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Old 06-05-2014, 05:58 PM   #1
tantric rex
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Default why and how this n00b installed defi gauges in 2014 wrx

===================
BACKGROUND
===================
hi. my name is tantricrex. i drive a 2014 wrx. i'm not a tuner. my full name is not Tantricrex Andretti...it's also not Tantricrex Thatcher. i have no performance mods since stock performance is just fine for me (and my driving record and my insurance). i try to take good care of my vehicles.

i have owned and driven 2 wrxs over 150k miles since 2008, but i am still in most ways a novice in technical matters. i recently completed my most involved mod to date: gauges!

there is a wealth of information and guidance from much more experienced people on this forum alone, without which i could not have completed the install on my own. i thank the community for this. however, it was rather daunting as a n00b to navigate through all the knowledge and make (somewhat) educated decisions.


i decided to post my experience in case (1) it might add some perspective to the knowledge-base, and (2) (more selfishly) someone might point out any mistakes i made along the way. apologies not having the foresight to log each of the very helpful threads i read along the way in order to properly reference them in this post. as a small consolation, i'll try to identify the nuggets of wisdom i've read elsewhere that may not be general knowledge by noting "{props}". here we go...

===================
GAUGE SELECTION
===================

i have a great paranoia about pushing a cold engine. from the day i bought my 08 wrx to the day i traded it in for the 14, i always referenced my coolant temp gauge to tell me when the engine was warmed up and ready for "spirited" driving. ha! what an idiot was i. i only recently learned that oil takes much longer to reach operating temps than coolant...i had been causing harmul wear by pushing my engine to early in my drive. so how is one to know when one's oil is up to temp and when one may begin driving one's rex...well...like a rex?

curiousity, as they say, killed this cat. i googled "why isn't there a way to find out what the oil temperature is on my awesome sporty car?". i went to my local library to study internal combustion engines. i traveled to Tibet with hopes for an audience with the Dalai Lama, only to find he had recently relocated. exhausted by my unfruitful search, i returned to nasioc and learned of a mystical "oil temperature gauge". unabomber's gauge faq was invaluable.

it seems most people go with oil pressure gauges. aside from the neglibible value of the stock pressure switch, i assume this gauge is preferred by tuners with performance mods. it'd be nice to have both temp & pressure gauges, but i had to pick one (more on that below). i understand temp can be inferred from pressure, but prefer a direct reading to constant mental gymnastics. i'm not worried about greater risk of [insert various potential tuning disasters] to my stock motor. i just want to know when it's ok to start passing traffic with appropriate fervor so i went with temp.

what brand to buy? i kept my previous wrx for 6 years and i hope to keep my 14 wrx for even longer...but i only want to install the gauge once. everyone loves a defi. they seem to be much more reliable than less expensive brands (based on 2nd hand information). prosport or other less expensive brand may have worked fine for my needs but i figured i could afford a couple extra $$ over my anticipated time of ownership and decided on the defi racer 52mm oil temp imperial (god bless the USA)...plus they look badass.

now...where to mount this new bastion of engine operating information? i came across O.C.D.s great writeup. smy clustermaker ftw.

uh-oh. clustermaker has 2 pods. i could get a pod blank....but i would end up pitying that lonely empty pod that nobody wanted to take home from the pound. no sir. no pod of mine will be the object of pity. 2nd gauge! budget is almost doubled and the above referenced cat is now dead.

i knew that i wanted to stay off of boost until the engine was properly warmed. A boost gauge would tell me whether or not i was. enter defi racer 52mm boost PSI.

midterm review:
-stock engine
-wanted to ensure proper warmup before full load for engine longevity
-decided on defi racer oil temp & boost gauges in smy clustermaker.

found the best price for the package from yanev at smyperformance. processing/shipping was fast and after sale service was great.

