64 replies to this topic

[Stimpy]

"Isn't it"  - that's a great Welsh "sentence ending"    

 

Nice one.  Thanks for the quick reply.  

 

With all the other work I haven't even had a chance to take the unit (one of them!) into the car yet - although I know it does not fit onto the old plastic 'drift cable' - so that's why I'm assuming it goes on the 'old' spinner and then straight to the gauge (i.e.. the drift lead actually becomes redundant).

 

ANyway - thanks again

[andy159]

what does your drift cable look like?

[Stimpy]

Black with a chrome like rim!  i.e., I haven't even switched in on yet!

 

Actually that's tiny white lie.  I wired up the power bits just to see what it would do - and it did a quick impersonation of a fruit machine before settling to zero.  It had km/h displayed but for the moment I don't really car about that until I fit it properly.

[Stimpy]

Oops - just realised you said 'cable'.

 

Well - it's got three wires - which just happen to be exactly the same colours as the ones on the new gadget thingy.

 

When I bought the speedo I bought the overly expensive interface for the mini - which you have discovered isn't up to task.

Edited by Stimpy, 17 November 2013 - 08:33 PM.

[Stimpy]

By the way - I went to the NEC classic show today (it's a bit too late for me to highly recommend it but there's always next year).

 

Anyway - the chap that appears at mini events with the drift stuff was there - I asked if they did a a 'fuel low' warning system - he said no but he recommended 'spyder' who I have bought from before.  I'm awaiting a technical email from them re- the cabling but I thought I'd see if the chap had a neat unit that did the same.

 

I've bought the rev change gear gadget which looks the bizz (but- like everything else - is yet to be used).

 

I asked about the drift fuel gauge and - talk about simple install - you just attach it to your sender (doesn't matter which one) and press a button when it's empty and press a button when it's full and then it's calibrated - how simple is that?

So I'm considering other drift products - but only after seeing what the current stuff looks like.

[dklawson]

For another speedometer adapter/sender option, also see the thread linked below which is currently running in the Tech Section.

http://www.theminifo...d-sensor-st670/

Edited by dklawson, 17 November 2013 - 09:20 PM.

[Stimpy]

dklawson - the picture in that thread looks the biz! Very neat.

 

 

However the unit andy159 has recommended means you don't have to break your arm bones with a hammer in order to get the thing planted on the gearbox bit

 

The advantage of the demonweek unit is that the old lead remains and the converter sits on the bit that would plug into your 'old' speedo.  I'm making huge assumptions as I have yet to do it but the theory is sound.

 

It means a load of extra cable behind the dash but with a full width dash it shouldn't matter

 

Still, thanks for the alternative method - perhaps others who 'search land' here can see there are more than one way of doing it.  Actually - there's quite a few solutions - I honestly thought there would be a huge issue with fitting the speedo.  At the end of the day the idea is fairly simple - take a spinning thing and make a pulse out of it.

 

I had to do something similar with my Stag but I wanted to keep the original speedo (originality) - The GPS system required a pulse from the speedo and I was recommended a unit that sits around the cable rather than replace it.  Only thing is - it adds a tiny amount of strain on the original cable and it snaps the cable every so often.  Which is annoying!

[Stimpy]

i guess this is for andy159

 

I've re-awoken this thread because it's got to the time where I need to fit the demon tweaks item to the speedo cable.

 

Sorry if I sound dim - but I can't find a way of connecting the unit to the original speedo cable.

 

Brief description....

 

The end of the speedo pick-up at the dash end is a black cable with a shiny metal 'cylindrical cup' there is a white plastic construction around that metal cup which looks like it's designed to be used to connect to the original 3 cluster dash-gauge.  I *think* the old connection was to take the male (able) end and push into the female dash end with the plastic construction to push and lock the cable in place.

 

If a picture helps then I'll supply one.

 

The demon tweaks item can be pushed into the metal cylindrical metal cup with the larger of the two screw-threaded ends.  It comfortably goes in but I can't see how to make it stay in place unless I use self amalgamating tape or something.  The other concern is - does the male fit snuggly into the demon tweaks female?  I can't tell whether it's loose or whether its tight enough to receive the spinning of the original cable.

 

I'm wondering - does the original dash-end cable need surgery prior to attempting to fit the new unit?  What I mean is - should I break the white plastic locking bit so that it's out of the way?

 

Any advice would be wholly appreciated - I've sat in the car and spent about an hour trying to figure this one out but I can't see the solution.

 

Thanks

Steve

[dklawson]

You may want to send Andy a PM to make sure he sees your post.

[andy159]

replied in other thread

[Dusky]

Im fitting mine atm with the engine out, but how tight should it be?

When i thighten it it becomes very tight and loosens after that point..

[Dan]

You mean it loosens off again if you keep turning the ring the same way?

[Dusky]

You mean it loosens off again if you keep turning the ring the same way?

yeps

[dklawson]

That's not good.  Early speedo adapters at the gearbox were plastic, later ones appear to have been diecast aluminum.  Remove your speedo cable and check the threads on the gearbox adapter.  If the part is nylon and the threads are damage (very possible) I would replace it, particularly if you can find a nice used aluminum one.  If the gearbox adapter threads are in good shape, look at the threads inside the cable nut and replace the cable if the threads are damaged.

 

The original question was "how tight".  Since the lower cable end is a knurled nut, I would say "snug, hand-tight". 

[Dusky]

I get them hand tight though.. SO I probably just am overtightening it by using mole grips?