Introduction To Automotive Dashboard Electronics

Coss · Nov 30, 2016

2barrel said:
I wan't something that will take a lickin and keep on ticken and won't have to be replaced as soon as the warranty is up. Ever have to replace a customer's digital dash?

Yup, couple of times. Remove part of the dash, remove the module for the dash, plug in new module, reassemble dash.
If it's not working correctly, replace the BCM or the ECM depending on the manufacturer requirements.
Simple to do, expensive as all get out.

john sharitt · Nov 30, 2016

Coss said:
Don't forget the sending units to match those gauges; they will be different than analog.

Coss, first let me apologize if I come across as unduly argumentative or offensive. That is not my intent. Years ago, my wife bought a van with a slick, "cool" digital dash. After many miles and months I adapted to it. While traveling for my job, I have driven many rental vehicles with digital dashes. I no longer have the van, and both of my german cars and both of my german motorcycles have analog gauges. Because that's how they were built. So I guess when it comes to dash gauges, I am a switch hitter.

I followed the two links Bikebrains gave above to the Intellitronix site. They make two gauges, a 5 guage and 6 guage unit. They don't give the length, but I'm gonna ask them. The 6 guage unit is the more expensive, at about $380, retail. Their web site states that they will do bulk sales, with a reduction in the per unit cost. Necessary sending units are included with unit. The gauges are plain and simple looking. I think they would look both unique and appropriate in an Elio. I personally think these should be the standard Elio gauges. I would even be willing to option them into my Elio.

electroken · Dec 1, 2016

I guess the Intellitronix LED instruments would be OK.

If it was 1985.

And I had a DeLorean.

Coss · Dec 1, 2016

john sharitt said:
Coss, first let me apologize if I come across as unduly argumentative or offensive. That is not my intent. Years ago, my wife bought a van with a slick, "cool" digital dash. After many miles and months I adapted to it. While traveling for my job, I have driven many rental vehicles with digital dashes. I no longer have the van, and both of my german cars and both of my german motorcycles have analog gauges. Because that's how they were built. So I guess when it comes to dash gauges, I am a switch hitter.

I followed the two links Bikebrains gave above to the Intellitronix site. They make two gauges, a 5 guage and 6 guage unit. They don't give the length, but I'm gonna ask them. The 6 guage unit is the more expensive, at about $380, retail. Their web site states that they will do bulk sales, with a reduction in the per unit cost. Necessary sending units are included with unit. The gauges are plain and simple looking. I think they would look both unique and appropriate in an Elio. I personally think these should be the standard Elio gauges. I would even be willing to option them into my Elio.

One thing I don't know if you're aware of; EM is pretty set in the way they plan on building their AutoCycle; I've had many discussions with them about the gauges and it was like talking to a stone wall. At first they were dead set on the Elgin gauges; why? Because it was one of Paul Elio's set in stone requirements; the Elgin gauges were a tribute to his father; when Paul was younger, his dad wore an Elgin watch in that styling, and it reminded him of a happy time in his life. So come hell or high water, the Elgin was going to be the only option for gauges in the Elio, period.
The early prototypes had Geo Metro dashes in them; they were probably cannibalized from the Geo's that they pulled the motors out of.
The P5 was the first (and so far the last) Elio built with the Elgin gauges.
When the E-Series were being built; we noticed that they had analog gauges in them; when I talked to EM about them, we were told "they are only place holders for now, and the production Elio will have the Elgin's".
When Jermaine said "the Elgin's are gone" was the first time we ever heard that from someone employed by EM.
To confirm; I contacted EM about it and they would neither confirm or deny the change; the only thing they would say is "stay tuned of upcoming changes to the interior in future Blog / Momentum issues.

So any time you talk about volume discounts, I hope you plan on buying a lot of them, because you're not going talk EM into changing to them.
Well let me change that from not to highly improbable chance.
I did all the research that I went through because I do own and run a custom shop, and found a suitable replacement for the Elgin's that could also be packaged and sold as a DIY kit; it also offered a number of options in the gauges so clients could design (to a degree) what they wanted.
Finding something you specifically like doesn't mean everyone else will like it too. So goes life in the custom business.

Now do you see that I'm not trying to shoot you down; I'm just trying to save you some aggravation, and share what I have already gone through.

W. WIllie · Dec 1, 2016

They will more than likely do what ever it takes to keep the cost down. I HOPE.

I talked to Paul one time at a show and suggested, a "memorial plaque" to his father mounted on the dash, or even make the first model of the ELIO the "ELGIN".
All vehicles have a model name.

Just a suggestion or two.

john sharitt · Dec 8, 2016

Coss said:
One thing I don't know if you're aware of; EM is pretty set in the way they plan on building their AutoCycle; I've had many discussions with them about the gauges and it was like talking to a stone wall. At first they were dead set on the Elgin gauges; why? Because it was one of Paul Elio's set in stone requirements; the Elgin gauges were a tribute to his father; when Paul was younger, his dad wore an Elgin watch in that styling, and it reminded him of a happy time in his life. So come hell or high water, the Elgin was going to be the only option for gauges in the Elio, period.
The early prototypes had Geo Metro dashes in them; they were probably cannibalized from the Geo's that they pulled the motors out of.
The P5 was the first (and so far the last) Elio built with the Elgin gauges.
When the E-Series were being built; we noticed that they had analog gauges in them; when I talked to EM about them, we were told "they are only place holders for now, and the production Elio will have the Elgin's".
When Jermaine said "the Elgin's are gone" was the first time we ever heard that from someone employed by EM.
To confirm; I contacted EM about it and they would neither confirm or deny the change; the only thing they would say is "stay tuned of upcoming changes to the interior in future Blog / Momentum issues.

So any time you talk about volume discounts, I hope you plan on buying a lot of them, because you're not going talk EM into changing to them.
Well let me change that from not to highly improbable chance.
I did all the research that I went through because I do own and run a custom shop, and found a suitable replacement for the Elgin's that could also be packaged and sold as a DIY kit; it also offered a number of options in the gauges so clients could design (to a degree) what they wanted.
Finding something you specifically like doesn't mean everyone else will like it too. So goes life in the custom business.

Now do you see that I'm not trying to shoot you down; I'm just trying to save you some aggravation, and share what I have already gone through.

john sharitt · Dec 8, 2016

Coss, thanks for the explanation and history lesson about the Elgin gauges. I can appreciate why Paul wanted the Elgin gauges. I'm not sure I could come to like them, but I know I could live with them. Like so many here, I've got an SIL. And the gauges are not a show stopper. I do like your proposed analog guage layout, so when the time comes I would sure like to see a DIY replacement setup. Anyday I learn something is a good day.

Coss · Dec 8, 2016

john sharitt said:
Coss, thanks for the explanation and history lesson about the Elgin gauges. I can appreciate why Paul wanted the Elgin gauges. I'm not sure I could come to like them, but I know I could live with them. Like so many here, I've got an SIL. And the gauges are not a show stopper. I do like your proposed analog guage layout, so when the time comes I would sure like to see a DIY replacement setup. Anyday I learn something is a good day.

No problem. The gauges are the easy part, the wiring harness and the correct senders are the tricky part.
There is a possibility of 8 different OHM rating that a stock fuel gauge can send out, speedo can do 4K, 8K, 16K or 36K, that's why I like the option of using stock, or a GPS unit (GPS is so much more accurate).

Introduction To Automotive Dashboard Electronics

Coss

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john sharitt

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electroken

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W. WIllie

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