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filip00 · 01-06-2023, 04:42 PM

Gonna follow up with my DIY here, as I figure if someone will want to install the pressure gauge in the ventilation duct, might as well help them a bit. I don't have full picture thread but I believe text instructions will help enough, with some pics for reference.
I chose this position for the pressure gauge as it's the most non-intrusive, original looking way of having an oil pressure gauge in the Z, and it looks really awesome.

I got the inspiration from the forum member Setluky Oil pressure gauge
I began with getting another ventilation duct, just so that I can keep the original in case I screw anything up. I cut out the ventilation grilles and places the pressure gauge inside. No documentation about these steps as I think most pressure gauges might differ with size so do this part and measuring on your own, it's not that hard. That's the easy part.

I completed the hardest part today, finally. So let's cover the basics:
You remove plastics on the door sill, in the foot well (both are just snapped on, footwell has one easy screw).
The door panel is removed via 3 screws, everything else is snapped on. Once you remove the door panel, there will be wires holding the panel still.
Unlatch the connectors (they have one tooth in the middle that needs to be pressed so that you can unhook them). After that you're ready to begin the fun part.
Remove the speaker. There are 4 bolts around the speaker, and 4 bolts directly on the speaker. Remove these "inner" bolts. The speaker is then still hooked with some plastic notches and then you've got one connector on it. Now you're coming to the difficult part.

This is what you'll be looking at:

Now you want to pull out the rubber covering the wiring loom between the door and the chassis:

It is very snug on the door side and when you pull it out, you'll notice a tab is glued to the wiring loom. This part needs to be cut, it will not affect anything else other than give you access to push the wires through it, to the cabin.

In the footwell, locate that connector that's connecting that wiring loom from the door to the cabin. NOTE: you cannot just pull it out, don't try it. The way to disconnect it is very very interesting. The dude in this video explains it nicely: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRa7BnONILo look at the video at 5min mark. Use a very thin long screwdriver to start moving the tab that keeps the connector in, but then proceed to nearly close the door fully so that you can pull the tab all the way down until it will disconnect the connector. Then open the door back and you'll finally remove the connector from the chassis.

The connector on the outside, already has a hole in it, so that wires can easily go through the door, through the rubber hose, through the connector - but they can't enter the cabin. The connector on the cabin side, entering the footwell, has no opening. This needs to be cut.

Now that you removed the connector on the outside, in the footwell, you can now remove the connector - it has just one notch on the bottom side holding it, on the outside between the door and chassis.

This is what it looks like after I cut the opening for the wires:

If you don't cut this empty part of the connector, you won't be able to guide the wires through the connector. I just used a sharp knife to make a small cutout. Pushing the wires through is a challenge.

I also disassembled the connector on the outside of the car because you need to remove the rubber from it to be able to pull in the wires through it. Just examine it thoroughly and you'll realize what needs to go where to disassemble it.

I then used a long thin knitting needle to push it through the rubber wiring loom, between the outer rubber and next to the wires that are guided through it. I then used sticky tape to tape my wires to it and then pull them through it. This is fiddly, annoying, very tight, all done in a stupid position between kneeling and sitting on the door sill and I advise you to have patience with this.

You should end up with something like this:

Note that I pulled the wires out of the door through one of the upper coverings, as the bottom will be covered by the speaker and can't be used.

You now need to push these wires into the cabin and then reconnect the connectors. I first tried to just hook back the footwell connector back to its place, and then push the wires but that proved too hard, so I simply guided the wires to the cabin, through the connector and then connected it all, while making sure I keep the wires tight enough so that they don't get pinched in the process.

If you have similar color wires, make sure to label them so you know which is which.

