lazylobster
Established member
"I've engineered a solution to a problem I didn't have" 
When friends came round to dinner 3 months ago, they were shown Valentina. They liked her so much that they are having their own 500 restored by the same people I used in Italy.
They are going red on white interior but with the addition of an Abrath style instrument cluster. Rev, temp, pressure and others. It's not for me, I prefer the look and style of the single round Speedo. But each to their own and it gets another beautiful 500 back on the road.
But, being almost a man, it got me thinking that I would like to know some of the engine parameters that the Abrath gauges offer.
So, I became an Internet warrior and started to look at options. I wanted some thing that could be easily removed (unplugged) and yet functional in terms of measurements I wanted.
So, I came across an integrated LCD which supports Revs (8000rpm), Oil temp (140c), Water temp (140c), battery voltage (up to 19V) and oil pressure (100psi) also a clock (like I’ll ever set that. . .)
The LCD unit supported 3, 4, 6 or 8 cylinder engines, so I was going to need to find a convertor for the tach signal. The Bay of e had a solution and I set the LCD unit to 4 cylinders. The tach convertor box doubles the signal so job done. No under reporting.
I tested the water / oil temp sensors using a cup of hot water and an infrared thermometer. see picture, looks to be pretty accurate to me.
I wired up the tach convertor and LCD to the negative of the coil and got rev’s Whoop whoop. I could not test the oil pressure sender unit. As did not have the correct kit. In fact, during fitting it worked, then stopped working. Went open circuit. However, the specifications are the same as a VDO unit. 0 – 10 bar and 0 – 180 ohm resistance. So a VDO unit was installed. The VDO unit cost more than the LCD !
So, picked Val up today after a serious service and few upgrades (see the other thread re: Ansa exhaust)
The chaps had done a great job of wiring it all in. Also needed a 12.5mm / 1/8NPT oil t-piece so that I have both oil pressure sensors installed. The LCD unit has a plug onto a socket under the dash glove box, so can be easily removed.
The rev’s, oil pressure / temp and voltage all working great on the trip home. For me, it’s a great solution and not that expensive. For you guys who are more adapt with a spanner than I, it would not be a hard install.
I’m happy ! :worship:
When friends came round to dinner 3 months ago, they were shown Valentina. They liked her so much that they are having their own 500 restored by the same people I used in Italy.
They are going red on white interior but with the addition of an Abrath style instrument cluster. Rev, temp, pressure and others. It's not for me, I prefer the look and style of the single round Speedo. But each to their own and it gets another beautiful 500 back on the road.
But, being almost a man, it got me thinking that I would like to know some of the engine parameters that the Abrath gauges offer.
So, I became an Internet warrior and started to look at options. I wanted some thing that could be easily removed (unplugged) and yet functional in terms of measurements I wanted.
So, I came across an integrated LCD which supports Revs (8000rpm), Oil temp (140c), Water temp (140c), battery voltage (up to 19V) and oil pressure (100psi) also a clock (like I’ll ever set that. . .)
The LCD unit supported 3, 4, 6 or 8 cylinder engines, so I was going to need to find a convertor for the tach signal. The Bay of e had a solution and I set the LCD unit to 4 cylinders. The tach convertor box doubles the signal so job done. No under reporting.
I tested the water / oil temp sensors using a cup of hot water and an infrared thermometer. see picture, looks to be pretty accurate to me.
I wired up the tach convertor and LCD to the negative of the coil and got rev’s Whoop whoop. I could not test the oil pressure sender unit. As did not have the correct kit. In fact, during fitting it worked, then stopped working. Went open circuit. However, the specifications are the same as a VDO unit. 0 – 10 bar and 0 – 180 ohm resistance. So a VDO unit was installed. The VDO unit cost more than the LCD !
So, picked Val up today after a serious service and few upgrades (see the other thread re: Ansa exhaust)
The chaps had done a great job of wiring it all in. Also needed a 12.5mm / 1/8NPT oil t-piece so that I have both oil pressure sensors installed. The LCD unit has a plug onto a socket under the dash glove box, so can be easily removed.
The rev’s, oil pressure / temp and voltage all working great on the trip home. For me, it’s a great solution and not that expensive. For you guys who are more adapt with a spanner than I, it would not be a hard install.
I’m happy ! :worship:
