Limited Over Head Console FUNFUNFUN:-(

[XY4X]

Well 99 my cunning plan was semi succesfull.
After seeing Alex's Browns Compass/Temp display in action I had to try and get mine going, mine was working in that it displayed every character then switched to ALIEN, pretty but not very helpfull, obviously the IC Chips had had their day and new replacements or aftermarket is just wishfull thinking (SIDE NOTE when I bought MY first car a 12 year old 1972 HQ GTS Coupe, my mate worked at the local Holden Dealer in spare parts got me a heap of new spares from all over Australia (on a micro fysh system) when I sold it in 2005 the origional side protector mouldings (stainless with a rubber insert) were in perfect condition and I sold it on the proviso that they were to remain as it made it UNIQUE) . The spare parts market (for new cars < less than 10YrOld) these days is insane things that you would expect to be cheap are dirt cheap but things that have any sort of electonics make then almost unaffordable !
ANYWAY after my slight digression (you should see me when I'm exploring ) A 2nd hand unit from the same place that Alex got his from and a cheap on line 4channel Remote it was Console time :-
WHAT WENT WELL Remote now locks and unlocks great
WHAT DIDN'T 1. Thought that it would be great if the remote also turned on the interior lights and as there was the common switched door earth cable present it was all to easy to mimick a door switch (wire no# M2 20YL) to ground WRONG WRONG WRONG , yes i can operate the interior cabin lights remotely but they no longer have a delay off (was about 7 seconds) . I have peered over both LHD and RHD cct diags and connot for the life of me work out why this should happen.
2. Alex got the Compass/Temp unit from the USA that worked mine looked good but on further inspection one of the DIP switche's rubber operation pads had melted so after checking that the rest of the unit was the same (they come from early Dodge Rams) as that it supplies the rest of the console, whacked it in NO JOY NOTHING NADA ZERO FAIL
3. Learning Time, Overhead Consoles are easy to remove but are nothing short of impossible to reinstall without tearing the fragile felt covering or tearing you own hair out

I think that I will wait untill the repair service is back on line (EBay)now that i have two units for spares.

I am sure that the Engine Guard Dual Sensor install will go better.

Hope you like the photos

[LuluBelle]

Yes Agent 86 it is always FUN!
_____ooooo
/__l_l_,\____\,___
l_---l_l__l---[ ]llllll[ ]
_.(o)_)__(o)_)--o-)_)

[alexbrown64]

I chopped my overhead console in half, as I fitted a sunroof. I had the two shorter sections reupholstered professionally when I had my roof lining done.
All my console lights are LEDs. The ones over the back seats come on with the doors. The front ones are like map lights, and only come on when u click the buttons. I don’t have any light delays that I know of.

My new Dodge Ram compass/temp gauge bench tested OK, but the two tactile switches were melted and rendered useless. The left one turns the unit on and off. The right one swaps between Celsius and Fahrenheit. You also need both buttons to calibrate the unit, as described in my thread.

If your buttons are melted and your unit isn’t working, it could be that it won’t turn on.
I took close up pics of my unit and the Ebay seller refunded me. I spent a morning unsoldering the old switches and fitting new ones. I can do this to your one and check it over if you like.

The engine guards are great. I have the Watchdog, and it’s great to see digital readouts of tranny and engine temps, and to know that it will alert you if temps get to high.

Cheers,