Hardest part done, looks just like original, nobody could tell anything went on here:

And then very simple reassemble of the door panel, but with the pressure gauge position instead of the ventilation duct:

Why isn't it turned on? Because now comes the part to actually connect these wires somewhere! I don't know where lol. I'll post another post now with my questions

01-06-2023, 04:42 PM	#125 (permalink)
filip00 Track Member Join Date: May 2021 Location: slovenia Posts: 554 Drives: 370z pack Rep Power: 125427	Gonna follow up with my DIY here, as I figure if someone will want to install the pressure gauge in the ventilation duct, might as well help them a bit. I don't have full picture thread but I believe text instructions will help enough, with some pics for reference. I chose this position for the pressure gauge as it's the most non-intrusive, original looking way of having an oil pressure gauge in the Z, and it looks really awesome. I got the inspiration from the forum member Setluky Oil pressure gauge I began with getting another ventilation duct, just so that I can keep the original in case I screw anything up. I cut out the ventilation grilles and places the pressure gauge inside. No documentation about these steps as I think most pressure gauges might differ with size so do this part and measuring on your own, it's not that hard. That's the easy part. I completed the hardest part today, finally. So let's cover the basics: You remove plastics on the door sill, in the foot well (both are just snapped on, footwell has one easy screw). The door panel is removed via 3 screws, everything else is snapped on. Once you remove the door panel, there will be wires holding the panel still. Unlatch the connectors (they have one tooth in the middle that needs to be pressed so that you can unhook them). After that you're ready to begin the fun part. Remove the speaker. There are 4 bolts around the speaker, and 4 bolts directly on the speaker. Remove these "inner" bolts. The speaker is then still hooked with some plastic notches and then you've got one connector on it. Now you're coming to the difficult part. This is what you'll be looking at: Now you want to pull out the rubber covering the wiring loom between the door and the chassis: It is very snug on the door side and when you pull it out, you'll notice a tab is glued to the wiring loom. This part needs to be cut, it will not affect anything else other than give you access to push the wires through it, to the cabin. In the footwell, locate that connector that's connecting that wiring loom from the door to the cabin. NOTE: you cannot just pull it out, don't try it. The way to disconnect it is very very interesting. The dude in this video explains it nicely: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRa7BnONILo look at the video at 5min mark. Use a very thin long screwdriver to start moving the tab that keeps the connector in, but then proceed to nearly close the door fully so that you can pull the tab all the way down until it will disconnect the connector. Then open the door back and you'll finally remove the connector from the chassis. The connector on the outside, already has a hole in it, so that wires can easily go through the door, through the rubber hose, through the connector - but they can't enter the cabin. The connector on the cabin side, entering the footwell, has no opening. This needs to be cut. Now that you removed the connector on the outside, in the footwell, you can now remove the connector - it has just one notch on the bottom side holding it, on the outside between the door and chassis. This is what it looks like after I cut the opening for the wires: If you don't cut this empty part of the connector, you won't be able to guide the wires through the connector. I just used a sharp knife to make a small cutout. Pushing the wires through is a challenge. I also disassembled the connector on the outside of the car because you need to remove the rubber from it to be able to pull in the wires through it. Just examine it thoroughly and you'll realize what needs to go where to disassemble it. I then used a long thin knitting needle to push it through the rubber wiring loom, between the outer rubber and next to the wires that are guided through it. I then used sticky tape to tape my wires to it and then pull them through it. This is fiddly, annoying, very tight, all done in a stupid position between kneeling and sitting on the door sill and I advise you to have patience with this. You should end up with something like this: Note that I pulled the wires out of the door through one of the upper coverings, as the bottom will be covered by the speaker and can't be used. You now need to push these wires into the cabin and then reconnect the connectors. I first tried to just hook back the footwell connector back to its place, and then push the wires but that proved too hard, so I simply guided the wires to the cabin, through the connector and then connected it all, while making sure I keep the wires tight enough so that they don't get pinched in the process. If you have similar color wires, make sure to label them so you know which is which. Hardest part done, looks just like original, nobody could tell anything went on here: And then very simple reassemble of the door panel, but with the pressure gauge position instead of the ventilation duct: Why isn't it turned on? Because now comes the part to actually connect these wires somewhere! I don't know where lol. I'll post another post now with my questions Last edited by filip00; 01-06-2023 at 04:44 PM.