===================
SENDER INSTALL
===================
boost gauge sender install is cake. i am currently using the location in the post linked above. there's good discussion about the t-fitting to the vacuum line in that post which you should read before doing the install. some people did different, but i used the fitting included with the defi gauge and zip ties. i did not cut my stock hose. i bought a length of hose (only used 3 inches out of a foot) to bridge the t-fitting and bpv {props}. all they had in the right inner diameter size was a windshield washer hose (i think ?). i'm hoping it will be ok for my application as a vacuum line.

there's a lot of discussion about oil temp sender location. i am willing to believe the oil pan is the best place to read oil temp, but i drive enough so that my oil changes are monthly. i didn't want to have to worry about an oil plug sender or oil filter sandwich adapter each time. i don't have the budget for that awesome killerb oil pan, nor the patience to have a shop drill and weld my existing pan. rear (tmic) gallery plug was my most viable option. (yes, galleRy. after seeing both "galley" and "gallery" used everywhere, i have decided that galleRy is the more appropriate english language noun to reference the "windows" into the engine. I don't have anything against people who say "galley" ... or "nucular" ... but just please don't try to convince me to do the same.) i am aware of the possible disadvantages of using this location and will likely write another post presenting my readings from it.

after using the zip ties to get hoses out of the way (as much as possible) {props}, finding and removing the gallery plug out was not nearly as difficult for me as for other posters. i used an 8mm hex head on a socket wrench with 10" extension.





i will confirm that installing a sender in the rear gallery is a herculean task, but with elbow grease, zen-like patience, and the right tools, it is possible. crows foot wrenches mentioned in other posts were no help...not enough room for my 17mm rallysportdirect adapter {anti-props?}. what did the trick for me were: zip ties (get hoses out of the way), lighted grabber tool (for when little go rolling around in that tight space and also very helpful for direct lighting), open end 14mm wrench which fit defi sender (longer wrench is better because it'll be at a steep angle so you need all the leverage you can get). even with this assortment of aides, I had to remove a rectangular rubber piece (no idea what it is) to wring some more clearance out of the situation...





... judging by the metal shavings in the area, I know I rounded the sender bolt to some extent. Remember that rubber piece I just removed? I made sure to cover the opening with a plastic sheet so that no shavings would get into what looks suspiciously like a transmission.

the adapter did come with a coating on the threads but it was white. i had read that the yellow thread sealer rated for petroleum was a safer bet {props} so i rewrapped the threads with that. i also used some additional yellow sealer to help keep the o-ring (dont forget to buy that too!) on the bolt as i lowered it into the engine. Adding the additional tape may well have increased the difficulty of installing the plug but I'm not aware of any other downside and I feel safer with the petroleum rated tape.



i tried installing the adapter first but my rallysportdirect adapter is 17mm and i could not get a wrench (socket, crowsfoot, or otherwise) in the space to tighten it. ultimately I installed the sender in the adapter first {props}. theres more clearance at the height of the sender than at the (lower) adapter height. that being said, each and every god forsaken quarter turn was a battle. At one point I seriously considered nixing the whole thing and putting the sender elsewhere...cursing myself for not heeding the numerous warnings against waking the sleeping dragon that is the rear gallery plug. eventually though, mind over matter, [insert Joel Osteen quote], it got done. as someone else mentioned in another post: i'm pretty sure i overtorqued the sender but no oil leaks yet (knock on wood).



this is the first time i've removed an intercooler. as with many things in life, getting it off was more fun than putting it back on. my biggest issue was getting the throttlebody air hose fully reseated on the intercooler. it was a lot tougher than i thought it'd be but don't lose faith! with many repeated small back/forth rotations of the intercooler, it eventually got all the way on.

