STRI Gauge Problems, Any Advice?

[LetsGo82nd]

I have had STRI EGT, Oil Temp, Oil Pressure and Boost Gauges installed for a while but they never seem to have been working properly. The shop that installed them used a Greddy adapater plate for the Oil Temp and Pressures sensors. I have already had to replace the oil temp sensor once because the original never worked. When the car starts up the gauges will move to the same position each time and will not move or will barely move while I drive even if its an hour long drive. EGT sits at about 8, Oil Temp sits at about 180 and Oil Pressure sits at about 22. Originally they moved a lot more but now they barely do.

Is this a case of STRI being suck gauges, a bad installation or is there something else I can look at? Thanks for the help.

[4G63K]

Thats Kind of odd. These are the DSD guages or the X line?

[kimletrim]

check the grounding wire(s) for the gauges

[LetsGo82nd]

Originally Posted by 4G63K

Thats Kind of odd. These are the DSD guages or the X line?

These are the X line. The only only I didnt have problems with is the boost gauge which is the DSD.

[4G63K]

I have the X-line's. Boost - Oil Pressure - Oil Temp. So far they have been good. I would definetly check all the connections and see if nothing is cut or slightly disconnected. Ususally my Oil temp is around 180* as well so thats normal. As far as the Oil prssure Where is it connected to the adapter? Mine is at the adpter and it read various numbers depending on the rpm. (usually high) it the oil sender unit in on the engine it self somewhere it would read lower.

[Psquared]

A bad ground is an option...also check where they tapped for the 12volt source. If they tapped a weak line, like something that is only used to trip a relay which is only a couple milliamps, they aren't getting the full 12v + that they need to work properly.

[4G63K]

Originally Posted by Psquared

A bad ground is an option...also check where they tapped for the 12volt source. If they tapped a weak line, like something that is only used to trip a relay which is only a couple milliamps, they aren't getting the full 12v + that they need to work properly.

Good Info!

[LetsGo82nd]

Originally Posted by Psquared

A bad ground is an option...also check where they tapped for the 12volt source. If they tapped a weak line, like something that is only used to trip a relay which is only a couple milliamps, they aren't getting the full 12v + that they need to work properly.

Ok, I will re trace the wiring and try to see how they grounded and spliced the connections. Any chance that there could be an issue with the Greddy adapter plate, it looked like it had a good amount of oil sludge around it and the sensors? Guess that would account for the EGT sensor though.

[LetsGo82nd]

Originally Posted by Psquared

A bad ground is an option...also check where they tapped for the 12volt source. If they tapped a weak line, like something that is only used to trip a relay which is only a couple milliamps, they aren't getting the full 12v + that they need to work properly.

Any suggestions on what 12 volt source I should tap for the gauges? I am going to re look all the connections tonight if it ever stops raining. Would it be a problem to tap all the gauges to the same 12v source? Thanks for the help.

[4G63K]

Mine are tapped into the radio harness. I would definetly clean out the adpter. You can take off the oil filter with only a little oil coming out. You dont have to drain the oil out of the car.

[LetsGo82nd]

Originally Posted by 4G63K

Mine are tapped into the radio harness. I would definetly clean out the adpter. You can take off the oil filter with only a little oil coming out. You dont have to drain the oil out of the car.

Ok, I will take the dash apart this evening and check the connections to the radio harness because I am pretty sure thats how mine are setup as well. I will also try to take a look at the adapter, do you think some engine degreaser will work to get the Greddy adapter plate cleaned up? Thanks for all the help.

[4G63K]

Originally Posted by LetsGo82nd

Ok, I will take the dash apart this evening and check the connections to the radio harness because I am pretty sure thats how mine are setup as well. I will also try to take a look at the adapter, do you think some engine degreaser will work to get the Greddy adapter plate cleaned up? Thanks for all the help.

Np dude. I think if you just take off the adapter and run it in hot water with some dishwashing soap it should work pretty well. I would just scrub it with a brush.

[LetsGo82nd]

Alright, took the dash apart and checked all the connections. My 4 gauges are wired into the radio harness. Everything was nicely soderd together and wrapped with electrical tape, took off the electical tape to confirm this and than re-wrapped the connections. Started the car up a few times and noticed that the guages don't even cycle through correctly (hadn't noticed that before) and just immediatley light up in the same position as they have been and don't move at all. Any idea what might be causing that?

[LetsGo82nd]

A couple more question. I have a multi meter and will be testing all the voltage tonight because like someone suggested I think the gauges are not getting enough power.

STRI Instructions:

RED: 12 volt ignition on.
Black: Ground
Yellow: Light source 12v, Illumination
Green: Signal Wire

1. I assume that since the gauges light up correctly that there is no issue with the Yellow wire (12v light source), so I am thinking that there might be an issue with the Red Wire (12v ignition on) supplying enough power? Does that make sense?

2. Are both the red and yellow wires constant power sources?

3. Does it matter that all 3 gauges are drawing power from the same lines both Red and Yellow?

Everything is tapped into the radio harness. Thanks for all the help.

[meckert]

I ground mine to the radio bracket and tapped into the cig lighter. I bundled all the wires together for a clean install without mutiple connections. Everything works--just not digging the gauges--but thats secondary to the issue at hand.