[WolfPlayer]

First of all - props to Thaison and J-Spec. He's been top notch with regard to customer service this entire time from initial questions to new questions/concerns that I have. Thanks a LOT Thaison!

I ordered the following for my '05 STi ...

45mm Boost Gauge to replace factory boost gauge
52mm Oil Pressure
52mm Oil Temperature
52mm EGT

The 52's will go in a modified center pod from WRXtra.com.

Everything is coolio - except for one major thing. Apparently Omori is no longer making the 45mm gauge with just a standard red backlight. Instead, they are shipping them with the multicolor control box. This is a huge issue for us STi guys who were banking on replacing the stock Lamco gauge with this Omori gauge as shown in several other posts here. The process use to be relatively simple since the design was essentially the same (2 wires and a vacuum/boost line). The new design that includes this 'control box' just won't be a "plug 'n play" situation anymore because there is nowhere to put the control box along with the harness that attaches it to the gauge. Rather, you are forced to figure out what to do with this 'control box' and it's harness. Thaison said that some people just mount it on the column. That might be fine for some, but both he and I agreed that we liked a clean setup where the box is nowhere to be seen. In any case, he is going to work on the guages this weekend to see if there is a way to run full red without using the Control Box for the multicolor functionality. The way that he sees it (and I agree) is that these gauges ship with a terminator that you can use instead of the control box ... and it defaults the gauge to green. This terminator has a resistor on it. There's gotta be a way to terminate it so that you can do red. This is extremely important for the 45mm boost gauge (not so important for the 52mm gauges that will go in the center pod). There's plenty of room in the center pod for the multicolor control boxes.

If you've read up to this point then be rewarded with pictures
http://www.bescaredracing.com/sti/gauges/
I have a modified stock gauge pod and oil filter sandwich adapter on the way from WRXtra.com. I'm also working on a deal for a stock 2004 exhaust manifold so that I can drill/tap it for EGT (and keep my manifold and shielding 100% stock).

I previously was always into Autometer gauges (my domestic heritage). I have to say, I am very much impressed with the initial quality of the Omori gauges. Everything is harness-ized and they include tons of stuff for installation ... even down to a tiny little screwdriver for adjusting the warning light! Very cool.

t

[stiperformance]

I got my 60mm multicolor gauges from Thaison a couple months ago. I agree, top notch service and nice quality gauges. Now, lets see some pics of the gauges installed.

[surlysinglespeed]

just got mile last night
gonna mount some senders and run wire tomorrow
hopefully my pod will be here today....

[Datadatum]

Wolfplayer - thanks for the informative post. I've been waiting months for Thaison to get his 45mm gauge shipment - and will wait on ordering to hear how this works out...

[zimm]

I just did this three days ago. I routed the color changing box wire down to the coin holder/fuse panel cover on the left side of the dash. Theres room for a few of those boxes in there. The stock boost gauge lighting wires will light the gauge, but don't hook the black to black wires, that's reverse polarity. It's black to yellow, then white to black. Make sure the gauge lights up before cramming it into the rubber cup. The first time I did it, the plug came off the gauge while putting it in and I had to spend 10 sweaty minutes pulling that sucker out to get the wires attached again.

[surlysinglespeed]

so you did this so they would match?
wish they made an afr that i could run from my wide band...

[WolfPlayer]

There's huge hope now

1) The resistor on the terminator directly links the black color control box power wire to the green output wire. The gauge lights green when this is in place. It is not absurd to think that you could bridge the black color control box power wire to the RED output wire and make the gauge light red. This would be awesome because now you wouldn't need the control box to make the gauge red.

2) IF in fact #1 above does not work, you should be able to run all the gauges from ONE color control box. I can't see running 4 boxes for 4 gauges. That is absurd. IF #1 doesn't work then I'll post about how to run 1 box for 4 gauges.

3) I've located another guy on NABISCO who successfully used the 45mm color control box mechanical boost gauge on his STi. The harness plug supposedly will fit through the back hole in the cup and you can route the wiring and box to under the kickpanel fairly easily.

