Perfect Tuning Universal Gauge for MS2, MS3, AEM

[dap930]

Since I have converted to EFI, I decided to take advantage of the ability to monitor engine functions using the CAN bus that is available for MS2. MS3, Microsquirt and AEM ECU's, using a gauge that is sold by PerfectTuning.

This setup has the ability to monitor 16 engine functions over the CAN bus in MS3 and it also has three 0-5vdc analog inputs for additional sensors such as WBO, EGT, oil/fuel pressure, MAP sensor and temperature sensors.

The gauge face can be configured to display anywhere from one to four functions at one time, and can be easily changed at anytime. There is an outer ring of LED's that increase/decrease in number as the values increase or decrease. There is the ability to set alarms for specific functions that cause the LED's to flash at a user defined interval.

If you are willing to give up your clock or boost gauge, this gauge fits nicely into a sacrificial gauge housing as shown below. The outer diameter of the gauge is 69mm which just about fills up the face of the clock gauge. The picture below shows the gauge configured to display three functions, AFR, CLT(engine temp) and MAP/Boost (in kpa, but can be psi)


To install the gauge, I ran a shielded twisted pair cable from the dash opening, through a grommet above the driver's footwell, behind the pedal assembly and to the MS3 ECU under the seat. I connected the shield to ground at the gauge end. I wired a phono plug to connect the CAN cable to the gauge per instructions. I picked up switched 12vdc and ground connections from the speedometer and clock connections.

After carefully prying the outer ring from the donor 911 gauge, the gauge glass could be used to make an adapter for the perfect tuning(PT) gauge if it is plastic. Mine was glass so I found some wooden disks sold at (of all places) Wal Mart. They are the same thickness as the glass. I used a 2" hole saw to drill through the center. Then I used a Dremel tool sanding drum to carefully size the ID and OD for the gauge.



[img]

After painting the adapter ring, I assembled the gauge housing and mounted the PT gauge to the housing, ready for installation in the dash.


There are a number of different modes that the gauge can display. I have not played with it enough to figure them all out. You have to connect to the gauge over Wi-Fi to set the alarm parameters and change colors, etc. There some You Tube videos of people changing settings, but I found you have to play with it to figure out some of the settings. Most of the display settings are changed using two buttons on the gauge face.

[Tippy]

Looks really good.

There's a guy who turns tablets into full race dashes for MegaSquirt. He uses carbon fiber surrounds and they look stellar.

Way to go taking advantage of CAN!

[scottrx7tt]

It would be cool to adapt this gauge to fit inside the tachometer where the boost gauge usually goes

[jpilcher]

Hey Dennis

My gauge arrived this week. Now I just need to find an old clock that doesn't work.
Looking forward to installing this. It will help to clean up my interior. My current wide band gauge is mounted down low where the ashtray is.

Cheers

John

[1979-930]

^^^ I’ve been trying to find a cheap clock all summer. They are more than the new gauge sometimes... Dam restoration guys driving prices up.


Sent from my iPhone while Driving

[dap930]

I actually sacrificed an old fuel/oil pressure gauge I had because I never had a clock in my car. I kept the gauge movements for future replacement parts. There has to be some clocks around that don't work. A swap meet is probably the best place to find an old gauge to use. You could try WTB in the Parts forum for any non working gauge.

[jpilcher]

I do have a clock, but I hate to tear into it. I will see if I can find one, between now and spring.
Hey Dennis, how was the disassembly of the clock? Anything to watch out for?

[dap930]

I did not use a clock, I used an old fuel level/oil level gauge I had. The biggest pain is getting the bezel ring off. You have to pry back the bezel ring edge peremeter with a jeweler's screw driver until you get it opened up enough to pop off the gauge. To reinstall, with the gauge facing down on a work bench, push against the back of the gauge and bend back the bezel ring area that was pried open. You can touch up those areas with a black permanent marker.

