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Ptarmigan mods - 1995 FZJ80

treerootCO

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Decided to start a Ptarmigan mods thread to document a few things I am doing to the Ptarmigan.

To start, I picked up a 1995 FZJ80 - 171,000 miles, lockers...

1st mod was the OEM no print gas cap - thanks to Kevin, Jerry, and Boulder Toyota
2nd mod was to modify the temp gauge to read the temp instead of just being an idiot light - thank you for the diode and resister Kevin
http://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.php?t=64252
3rd mod was to make the gauges a little more sporty!! :D - whitegauges.net
 

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Rezarf

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Mike I heard if you pull the dash panel you can snip the little metal flanges that block all the light from getting to the cluster and get LOTS OF LIGHT OUT THEM!...

...oops, I forgot you got a fancy new rig. :D

Seriously though, very cool gauges, looking forward to see what you do with this build!

Drew
 

Uncle Ben

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Very cool Root! Kinda wild having the temp gauge actually move isn't it? :eek: :thumb::thumb:
 

Shark Bait

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How'd you guys figure that out? :rolleyes:
 

nakman

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Cool stuff, Mike. man I need to get that done as well some time...

Chris search for the RavenTai temp mod.. can't miss it.
 

subzali

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No print gas cap? What? :confused:

So does the temp. gauge thingy just change the resolution? I don't get it...

I'm with Drew :D
 

Uncle Ben

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Caution....80 Speak.....

The hardest part of the mod is pulling and reinstalling the cluster without dropping the steering column and related dissasembly. When I did mine I ordered 12 resistors of both flavors needed as the shipping was the same for 24 as it was for 2. I got your back 80/450 dudes! ;)
 

Uncle Ben

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No print gas cap? What? :confused:

So does the temp. gauge thingy just change the resolution? I don't get it...

I'm with Drew :D

We can't tell you....it's a linear thing directly associated with modern electronics... :hill:
 

Tch2fly

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Cool stuff, Mike.
I second that! :thumb:


man I need to get that done as well some time...
I need to do it as well, maybe a group project? .... a second set of eyes might keep me from screwing it up. I'm such a klutz with a soldering iron that I might as well be using a arc welder :hill:
 

Red_Chili

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OK, so 'splain what's up with the temperature gauge.
Is it like mine, where it goes from 'cold' to 'middle of the range' about the time I back out of the garage, in 2.4 milliseconds? Is that what you fixed?
 

treerootCO

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Correct. The stock gauge reads off, on, and boiling. Now it reads like a temp gauge should.
 

Hulk

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Those gauges look sweet. What other colors do they have?

That temp gauge mod sounds like a good one. Maybe I could do my D light at the same time.
 

DaveInDenver

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OK, so 'splain what's up with the temperature gauge.
Is it like mine, where it goes from 'cold' to 'middle of the range' about the time I back out of the garage, in 2.4 milliseconds? Is that what you fixed?
I've seen this mod before and I'm not sure how it works out on mini trucks. Sounds like yours is definitely a similar operation. My gauge takes a few minutes to go from cold to operate. Starting in the morning it doesn't hit the middle of the sweep until I'm just about at the highway, so from Downing and Evans, north on Downing about 6 blocks and it'll just about be there by the time I hit the on-ramp. My guess is that the combo gauges we have are the same circuit as the Cruiser. Our dead spot is 135 ohms, the lower side is below 57 ohms and the boil-over is above 217 ohms. I wouldn't be surprised to find the exact same nulling diode-limited Wheatstone (or half Wheatstone anyway).

Edit: Ran out at lunch and watched my temp closer. Yup, seems it comes up slowly to about 25% of the sweep and pops right up to a needle's width on the low side of middle. I'd guess there's a pretty wide dead spot on the middle of my gauge. Guess I'll be tearing my dash apart!
 
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DaveInDenver

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We could have tried it on your gauges when they were out for the body work. I've had my gauges out once, to replace the speed-o cable when I did the heater core. What a PITA that is.
 

Romer

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OK, so 'splain what's up with the temperature gauge.
Is it like mine, where it goes from 'cold' to 'middle of the range' about the time I back out of the garage, in 2.4 milliseconds? Is that what you fixed?


The stock gauge has a dummy zone where it will still show fine and then start to climb after you have a problem.

On the way to Moab I developed a leak in one of my hoses. I installed a seperate temp gauge (And boost gauge) after my SC install.

The Stock temp gauge did not move while my other temp gauge climbed to 200, 210 and at about 220 then started to climb. At 210 I was turning on the heat (turn off AC) etc and attempting to cool it down and it worked for about 50 miles. At 220 I was pulling over just as the temp gauge started to climb. After shutting the truck off the temp gauge climbed to about 225 and then the stock temp gauge climbed significantly.

So from 180- 220 deg, the stock gauge does not move and then ramps quickly above that. Too late to be pro-active.

The modification was developed by Raventai on mud and essentially changes some components to remove the dead zone.
 

subzali

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Thanks Ken! Makes sense and sounds like a good deal!
 

corsair23

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Just get the Scangauge II, you don't have to rip you dash apart and digital readout.

x2 and it saved my butt coming back from Moab because as Ken said, once the stock gauge starts moving from center you are already close to troublesville. My stock gauge hits "center" at about 150F. I've seen it move higher twice, and it didn't start moving until the temp was 215F+ so it has a good 50-60F "dead zone" stock.

IIRC, in an 80 226F is the AC cutoff temp. So yeah, not much wiggle room once you see the stock gauge moving from its dead zone.

Scangauge II is also supposedly going to offer user programable selections such at ATF temp etc. - Basically if the ECU can report it the Scangauge can be programmed to read and display it, someday.

That said, if I ever have a need to take apart my dash I'll probably go ahead and do the temp gauge mod as well just for even more peace of mind :)
 

nakman

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Well I've had new "d" light bulbs for about 4 years now, just haven't pulled the dash. But I'd be in for a group session on this that involved the supervised pulling of the dash and someone with superior soldering skills at the ready- sounds like Tch2fly & I went to the same electrical college..

Hey in exchange I'll sign up to supervise a recliner hinge mod fest, if anyone else is interested in that. Or heck Treeroot let's trade 80's for a week- when you get yours back your 2nd rows will have 7 recline positions. When I get mine back my D will be on and my temp gage will work.. how's that for a plan.. swap trucks & trade for a mod? Tch2fly you can do me a subwoofer setup.. what's your truck need?
 

wesintl

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A mod nakman doesn't have :eek: what is the world coming too ;)
 
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