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AEM Gauge installation question
#1
So the countdown to the S/C is in its final stages now as the install begins tomorrow.

In addition to the A/F wideband which I have Macgrubered into the coin tray in the dash, I have the oil temp, water temp, and boost gauges in a pillar pod I ghetto'd for a threesome.

Question is: can all the gauges share a single ground and a single power source ... I'd dearly love to solder them together right at the pod and run just a single set of lines under the dash, instead of 3. Any downside to this?

[Image: P1000445.jpg]
2008 Fusion SEL MTX - DD1 * 2009 Fusion SEL - DD2 * 2007 Focus ZXW - R*I*P * 2004 Focus ZTW CD Silver - sold * 2004 Focus ZTW Black - sold * 2003 Focus ZTW Black - sold * 2001 Focus ZTW Gold - sold * 2000 Focus SE Wagon (ZTW option) - Black - sold * 2000 Focus SE Wagon (ZTW option) - Gold R*I*P

2003 Focus ZX5 infra-red Track Rat - R*I*P
2003 ZX5 CD Silver Track Rat - retired, but still in the driveway


New track rat: 2000 ZX3, Atlantic Blue * JRSC with lots more to come

* New Zetec crate motor - NFG - thanks Topspeed *
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#2
I believe you're ok so long as the draw is minimal. However I'm not an electrician so I can't say for sure.
Sold:2001 SE 2.0L SPI w/60mm TB, Steeda Shorty Intake.

Active: 2007 SES Hatch, Motegi MR7 Rims with 215/45ZR17 Michelin Pilot Super Sport Tires, debadged, black painted calipers and drums, RS Knob, CFM Short Throw, Billet E-Brake, CFM Focus pedals, MBRP Exhaust, XCal2, FS Front and Rear Strut Tower Bars, Diamond Plate Floor Mats and Sills, Alpine MP3 Deck, Alpine V-Power 300w Amp, Pioneer IMPP Sub, AlpineType-S door speakers, VF Engineering Rear Motor Mount, F2 RS Spoiler, Tokico D-spec shocks, HTP Cross Brace, EBC Rotors, Hawk HPS Pads, Russell SS Brake Lines, RS Wheel, SVT Blue Seats, Vibrant 2.5" Race Highflow Cat, CFM UDP. Rear SVT bumper to come.

Active: 2005 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited TJ [LJ], Volant CAI, 32" BFG Mud Terrains, and a whole bunch of goodies. Big Grin
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#3
Should be perfectly fine, as long as you go with an appropriate gauge of wire, basically try and find an equivalent or slightly larger size of wire than the three combined. And of course a fuse on the power wire.
I bought a red car, because everyone knows red is the fastest.
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#4
I would like to see the AEM wideband on its own circuit, at minimum make sure it is grounded to the chassis VERY well. I would avoid grounding it with the rest of them to the exact same point.

Nice boost gauge btw Sad
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#5
i would say they are all fine on a common power and ground, however like stated make sure to use a larger gauge wire and run it to fuse box. what i did for my boost gauge and wideband was hook right into power at stereo. i know it can handle draw as i had footwell lighting all thru the car among other things and used it for my power source and worked awesome.
2007 ZX4 2.0l unaturally aspirated
FSwerks stage 2 Turbo kit, Cosworth Intake Manifold, 3" custom HKS turbo back
regular stage 2 @10ps : 232whp/219wtq
stage 2 plus @ 13psi: 278whp/229wtq
Stage 2 plus @15psi: 296whp/240wtq

2013 Focus ST Tuxedo Black - The daily
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#6
You want an accurate reading on your wideband you don't want current draw from things like a radio messing with it when your relying on it for information.
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#7
Does this mean you will be boosted if you make it out this coming Monday?
Focus man, Focus........ Team Psychological Disaster
2008 Taurus X to be modded.
2002 ZX5 parted out. Forever known as the "SLOCUS".

2010 Dyno #'s 102.96HP/105.84TQ
2011 Dyno #'s 111.44HP/115.17TQ
Still The Weakest LinkBlush

Dial 1-800-AUTO-PARTS for your local speed shop.
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#8
(06-09-2010, 11:38 PM)Focus man. Focus. Wrote: Does this mean you will be boosted if you make it out this coming Monday?

Fingers crossed ... also depends on when I can get to Steeda for the tune. I have a base tune that Pat says will get me around safely, but I guess it remains to be seen how good the car runs on it.

There's also a ton of work to do ... in addition to the supercharger, I have all the gauges to install, the LSD, a new clutch, new water pump, new clutch slave cylinder, new Gates Racing timing belt, and of course the water meth system ... so it's entirely possible it won't be ready for Monday.
2008 Fusion SEL MTX - DD1 * 2009 Fusion SEL - DD2 * 2007 Focus ZXW - R*I*P * 2004 Focus ZTW CD Silver - sold * 2004 Focus ZTW Black - sold * 2003 Focus ZTW Black - sold * 2001 Focus ZTW Gold - sold * 2000 Focus SE Wagon (ZTW option) - Black - sold * 2000 Focus SE Wagon (ZTW option) - Gold R*I*P

2003 Focus ZX5 infra-red Track Rat - R*I*P
2003 ZX5 CD Silver Track Rat - retired, but still in the driveway


New track rat: 2000 ZX3, Atlantic Blue * JRSC with lots more to come

* New Zetec crate motor - NFG - thanks Topspeed *
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#9
Just tape the 3 wires together so its like one wire and connect it that way. Thats what I had done.
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2001 Ford Focus ZX3 - Daily Driver
2008 Lincoln MKX Limited Edition - Grocery Getter
2007 Suzuki GSXR 600 - Rode and Sold
2004 Jeep Liberty Renegade - Offroaded and Sold
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2000 Ford Focus ZX3 - Traded in Now DrunkinMonkeys Car
2003 Ford Taurus Wagon - Inherited Drove and Sold
2000 Ford Focus ZX3 Turbo - Award Winning 336 WHP - Parted and Scraped
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#10
Ugh tape wires together.... <Shakes head>
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#11
(06-09-2010, 11:51 PM)ZTWsquared Wrote:
(06-09-2010, 11:38 PM)Focus man. Focus. Wrote: Does this mean you will be boosted if you make it out this coming Monday?

Fingers crossed ... also depends on when I can get to Steeda for the tune. I have a base tune that Pat says will get me around safely, but I guess it remains to be seen how good the car runs on it.

There's also a ton of work to do ... in addition to the supercharger, I have all the gauges to install, the LSD, a new clutch, new water pump, new clutch slave cylinder, new Gates Racing timing belt, and of course the water meth system ... so it's entirely possible it won't be ready for Monday.

Ok, ok understandable. But will you bring the Fusion is the Focus isn't ready? BTW I have a bunch of electrical tape if you need it. LOL Tongue
Focus man, Focus........ Team Psychological Disaster
2008 Taurus X to be modded.
2002 ZX5 parted out. Forever known as the "SLOCUS".

2010 Dyno #'s 102.96HP/105.84TQ
2011 Dyno #'s 111.44HP/115.17TQ
Still The Weakest LinkBlush

Dial 1-800-AUTO-PARTS for your local speed shop.
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#12
(06-10-2010, 12:49 AM)ZX3_2NV Wrote: Just tape the 3 wires together so its like one wire and connect it that way. Thats what I had done.

LOL



No
2002 Ford Focus ZTS (Gave it away)
125whp/129wtq
2006 Subaru Impreza WRX with JDM 6 speed
207whp/273wtq Innovative tuned on Mustang dyno (Stage 2)13.9@99mph
320whp/330wtq Innovative tuned on Mustang dyno (Stage 3)
352whp/360wtq Dynojet
13.3@106mph
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#13
screw tape, marrets FTW!

jk...

i use closed end connectors or butt connectors for everything unless its useless
2007 ZX4 2.0l unaturally aspirated
FSwerks stage 2 Turbo kit, Cosworth Intake Manifold, 3" custom HKS turbo back
regular stage 2 @10ps : 232whp/219wtq
stage 2 plus @ 13psi: 278whp/229wtq
Stage 2 plus @15psi: 296whp/240wtq

2013 Focus ST Tuxedo Black - The daily
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#14
flux + solder + adhesive coated heat shrink tubbing - anything less is just cheaping out, you may aswell use masking tape.
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#15
i took electrical engineering and according my profs, using butt connectors or closed ends with a proper crimping tool (not thos crap canadian tire specials) is just as good as solder and a solid mechanical connection according to them. i havent had any issues as in the past. everything under the hood is shrink wrapped after tho to weather seal it from corrosion.
2007 ZX4 2.0l unaturally aspirated
FSwerks stage 2 Turbo kit, Cosworth Intake Manifold, 3" custom HKS turbo back
regular stage 2 @10ps : 232whp/219wtq
stage 2 plus @ 13psi: 278whp/229wtq
Stage 2 plus @15psi: 296whp/240wtq

2013 Focus ST Tuxedo Black - The daily
Reply
#16
(06-10-2010, 04:17 AM)hardk0re Wrote: flux + solder + adhesive coated heat shrink tubbing - anything less is just cheaping out, you may aswell use masking tape.

2nd that. deff wasting your time with any thing but soldering them.

but connectors may work but they are not water tight and can corrode.
In Europe FORD is pronounced "\kwa-le-te\"

2008 f250 6.4 powerstroke/twin turbo/crew cab/XLT/4x4 Edge programmer, Cat and Dpf delete, mbrp exhaust. 650hp 850ft/tq.....
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#17
(06-10-2010, 06:12 AM)Jmountney1 Wrote:
(06-10-2010, 04:17 AM)hardk0re Wrote: flux + solder + adhesive coated heat shrink tubbing - anything less is just cheaping out, you may aswell use masking tape.

2nd that. deff wasting your time with any thing but soldering them.

but connectors may work but they are not water tight and can corrode.

I will solder and shrink wrap all connections to be sure ... but when he said "tape" I'm pretty sure he was talking about simply taping all three lines together for the purpose of snaking them through the pillar and under the dash, don't think he was talking about the electrical connections ... that's how I took it anyway.

But anyway, each of the three gauges has four wires in addition to the sensor leads ... hot, ground, 0-5 volt, and RS232 ... so I think I'll combine the hot and ground for all three into one hot and one ground, and bundle all the 0-5 volt and RS232 runs together to run them to under the dash ... the wideband will be done separately.

Thanks all for the advice ... it helped ... and Kev, if the Focus isn't done I won't be coming out on Monday because I will be working on it - I have a track weekend coming up and don't want to miss it.
2008 Fusion SEL MTX - DD1 * 2009 Fusion SEL - DD2 * 2007 Focus ZXW - R*I*P * 2004 Focus ZTW CD Silver - sold * 2004 Focus ZTW Black - sold * 2003 Focus ZTW Black - sold * 2001 Focus ZTW Gold - sold * 2000 Focus SE Wagon (ZTW option) - Black - sold * 2000 Focus SE Wagon (ZTW option) - Gold R*I*P

2003 Focus ZX5 infra-red Track Rat - R*I*P
2003 ZX5 CD Silver Track Rat - retired, but still in the driveway


New track rat: 2000 ZX3, Atlantic Blue * JRSC with lots more to come

* New Zetec crate motor - NFG - thanks Topspeed *
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