know exactly what temperature the water is, not "somewhere between 65 and 110 degrees" while the needle sits in one spot in the middle.

Before I pull it apart to try fix it, has anyone modified the water temperature gauge to eliminate the inbuilt normalization?

[Rekin]

The consult port can give you an accurate digital readout if you have a device which can work with it. I use a Blitz r-vit, which gives me a digital value for the water temp (along with all the other ecu readouts)

http://www.nolimitmotorsport.com/blitz/rmonitor-rvit.html

fyi, This wont work with a powerfc. Only with a standard ecu.

[StealthX]

Jolly good idea chap.

Maybe try modding an aftermarket water temp gauge to fit the stock one? Use it's own sensor and everything. I'd give that a try if it was me.

[Bozz]

Yep, know about reading and tuning via the Consult port, however I'd prefer the factory gauge to work properly without the addition of aftermarket products that I think look out of place.

Cheers

[StealthX]

Yep, know about reading and tuning via the Consult port, however I'd prefer the factory gauge to work properly without the addition of aftermarket products that I think look out of place.

Cheers

I was thinking more along the lines of mounting an aftermarket gauge behind the dash, then connecting the factory needle to the a/m one.

[Bozz]

I was thinking more along the lines of mounting an aftermarket gauge behind the dash, then connecting the factory needle to the a/m one.

Ahh yep, makes sense.

I'll do that if I can't modify the factory motor that drives the temp needle. I'd prefer to keep it since it fits properly for illumination, max and min stops are in the right spot etc.

Cheers

[Duncan]

i use a pivot guage that taps the ecu water temp sender.

also pfc displays digital temp readout

[mystery_kid]

what a f**king hassle for a guage that still isn't going to tell you the engine temp

pro tip: defi make good gauges

[Bozz]

Done - I removed the normalization electronics and calibrated the gauge so it accurately tells me the engine temp. The gauge is linear however the NTC temp sender is logarithmic so higher temps are accurately displayed which suits me perfectly.

Before modifying the gauge, while bench testing the sender and dashboard temp gauge, it begins moving from C when the engine temp is at 45 degrees, hits the middle at 60 degrees, stays in the middle until 110 degrees and reaches the H marker at 130 degrees.

Going from top to bottom

H - 105 deg

--- 100 deg

- 95 deg

--- 90 deg

- 85 deg

--- 80 deg

C - 75 deg

Edited January 15, 2011 by Bozz

[mystery_kid]

my water gauge tells me exactly what temperature it is always

[Rekin]

Done - I removed the normalization electronics and calibrated the gauge so it accurately tells me the engine temp. The gauge is linear however the NTC temp sender is logarithmic so higher temps are accurately displayed which suits me perfectly.

Before modifying the gauge, while bench testing the sender and dashboard temp gauge, it begins moving from C when the engine temp is at 45 degrees, hits the middle at 60 degrees, stays in the middle until 110 degrees and reaches the H marker at 130 degrees.

Going from top to bottom

H - 105 deg

--- 100 deg

- 95 deg

--- 90 deg

- 85 deg

--- 80 deg

C - 75 deg

thats real nifty! Should write up a tutorial on how to do this modification.

Although, anyone not knowing the modification has been done will be freaking out that it sitting just above the Cold indicator haha.

My car cruises on 78-84deg so it would be hovering just above the C mark haha

Cars cold start switches at 65degrees, so the gauge wont reflect that as it wont move after 75deg.

[Bozz]

I want to know exactly what temperature the water is, not "somewhere between 65 and 110 degrees" while the needle sits in one spot in the middle.

Before I pull it apart to try fix it, has anyone modified the water temperature gauge to eliminate the inbuilt normalization?

what a f**king hassle for a guage that still isn't going to tell you the engine temp

pro tip: defi make good gauges

my water gauge tells me exactly what temperature it is always

Thanks for your input. Keep being totally awesome.

thats real nifty! Should write up a tutorial on how to do this modification.

Although, anyone not knowing the modification has been done will be freaking out that it sitting just above the Cold indicator haha.

My car cruises on 78-84deg so it would be hovering just above the C mark haha

Cars cold start switches at 65degrees, so the gauge wont reflect that as it wont move after 75deg.

Besides one person before I did the mod, I didn't think anyone wanted it, seems people like adding gauges and shit to their interior. I'll summarize:

I pulled the gauge apart, drew a circuit diagram, bypassed the normalization electronics and then put it back together.

Next, I pulled out the temp sender, put it in a small pot and covered it in vegetable oil (coz water boils at 100 deg) and put it on the stove. I heated it and measured the temp vs resistance as it was cooling down (to get a more accurate reading) and plotted a graph - compared to the R32 factory manual, my sender was reading low by about 15%. I then used a 10w variable resistor to simulate temperature and modified the electronics to read what I wanted as minimum and maximum. Put it together and all is sweet

[SECURITY]

wut?

[Rekin]

Thanks for your input. Keep being totally awesome.

Besides one person before I did the mod, I didn't think anyone wanted it, seems people like adding gauges and shit to their interior. I'll summarize:

I pulled the gauge apart, drew a circuit diagram, bypassed the normalization electronics and then put it back together.

Next, I pulled out the temp sender, put it in a small pot and covered it in vegetable oil (coz water boils at 100 deg) and put it on the stove. I heated it and measured the temp vs resistance as it was cooling down (to get a more accurate reading) and plotted a graph - compared to the R32 factory manual, my sender was reading low by about 15%. I then used a 10w variable resistor to simulate temperature and modified the electronics to read what I wanted as minimum and maximum. Put it together and all is sweet

haha sounds awesome. Good job

[niZmO_Man]

Nice work. I also like to keep things relatively stock inside, and was wondering what the water temp is when it's sitting at the middle of the guage the whole time.

Might as well remove the gauge and put a light there to tell you it's either cold or overheating (Tiida)

It does take a lot of time and effort to do something like this, so thanks for sharing.

[ali-turko]

mate you would be surprised how many ppl may be intrested in this mod,

please do a write up with pics.

[Sarumatix]

Wow simple and elegant and quite useful. I agree it would be nice to have the cold start point mapped on the sensor but guess can't have everything . +1 write up.

[Bozz]

Well shit eh... if I pull the dash apart for any reason again in the future, I'll take pictures and do a quick write up.

I thought I was the only one who wanted his car looking stock

Cheers

[SECURITY]

Well shit eh... if I pull the dash apart for any reason again in the future, I'll take pictures and do a quick write up.

I thought I was the only one who wanted his car looking stock

Cheers

i think its more about having a useful in-dash gauge, rather then having absolutely no warning before hitting 100 degrees and blowing a head gasket.

if nissan provided a useful gauge, i believe it would have saved thousands of blown head gaskets around the world.

[Sarumatix]

Just as another take. I recently got Consult running and it has a perfectly accurate readout of water temp just in case you ever want to confirm / calibrate.