This nifty little kit will install on the back of your MX5 NC. Got a NA/NB MX5?
Here is the same kit, made to fit all years of NAs and NBs!
It comes with instructions -> HERE - CLICK ME!
On the NC instrument cluster we can do the following:
1) digital way: replace the stock oil pressure gauge with a color LCD!
2) analogue way: take over control of the stock coolant temperature and oil pressure gauges.
Now why would you do that? Well - the OEM coolant temperature gauge is not linear and moves off center too late - at very high temperatures. When you overheat, the stock coolant gauge won't tell you until engine damage has occured already. Add that on top of the infamous coolant bottle failure and it needs no more explaining. The exact position of the coolant temp. needle vs measured temperature can be customised to your liking.
Now about that OEM oil pressure gauge that you see moving all the time. Surprise - that is NOT real oil pressure. It is a fake value based on engine RPM and coolant temp. This kit uses a real oil pressure sensor to measure true oil pressure and show it accordingly. The scaling of the oil pressure needle vs. measured oil pressure can be customised to your liking, in case you run a turbo or other engine mods.
The best part of this kit is that it retains the OEM look while offering aftermarket features. There is no need for ugly gauge pods sticking out the center of your dashboard - when those inside your instrument cluster already exist and just need a push in the right direction.
Now, for those of you that are more demanding there's the option of ditching the stock oil pressure gauge and installing a small screen in that area. That option will require a bit more DIY and taking the entire cluster apart, but the results will be worth it.
The screen will show you:
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coolant temperature(in degC or degF)
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oil pressure(in bar or psi or kpa or kg/cm2)
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oil temp(in degC or degF)
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along with any other information such as air-fuel ratio (AFR), ignition timing, instant fuel economy or whatever else interests you.
There are numerous LCD styling options; please see the number pasted over the product pictures.
Styles #1 -> #4 CHANGE their colors based on the value of the gauge; for example coolant/oil temperature at 100F is written in blue(meaning cold), then at 160F they switch to green, then at 210F they switch to yellow, and at 220F to red.
Styles #5 -> #8 do not change their color at all. They sit close to OEM looks. They can also be mixed together so that during daytime driving you see the white lettering and when you dim the instrument cluster by the knob they turn to that Mazda specific red-orange.
Here:
There are also alarm screens that go off at 225F for coolant, 230F for oil, and under 10 psi for oil pressure.
(please excuse the coolant one going off at 220F - the level was later raised to 225F/107C)
All these numeric thresholds are adjustable if so desired(but only before ordering or by optional customization keyboard).
The brightness of the screen is adjustable - by turning on the knob Mazda gave you already. Simple as.
Full hardware can be provided, depending of your configuration:
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oil pressure sensor
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oil temperature sensor(for LCD version)
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combined oil pressure and temperature sensor from Bosch
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oil filter adapter to fit above sensors, or 1/4 NPT adapter
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wiring harnesses as needed
- LCD screen(for LCD version)
- customization keyboard(for LCD version)
For MX5 NCs (2005-2015) the kit needs no extra coolant temperature sensor, as that information is taken from the stock sensor. However, the car only came with an on-off oil pressure switch, so here some more hardware is needed.
The hardware options are as follows:
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install ONLY an oil pressure sensor(included): the stock pressure switch is taken off and a proper oil pressure sensor is threaded in.
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install both oil pressure and oil temp sensors(both supplied and of 1/8" NPT threads): an oil filter adapter is provided; for this the oil filter must be replaced with one of a shorter height so it clears the subframe. This method is the cheapest however installation is not easy and everytime the filter needs to be changed it will be difficult.
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Use Bosch 0261230340 combined oil pressure + temp. sensor. Threads into stock OEM pressure switch port using a supplied adapter. Once installed, you'll be able to change the oil filter as normal and get to measure these vital engine parameters. The sensor itself is expensive but surely the absolute best way about measuring oil pressure and temperature on a MX5.
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Custom configurations - email me before ordering.
All pressure sensors read up to ~150 psi / 10 bar / 1000kpa.
All temperature sensors read from -40F to 285F / -40C to 140C.
New feature! You can opt for a customization keyboard which allows you to change, at any time:
1) the alarm levels
2) LCD style
3) units of measurement
4) further calibrate oil temperature readings, in case you need to install the sensor somewhere else
5) if running a style from 5 to 8, enable or disable style changing based on cluster brightness
6) if running a style from 5 to 8, enable or disable style changing based on headlights being on or off
Another optional feature is streaming of true oil pressure and temperature towards any OBD2 loggers that allows you to define custom sensors (such as Torque Pro).
Another optional feature is a RPM shift light built into the screen itself!
RPM is taken from native CAN messages in between the ECU and the cluster. This feature does NOT interfere with any OBD2 loggers.
Another feature is using multiple screen pages to show various other OBD2 gauges:
These pages can be selected at any time using the provided miniature keyboard. Note that only LCD styles 5 (OEM red) and 7 (OEM white) can work with these extra pages!
Installation instructions are provided - as a PDF document filled with pictures and text.
Find the install manual HERE - CLICK ME!
The kit is highly customisable. For example - if one desires JUST one particular gauge or a combination not described above, let me know and I'll add it for you! email me at ciprianrotary@gmail.com
