NVU gauge cluster installation.

[captndave737]

I have the prewired performance ll gauges and I did have to wire in the resistor.

Factory dimmer doesn't work with this setup.

I did use the Caspers dashmate. It's true some wires don't go to it but most do.

Spent a lot of time calibrating the Speedo. Since most of us don't have a measured mile I used the highway mile markers. These are usually not exact. I drove and compared the odometer to the highway markers and it was really close for a few miles but after 10 it was .2 off so I re calibrated. Then I compared it to a GPS tracker. Now it's .15 off after 30 miles, much more accurate than any factory speedo out there but I'm going to get it exact. During the calibration the odometer window shows pulses. At the end of the mile I wrote down the pulses and then drove a while comparing it to the GPS tracker, noted the difference and then recalibrated to calculated pulses. If the odometer reads less than the actual mileage add pulses if it reads more subtract. I found I had to go to a mall parking lot so I could drive very slowly and get the pulses exactly where I wanted them.

 

[Good2win22]

I have the prewired performance ll gauges and I did have to wire in the resistor.

Factory dimmer doesn't work with this setup.

I did use the Caspers dashmate. It's true some wires don't go to it but most do.

Spent a lot of time calibrating the Speedo. Since most of us don't have a measured mile I used the highway mile markers. These are usually not exact. I drove and compared the odometer to the highway markers and it was really close for a few miles but after 10 it was .2 off so I re calibrated. Then I compared it to a GPS tracker. Now it's .15 off after 30 miles, much more accurate than any factory speedo out there but I'm going to get it exact. During the calibration the odometer window shows pulses. At the end of the mile I wrote down the pulses and then drove a while comparing it to the GPS tracker, noted the difference and then recalibrated to calculated pulses. If the odometer reads less than the actual mileage add pulses if it reads more subtract. I found I had to go to a mall parking lot so I could drive very slowly and get the pulses exactly where I wanted them.

What he said....x2 but I did not use the casper dashmate

Also, read the NVU instructions a gazillion times about the "pre-wired 470 ohm resister" only to NOT find it in the pre-wired dash after removing all of their heat shrink.

Oh and I did the parking lot thing too. Interested in what your set up is.. I.E... stock trans and gears(3.42), tire diameter and what was your final pulse count? My speedo needle "jerks" around while cruising, anyone's else do this? Wondering if I have a sender issue or a guage issue....

 

[captndave737]

EA Stage ll transmission, 3:42 gears, 225/55R16 tires. Pulse count 17,800 right now. Might need about a 25 pulse adjustment still. My speedo is jumpy at cruise as well. It seems ok below 60 but jumps some above that. I might try using shielded wires, an old sender I had them. I moved the sender wires well away from the plug wires near where they enter the firewall and it helped some but not where I'd like it.

After talking to Mark he said the jumpyness was usually caused by the wiring or the internals in the sender meeting some resistance. I know where ours come out of the transmission they sometimes can hit the floor pan and i think that could be an issue as well. An option Mark suggested was a universal GPS sender that they sell at jeggs and summit. He said they have had great luck with them but of course the speed goes away in a tunnel.

 

[Good2win22]

• At work at the moment, so I'll check my notes this afternoon.. But think I was at 17500 for the pulse. Right in line with what is happening with yours.. jumpy above 55-60. I routed the speed signal wires up the frame and then into the dash area where the old speedo cable went through. One would believe that this is far away from all ignition sources. I do have the fuel pump hot wire routed in the same vicinity....hhmmm. When I did the first calibration with the GPS measured mile, pulse count was right at 13000. Speedo would read about 15 MPH higher than actual speed. Then took to the trial and error approach... Did you notice descrepincies in the dial indication at lower speeds verses higher speeds?

 

[captndave737]

• At work at the moment, so I'll check my notes this afternoon.. But think I was at 17500 for the pulse. Right in line with what is happening with yours.. jumpy above 55-60. I routed the speed signal wires up the frame and then into the dash area where the old speedo cable went through. One would believe that this is far away from all ignition sources. I do have the fuel pump hot wire routed in the same vicinity....hhmmm. When I did the first calibration with the GPS measured mile, pulse count was right at 13000. Speedo would read about 15 MPH higher than actual speed. Then took to the trial and error approach... Did you notice descrepincies in the dial indication at lower speeds verses higher speeds?
• I only once noticed the speed being way off. That was when I set the pulses to 12,500 instead of 17,500 because i didn't have my glasses on. LOL. Except for that I never had more than a 2 mph difference. Of course it could have been 2.99 but theres no way to tell. The only way I can tell there is an error is the odometer difference after 10 miles or so differs from the GPS track by .1-.2 different. So between 1 and 2 percent. The speed on the GPS and speedo read exactly the same. I haven't noticed discrepancies at different speeds but would think it would be a percentage function ie 10 percent off 33mph instead of 30, 66 instead of 60 etc.
• Im going to try to dial the error to zero which might be impossible using GPS. GPS isn't as spot on as people think. In aviation the error is considered significant enough have substantially higher landing minimums than when using a ground based ILS and we have 3 GPS receivers and comparators. There is what is called WAAS (wide area augmentation system) which is on the ground that brings the accuracy of GPS in line an ILS. I'm not sure if that would tighten up the tolerances on our cheap GPS's or not but if I'm driving in an area with WAAS I'll check it out.
• Sorry for the ramble.

 

[Good2win22]

Found these dimensions when searching for your tire size:
225/55R16 overall diameter 25.74, circumference 80.88 , pulse count during calibration 17800

I am running the stock GNX tire size of
245/50VR16 overall diameter 25.65, circumference 80.57, pulse count during calibration 17500

With the 200 4r transmission and 3.42 gears and the tires sizes above

Don't worry about the rambling... I am more directly familiar with CEP (constellation error probability), which is usually within 8 to 15 feet when dealing with the GPS/INU/EGI in my aircraft. Not alot of IMC time but lots of practice...

 

[captndave737]

Found these dimensions when searching for your tire size:
225/55R16 overall diameter 25.74, circumference 80.88 , pulse count during calibration 17800

I am running the stock GNX tire size of
245/50VR16 overall diameter 25.65, circumference 80.57, pulse count during calibration 17500

With the 200 4r transmission and 3.42 gears and the tires sizes above

Don't worry about the rambling... I am more directly familiar with CEP (constellation error probability), which is usually within 8 to 15 feet when dealing with the GPS/INU/EGI in my aircraft. Not alot of IMC time but lots of practice...

Nice info. probably means we're as close as we're going to get! Where did you find that? Are other tire sizes listed? Could help some with different combo's down the road.

 

[Good2win22]

Folks put up your tire sizes and I'll find the dimensions or you can look them up yourself at:

http://mcgrefer.com

 

[wb's87]

Folks put up your tire sizes and I'll find the dimensions or you can look them up yourself at:

http://mcgrefer.com

That is so nice of you! Mine are 275/50-15.

I tried the link but it didn't work for me for some reason

 

[1952ray]

Folks put up your tire sizes and I'll find the dimensions or you can look them up yourself at:

http://mcgrefer.com

Likewise, did not work for me. 255/50/16zr BF Goodrich G-Force

 

[Good2win22]

That is so nice of you! Mine are 275/50-15.

I tried the link but it didn't work for me for some reason

Tire diameter for your tire is 25.83. Couldn't find the circumference. Yours is tallest tire so far. Let us know your pulse count

 

[Good2win22]

Likewise, did not work for me. 255/50/16zr BF Goodrich G-Force

Tire diameter 26.04.

Link is not working here at home. I'll try again at work tomorrow to get more info for you guys.

 

[1952ray]

Tire diameter 26.04.

Link is not working here at home. I'll try again at work tomorrow to get more info for you guys.

Thank you

 

[PyrexChents]

1. New to this site. Can anybody direct me to a thread or give info on base regal to T type conversion. Specifically body changes? Or is difference mainly engine swap? Thanks sorry for the inconvenience

 

[Good2win22]

Likewise, did not work for me. 255/50/16zr BF Goodrich G-Force

26.04 diameter 81.76 circumference

 

[Good2win22]

Tire diameter for your tire is 25.83. Couldn't find the circumference. Yours is tallest tire so far. Let us know your pulse count

25.83 diameter 81.10 circumference

 

[87GNSteve]

1. New to this site. Can anybody direct me to a thread or give info on base regal to T type conversion. Specifically body changes? Or is difference mainly engine swap? Thanks sorry for the inconvenience

It is best to start a thread in the general tech section as this is a post for instruction on how to install a specific aftermarket dash. Here is a link: http://turbobuick.com/forums/forums/general-turbo-buick-tech.4/

There are plenty of folks who did base to turbo conversions but it is not cheap to get all the harnesses and detail parts. Sometime better to sell what you have and buy a turbo car.

http://turbobuick.com/forums/thread...ocharged-and-intercooled.388599/#post-3203602

-Please do not reply further on this subject, in this thread-

 

[Good2win22]

Wanted to share an experience that happened this morning...

Drove my Buick into work this morning. I normally do when I'm getting low on gas as it's a few cents cheaper around work. I set the low warning on the fuel guage at 1/4 tank. Of course it's dark driving in, so all the lights are on. With the NVU guage dial having the full sweep, the dial does move around on the fuel guage. Especially so the lower the fuel level gets. Anyway, when the dial goes below the preset low warning, the guage flashes the dial but turns off the guage back lighting. It will definately get your attention in a dark car on a dark road... almost annoyingly so when it's the fuel level and the needle is bouncing above and below the user set low warning. I may just have to set that warning a little bit lower or not let the fuel level get that low.

 

[wb's87]

I'm assuming that the backlight going out is a function of the gauge or is there a problem with it? Does it go off at low level then come back on as the pointer bounces up above the limit? Can it be reset while driving to turn the backlight back on?

 

[Good2win22]

I'm assuming that the backlight going out is a function of the gauge or is there a problem with it? Does it go off at low level then come back on as the pointer bounces up above the limit? Can it be reset while driving to turn the backlight back on?

Not certian if the backlighting going out is a function of the warning system or not but the backlighting did come back on/off/on/off/on as the needle bounced above and below the set warning level. I didn't have to reset it as the fuel level in the car was above 1/4 after the sloshing smoothed out and the needle went back above the limit.