AEM Wideband and AutoMeter Boost
Gauge Install
Basic tools, a drill and a rubber grommet will be needed for this install if you are going to go through the firewall.
AutoMeter is a very popular gauge brand among car enthusiasts and pro racers. They are quality gauges at a reasonable cost and are available in many styles. I chose a Vacuum/Boost style gauge for my setup.
Installation
The controller includes the O2 sensor and a heat protected wire harness. It does not include the sensor bung, but will fit in the stock sensor locations. If you use a front O2 bung, an analog signal will have to be passed from the wideband to the ECU. Optionally, you can have a new bung welded into your exhaust system, preferably before the CATs.
Once you have the sensor installed, plug in the harness and run it to the firewall or into the engine bay being sure to rout it as far away from heat sources as possible. Fasten it into place with wire ties along the way. The first foot is protected from extreme heat, but the rest is standard heat shielding. Once you have it to where you will enter the cabin, drill the appropriate hole and install a grommet and draw all of the remaining line into the interior.
Install the gauge(s)
Mine is a very basic install. I chose not to use gauge pods because I did not want the gauges visible from outside of the car on the street.
I used the existing trim screws under the glove box to mount both gauges. I modified the U brackets by drilling a hole at the tip of one side and used that as the mount point to the dash. With the bracket facing in the opposite standard mounting direction, I attached the gauge using one of the two retaining nuts.
My original install was utilitarian; quick and dirty and the lines were just hanging loosely in the door jam. I attempted to clean it up by going from the door jam through the harness boot and in to the interior. Unfortunately, behind the rubber harness boot lies a plastic insert designed to divide and direct the exact amount of wiring coming in from the door into the interior.
This is just a little more complex than the old FOX. To do things this way would likely require door removal and disconnection of the door harness complete removal and modification of the plastic insert and then reassembly. Yeah right... just drill through the fire wall or go through the kick panel trim as illustrated below.
There is enough of a
gap behind
the kick panel trim to get both of these thick lines in there and still
have the panel fit nicely back in place. For an even cleaner
look
I could optionally trim the section of the panel where the lines enter
with a Dremel, but have not bothered to do so.
The lines run down in
behind the
kick panel and exit through the back, run up along the fire
wall
and under the bottom of the dash to the gauges.
Once you have your
gauges
installed where you want them, measure out how much harness or vacuum
line you need and coil up the excess and wire tie out of site under the
dash. Run the pre measured line(s) to the gauge(s) and fasten with ties
in a few places to keep it neat.
The gauge install is clean, but I still need to tap the 12 volt from a key on source for the AEM and boost gauge backlighting. Power is currently provided via the 12V socket in the center console.
I also need to hide all the wiring from my radar detector and Sirius radio. It makes the dash look like hell.
The gauge install is clean, but I still need to tap the 12 volt from a key on source for the AEM and boost gauge backlighting. Power is currently provided via the 12V socket in the center console.
I also need to hide all the wiring from my radar detector and Sirius radio. It makes the dash look like hell.
HAPPY BOOSTING