Now I have a Tachometer in The Phoenix...!

[DOCTORBILL]

Many moons ago in a Thread Far Far Away......

I bought a used Tachometer-Speedometer Instrument Cluster and
Metro Mighty Mouse supplied me with new faceplates.

Well, today I got off my dead Butt and installed it....

What a job! Cuts all over my hands and my finger tips are numb from trying
to get the three electrical connectors to come out!

Hint - push them in HARD, press the tab HARD and then pull them out. Yikes!

Dropping the steering column was a Godsend - w/o that, I wouldn't have gotten anywhere!

And that clip that holds the Speedo Cable into the transmission doesn't hold it in very well...
just pops out easily.

So - it is in. All seems to work - the Gas Gauge and the Temp Gauge work -
the Odometer turns with the miles except the "Trip Meter" doesn't work...shit!

The engine idles at around 800 rpm when hot.

I drove it around and wrote down the mph versus rpm's. (12 inch tires!)

Second Gear - 20 mph - 2,700 rpm
Third Gear - 35 mph - 3,100 rpm
.................45 mph - 4,000 rpm
Forth Gear - 45 mph - 2,800 rpm
..................50 mph - 3,100 rpm
..................55 mph - 3,400 rpm
..................60 mph - 3,800 rpm
Fifth Gear - 55 mph - 2,800 rpm

Does that sound about right, anyone?

What is the rpm when accelerating that one would consider "Lugging" the
engine? On my 6 cyl 4 liter Jeep Cherokkee, I try to drive at 2,000 rpm or
higher in any gear - and 2,500 when going up a grade.

With The Phoenix, I change down to 4th gear when going up a hill at 55 mph.

I have to check the mph versus elapsed time with some mileposts somewhere.....
to see if it is right.

Now to install the Cruise Control.....bending and stooping....

I'm too old to be bending and stooping and am half blind without changing glasses
every ten seconds. Damn!

DoctorBill

[carpenter_jai]

Ha! Bill, you did the same thing I did right after I exchanged my cluster for one with a tach. I got on the highway and wrote down all my revs for 5 km/h speed increments on a napkin. Too bad I had to use that napkin to wipe my dirty hands after putting my ball joint back in after it popped out on the highway. The lesson there is double check everything after working on your car-that was a scary experience having the ball joint come out at 100 km/h.

And yep, it sure is a big pain in the ass to get those harnesses out of the cluster. It was actually easier to get them back in.

Please send a photo of your new cluster. I want to see how sweet it looks. Here's one of mine. I got the needle to what I figure was about 160 km/h after installing the new cluster. A few hours later on this roadtrip, the ball joint popped out. Needless to say, I kissed the ground and thanked the gods that it didn't happen at 160km/h (100 MPH)

[DOCTORBILL]

Sure - I'll take a picture - that's what I do....

Right now, I have the Bezel in and have to reconnect the Rear Window Defroster Switch -
It was a bugger to get unhooked...!

Each of these connectors has a different release mechanism that one cannot
know just by feeling it behind some plastic front with one's hand jammed into
a small space while being poked by sharp objects...Fun, Huh?

The previous owner of this car painted all the trim around the steering wheel
with some black spray paint that peels off in large sheets.
So I am wire brushing it off and repainting with Black Krylon "Fusion" paint made
to stick to plastic.

First time I have used that product - let's hope it works as advertised.

It still rolls off some small spots - won't wet the plastic. probably a drop of
oil on the plastic. I'm recoating it until it covers....

My steering wheel needs that Krylon also, but I hate removing it.
Big pain in the Arse.

Next is the Cruise Control. Been raining, I had the flu bug and I'm getting to
be a lazy old man....

But my Chem 100 class of 50 averaged out to a 2.7 final grade - and I don't
dumb down my class - so they did fairly well. Couple of 0.0's, but they didn't
even crack the book - I'd bet on that!

Seven got 4.0's and 23 got 3.0 and above for final grades. I have 26 signed up
for a Summer School night Chemistry class for Medical Students that starts
the 26th of June. 5:30 to 8:30 PM. I hope I have the Cruise Control set up
by then!

I'll take pictures tomorrow in the good light.

DoctorBill

DoctorBill

[Mike_Van]

re: what RPM luggs the engine?

My '96 1.0 5-sp has both 4th and 5th as overdrive gears, so I'm usually out of luck trying to climb hills in 5th, even if I'm at 2,000 RPM. Ditto for 4th. If I stay in either one of those while hill-climbing, I loose speed rapidly.
My highest hill-climbing gear is 3rd, so I usually need to wind it up pretty high to maintain 50 MPH up a hill.

Normally, I'd say anything under 2,000 RPM is 'lugging' territory, unless the road is pan-flat and there is no headwind.

[DOCTORBILL]

Here are some views of my "Taco" Meter Instrument Cluster...

The white dials are courtesy of Metro Mighty Mouse.









I have an Indoor/Outdoor Thermometer on the dashboard - the outdoor
sensor is wired to the post in front of the radiator. When the car is
moving, I know the outside temp. Nice...

I put an old wrist watch on the bezel flat with a lump of "Sticky Tack" under
it for a clock.

Plus one of the Spring Wheat Fields from our kitchen window!


DoctorBill

[RossT]

From the adds on e-bay, I thought it was just plug and play!

[91Caprice9c1]

Well I pretty often shift every 20mph. 0-20 is 1st gear, 20-40 is 2nd, and so on, but usually I am in 5th by 70/75mph. Now I realise this is winding 'er out quite a bit, and there have been instances of 25mph in 1st, and 45-50mph in 2nd which I have only done a couple of times haha.. gets kinda scary hahahA!! Around what rpm is 1st at 20mph with 12 inch tires? anybody?