[zimm]

Originally Posted by WolfPlayer

There's huge hope now


3) I've located another guy on NABISCO who successfully used the 45mm color control box mechanical boost gauge on his STi. The harness plug supposedly will fit through the back hole in the cup and you can route the wiring and box to under the kickpanel fairly easily.

I just posted two above you saying the 45mm boost gauge with color changing box works. You run the wire out the cup, into the plastic wire loom, down to the change holding box on the lower left of the dash. I can take pics if anyone wants them.

[WolfPlayer]

Originally Posted by zimm

I just posted two above you saying the 45mm boost gauge with color changing box works. You run the wire out the cup, into the plastic wire loom, down to the change holding box on the lower left of the dash. I can take pics if anyone wants them.

Understood. Thanks! I'm hoping the resistor terminator works so that there is no need for a color box. Why route a box that you are never going to use? I just want it red forever

[kinger]

wolfplayer-

Very interested in this! I wanted just red/red gauges as well but don't want to mess with any boxes. I'll await your results!

[surlysinglespeed]

its no big deal with the boxes
i just stuck them under where the pod goes

[WolfPlayer]

I was tired looking at that POS Lamco gauge so I installed my 45mm Omori Boost gauge with the color control box today. Here are my notes if you are installing one with the control box and you want everything to look as stock as possible. I went to extra effort to ensure that there was only one thing coming from the stock gauge pod; namely, the STOCK corrugated tubing - that's it. You could obviously do this install much quicker if you didn’t mind having another harness passing alongside of the stock corrugated tubing. Note that the stock Omori harness and the stock vacuum tubing will not BOTH pass through the STOCK corrugated tubing.

1) The stock gauge is removed rather easily. I pushed from the back and squeezed it forward enough to get my fingers on the bezel and then I rocked it back and forth to pull it out. I took a little bit of effort pushing on the back and squeezing it forward but it was no big deal and it came out fairly easily. Unplug the harness and pull the vacuum tube off.

2) I pulled the stock wiring and vacuum tube in the corrugated tubing to underneath the dash. I clipped off the nylon tie holding everything in place and pulled everything down toward the pedals. Remove the electrical tape from both ends of the corrugated tubing. I pulled the vacuum tubing out of the corrugated tubing and followed that by pulling the stock harness out. Put the stock corrugated tubing aside for use later. I clipped off the connector from the stock wiring leaving approximately 4” hanging down from the bottom of the kick panel.

3) The vacuum tubing and the Omori harness will not fit through the stock corrugated tubing. I used a razor blade and REMOVED the sheathing on the Omori harness, pulled the black/white wires down to the 5 prong harness plug, and then removed the black, purple, blue, green wires from the 4-prong harness plug. Removing the wires from the harness plug is how you are going to get the Omori harness through the stock corrugated tubing. I tried to push the Omori harness through the corrugated tubing WITHOUT removing the connector and it didn’t work. It got stuck so bad that I actually ended up ripping a wire out of the connector trying to get it out. Don’t make the same mistake (even though it is cakewalk to fix). In any case - Don’t fret. It is really easy to remove the prongs from the connector. Before going any further - Note of the ORDER of these wires before removing in relation to the harness plug! Write it down. To remove the wires from the 4-Prong connector just push down on each little silver prong that is visible through the top of the Omori harness connector and pull gently on the wire. The prong comes right out. With all 4 wires removed from the plug just pass the 4 wires through the corrugated tubing. Reinstall the plastic connector once they are out the other side according to the order you wrote down. It will take a little bit of effort, but the vacuum tubing will now also pass through the tubing. I left about 1 to 1-1/2" of vacuum tubing outside the sheathing for connecting to the gauge. I left about 2" of the Omori harness outside of the corrugated tubing. Use electrical tape to and wrap around the edge of the corrugated tubing (just like stock). Pass the new harness/tubing up into the dash and follow the same routing as stock. Push the new harness/tubing into the rubber boost cup and let enough hang out the front of the cup to be able to plug in the gauge and hookup the tubing. Note that you will have a lot of corrugated tubing pushed into the back of the boost cup. This is good as you will pull it out later.

4) Back underneath the dash chop off most of the black/white wiring from the Omori harness. I left approximately 6” off the 5-prong connector. Connect the black/white Omori wires to the stock STi yellow/black wires. With the '05 connect the Omori harness black wire to the STi YELLOW wire and the Omori harness white wire to the STi BLACK wire. Do NOT connect black to black! How you connect the wires I will leave up to you. You can use bullet connectors, butt connectors, spade connectors, or solder. Seal with heat shrink tubing or electrical tape.

5) Plug the color control box into the 5-prong connector and just let it hang from underneath the dash for now.

6) This is for a quick test. Plug your gauge in and put the vacuum tubing on (do NOT put it into the cup). Wrap some electrical tape around the harness connector to keep the connector from pulling out. Start up the car. Make sure the gauge is pulling vacuum. Now turn your lights on and ensure that the gauge lights up. Play with the color control box to make the gauge the color you want. For full red turn the red knob clockwise all the way and then turn the other knobs all the way to the left (counter clockwise). For pink go full red and little bit of blue.

7) If everything is working good then now you are ready to finish up the install. I used the double-sided tape and taped my control box underneath the dash onto the BACK of the OBD II connector. You can take the excess black/white, yellow/black wiring and use a nylon tie to secure it under the dash.

8) Now comes the hardest part of all. Yes, this is tough. You need to get that gauge into the gauge cup. I used some very soapy water and it was still difficult … and I am still not 100% happy with it because it is not 100% in the cup yet (the bezel is out of the cup). I don’t have any tips or tricks here except get ready to yell, kick, scream, etc. Actually, it’s not really that bad from the perspective of doing something real (like a head/cam swap on a SBC which I have done many times) but it is hard when considering that it is just a freaking gauge going into a cup – lol. I don’t have any special tips or tricks for doing this. Try to get the bottom started first and then work your way around. Just when you think it will never work it will sorta pop right in (in terms of starting it, there’s still a lot of work left). ALIGN IT! Make sure it is level. I am anal and mine is about 1mm off from where I want it. Most would think it’s level but don’t underestimate the aligning process! Now start pushing. I pushed all around the bezel while using the heel of my palm to pull up on the rubber cup. Do this over and over and over and over again for a long time. Eventually it will get in there to almost where the bezel is touching the rubber cup. That’s where mine is right now. I bet a heat gun would allow you to push it in further. I’ll try that at a later date.

There’s no real reason to post pics. I could – but honestly, it looks just like any other Omori 45mm in a stock cup … except that mine has the color control and looks totally stock in that there is only the stock corrugated tubing coming from the cup.

Tim

[zimm]

Detailed write up but I didn't have nearly the problems Tim did. I did get the vacuum line AND the harness wire to fit into the corregated plastic sheath. The sheath is split and you can open it up and work the wires in an inch at a time.

I put the color box in the coin tray/fuse panel cover. Fits nice.

I used a little bit of spit and steady pressure to get the gauge into the cup. It won't fit in all the way, nothing I could do about it.

[WolfPlayer]

Originally Posted by zimm

Detailed write up but I didn't have nearly the problems Tim did. I did get the vacuum line AND the harness wire to fit into the corregated plastic sheath. The sheath is split and you can open it up and work the wires in an inch at a time.

I put the color box in the coin tray/fuse panel cover. Fits nice.

I used a little bit of spit and steady pressure to get the gauge into the cup. It won't fit in all the way, nothing I could do about it.

That explains it right there. My sheath was NOT split. If it was split then it would have been cakewalk to get everything through it. Normally I would have just thrown the stock corrugated tubing away and just used some new tubing. But, I wanted to see what it would take to use all the stock stuff.

Tim

[zimm]

Tim, You don't have your profile filled out. Do you have a '05? If so, I think we found another difference in model years. My '04 has the split loom and it wasn't taped at either end. I have some nice pics, but I can't add any attachments.