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Old 01-30-2003, 08:41 PM   #1
SJwrx
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Default OBS gauge cluster in WRX?

I heard that you can put an Outback Sports gauge cluster in the WRX's cabin, so you can have outside temp and oil pressure... is that true?

What do you need for the conversion? Do the Speedo, tach, coolant temp, and gas gauge plugs plug into the OBS w/o mod?

Rich
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Old 02-01-2003, 02:09 AM   #2
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Nobody has done this? Nobody has any info?

Rich
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Old 02-01-2003, 03:02 AM   #3
Alan
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The connectors are the same, and if you add the temp sensor to the front of the radiator I suppose the temperature readout should work. But your tach is going to have the wrong redline. As for oil pressure, I didn't see any indication that the O/S had a readout in the cluster.
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Old 02-02-2003, 02:42 AM   #4
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Your speedo won't read properly either. OBS and RS speedos go to 120mph, while the WRX goes to 140mph.

Khail
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Old 02-02-2003, 03:05 PM   #5
Alan
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Quote:
Originally posted by khail19
Your speedo won't read properly either. OBS and RS speedos go to 120mph, while the WRX goes to 140mph.

Khail
Actually that should not be a problem since the speedometer gets pulses from the speed sensor and in the speedometer it is convertered to a voltage that drives the speedometer "motor".

Though it will be easier to "bury the needle"!!
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Old 02-02-2003, 03:20 PM   #6
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It would depend on whether the # of pulses-per-mile is the same or not. Unfortunately if it isn't there is no easy way to fix it.
Perhaps it would be possible to do surgery on the cluster and swap just the temp/fuel gauge portion where the outside temp indicator is, and leave the rest alone.
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Old 02-02-2003, 07:19 PM   #7
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This is officially the "over my head" thread now.

Rich
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Old 02-02-2003, 08:44 PM   #8
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Sorry
This stuff isn't always easy although everyone would like it to be.
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Old 02-02-2003, 09:13 PM   #9
Alan
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Quote:
Originally posted by mulder
It would depend on whether the # of pulses-per-mile is the same or not. Unfortunately if it isn't there is no easy way to fix it.
Perhaps it would be possible to do surgery on the cluster and swap just the temp/fuel gauge portion where the outside temp indicator is, and leave the rest alone.
The problem is that the IC that does the pulses to mileage and speed is the same custom IC that does the temperature readout. See page WI-59. And I've been inside the cluster assembly and you can see how the missing temperature readout LCD is connected right to the same IC that drives the odometer and trip meter.
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Old 02-02-2003, 09:32 PM   #10
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So, not easy at all
Seems to me the easiest way to get an OEM-looking outside temp display would be to get the Donnelly auto-dimming compass/temp mirror, plug it into the existing harness (which is there whether you already have the autodim mirror or not), and run the wire for the outside temp sensor.
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Old 02-06-2003, 07:04 PM   #11
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I am looking at doing the exact same thing... it looks like it may be pretty easy. The water temp/fuel guage/exterior temp portion of the gauge is seperate from the rest of the cluster. The PN for that part is (MT) 85064FE110 (65$). Now that will work with the rest of the housing...

But! I am not sure if it will work with the stock printed circuit (aka 300$). I need to take my dash apart, then look at the circut, and specifically the back of the current water/fuel guage. If the wires plug into the gauge, then it will work. If it plugs into the printed circuit, then who knows...
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Old 02-06-2003, 07:18 PM   #12
Alan
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You guys DO know about the nice matching gauge that is available for about $10. Got one in my car...



There's been a full discussion of it in an archived thread:

http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/show...threadid=37812
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Old 02-06-2003, 08:42 PM   #13
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I have what is pictured above right below my Ash tray. It was $10 at Target.

Paul G.
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Old 02-06-2003, 09:07 PM   #14
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Those are cool little meters, but I want the stock look. Its one thing to have flashy parts and stuff, but its another thing to have those same mods but look like its factory.

Rich
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Old 02-07-2003, 01:12 AM   #15
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Rich,

I looked long and hard at how to get the OBS temp gauge... in the end it was going to be nearly impossible and cost $100s.

