Steve's 75 260z 2 seater

[Lynton]

Is the ignition switch worn perhaps? Lynton

[C.A.R.]

Steve, I had  the same issue when I converted my old Bus to electronic Ign. - no tacho.

No amount of rewiring etc would fix it, so I ended up having a new mechinisum fitted to the back of the tacho.

$150 later, 2 wires than ran to either pole of the coil & the tacho worked again

[stevo_gj]

So for $150 someone took your old tacho, removed the internals and replaced it with a more modern kit? Reckon they'd do the same thing if I sent them a tacho by post?

 

Lynton where is the ignition switch located? If its on the dizzy then it's probably fine since the dizzy and ignition module are in top notch condition (fully rebuilt by dazzed).

[garvice]

Come on Steve, do it yourself.

http://forums.hybridz.org/index.php?/topic/86016-vdo-tacho-original-type-face/page__p__815654&#entry815654

 

And since you already have the new faces, you don't have to go to the trouble I went with the printed faces.

 

Although now that I think about it, my tacho might have been more expensive then $150.

[garvice]

Yeah it looks like my VDO gauge was more then $150

http://www.snakebite.com.au/vdoblackelectronictachometergauge8000rpm-p-195.html

[stevo_gj]

Actually I quite like that idea. $200 isn't bad for a brand new tacho.

 

How did you make it mount inside the car?

 

Is this the original housing it is sitting inside?

 

Got any more photos of how the bulbs are mounted? I'm not sure how you made it so each bulb only lights up one arrow?

 

It doesn't seem that hard really.

[garvice]

It is mounted using the screw from the front of the gauge.

I was going to make a rear mount for it but never got around to it, plus the reskinned dash has a slightly smaller hole so it actually sits in there quite tightly.

 

Yes that black part is the original bucket, the white part is the new gauge housing.

For the light bulbs I drilled two holes in the side of the new gauge housing (be carefull with this part, if you get too carried away it will crack) and mounted two light bulbs from repco (go to this sight, it was something like figure 6 http://narva.com.au/products/browse/globes).

 

Inside the new VDO gauge there are three plastic mounting posts. I taped between these posts essentially making a T with electrical tape. That stopped light from one affecting the other. This took a bit of patience and a few designs, but looked good in the end.

 

The bolts sticking out the side of the original housing were just used as jacking bolts so that I could centre the new tacho in the old housing before I sikaflexed it in.

 

Any other questions feel free to ask. Tacho is currently at my mates place but if you want a look I should have my car back at my place in a good month or two.

 

Also, I sanded the orange off the needle and then painted it white, still lights up nice but looks more like a datsun tacho during the day.

 

Brad

[stevo_gj]

About time I posted an update, usual story thesis = too busy blah blah..

 

I've just ordered one of the VDO Tachos and will probably have a go with it later this year. I'm guessing the wiring won't be too difficult between the dizzy and the tacho. I might need to consult with you a couple of times before I'm ready to touching the wiring though Brad.

 

I'm currently looking around at 6x9s and an amp to suit the speakerbox Shaun made earlier this year. Will be good to get some decent sound after listening to the one tinny speaker in the back for 3 years hehe.

[garvice]

No worries mate.

When your ready let me know and you can bring it around and we'll have a look at it (I have fixed the entry to the driveway so you wont scrape anymore, however I have yet to put a driveway to the shed so there is currently a foot and a half drop to get into the shed, might scrape your bumper on that, ha).

Might still have some of the face plates (photos) that Shaun printed out for me.

Might look into using LEDs instead of the light bulbs for the indicators this time.

[gav240z]

I like the VDO gauge idea, looks awesome. Hard work but well worth it.

 

I wonder if you can get the tacho to start at 6'clock? Adds a nice touch in my opinion.

 

[garvice]

Plenty of 270deg swept gauges out there, but then it wouldn't match the originals  .

Or you could do what I had to do with my speedo for a while (couldn't read past 100km/hr because of the steering wheel getting in the way) and twist it 45deg.

[stevo_gj]

Appreciate the help Brad. I'm probably a couple months away from actually starting on it, just purchasing bits to be ready. I'll still use one of the speedhut faces so it matches all of my other gauges, saves a bit of hassle there.

 

In other news, Shaun and I stopped in at JB hi-fi and picked up my new sound system components. I decided that the incredibly low sound power of the single 30 year old speaker wasn't enough anymore.

 

So the components are a 2 channel Kicker amp (2x 70W RMS) and a pair of Pioneer TSA6973E 6x9s (80W RMS).

 

 

As usual I'm not sure when I'll find the time to actually install these bad boys.

 

One question I have for you guys is this: We were unable to find a spare firewall hole to run the amp wiring through. I was thinking that I might be able to simply drill a hole (probably close to the back of the glovebox), seal it with paint and install an aftermarket rubber grommet bought from autobahn or supercheap. Does that sound reasonable? Any alternatives?

