inclinometer installation pictorial

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dlb
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inclinometer installation pictorial

Post by dlb »

just threw an inclinometer into my project car and took pics along the way. here goes.

sit the inclinometer on the dash to figure out where it's going to sit. line it up with the vents below it. press it down so the mounting studs leave a faint imprint on the dash.

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take a pen and mark each of the stud imprints, as well as a point right between the left and center studs. this extra hole it where the wiring will pass through the dash.

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drill the hell out of your dash--carefully, that is. i used a 9/16 drill bit. i then did a test fit with the inclinometer and it was a little low and not quite sitting flush on the dash so i used a coarse round file to 'adjust' the holes a little bit higher.

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that's better. now push the wires through and sit it on its future home.

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now take the dash hood off. you don't need to remove the three small screws at the front underside of the hood, just the two on the underside at the bottom...

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...and the two at the back on the underside of the hood.

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unplug the four plugs--each one has it's own annoying style of clip so take a good look and squeeze appropriately--and pull the hood off. the clock adjustment and trip button have lots of give so don't worry, you won't break them.

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then remove the four screws holding the gauge cluster in place, as well as the two screws and little metal arms that sit just above the cluster. pull the cluster forward as far as it will go (only about 2"), unplug the two plugs and the speedo from the back. the speedo is tricky: it has two hooks to hold it on. one must be squeezed and the other must be lifted. do this at the same time while gently pulling on the gauge cluster and it should come off easily.

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carefully cut back the protective cover on the 12-position plug so that you have access to the wires you need to splice into.

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now pull the inclinometer wires over and splice them in appropriately. use the handy little splice-in guys like the blue ones i used. not sure what they're called but they're awesome. here are the directions from gtsscportscoupe's original guide on this, slightly modified to be more clear.

7-position connector in gauge cluster hood right side:
- red w/ white stripe wire of inclinometer to yellow wire of hood connector
- white w/black stripe wire of inclinometer to red w/ green stripe wire of hood connector

12-position connector in gauge cluster:
- red wire of inclinometer to green w/ red stripe wire of gauge connector--be aware that there is a mint (aka light green) w/ red stripe wire in the 12-positing connector but that is NOT the one you want.)
- black wire of inclinometer to green w/ yellow stripe wire of gauge connector

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now test it out! turn on running lights and the whole thing should light up:

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turn the key to the run position (you don't need to start the car) and put the car in 4WD and the 4WD indicator should light up:

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if it doesn't light up properly, check the bulbs in the inclinometer by removing the screws on either side of the inclinometer hood and pull the hood off. it is also fastened by a few clips so pull hard. twist the bulb holders and they come out. if the bulbs are good, check your wiring.

once everything is working right, plug the gauge cluster back in, screw it back in place, plug the stuff back into the dash hood, and screw it back into place too. now to screw the inclinometer down.

remove the glove box--two screws at the bottom of it, that's it.

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then remove the screw and the right black air duct piece by sliding it right and then down and out.

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then remove the screw and left black air duct piece by pulling it out. this will give you just enough room to reach up and thread the nuts onto the inclinometer's mounting studs.

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now just reach up and thread the nuts onto the studs. i do it by hand and then snug them up just a bit more by holding a socket or small wrench. they're 8 mm. now very important--DON'T DROP THE NUTS BACK THERE OR YOU'LL HAVE A HELL OF A TIME FINDING THEM.

put the air ducts and glove box back and you're done!
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ARCHINSTL
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Re: inclinometer installation pictorial

Post by ARCHINSTL »

BRAVO - ONCE AGAIN ! ! !
Now a sticky!
Tom M.
T4WD augury?
"Oh, do not ask, 'What is it?' Let us go and make our visit."
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4doorVIP
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Re: inclinometer installation pictorial

Post by 4doorVIP »

that is badass I didnt realize it lit up like that. nice one
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Re: inclinometer installation pictorial

Post by SynthDesign »

Props!
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Mcmattlds
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Re: inclinometer installation pictorial

Post by Mcmattlds »

Hey yall tercel junkies" just did a inclometer upgrade on a 83 4wd delux just wanted to share the info that if you feel around up behind the heat ducts there was an actuall plug for the inclometer already there...full lights yay!! ................. I have noticed other wire plugs for opts that the delux did not have but thanx for the wiring info almost had to cut an splice...
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dlb
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Re: inclinometer installation pictorial

Post by dlb »

wow, that's neat. i've never seen those plugs in dlx's before. i'll dig deeper next time.
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Re: inclinometer installation pictorial

Post by irowiki »

I wonder if the plug is in 85+
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JDNightFox
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Re: inclinometer installation pictorial

Post by JDNightFox »

Just pulled my dash apart to do this plug in on my 86 and the wire colors don't match. I do not have a yellow wire or a red with green stripe on the 7 pin connection

edit: nevermind I was looking at the wrong socket since the photobucket photos are gone, all working now
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Re: inclinometer installation pictorial

Post by NWMO »

As irowiki pointed out earlier this week, if you click on the photos, they will open unblurred. Glad you got it figured out.

Chris
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In remembrance of my friend ARCHINSTL:

T4WD augury?
"Oh, do not ask, 'What is it?' Let us go and make our visit."
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"Now and then we had a hope that, if we lived and were good, God would permit us to be pirates."
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dlb
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Re: inclinometer installation pictorial

Post by dlb »

I haven't looked at those pics in forever. As soon as I saw them, I remember the smell of that particular T4. It was an unpleasant blend of body odor, cigarette smoke, mouldy food, and wet dog. I bought it from an absolutely filthy person in an absolutely filthy town a few hours away. Memories.

The crazy thing is, I haven't even seen a T4 on any of the used car listings around here for about a year now. Seen quite a few old Subaru's though, which is funny -- it used to be the opposite.
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Re: inclinometer installation pictorial

Post by The Professor »

dlb wrote: Sun Mar 15, 2020 10:11 am ...Seen quite a few old Subaru's though, which is funny -- it used to be the opposite.
Shows which ones age better! :lol: :wink:

[/joke]
1975 Subaru SuperStar wagon
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Re: inclinometer installation pictorial

Post by splatterdog »

The Professor wrote: Mon Mar 16, 2020 1:16 pm
dlb wrote: Sun Mar 15, 2020 10:11 am ...Seen quite a few old Subaru's though, which is funny -- it used to be the opposite.
Shows which ones age better! :lol: :wink:

[/joke]
Or which ones are worth keeping! Touche' :)
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dlb
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Re: inclinometer installation pictorial

Post by dlb »

splatterdog wrote: Mon Mar 16, 2020 4:17 pm
The Professor wrote: Mon Mar 16, 2020 1:16 pm
dlb wrote: Sun Mar 15, 2020 10:11 am ...Seen quite a few old Subaru's though, which is funny -- it used to be the opposite.
Shows which ones age better! :lol: :wink:

[/joke]
Or which ones are worth keeping! Touche' :)
Lol. Nicely done.
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MrWrench
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Re: inclinometer installation pictorial

Post by MrWrench »

Just wired mine up! Unfortunately I can't get the 4wd light to glow even after I swapped bulbs in the clinometer multiple times so I'm going to take it back apart soon but I really appreciate the wonderful write-up!

Which color wire on the clinometer is for the 4wd light?
1984 SR5. Lifted offroader with a snorkel. Aka "Thunderbucket"
1985 SR5. Daily driver. Aka "Spud"
1986 SR5. Dakar Rally clone build.
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dlb
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Re: inclinometer installation pictorial

Post by dlb »

Sorry MrWrench, I don't know which wire on the clinometer is for the 4wd light. I just followed the "hook this wire to that one" info from GTSsportscoupe and it worked. If you dig through the wiring section of the FSM, it might mention it in there. Otherwise I would just inspect and fiddle with each of the connections you made until you find the culprit. Lousy advice, I know.
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