[jpilcher]

Hey Dennis
How did you run your wiring harness? I ended up running mine to the trunk. I couldn 't get the harness down through the dash. I also made a new fuse and relay block in an attempt to clean up my wiring. I'll post some pics later. I still have to run wideband harness from rear to trunk.

Thanks

John

[dap930]

John,

My MS3 is under the drivers seat, so I ran a shielded twisted pair cable under the carpet, behind the driver's side wooden floor board, up to the under side of the foot well and through a grommet that already had a small diameter wire running through it to bring the new cable behind the dashboard. I piggy backed power and ground connections from the speedometer and clock wiring. I used a gang spade adapter to allow multiple spade connections to a single male spade connection to pick up 12vdc at the speedometer. I did not use any of the available analog connections that the gauge can support, so I did not need any additional wiring. I left that cable spooled up behind the dash for future use if needed.

I was just looking at the Perfect Tuning site the other day and there appears to be a software update available for the gauge that I need to do. Also looking at the WiFi adapter that he sells to get rid of the usb cable to the laptop.

[1979-930]

I ran my wires to the passengers side and through an existing harness grommet behind the glove box, then down behind the foot board and into the tunnel.

My Grey harness






Sent from my iPhone while Driving

[jpilcher]

Hey Guys

I finally got around to finishing the install of my Perfect Tuning Gauge and Bosch 4.9 LSU Wideband . Setup was straight forward. One thing I noticed was VE table was way off. Idle was almost twenty points higher. I was running a AEM wideband before.

It does seem very accurate. The gauge matches Tunerstudio exactly. I haven't had a chance to take it out on the road yet.
Hopefully tomorrow.

Anyone experience anything similar?

Thanks

John

[philip j]

great to hear John... seems like we are constantly upgrading with better technology. My LC1 was the top of the line when I installed it about 6 years ago. I wonder how far off it is by todays standards....

[smurfbus]

Your LC-1 is not off unless the sensor is very bad and you have not calibrated it for a while. I disconnect mine atleast once a year so it does its aging calculations. Other systems dont (I hope the new ones do) tell when the sensor goes old and looses accuracy.

[philip j]

Originally Posted by smurfbus

Your LC-1 is not off unless the sensor is very bad and you have not calibrated it for a while. I disconnect mine atleast once a year so it does its aging calculations. Other systems dont (I hope the new ones do) tell when the sensor goes old and looses accuracy.

I also do the free air calibration on my LC 1 at least once a year... usually can tell when it needs it, as it starts throwing a error code more frequently, and needs to be re-booted. I'm going ahead and hooking it up to my new MS3 pro conversion in the next couple of days ;-). Philip

[billjam]

Interesting subject. I am looking at various HDMI displays and tablets at present so I can run ShadowDash or something similar. Placement options are to run a display placed in front of the tach and speedo, a smaller square display mounted behind the dash in place of the tach or clock, or a larger display low down on the dash in place of the ashtray.

I digress ... the purpose of this post was to show a simpler option for mounting a gauge in place of the clock without a sacrificing a clock.
I fitted an Innovate AFR gauge in this location using a PVC pipe cap which just happened to be the correct size to fit into the clock's rubber ring. With a 50mm hole cut in its centre and some black vinyl glued to the exposed face of the plastic cap, the gauge fits into the cap with its standard fixing clamp. Then the whole assembly just fits into the opening like a standard gauge.
A 69mm gauge like the one Dennis used should fit easily.

[dap930]

Bill,

What size pipe cap did you use? All the PVC pipe caps I have seen at the hardware stores have a rounded off edge. Perhaps you could post a picture of bare pipe cap that you started with. This is another good option for installing a gauge without sacrificing a clock or other original gauge.

[jpilcher]

I discovered that this Perfect Tuning Gauge has a shift light feature. You setup an alarm for RPM and specify the gauge to flash at X rpm. Pretty cool.

[1979-930]

^^^ that’s cool! I need to program mine to do that.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[dap930]

Yes, I need to look into that as well!