[garvice]

Does that sound reasonable?

Yes, but fuse it on the engine bay side before you go through the firewall, that will stop it frying if the grommet doesn't cut it. Also file the hole smooth.

[Zedman240®]

A good one to use unless you have AC fitted is the two holes with the rubber bung and metal plate where the two pipes go through the firewall for the AC. If its possible, squeeze them both through together..

[stevo_gj]

Cool, will do Brad.

 

Yeah I have AC Dimitri

[stevo_gj]

Hey Brad, here's a question firmly in your field. Shaun thinks that I should try and earth the amp to the battery, rather than to the car body. I understand the principle, but I'm not sure if would actually make much of a difference? Surely as long as I bolt the wire to a nice large contact surface it would earth sufficiently?

[BobsYourUncle]

I'd tentatively say ground it on the body - if you run a wire from the -ve terminal on the amp from the amp (in the back of the car?) into the engine bag, you might end up with a noisy ground connection, which could cause noise in the audio. I'd go as short a ground wire as possible to a good electrical connection to the body. The +ve connection can go in to the battery, as I'd say the amp would be internally regulated - a car's 12V supply isn't very stable, I'd imagine the amp would be internally regulated.

 

For what it's worth, while I am an electronic engineer, I don't know much about audio or automotive systems, so take that all with a grain of salt.

[madz]

Ground to Chassis if you can make a good contact...

 

Signal wires should be fed away from power wires.

 

Build is looking good btw

[Zedback]

Steve if I remember correctly it's more important to earth all the audio components to the same point rather than specifically to the battery.  Different earth points can lead to a bit of noise due to slightly varying voltages at each.  How much practical impact this really has in a noisy old Z could be debated, but if you really want too just earth your head unit and amp to the same point on the chassis.

[garvice]

Hey mate,

 

Main earth connection from the battery on a Z is the starter mounting bolt. Not sure how the body is earthed from there (must have a earth connection from the engine, just not sure where or how large the cable is as the engine/transmission is mounted on rubber isolators so there has to be a cable connection somewhere).

 

So overall, not sure how well the body is earthed, so a connection from the amp to the starter/battery wouldn't hurt (If you do find you have noise from the connection then make the connection point at the starter rather then the battery, that is where I took all my ECU/igniter earths to). If you are going to do it though, don't skimp on the cable, make sure it is as large as the power cable you are running.

 

Firm believer that there can never be too many or large enough connections from the main earth (starter/engine block) to the body.

[stevo_gj]

Thanks for the opinions guys.

 

Here's a thought. Couldn't I leave the earth wire until last and then test it to see whether the location of the earth has any audible effect on the sound quality? To save having to cut an extra large hole in the firewall I'd prefer to earth it to one of the bolts that connects the centre console to the transmission tunnel, which is where I currently have my head unit earthed.

 

I'm planning on locating the amp unit behind the passenger seat. I think I'll screw it into the little wall that makes up part of the storage compartment for the wheel chocks.

 

Shaun suggested that I run the speaker wire down the left side of the passenger footwell and run the power wires down the right side of the same footwell but approximately 2 feet away.  This would be easiest in terms of reducing the amount of interior parts that would be removed.

[Zedman240®]

There are a few factory earths, one from the rocker cover to the bonnet latch bolt and another on the back of the alternator and one more on the right hand side of the engine block. I too add more earths from the engine to the chassis. Think of a car DC power system as a 2 way road; you can't have a freeway in one direction and a bluestone laneway for the return.

[garvice]

Yeah that would be fine, chances are you wont notice any difference if your chassis is well earthed.

[Zedback]

Couldn't I leave the earth wire until last and then test it to see whether the location of the earth has any audible effect on the sound quality?

Absolutely!  Especially before you go drilling any holes in the firewall.  If you get interference then drill.

 

Do as Garvice has suggested and make sure you've got good earth from battery to chassis and block, and adding extras doesn't hurt.

 

When I did the Megasquirt, instructions were to solder all earth connections for sensors and ECU together and then attach to a single point.  Also the z32 has the ECU and sensor wires all crimped together, people have had problems when the crimp has worked just a little loose or gotten a hint of corrosion.  IIRC your intereference will arise either from an external source, ie other power or signal wires; or will arise from variations in multiple earth points, ie that little bit of corrosion or someting leads to a small capacitance/resistance between earth points leading to a small and varying noise signal appearing between your equipment.

 

Lastly none of the above matters squat if you just crimp all your connections, solder them good!

[garvice]

Probably wouldn't add another earth from battery to chassis (add them from engine to chassis, the engine already has a really good connection (I think it is about a 16mm2) from the battery to the engine.

 

Lastly none of the above matters squat if you just crimp all your connections, solder them good!

Got to disagree with you there Zedback, In most cases I much prefer a crimp end connection to a soldered joint where there is a lot of vibration (unless it is stress relieved with some adhesive lined heatshrink) for instance crimped lugs on terminals etc.