===================
WIRING
===================
i'm not a professional but, like O.C.D., i try to make my work to look as professional and stock as I can. this part of the install doesn't require much mechanical skill/knowledge so my monkey-self decided i'd make up for the gallery plug fiasco by knocking the wiring out of the park. it took a lot of time to figure out and implement but i'm proud of the end result.

i brought both sender wires behind the main fuse box. if you remove the rear bolt and gently pull the plastic, you can slip the wires under the fuse box bracket to the bottom which completely hides them.



this placement also lines the wires up beautifully with a hole on the fender through which they can be fished (completely hidden) to the driver footwell grommet. be careful with that hole though...sharp edges. i wish i had the foresight to buy rubber grommets. i ended up wrapping a section of the sender wires in electrical tape to help protect against abrasion.



most people talk about removing 2 inner clips (plus the 3 outer clips) in the wheel well in order to access the cavity and grommet. with the location i fed my wires into the well, i found that removing a 3rd inner clip (at the top of the well) helped immensely. these inner clips are shrews that must be tamed with finesse, patience, and the touch of a skilled hand.

of course, you could go full-tilt and remove the wheel and entire liner...but then you wouldn't be as lazy as i am...you'd probably also have a much more comfortable and better equipped work area than my apartment complex parking garage...we'll call it a toss-up.
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Old 06-05-2014, 06:02 PM   #2
tantric rex
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once the wires are inside the cabin, the stock cluster hood removal was cake : pull. the smy clustermaker is also cake : push. i thought for a second that maybe yanev had sent me a hood for a different model year or something but i gave it one good squeeze/push on the side and it popped right in! i plan on removing it though in order to transfer the little cloth flappy thingy from the stock hood and to cut the pods back/angled a bit. the clustermaker has a channel along the bottom to route the gauge wiring through. great thinking.
i used these add-a-circuit fuse taps with 3 amp fuses for the gauges.
one of the host fuses is a 15 amp fuse. i have seen some concern about this and am still clear as mud as to how "ok" this is but the retailer site (above link) only mentions a 10 amp limit for the added circuit so I've convinced myself it's fine.
removing the side trim piece next to the fuse panel makes things much easier when working with the fuses {props}.





===============
OUTRO
===============
anything else i didn't mention has likely already been covered in great detail by others so please assume i'm in general agreement with it. this install could probably be done by a more capable person in a few hours. if you're like me, though, it could take a whole weekend since you will be taking things apart and putting them back together multiple times so you can run to auto store to pick up magic tools which you expect will come to life and complete the install for you as you sip your syzzurp. you'll also be running laps between your underground garage with no wifi or cell signal in order to pull up nasioc install threads and the wrx service manual for reference. if this post saves just one of those trips for someone, i'll consider it time well spent.
I'll also mention, for the less well-informed, that although I chose my gauges for a specific purpose (monitor engine warmup), each of them are useful for spotting malfunctions and a variety of other things. eg the oil temp may be useful in comparing different oils (I know I know, rotella...but maybe penzoil while under warranty) and the boost gauge can also give fuel economy insights.

moral: this wasn't a bad first project (assuming I did it correctly). And if I could do it, any other monkey with an interest...and maybe some technical inclination...can do it (again, assuming I did it correctly). Was it worth all the blood, sweat and tears...and $$? i couldn't be happier with the results. i'm sure you'll love yours too. just try not to get fixated on the nifty new gauges while youre driving J

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Old 06-05-2014, 08:33 PM   #3
aerosaaber
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this appears to be a well put together writeup.
:thumbs-up:
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Old 06-05-2014, 08:53 PM   #4
migaleddi
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This is the type of write up I've meant to do for a couple small exterior mods (tail light tint, dual cut-out for quad tip hatch exhaust) but was just too lazy to photograph, keep track of, and chronicle with such tastefully applied wit.

Plus you just convinced me to do this on my 08 WRX after the motor rebuild I'm having done next week-ish. Good s*** dude.
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Old 06-06-2014, 02:13 AM   #5
aerosaaber
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this thread makes me wish I also took more pics of my projects. I usually start off good, then I get into the project and forget about it a while, then I just say **** it.
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Old 06-06-2014, 08:08 AM   #6
migaleddi
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Quote:
Originally Posted by aerosaaber View Post
this thread makes me wish I also took more pics of my projects. I usually start off good, then I get into the project and forget about it a while, then I just say **** it.
Haha amen!
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Old 06-06-2014, 09:12 AM   #7
tantric rex
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Appreciate the kind words, folks. I'm actually trying to develop a habit of taking more pictures when I do projects I'm not completely familiar with (eg I zipped through installing my Hellas cause I knew what I was doing)...this is to counteract another nasty habit I have of compulsively taking things apart, which has led to a collection on miscellaneous screws and bolts leftover from reassembly. I'd swear that as I grew older, I graduated from the tooth fairy to a bolt gnome who delivers extra hardware when I'm not looking! ...either that, or I have a bunch of s**t that's gonna fall apart at some point for want of screws lol. Besides that, I was already going excruciatingly slow doing the install so the marginal time to snap pics was minimal.

