Electronics Mods

['nix]

I have a few Ideas on electronics mods for my 96 MX-6 that you guys probably know how to do or can point me in the right direction:

1. How to learn to read electronics schematics and learn to do custom wiring (without taking a class)

2. Our temperature sensor sucks. Its a gauge that, if you blow a hose goes up extremely fast to red-line and if your not paying VERY close attention to it you are screwed. I've blown two heads in 10 years because of this issue.
a. I want to mod the guage or add another sensor that reads engine temp/water temp that I can tap into, put an automatic switch that goes off if temp > defined range. When that happens I want it to fire off a RED LED that I'm putting inside the instrument panel (exactly how i'll mount it is yet to be determined) This would be most cool. If I could also fire off a high pitched alarm/buzzer that would be even better for daylight driving. Of course hearing this over the stereo is a problem.

b. I want to remove the three disk changer (came stock on my car) that doesnt work and I dont want anymore (Using IPOD now), put a plate that fits in that spot nicely (where to get said plate), behind that plate in that area I want to add a multi-port power port (the kind that you plug in cig lighter chargers for). I want to build/buy a retractor for the cords that plug into this adapter, run them trough the blank plate (Putting a grommet of something there of course to hold/protect them and then I can have multi power sources for IPOD/HTC Tilt that I have a mount for, the kids DS and any other electronic devices to be named later.

c. Can you tap into a radar detector to add an external antennae for better reception eliminating the need to have a big ugly obvious radar detector attached to your windshield? If so, HOW? Anyone got an old radar detector that works but is not current technology I could buy to practice on?

d. Best way to wire in a series of LED Lights for under my hood that come on when the hood opens only. Not tied into the headlights and such. I work on my car at night too much and it would be both VERY cool looking and practical.

Thanks guys, I've found many very creative and intelligent people on this forum that can come up with some unbelieveable ideas for projects and creative solutions. I could use the help. I consider myself an intermediate level at electronics. I can wire some stuff and use splicers but cant read schematics that well. That I want to change.

'nix

[I4MX6]

Originally Posted by 'nix

I have a few Ideas on electronics mods for my 96 MX-6 that you guys probably know how to do or can point me in the right direction:

1. How to learn to read electronics schematics and learn to do custom wiring (without taking a class)

2. Our temperature sensor sucks. Its a gauge that, if you blow a hose goes up extremely fast to red-line and if your not paying VERY close attention to it you are screwed. I've blown two heads in 10 years because of this issue.
a. I want to mod the guage or add another sensor that reads engine temp/water temp that I can tap into, put an automatic switch that goes off if temp > defined range. When that happens I want it to fire off a RED LED that I'm putting inside the instrument panel (exactly how i'll mount it is yet to be determined) This would be most cool. If I could also fire off a high pitched alarm/buzzer that would be even better for daylight driving. Of course hearing this over the stereo is a problem.

b. I want to remove the three disk changer (came stock on my car) that doesnt work and I dont want anymore (Using IPOD now), put a plate that fits in that spot nicely (where to get said plate), behind that plate in that area I want to add a multi-port power port (the kind that you plug in cig lighter chargers for). I want to build/buy a retractor for the cords that plug into this adapter, run them trough the blank plate (Putting a grommet of something there of course to hold/protect them and then I can have multi power sources for IPOD/HTC Tilt that I have a mount for, the kids DS and any other electronic devices to be named later.

c. Can you tap into a radar detector to add an external antennae for better reception eliminating the need to have a big ugly obvious radar detector attached to your windshield? If so, HOW? Anyone got an old radar detector that works but is not current technology I could buy to practice on?

d. Best way to wire in a series of LED Lights for under my hood that come on when the hood opens only. Not tied into the headlights and such. I work on my car at night too much and it would be both VERY cool looking and practical.

Thanks guys, I've found many very creative and intelligent people on this forum that can come up with some unbelieveable ideas for projects and creative solutions. I could use the help. I consider myself an intermediate level at electronics. I can wire some stuff and use splicers but cant read schematics that well. That I want to change.

'nix

I'll try to help you out here as much as I can and in as little words as possible (I'm really busy and shouldn't be posting!)...

1. Best place is to search the internet. Wiring is not something you should be playing with if you know nothing about it...even the basics wont cut it here. Screw up one wire and it's like looking for a needle in a haystack if you ever have an issue the stems back to it. Search first, practice on something not a car, then ask here for further instruction. We'll do our best to make this a team effort.

