PLX Gauges?
 

I started searching for gauges to install in my car in the location of the stock ones and have been looking at the PLX setup. I like to have the ability to tap into the ECU and be able to see what the engine is doing.

Has anyone run these gauges before? They do look pretty fancy. Although I am thinking the depth of them might be an issue with trying to get to fit in the stock location.

PLX DM-6 | Auto Meter Car Gauge

Alternatively what to you guys use to keep an eye on the ECU when the car is running? Or do you even bother with it?

Thanks

Mitch

Look for a user screen name "Ron" I think he did an in car computer thing.

I got em, I love em

im buying some for my subaru sti 11 today, ill let you guys know.

i really like them stationary at sema they look good

http://www.the370z.com/forced-induct...ld-thread.html

Here's a start... I think...

He talks about his "carputer" in this thread http://www.the370z.com/members-370z-...r-journal.html

I think the PLX gauges would be easier to do.

I use the PLX DM-100 to monitor OBD-II parameters, Boost, Oil Pressure, and AFR on my TT setup. It works great! Let me know if you have any questions about it!

Thanks for the info guys. Were you guys able to mount them in the existing gauge locations? Any pictures of them installed?

I already purchased an LC1 Wideband, does anyone know if this will work with these gauges? It looks like their modules are made to work with any Wideband.

Id like to get 3 of them. 1 of them being for OBD gauges, 1 for boost, and the third for AFRs.

That carputer is pretty neat, but a bit to involved for me. Awesome install though!

I like your idea! Should be sweet.

Yeah, it's a little much for me to putz around with it too. Maybe in a couple of years when I'm looking for another project.

Also another quick question for you guys running these. The ECU has a oil pressure sensor on it, but is the gauge able to see it? Or is it simply just a dummy sensor for the oil pressure light?

Does anyone know of the available PIDs for logging this ECU? The gauge will recognize the following if applicable.

PLX DM-100 | OBD2 OBDII Scan Gauge

This is probably something that can be found out with Uprev I would imagine.

Would love to see install pics in factory location.

The DM-100 does not pick up Oil Pressure over OBD-II, since the sensor on our cars is just for the dummy light. I picked up the Pressure Sensor Module and plumbed it in when I installed the oil feed lines for the turbos.

I have my gauge on the A-Pillar, near the tweeter. I can try to dig up pictures if you like.

I use a ScanGaugeII. It provides numeric display of up to four parameters at a time. I have mine set on top of the dash (Redneck HUD :p ) to monitor Vehicle Speed, Water Temp (IMNSHO, the dash bar graph sucks), and Intake Air Temp. The fourth slot varies, depending on what I'm curious about that day.


I would like to have something that will tap into the CAN bus (eg, the DM-100) in at least one of the triple-gauge holes.

We have an Oil Pressure Switch, but not an Oil Pressure Sensor. There is no Oil Pressure parameter in the ECM (or any other CAN module).

Check out Wikipedia's page on OBD PIDs* or check out my OBD/CAN Wiki

Edit: * Not all listed PIDs are available with the 370Z. Eg, Oil Pressure and Fuel Pressure.

I like how the gauges can be all attached together and share the same brain so to speak. I also like the ability to graph parameters such as the AFRs since they can change very quickly.

I use this on my diesel truck (but it is universal and should work just fine on the car). Lets your display up to 8 PIDS at once as well as a bunch of diagnostic stuff. Very similar to the scan gauge I'm sure. If I was not going for the stealth look I probably would plug one of these into the car and be done with it.

Edge Products| Product

Good to know about the oil pressure. Can I ask why guys will run a oil pressure gauge? Usually one is only concerned if you have pressure or not in which case the car will tell you if you dont have sufficient pressure.

Gauge order for my sti will updage once installed

Wellllll, so you know what your oil pressure is. :)

For most DDs, oil pressure monitoring is not that important if you have a good pressure switch (and will immediately shut down the engine when the light comes on).

For an engine that is driven hard (spirited street driving, track, &c), one wants to make sure oil pressure remains in spec (too much pressure can cause problems, especially when the oil is cold) at all times.
Since a lot of 370Zs are driven hard, I'm surprised that an oil pressure gauge is not a standard feature. Or an oil cooler.

Agree regarding the gauge. An oil cooler is standard for MY12+

Here is a short video of a PLX DM-6 powering on in a G35 that we did a short while back. I know this isn't a 370Z or stock location but gives an idea of what it would look like. These gauges are extremely thin and I don't think there would be any problem getting one of them to install in one of the factory pods due to the thickness.

http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u...DBCF49E976.jpg

I think my mind is made up. I am going to get and install these over the winter season.

Just a heads up if you are replacing the stock 3 gauges, the dash has to come out I believe to get the stock gauges out & wire in the new ones.

Yeah I was looking at that. It seems that you can either take the stock gauges apart and get around having to pull the dash. Or pull the dash and keep the gauges intact.

If this is incorrect let me know. I would rather not wreck the stock gauges, but if I can find some cheap wrecker ones somewhere then it would be that big of a deal.

The 2010 FSM is available in the Nissan 370Z Owners Manual / Service Manuals area of this site. It should tell you how the factory-trained techs do it. Might not be the best or easiest method, but it works.

That is what I have seen, now ripping out the dash is not the end of the world it will probably be a day to get it out properly with out tearing it apart.

To know when you have gone to far, here is the entire dash stripped from a local car.
http://sphotos-d.ak.fbcdn.net/hphoto...70991463_o.jpg

I see the PLX sensor box dangling there on the passenger side.

Yep, this is Ron's car.
They were fixing some noises behind the dash and they would find something but hear something else so they kept tearing it down more & more. They fixed it and no more issue, but wow that is insane to put back together.

Gross, that was all just to get at the 3 gauges? or was there another reason to tear it apart?

That was for some other stuff, just showing you what it looks like if you go full tear down. I don't think I have a picture of it saved but I have seen the dash out and it looks like a lot also but the dash is one large piece so that is why.

yeah I noticed its all one piece, I will probably just disassemble the gauges with the dash intact and try and do it that way.

If you do and find a way without breaking them document it and share.
I would love to find a way to get into the gauges without tearing out the dash, good DIY project so I can add some better gauges to the car.

Ill do what I can to help everyone out. This is the thread I found that had some detailed information on doing it this way.

http://www.the370z.com/exterior-inte...oem-gauge.html

so really like the gauge... still got to install sensors but tested out the odb2 options.... there some nice info there but without spend a on sensors i doubt you would get what your looking for... im doing boost, oil and radiator temps sensors, af and down the road EGT... should up an update to how that goes tomorrow


oh and install in on an 2011 sti

Glad to hear I look forward to more info on them.

will do.

what sensors if any did you have in mind? are you planing on FI?

I already got the turbo installed last week, plan on doing the gauge install over the winter here. I am planning on at minimum

Boost, AFR, and should do oil pressure. I would possibly like to add a EGT gauge as well.

Mitch

well first hold out for there touch gauge... i saw them at sema and there were amazing!

are you going to leave the stock oil temp? i would upgrade it so you can measure the return line and the actually oil pan its-self.... that my plan at least

yea ill let you know how it install goes

They don't already have the touch gauge out on the market? Looking at their website I had assumed it was already released. I remember seeing their booth at SEMA last year and being impressed with them (although at the time I had no desire to get one of them).

I would assume that the OBD gauge could pull the stock oil temp info from the ECU, if thats the case I will probably just leave it as is. I got a pretty good oil cooler on it now.

I think they have two different touch-enabled sensors on the market per their website. Unfortunately, the newer one appears to lack the ring of LEDs.