Fitting a temperature gauge

[stu#71]

Apparently Toyota use some sort of Resistor at the back of the OEM Temp Gauge to make the unit fluctuate much less, hence it doesn't react to much when thrashing the engine. However when it does move, I've read you're actually well beyond 100 degrees!
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This is very true. They are utter crap to be honest. There's a mod for the earlier surf model but I don't know of one for the 90/95 series. Have a read of this:

.toyotasurf.asn.au/techsite/tempgauge.htm

 

[Shayne]

Cheers again i was going to post a thread asking what CB will fit in there but now i know

 

[stu#71]

Shayne you could just use a handheld CB radio for your Romania trip.

In some ways there more versatile than a fitted one, especially in recovery situations when your out of the vehicle and other people are winching etc.

That's all I use to be honest. Versatile. Easy. Rechargeable. Cheap
theyre fine unless you want 5w longer range
erect a fake antennae if you wanna look cool. Lol

 

[stu#71]

Hey Ben. Where's the best place ie cheap! to buy those gme s please?

 

[Shayne]

Shayne you could just use a handheld CB radio for your Romania trip.

In some ways there more versatile than a fitted one, especially in recovery situations when your out of the vehicle and other people are winching etc.

Cheers Ben i only found out about the handheld sets yesterday but knowing me i would only lose it somewhere i don't mind filling the slot with a CB it might even improve the look of the interior .

 

[stu#71]

This is on a 120 but you'll get the idea

.myswag.org/index.php?topic=36308.0

 

[Shayne]

erect a fake antennae if you wanna look cool. Lol

I don't want to look cool will it work through my oem antennae ? I've never switched the radio on in all the time i've owned the truck , i play cassettes in case you hadn't guessed , i would be happy to swap the aerial but it would be better still if i could just rip the wires off it and hook it up to the CB instead ?

 

[stu#71]

...I think this might be the Land Rover install.

 

[stu#71]

I don't want to look cool will it work through my oem antennae ? I've never switched the radio on in all the time i've owned the truck , i play cassettes in case you hadn't guessed , i would be happy to swap the aerial but it would be better still if i could just rip the wires off it and hook it up to the CB instead ?

It's definitely a possibility but couldn't say for sure. Obviously it would be better to buy the matched unit and antennae kit. You'd have to do some research sorry. I don't know.
The new gme antennas are very short these days so helps not ripping them off on low branches!

 

[Towpack]

I don't want to look cool will it work through my oem antennae ? I've never switched the radio on in all the time i've owned the truck , i play cassettes in case you hadn't guessed , i would be happy to swap the aerial but it would be better still if i could just rip the wires off it and hook it up to the CB instead ?

You'd ideally need an ATU, or at the very least a loading coil to 'match' the antenna to the CB which means another piece of kit to fit/hide in the car. Connecting it without one would almost certainly give a high SWR reading which means power is reflected back to the transmitter, reducing the ERP, limiting range and potentially even damaging the transmitter output circuitry although most modern transmitters have high SWR sensing and cut back the output power to avoid damage (thinking amateur radio gear here). A purpose built CB antenna will (should) be tuned to the band so there's no problem. JMO

 

[Ben]

Hey Ben. Where's the best place ie cheap! to buy those gme s please?

I just got mine from Autobahn, but that was before I started working in the 4wd industry.

Now I would just get one out of our showroom at work for cost price.

 

[Shayne]

And post it to me Ben your an angel

In English please Towpack with pictures if possible

 

[Beau]

Hi Beau i thought we had lost you to the land of the free have you got a gun rack in your truck yet

From what i can gather the Toyota gauge works on the same principal as the old Rover one the mrs had which still showed everything was ticketyboo after she drove 10 miles home with a blown head and not a drop of water in the rad . I think i would trust an aftermarket gauge more i just don't like amateur additions to the dash .

not yet Shayne! In the long process of bringing my cruiser over, time wise am looking at next year May/April time fingers crossed! And no gun yet, unfortunately

The Toyota one's aren't as you say, I've seen mine move up before when towing up a very long gradient hill and working the engine hard. This was when my rad was in terrible condition. The problem is running temp on these engines are between 90-95 degrees. From what I've read the main temp will not move further up until the temp gets past about 115 degrees which means you can be running the engine hot for some time without notice.

The link that someone posted demonstrates what I was saying in regards to the resistors. Pros - Better clean OEM look, fully working Gauge, Cheap and quick, won't take up any additional space ect... Cons - you won't get a Digital read out so will be hard to tell where the engines at temp wise when it fluctuates. So it depends what you're after and how close of an eye you have to watch it

 

[Shayne]

Yes Garfeildus posted a very interesting modification for the oem gauge i did think about it for a while and decided if i wanted to go to those sort of extremes i'd just put a VDO gauge inside the the cluster panel in place of the oem one . I'd be much happier with a lazy solution .

 

[GreatScot]

We ordered the auberins EGT gauge which came as a bundled set with the K type probe and a temp gauge which came with a PT100 sensor. This is on a 1KZTE engine for a Prado 3.0L diesel.

Hi, I wondered where to take a feed of the headlight wire to enable the dimming? I installed an aubers gauge and don't quite know ow to do this. @Shayne perhaps you can help as it looks like Stu has disappeared? Thanks, Martin

 

[Shayne]

If i remember correctly though it was a long time ago i found a permanent live connects to the headlight beam height adjust button/switch/dial whatever you want to call it .

 

[GreatScot]

Not sure what the headlight beam height adjust thingy is?

 

[Shayne]

Theres a wheel like switch under the steering wheel by your right knee so you can raise and lower beam , probably for when your carrying a heavy load and the rear of the truck squats pointing headlights at the sky .

 

[GreatScot]

Thanks Shayne...my KZJ78 doesn't have it but no worries I'll sort it out