| Home  Blogs Help Search Login Register  
« previous next »
Pages: 1 [2] Print
Author Topic: Voltage or amp-meter?  (Read 25241 times)
Lennart Sorth
Administrator
YaBB God
*****
Posts: 831



WWW
« Reply #15 on: January 03, 2007, 07:52:09 pm »

Nordskog also has speedometers that is good for up to 300 mph

300mph is for Hamsters  ( http://www.bbc.co.uk/topgear/richard_hammond.shtml )  :-)

However, the invisible dash sounds very 1970'ies  - just think back at the B&O stereos of that age. And since both the Bagheera and the Murena can be said to be from that age it would make sense.

The only modification I have made to my dash is to wedge something in at the top, to tilt it slightly further back, as I got reflections when driving under streetlights. Something to do with my height, I suppose :-)

/Lennart
Logged

Lennart.Sorth@matrasport.dk
Murena 1983 1.9i silver // Honda e '20 Charge Yellow  // VW Polo '22 1.0 tsi silver//
macaroni
YaBB God
*****
Posts: 533


Murena and Multipla - I like it 3 abreast!


« Reply #16 on: January 04, 2007, 11:58:54 am »

I like my dash as it is because it reminds me of the Simca 1100 my mum used to have when I was a kid. The most comforable car I have ever been in.
Logged
brinkie
Jr. Member
**
Posts: 49


Previous owner of a Murena


WWW
« Reply #17 on: January 04, 2007, 01:04:53 pm »

Hi Lennart and others, after a long time of reading this forum only, I decided to register and join the discussion  Wink

Possibly also with the ability of showing just one of the readouts in huge, (friendly?) digits, so you can see them while driving.

Now what would we like such a system to show us?
  *  Coolant-temp near engine
  *  Coolant-temp near radiator
  *  Coolant-temp near heater matrix (?)
  *  Inlet air temp
  *  engine oil temperature
  *  engine oil pressure
  *  gearbox oil temp (?)
  *  Voltages - several places
  *  fuel-gauge
  *  speed
  *  engine revs

I was thinking of getting/building a digital system like they fitted in the Tagora V6 models. It fits the era of the car nicely. From my experience as an electronics engineer, it must be possible to make something out of that.

My in-dash voltage meter only reads when I knock on it. It is usually stuck and so is the temperature gauge sometimes. The oil pressure meter is for informational purposes only, it reads 8 bar when the engine is cold!
By the way Lennart, I've got TWO digital multimeters and an analogue one, so I really know for sure which part is failing Cheesy

Risks of fitting electronic readouts
- The Murena is a bumpy car. It is easy to crack printed circuits and soldering connections. Home-made stuff is likely to fail.
- The temperature range of automotive-grade electronics is definitely better than consumer-grade electronics! Things really can get hot, especially in the engine bay, but the temperature inside the car on a hot summer day is enough to degrade consumer-grade electronics as well.
- The information must not distract the driver. The Espace JE does have a digital speed readout, but lacks a rev meter, probably for that reason.

What gauges are useful
Except from the obvious speed, rev and fuel gauges, I think the following gauges are useful:
- Coolant temperature (measured at the engine)
- Coolant flow (Especially with a Murena this can save your car's life!)
- maybe coolant level?
- Fuel consumption (requires fuel flow sensor and some processing)
- Oil pressure
- Oil temperature (which gives the best indication of your engine's current status)
- Oil level?
- Battery voltage
- Alternator current
- Digital clock and (if a speedo signal is present) a trip computer

All these can be fitted at the centre panel, where currently the analogue clock and the parking brake, rear fog light, rear window heater and oil level indicators are located. Because I want to keep the rest of the dashboard the way it is, the display does not need to show everything at the same time, simple pushbutton operation of going through all the functions is all I need. Maybe just a few extra warning lights.

At all means I would like to keep the original dashboard as much the same as it is when it left the factory, or maybe change it in such a way that everything can be retrofitted.
Logged

/Robert

Previous owner of a Matra Murena 2.2 (1981)
krede
YaBB God
*****
Posts: 1172



« Reply #18 on: January 04, 2007, 05:53:37 pm »

Quote
- maybe coolant level?

Indeed!!
Hans showed me a gauge from the header tank a bmw what he had fitted to his murena... a feature that I am going to copy for sure!!! should be easy to install, and your coolant system running dry, its a very usefull piece of information to have if you ask me! 
Logged
Anders Dinsen
Administrator
YaBB God
*****
Posts: 3186



WWW
« Reply #19 on: January 04, 2007, 07:33:17 pm »

Quote
- maybe coolant level?