2. The buzzer idea seems the easiest and most affective. You'll have to do some metering at the factory gauge to find out what voltage it hits when it gets to 3/4 or full hot. That's the voltage you will need to wire a buzzer to. So if it reads 3V, then you need a buzzer that can power with 3V of electricity. If its 12V, then you need 12V. Otherwise, paying attention to the physical condition of your coolant system might be your best idea to improve reliability.

3. The 3 disc just plugs into the back of the stock radio. Just unplug it. Done. A "DIN" plate would have to be made to block off that area and usually can be cut from 1/8" ABS plastic. To put an inverter in that, get one that normally plugs into a lighter. Cut the lighter end off and wire those 2 ends to a battery (12V source). Match wire gauge if you can. Because it's AC, it wont matter which wire goes to power and which to ground. But, if the kit includes a hardwire assembly, use that before cutting the plug off! Mounting will be up to your creativity.

4. Yes these can be hardwired. Most I've heard are wired up to an idiot light on the dash that toggles when the detector finds something. Beyond that though, your going to have to do some searching.

5. This can be done. You need a hood pin, power wire, and lots of 12V LED's. Wire them all up, put a wire to power on the battery, and the other to the bottom of the hood pin. When you lift the hood, the hood pin grounds and you get light. Easy.

Hope that helps!

['nix]

Most excellent reply Mike,
a. Helpful
b. Well Articulated
c. No sarcastic remarks about the cooling system maintenance as we all know hoses blow out an even if you've changed them recently. It matters little how new it is if the hose is defective. I noticed my temp gauge going up a bit above halfway the other day which NEVER happens unless something is wrong. I 've chagned all the hoses including the heater hoses and the little ones that go to the Idle air control valve, replaced the radiator, and put a new fan (well, a used one from Hughes) but I didnt replace the radiator caps and thermostat since it overheated last, one of the caps was the culprit and was leaking ever so slightly that I was a bit low on coolant. I can see my Fiance' or myself driving the car and not noticing it right away as I do ALOT of driving and sometimes when I'm quite tired and not paying the best of attention to all of the systems on a 12 year old car. Seems to me that an ounce of prevention is worth a HEAD REBUILD anyday! I did the head on my 4 banger 94 6 and thought, "That wasnt too bad", and had actually torn down everything I could think of in the process and inspected it (Fuel Rail, injectors ect., ect.) then I did the heads on my 6 cyl. OUCH! Much more difficult and much longer time to complete. (DOH! A V6 has TWO HEADS) LOL! Now that I have that redone, I dont want to have that happen again because of a mistake..Besides I think being able to do custom wiring is SOOO damn cool.

LOL, Check out my Ghetto external hard drive I wired up over the weekend...

I call it my Green Hard Drive Enclosure, beats adding to landfills:

Nix's Photos - GhettoHack_HomeSAN | Facebook

Now thats being CHEAP when you dont want to buy the enclosure and your looking around the house and notice the baby wipes container is just about the right size for two hard drives mirrored......

[I4MX6]

Have you maybe considered an electronic water pump with a higher flow rating? When set to a toggle switch, you can run the pump after the car is off to assist in getting operating temperatures down. If you later put an alarm in the car too, you can have it wired to an accessory switch, meaning that it can be toggled on while your in the mall or something, walking to the car. This could be very beneficial on hot summer days.

Besides that, I noticed that by running Red Line Water Wetter in the car, I dropped operating temperatures by such a degree that it actually registered on the stock cluster gauge. I never did get around to installing the aftermarket gauge I did by, but again, that additive could help you.

['nix]

Hadnt thought of that but its a good idea...its so friggin hot here, right at 90 by the time I drive to work in the morning (7:00am)......and its still freakin hot as hell at night, I cant make it to the street from the parking lot at work without the thermostat opening up and the temp gauge in the normal range....so if ANYTHING isnt perfect on the cooling system, i'm screwed and want as much warning as I can get....may do your idea but right now I'm getting ready next weekend for the massive body work extended weekend from hell. My 6 looked like a beer can that someone stomped on (will post pics soon) and its in the process of total remake, front of car done (both fenders, hood, bumpercover, slam panel and lights....lol

Originally Posted by I4MX6

Have you maybe considered an electronic water pump with a higher flow rating? When set to a toggle switch, you can run the pump after the car is off to assist in getting operating temperatures down. If you later put an alarm in the car too, you can have it wired to an accessory switch, meaning that it can be toggled on while your in the mall or something, walking to the car. This could be very beneficial on hot summer days.

Besides that, I noticed that by running Red Line Water Wetter in the car, I dropped operating temperatures by such a degree that it actually registered on the stock cluster gauge. I never did get around to installing the aftermarket gauge I did by, but again, that additive could help you.