I really wanted to focus on some particular pics which I hadn't seen during my research but would've helped me understand better...eg it took me prolly 1/2 hour to find the stupid gallery plug after I got the tmic off...I didn't know really where to look or what it looked like and it's near impossible to see without pushing hoses out of the way. Maybe FHI really doesn't want us messing with it!
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Old 06-06-2014, 09:17 AM   #8
tantric rex
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Quote:
Originally Posted by migaleddi View Post
This is the type of write up I've meant to do for a couple small exterior mods (tail light tint, dual cut-out for quad tip hatch exhaust) but was just too lazy to photograph, keep track of, and chronicle with such tastefully applied wit. Plus you just convinced me to do this on my 08 WRX after the motor rebuild I'm having done next week-ish. Good s*** dude.
Great! Dude I've been wanting to smoke my tails since I got my 08...I even posted some mockups for feedback but never got around to it.,.6 years later...

I'm curious...since your motor is already gonna be out, are you thinking to do an oil pan bung for the temp sender? I ask because, despite everyone knocking the rear gallery plug, I've been getting (what I think) are normal range readings from that location over this last week since the install. It'd be much easier to get to the plug with the motor out also, and prolly a couple $$ cheaper that an oil pan mod.
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Old 06-06-2014, 09:22 AM   #9
tantric rex
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Found the thread that suggested to zip tie hoses under the tmic:

http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/show....php?t=2501974

This install is on an 08+ I think so things were slightly different on my 11+
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Old 06-06-2014, 11:05 AM   #10
migaleddi
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tantric rex View Post

I'm curious...since your motor is already gonna be out, are you thinking to do an oil pan bung for the temp sender? I ask because, despite everyone knocking the rear gallery plug, I've been getting (what I think) are normal range readings from that location over this last week since the install. It'd be much easier to get to the plug with the motor out also, and prolly a couple $$ cheaper that an oil pan mod.
I'm not really sure yet. The thought had crossed my mind, along with a wideband, boost gauge, and AFR gauge (and a new turbo, and a new DP, and a new intercooler, and a new..) The problem is that the motor work came a little earlier than I was planning so I have a bit less scratch to throw into it. I'm definitely doing the downpipe at least along with the motor so I figure the extra gauges/sensors could be helpful if I keep the car.

However, at the price I'm paying (around 6500), I'm thinking what's an extra 500 or so in parts with a deal on labor since I'll be dropping over 7 grand in their pocket? I've been reading more and more and it seems that oil temperature is actually rather important. I typically start my car at least 10 minutes before driving it anywhere so I try and be cognizant of it. Add in the fact that it's going to be a new motor and I may decide to keep it and I lean toward getting the parts and extra gauges.

At the same time, I'm also thinking about just selling it after the rebuild and getting out from under it before other stuff goes wrong; I.E in case the turbo sucked up some shavings and it decides to blow in another 10k miles, or any other host of possible failures. I'm sort of at a cross roads with what to do.

Last edited by migaleddi; 06-06-2014 at 11:06 AM. Reason: Quoting
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Old 06-06-2014, 11:29 AM   #11
tantric rex
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Major project. Pls take pics! Lol

May I ask what led to the rebuild on your 08?