Indeed!!
Hans showed me a gauge from the header tank a bmw what he had fitted to his murena... a feature that I am going to copy for sure!!! should be easy to install, and your coolant system running dry, its a very usefull piece of information to have if you ask me! 

Bernhard has this on his page:


Scroll all the way down to read the details:
http://www.technikhomepage.de/kfz/motor/heizung.html
Logged

1982 Talbot Matra Murena 2.2 prep 142
2017 BMW i3 "Charged Professional" 94Ah

Used to own:
2001 Renault Matra Grand Espace "The Race" V6 24v
1997 Renault Matra Espace 2.0 8V
1987 Renault Matra Espace J11 2.2
Lennart Sorth
Administrator
YaBB God
*****
Posts: 831



WWW
« Reply #20 on: January 04, 2007, 08:57:59 pm »

after a long time of reading this forum only, I decided to register and join the discussion  Wink

You are so very welcome aboard Robert!


Quote
By the way Lennart, I've got TWO digital multimeters and an analogue one, so I really know for sure which part is failing Cheesy

haha - except, "a man with ONE watch knows what time it is, a man with TWO watches is never sure".   Not sure how that chinese saying adapts to three, though. Smiley

However, I used to have a very nice analogue multimeter, which was so much easier to read out of the corner of your eye - but it went belly-up some years ago.

My current digital one is admittedly a piece of junk, and rest assured it will be replaced by something better really soon - think I'll wait until I'm settled in UK though (moving end of January)


Quote
- Coolant flow (Especially with a Murena this can save your car's life!)
- maybe coolant level?
Brilliant - as one who has once cooked his engine, how could I forget these!

Quote
- Fuel consumption
better not distract a Murena driver with such irrelevant information - we might run the risk that (s)he stops enjoying the drive, and be concerned about economics :-)

/Lennart
Logged

Lennart.Sorth@matrasport.dk
Murena 1983 1.9i silver // Honda e '20 Charge Yellow  // VW Polo '22 1.0 tsi silver//
krede
YaBB God
*****
Posts: 1172



« Reply #21 on: January 05, 2007, 01:04:35 pm »

Anders : I allready did!!  Cheesy
As for the digital instruments, I just got the price..!!!.. lets just say that there are more pressing matters that need attention first!!  Grin
Logged
Anders Dinsen
Administrator
YaBB God
*****
Posts: 3186



WWW
« Reply #22 on: January 05, 2007, 05:14:45 pm »

Anders : I allready did!!  Cheesy
As for the digital instruments, I just got the price..!!!.. lets just say that there are more pressing matters that need attention first!!  Grin

Did what? (sorry, what have I missed?)
Does that mean you are postponing your project?

- Anders
Logged

1982 Talbot Matra Murena 2.2 prep 142
2017 BMW i3 "Charged Professional" 94Ah

Used to own:
2001 Renault Matra Grand Espace "The Race" V6 24v
1997 Renault Matra Espace 2.0 8V
1987 Renault Matra Espace J11 2.2
krede
YaBB God
*****
Posts: 1172



« Reply #23 on: January 05, 2007, 05:25:11 pm »

Quote
Did what? (sorry, what have I missed?)
Read the bit about the header-tank with build in sensor
Quote
Does that mean you are postponing your project?
Only the instument bit of it.. the turbo project is still on
« Last Edit: January 05, 2007, 11:06:19 pm by Lennart Sorth » Logged
Anders Dinsen
Administrator
YaBB God
*****
Posts: 3186



WWW
« Reply #24 on: January 05, 2007, 07:19:41 pm »

Quote
Did what? (sorry, what have I missed?)
Read the bit about the header-tank with build in sensor

Oh of course. So you have gotten yourself one? Bernhard has all sorts of pictures and descriptions, but it would be nice to be able to see how it fits. Converting to a better part is always good idea, particularly with a thing like coolant, but since I'd like to keep my car as close to original as it makes sense, I will only do it if it can be done so that it looks okay in the engine room.

Quote
Quote
Does that mean you are postponing your project?
Only the instument bit of it.. the turbo project is still on

Oh, yes I know you've already got most of what you need, so I can understand that that will not be stopped. It will be interesting to see how it comes along!

- Anders
Logged

1982 Talbot Matra Murena 2.2 prep 142
2017 BMW i3 "Charged Professional" 94Ah

Used to own:
2001 Renault Matra Grand Espace "The Race" V6 24v
1997 Renault Matra Espace 2.0 8V
1987 Renault Matra Espace J11 2.2
Pages: 1 [2] Print 
« previous next »
Jump to: