got some gauges to install...oil pressure, water and oil temps. I know there's allready an oil pressure sender unit for the idiot light on the maxima as well as a water temp sender (one for the gauge and one for the ecu.) can I just replace those senders with the ones for my gauges or do I need to tap new places for them? where's the best place to tap for oil temp, and any others I need to do? thanks.

 

When you install it, can you write up the installation guide for those. It will be very helpful with others that included me

 

does no one know? someones got to! come on guys!

 

well, maybe once I figure all this out I'll get a write-up done. but in the meantime I'm just gonna let everyone know that the stock water temp sender in the max is a GAS size pipe thread (british unit maybe?) not the 1/8th" pipe thread that the VDO senders are, and according to everyone I've talked to there is no way to convert, so it looks like I'm gonna have to bore out the stock hole to 1/8th" myself....fun. I know someone has to have put an aftermarket water temp gauge in their car and run into the same problem...

 

What I did was purchase a HKS T-fitting that allows you to add a water temperature sensor on the T-fitting that is simply spliced into the upper radiator hose. This leaves the other two water temp sensors to continue to do their designated jobs.

1MAX2NV and I went through the Autometer Gauge Install some months ago and a pretty good thread resulted that covered the complex issue of sender unit installations for Water Temperature and Oil Pressure.

Hopefully the following link will help answer some (not all) questions.

Check it out at:

http://forums.maxima.org/showthread....ight=Autometer

Also look at this link to learn more about the water temperature T-fitting from HKS, and more info:

http://forums.maxima.org/showthread....r&pagenumber=1

White96MaxSE

 

great, thanks....is this what you're talkin about?
http://www.hksusa.com/products/?id=867
the Water Temp Sensor Mounting Pipe? assuming it is, what size will fit the maxima? its too late to go out and check right now

 

Hi blackmxma;

I checked my invoice and the one I bought was "HKS Water Temp Sensor Mounting Pipe 34mm OD" I actually bought mine from NOPI in Forest Park, GA and I paid 36.00 so direct from HKS looks like it will be cheaper if you don't have some minimum order amount you must meet.

Once you get this mounting pipe you need to tap out the hole to fit the sensor you got with your water temperature gauge.

I also bought the HKS Nissan DIN Panel "B" that holds 3 46mm gauges at the same time. This was NOPI's Part Number 5404-SN002 at around 25.71 for each panel. Then you have to carefully dremel the holes to make the gauges you bought fit. I ruined my first one, and bought a second one to do it again before I was happy with it. Be Careful with the dremel.

White96MaxSE

 

sweet, thanks....one more question: I need to run the gauges to a 12v power supply AFTER the ignition switch and through a fuse box...where's the best place to get the power from? preferably on the cabin side of the firewall....? also, anyone installed an oil temp sender unit? can I just splice it into an existing line like with the water temp sensor? don't know where exactly.....

 

Ok, I did autometer oil temp, oil pressure, boost, volts and EGT on my 96.

I have a 5-spd, so I tapped the wire below the ash tray that would have fed my lights for the shifter console, Also, the cig lighter is a good tap point for power because it is an accessory line.

As for the oil pressure, I had to tee of the existing one so I could keep the idiot light.
The oil temp, I found a bulkhead pass-through fitting to put in the bottom of the oil pan. No leaks and when hot, it reads around 180.

I can do pics and a write-up if necessary.

 

Could you possibly take some pics and do a write up on the oil temp gauge? I would greatly apprecaite it.

Thanks,
-Nick

 

whats the best way to connect the wire to the senders? like this one here?

 

OK, now for the write-up.

In the picture you can see both the sensors for oil pressure and oil temperature. Oil pressure just needs a oil line, and the factory sensor location works fine, you just need to get the right threading adaptor and put it in. ( its a funky metric thread, let me tell you.)

Ok, as for the temp sensor, it has to be in a place where it is always bathed in oil. The best place it the pan. What I did is I got a bulkhead pass thru- ( this is basically a double threaded hollow large bolt. The internal threads are the same as the sensor threads) It comes with two rubber washers and a nut. You remove the lower oil pan, drill out the hole, put in the pass thru with a rubber washer on both sides and thread the internal side nut to hold it in place. Then screw in the sensor. I got my pass-thru at a hydraulics place) The only part in the oil pan is the washer and the nut. There is plenty of clearance in the pan, and it gets plenty of oil. My reading when the car is hot runs around 180*

http://photos.yahoo.com/bc/d_scooby_doo2/

Hit up the maxima folder, then the sensors Image


Sorry for the yahoo image, but its free

Anyway, any questions, get back to me

Scoob

 

nice....thanks a lot for the write up. that helped a lot. now I just gotta find me one of those bulk-head pass throughs.