I, too, have the $10 stick-on outside temp gauge. It doesn't look as stock as having the OBS temp gauge, but it DOES look fairly stock... the silver is the same as the dash trim.
The one I bought even has a black "light" button isntead of the orange, and if you mount it a little further left than where Alan did, then the edge of the gauge lines up with the line between the cup-holder and the blank spot next to it. From there it's easy to tuck the wiring out of the way behind the console.. it's looks like it was meant to be there.
I've had many friends ride in my car, it occurs to few of them that the gauge isn't stock...

Ben
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Old 02-07-2003, 02:02 AM   #16
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Hey Ben,
I am not trying to say that your guy's little mod is crappy, I am just really picky. I know its not stock... but a gauge housing (ie. OBS) is better. What would be the best way to get that trick little gauge in the cluster...wait for the US Sti's and buy one of those (if I can get one)?

Rich
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Old 02-08-2003, 08:12 PM   #17
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Rich,

Dunno, really. Like I said, I finally just gave up and found the $11.- gauge at my local Kragen. It IS a little cheesy, I'll admit.

A couple other ideas...

Alternative #1: Get the slightly cheesy aftermarket outside temp gauge, and hide it. Put it in the ashtray or mount it in the glove box or in the little cubby hole by your left knee or inside the center console or on the back side of the sun visor, anywhere... the things come with 10' of wiring, and they're self contained (battery operated), so you could really put it anywhere.

Alternative #2: You could buy a whole set of aftermarket gauges (oil temp, voltmeter, etc.) and get outside temp as one of them... I thought of doing this, but outside temp gauges typically cost $50+, plus the housing, plus the PITA of all of it, yadda yadda yadda.

Alternative #3: Put it in the clock housing. This would be a huge PITA, but you should be able to lift out the clock/tray in the dash, punch out the stock clock, and insert the guts from an aftermarket outside temp gauge. The $10.- gauge I bought even has a clock function that you can toggle to, if knowing what time it is is important to you. If you did it right it would illuminate with the other dash lights and everything... this was way more than what I was prepared to invest in terms of effort and aggravation.

If you wanted it to BE oem, alternative #4: It seems like it SHOULDN'T be all that impossible to hook up the OBS gauge... If the Subaru gauges are like those in my BMW, you could take individual gauges out of the instrument cluster. Maybe you could then swap in a OBS fuel/temp gauge on the left side of the instrument cluster. This sounds complicated, but I replaced the speedo in my BMW, and it was really no big deal.
Even if you can't swap out individual gauges, you could probably hack into the things to marry them together... This sounds barbaric, but if you did it right it would look totally stock, at least until the next time somebody yanked the instrument cluster.
For me, cost was prohibitive... I couldn't figure out where to find a wrecked OBS any time soon, and it looked like I'd probably have to buy a OBS instrument cluster and rip it apart, and then buy the temp sensor, too. You're probably looking at $100s, vs. $11.- for the slightly cheesy Kragen gauge... not worth it, IMHO.

Good luck, and let us know if you make it work...

Ben
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Old 02-08-2003, 09:26 PM   #18
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Thanks for the ideas.

Rich
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Old 02-08-2003, 10:52 PM   #19
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The speedo-tach is one unit. The Fuel/Water/Temp is another. The big problem is the circuit board that everything connects to. I have not had the time, yet, to look and see if the board is the same for both the OBS and the WRX or if it doesnt matter (exam time ). All of the wiring diagrams show nothing really. It all depends on if the gauge is independant of the circuit board in our WRX's. If it is, then it should be an easy swap. If it isnt, then it will be still pretty easy, but more costly, unless the boards are the same (I'm guessing not). I have not been able to find a good diagram of the back of the gauge, or the back of the cluster. The wiring diagrams that i have found say nothing but "custom cpu" which makes me wonder... is it in the gauge, or on the circuit board.
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Old 02-08-2003, 11:04 PM   #20
Alan
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The Custom CPU is on the main circuit board in the WRX, but the LCD display is not installed into the circuit board. There's just an empty spot where it belongs.
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