Mikesb..... There aren't any "How-To's" on any of the gauge installs.
They're fairly straight forward, as far as from a wiring / electrical perspective, and Crash712us detailed that explanation pretty well. Although I always laugh that he transposes my screen name (consistently) as "BDP".
Too funny.
You're biggest concern is where to drill through the firewall, in order to run your wiring looms, from the senders installed in the engine bay, to the actual gauges placed inside your car's interior.
In the image below, you'll see if you peer down, and into the Driver's foot well, at the firewall, to the immediate left of the where the steering wheel shaft passes through, there's a blue piece of plastic (at least on my 2010, not sure about other model year's, but likely the same).....
I used a 1-1/2" drill bit, to place hole in that area. I then used a metal file to remove most of the burr's and sharp edges, and finally placed a rubber grommet in the hole, before running the wiring through:
Wiring pulled through for various gauges, Meth PAC, etc.....
For the Tranny Temp Gauge, I chose to use an existing port on the bottom of the trans housing.....
For the Oil Temp Gauge, I chose to drill and tap out a unused bolt on the Auxiliary Oil Cooler.....
Notice the bolt in this image, above where the oil filter attaches:
Bolt removed:
Sending Unit Sensor, placed next to the removed bolt (yet to be tapped):
Bolt drilled, tapped, and sending sensor installed:
Entire modified piece reinstalled into Oil Auxiliary Cooler:
So, as you can see from the above, there will be some leg work that you'll inevitably have to put in, in order to operate the gauges that you desire.
Not difficult, but just understand not all of the sending units/sensors are installed from the factory.
Funny you mention the need for an illumination dimmer device.
Although I have yet to install one in mine, I have noticed the need to dim the gauges since my install. They can be pretty bright, and cause a bit of glare. For now, I just deal with it.
But I have inquired with Autometer, if such a product exists, that will provide dimming control, and I was happy to have told that there is such an item available.
Autometer LED Dimmer Switch #9114 (supports up to 6 gauges):
http://autometer.com/cat_accessoriesdetail.aspx?vid=185Hopefully that answers some of your questions. If anymore should arise, post here, or shoot me a PM.
BiGMaC....."Engine Temp" does equate to "Engine Coolant Temp".
My ECT is monitored through the "MyCal" device, suctioned mounted to upper left portion of my windshield.
There is a factory sending unit, or sensor, that the MyCal device is able to read.
For me, deciding between an Oil Pressure Gauge, versus and Oil Temp Gauge was a fairly easy one.
Personally, I'm much more inclined to achieve that never comfortable "oh sh!t" feeling, much faster by monitoring actual oil temp, versus oil pressure.
High oil temps would signal a problem much faster, and likewise result in your decision to "shut her down" instead of an equally important oil pressure problem.
Again, this is a personal choice, but for me, I'd rather know there's a looming problem sooner with oil temp, versus potentially later, if monitoring oil pressure.
Moving along.......
What else?
Oh yea.....
Dxlnt1.....In regards to Oil Temp being relational to Water Temp and your perception that having a separate gauge to monitor both is mere "eye candy".....
Understand, that there is an average 25-30 degree difference between the two.
Again, this is a personal choice as to decide which is important to one's own individual preferences, but there is a marginal difference in temperatures.
All in all, no matter which gauges one chooses, certainly, the more information able to be achieved by the driver, will provide for better decision making when tracking one's car, or driving it in a rather "spirited fashion".
That said, my current setup is as follows:
In the A-Pillar Pod, I monitor Boost up top, Oil Temp below.
In the "MyCal" device, I monitor (from left to right) Battery/Voltage, IAT, and ECT.
In the Center Gauge Pod Stack, (from left to right) EGT Bank 1, Trans Temp, EGT Bank 2.
In that same Center Gauge Pod Stack, I have the LED's for the Meth Pump (on left) & Meth Low Tank (on right).
Here's an image of all of what's described above:
"The Other" Mike
Any other questions let me know.