Quote:
Originally Posted by migaleddi View Post
I typically start my car at least 10 minutes before driving it anywhere
I also used to idle to warm up until I came to learn that, for a variety of reasons, it is apparently the worst way to do it. I found a lot of good info by searching the forums and google for "wrx warm up & cool down"...or something similar. This is actually how I learned about the oil vs coolant temp.

What I do now is:
-ignition to acc
-wait 2-3 seconds to hear fuel pump prime
-ignition on
-idle for ~30 sec while I put on my belt, plug my phone to charge, turn on radio, shave, etc
-bid adieu to my parking spot
-drive gently until oil temp says I don't have to
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Old 06-09-2014, 10:14 AM   #12
Chiba
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Thanks for the great write up!

As for the warm up routine; I didn't know you had to let the fuel pump prime.
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Old 06-09-2014, 10:35 AM   #13
tantric rex
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Chiba View Post
Thanks for the great write up! As for the warm up routine; I didn't know you had to let the fuel pump prime.
Not quite sure it's necessary. I saw someone mention it as part of their warm up and it reminded me of my efi motorcycle which has an indicator light to show when the pump is primed. I know it's not exactly the same thing but it made sense and I figured waiting a couple seconds couldn't *hurt* anything. It's probably all in my head but I feel like the engine turns over a little faster if I wait to prime.
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Old 06-09-2014, 11:36 AM   #14
migaleddi
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tantric rex View Post
Major project. Pls take pics! Lol

May I ask what led to the rebuild on your 08?
Blown rod/bearing. I bought it late Feb with almost 72k miles, thing looked/handled/drove/ran great. Got an AP and flashed to the OTS Stg 1, and started picking up some knock during cruising, never during WOT or in any pull though; Was doing a 3rd gear pull a about a week and a half ago and at the top of the RPMs, around 5-5500 a ticking/clicking noise starts.

Long story short I drove 20 more minutes as it got louder and louder (oops) to the shop before it died a mile and half from said shop. Got some shiny gold specks on the dipstick when we got it there.

I decided I didn't want to put any more money into it to get it running, then possibly get hit with another problem down the road, so I should be finalizing a sale of the car tomorrow... Already put down a deposit on a black 13 WRX hatch


Quote:
Originally Posted by tantric rex View Post
I also used to idle to warm up until I came to learn that, for a variety of reasons, it is apparently the worst way to do it. I found a lot of good info by searching the forums and google for "wrx warm up & cool down"...or something similar. This is actually how I learned about the oil vs coolant temp.

What I do now is:
-ignition to acc
-wait 2-3 seconds to hear fuel pump prime
-ignition on
-idle for ~30 sec while I put on my belt, plug my phone to charge, turn on radio, shave, etc
-bid adieu to my parking spot
-drive gently until oil temp says I don't have to
I never knew! I'll have to start digging and read up on that. It makes sense that leaving it idling till warm isn't the best; without driving it to warm it up, the car is circulating cold oil for a longer period of time than it would be driving under low load. This of course only holds water if the strain put on driving the car mildly for a shorter period of time is lesser than the strain put on the motor sitting with cold oil for a longer period of time under zero load.

I'm looking forward to researching and finding to a clear cut answer on this.
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Old 06-09-2014, 06:26 PM   #15
tantric rex
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Wow what an adventure. My 08 went 150k no problems...but it was completely stock. Enjoy the '13!
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Old 06-09-2014, 06:31 PM   #16
mild7intl
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Beautiful setup, I will be using this guide to install the same exact things, except a aem wideband in place of the oil pressure. Hopefully smy can give me a good deal on these parts as well...
Thanks :-)
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Old 07-28-2014, 01:19 AM   #17
Kobura
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Default Imprezive!

As the ecstatic new-to-me owner of a 2000 Impreza RSTi makeup, I'm excited to read about things that can be done. This is the first car I've ever had that was worth a darn, and that I could also perform maintenance on myself (it helps that me and my guy have a spare car I can use to acquire parts etc)

For what it's worth, despite the information not really aiding me, it's worth mentioning your walkthrough was followable even for an absolute newbie to car work as myself! Keep on keepin' on!
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