Installing an Innovate MTX-L and Megasquirt

[JohnJL]

I thought I'd share how I did it...this will take a few posts to be patient pls...

I bought a secondhand TBitz kit from another pelican and am adapting it to my needs. The TBitz kit doesnt control ignition or do wideband tuning, two things I want on this car.

I have used the good ole' Innovate LC-1 on a few cars before, but as I was assembling parts for this build I noticed a new product from them, the MTX-L. It combines the wideband controller and a gauge in one piece. I wanted a gauge that fit into the stock gauge cluster too and didnt disrupt the overall look of the cabin.

I decided to switch the fuel/oil gauge normally found in the far left spot over all the right to the hole normally occupied by the clock.

I found I had to make up some kind of holder for the gauge to adapt to the larger gauge hole. I wanted it to look as stock as possible, so I decided to use the stock clock rubber surround and make up a holder/spacer for the gauge.

I used some 1/4" ABS from the spoilers I make, double them up and glue them together. I then used some hole saws to cut them to a slightly-larger-than-gauge diameter. I then used a belt sander to round them out and down to the right size where the rubber surround is taught around the spacer and holds it tightly into the gauge hole.

Pics after dinner...

[DRACO A5OG]

OOoooh, yes please post pics of the MTX-L set up. I am pondering it.

[Tippy]

Originally Posted by DRACO A5OG

OOoooh, yes please post pics of the MTX-L set up. I am pondering it.

[JohnJL]

Here's the MTX unit itself. It comes with a white/faux carbon face also.



Here is the unit unpacked. I ordered an 18' extension cable to reach from the gauge cluster back to the O2 sensor. As just about every car has the engin up front including most tuned cars, the MTX comes with a shorter cable. It turns out if the O2 sensor is mounted in the left-hand side header, routed directly through the tunnel and out under the driver's seat no extension cable is necessary. I was actually pleased with this: I want to be able to easily move it between 2 other cars to check their carb tuning, then easily plop it back in this one. Having the 18' extension cable free makes this a breeze.




I needed way to securely fit the gauge in place without modifying the car, the gauge or making a mess of the cabin. I put a lot of effort into the clean lines of the dash and didnt want to distract from this. The solution was to put it in the fuel/oil gauge hole and flop that gauge over to the Clock position. I sandwiched together two 1/4" pieces of ABS. One side is smooth and the other has a wrinkle-texture to it. That latter one makes the visible side in toward the cabin. Then I used a couple of hole saws to cut the gauge mount and the outside slightly smaller then the gauge hole. I then used the bench-mount belt sander to round out and bring the final outide diameter down. Repeated fittings of the clock's mounting ring proceeded until I sanded off just enough material from the ABS to have the ABS spacer, rubber ring and gauge be a tight fit into the stock gauge hole.















A few details that might help:

THe MTX has 4 groups of wires out the back: 2 are for digital in and out connections to the gauge itself. Another is the connection to the wideband O2 gauge, and the final bundle contains the power, ground, signal and lighting controls.

Megasquirt wants the 02 signal on pin 23 of the DB37 connector. I put a connector on this wire from the gauge to facilitate removal later rather than crimp or solder it in.

I tapped into pin 75 on the ignition switch for power. This receives 12v when in Run and Start in my car.




The MTX has a feature that will dim its lighting when your headlights come on, so I connected its white wire to pin 56 on the headlight switch. This pin receives 12v only when hi or low beams are on.




The entire harness is routed through the back of the gauges, down the left of the cabin, under the driver's seat back to the back seat footwell area where my Megasquirt and MSD/fuse panels are located:

[JohnJL]

OK, I know the wiring is still a mess but my habit is to get everything wired up and tested before sheathing and shrinking everything.



The MTX has 2 signal wires, each with a different 02 signal map. The yellow one matches what Megasquirt wants, so I connected that back to the Megasquirt pin 23;





Yep, thats a Tender battery in the background. I cant believe how light it is.
I hope that help someone, ask away on questions....

[DRACO A5OG]

Very nice

I have a center console, thinking of putting it there under the Radar Detector

[impactbumper]

Any reason why you switched the fuel gauge to the right and keeping the afr unit on the left? Personal preference?

Looks like a well thought and executed install, would love to see the end product too. Thanks for sharing


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[JohnJL]

2 reasons I moved the gauges over;

1. It fit there with the stock cable length. If I wanted to move it over to the clock hole I would have to use an extension cable and

2. I didnt want it to be in the line-of-sight of the passenger. I think it would be distracting.

J