MechanicMatt

[DOCTORBILL]

91Caprice9c1 - I just drove to the Post Office and noted down my rpm's versus speed in first gear....

15 mph was 3,400 rpm. I don't want to go 20 mph in first...!

DoctorBill

[91Caprice9c1]

lol, thanks for the info Doc. I sure wouldn't want you hurting your motor for the sake of my curiosity If my calculations are correct, 15 at 3,400 = 20 at 4,532 and 5,665 at 25mph which is an elevated rpm, but I would think these three cylinders should quite easily spin 6k. With the proper valve springs and a decently balanced rotating assembly that should be no problem. I'm going to invest in some valve springs and lifters down the line I think. I'm beginning to notice some valvetrain taping at idle after spankin it around. According to your data Doc, at 40mph in second gear, right before I typically shift to third, my engine is spinning at approx. 5,400 rpms, and feels quite pressed at that point. I don't see why this little three cylinder shouldn't breathe easy past the 6k mark. But I guess they aren't racecars Lol!

MechanicMatt

[carpenter_jai]

When I drive the highway (I'm going out again tomorrow- yay camping!) I plan ahead for those hills. I like to hit them as fast as I can, by speeding down the approaching hill and then letting off and coasting up the hill on momentum and an easy gas pedal to avoid the heavy gas sucking that the climb turns into if you approach them slower. Even if you prefer to drive within or near the speed limit, you can apply a little more gas during the approach and climb the hill better.

Before I put the tach in the car, I used to lug up the hills for a lot longer before shifting down. I was scared to shift to 4th when I am moving at 100 km/h (62 MPH). Now that I know how fast the engine is revving, I am not scared to go down to third at a high speed. Basically, once the revs get too slow while going uphill, I drop to the next lower gear. I find that the car can build acceleration more easily this way, and not get to the peak of the hill and be down to 50km/h (31 MPH). To get quick acceleration but not over spin the engine, I keep my power band between 3100 rpms at the low end and 4400 rpms at the high end. My twelve year old, bagged metro still with the original 3 cyl engine can take that kind of driving for 8 hours and still be at mid temperature.

Jai

[DOCTORBILL]

I used to ram the pedal to the metal to go up hills (gain momentum) - until -
until I was recently stopped by a County Mountie (got a warning).

I cannot afford a $200-$300 ticket and having my Insurance (Farmer's) go up.

That's why I am putting in a Cruise Control...

BTW - I used to watch the speed-o-meter drop slowly as I went up grades
even when I was alone and I'd always have to downshift and watch people
getting pissed in the rearview mirror.

After I did the Head Rebuild and New Rings 11,000 miles ago, my Metro
(The Phoenix) now has TWICE the power as before !

No kidding! I am continually surprised at what it now will do performancewise.

Fairly steep hills in fifth with my 140 lb "Child" in the car - no power falloff !

I'm changing oil at 3,000 mile intervals and keeping my baby in good shape!

I just hope some clown-monkey-moron doesn't wreck it for me....

DoctorBill

[Crvett69]

well if someone does wreck it you can always buy it back from the insurance company and then find one with a dead motor and swap the parts into it

[DOCTORBILL]

Here is my Audiovox (CCS-100) Cruise Control installation - pictorially -
in my '93 Hatchback - 3 cyl 1 liter Metro.

You need to be a contortionist to do this. I am sore all over! Elbows and shoulders get
scraped and bruised. You need a small flashlight. A patient helper is advised.
Swearing and cursing seems to help - as will a few beers.

First I drilled an 11/32 inch hole about 1/4" above the top left bolt in the clamp that
holds the clutch cable to the firewall.



Luckily, I didn't hit anything.

I disconnected the yellow thing-a-ma-bob and unclamped some wires below it
in order to be able to work in that area. I reconnected them when I was done.

I pushed the Vacuum Control Cable thru that hole up toward the right hand side.
I snaked the cable around stuff under the dashboard and fed it under the steering
wheel and around toward the gas pedal.

Take off the large kickpanel under the steering wheel ! You can see better.

I bolted the Vacuum Control Module (VCM) to the left-side column over the front
strut spring. Make sure everything is positioned correctly before drilling the
two holes required. You need to twist the VCM's mounting strap - this takes
some time - be patient....

After adjusting the module so the cable went straight into the hole, I tightened up
the two large screws with the black ground wire under one screw.

I rolled some aluminum metal (cut from a beer can) about 1" x 1" around the
cable, pushed it halfway onto the hole and RTV Siliconed around it - to
protect the cable from being cut by the firewall metal as it vibrates.

I routed the wires thru a BIG hole I punched in the rubber grommet/boot that
feeds wires into the Firewall.



I placed a plastic bag over the Vacuum Control Module to protect it from any
acid crap from the battery.

I pulled off my Black Instrument Cluster Surround and popped out the empty
switch mount on the right-hand side. Pinch the sides from behind and push it out.



After drilling and cutting an oval (as per the Control Unit Mounting Pattern)
in the empty plastic switch plug in block, I RTV Silicone glued the unit in place
as shown below....



I hooked up the Vacuum Control cable as per Crvett69's method to the top of
the gas pedal lever as shown earlier in this Thread

All the excess wiring was folded up and taped inside under the dashboard.

The Vacuum Hose was routed to the Left Front Throttle Body Vacuum Connection
using the "T" provided in the kit.

Here is the Control Box in place. I haven't tied the wires into a bundle yet
or put the panel back under the steering wheel.



DoctorBill