Scangauge installation

[GeNeRaL]

Originally Posted by Teezer

Since I started this thread, I guess I owe you a picture of my installation. I did remove the utility "pocket," take off the door, and cut a chunk of dark gray plastic to fit the opening. I'm actually still fussing with it a bit, but the in-dash appearance won't change:

We need S5dude to make that piece fancy in metal like the cubby cover!

[Teezer]

Originally Posted by FLaTpr

OK Teezer, what's the secret to removing the door from the
pocket? Inquiring minds want to know.

Well, first you have to remove the pocket itself. The instructions that were referenced above by larryr ("download the mp3 install instructions from H and A as it shows how to remove the tray below the radio to install the overpriced mp3 player") show how to do that.

The pocket door hinges on two steel pins. The one on the right has to be removed first (how to remove it becomes apparent when you get the whole pocket assembly out), then the door can be pulled slightly off center and the left side will pull out.

Actually installing the Scangauge in the pocket requires hacking the pocket up, internally (the Scanguage is a little too tall to fit), so there's no going back to the original pocket once you've done this.

However, the procedure for replacing the pocket with an MP3 player results in throwing out the whole pocket assembly. Thus, anyone who installs such an aftermarket accessory would have a stock pocket to sell here on the ROC. With this is mind, I had no qualms about hacking up the pocket, as it should be easily replaceable if I botched the job. Fortunately, that doesn't seem to be necessary...

[BruceRTL]

Originally Posted by LionelLines

Kick panel needs to come off and the NAA needs to come out for drilling. Like others, I used a 3/4" wood bit.

So how does this kick panel come off. I'm in the garage right now typing on my notebook. I don't see how the darn thing comes off and I don't want to force it.

Originally Posted by LionelLines

Only problem I had was fishing the cord through--but finally I figured it out (or got lucky). Be sure to tape the cord securely to the coat hanger or fish tape before the pull through.

I have my clothes hanger going already from the hole behind my NAA and out by the kick panel. I tape the wire to it but can't seem to pull it past some to pull it through.

Any thoughts?

[BruceRTL]

I got it! I figured out that to pop off the kick panel, you simply pop it off with a flathead screwdriver (very carefully). I ended up taking both kick panels off to expose 2 phillips screws. I unscrewed these along with the one in the top middle of the center council, tugged a little bit and the think came off in my hands. Now I didn't need my trusty clothes hanger. I was able to put the cable through exactly how I wanted. I documented the surgery with photos and will put those out soon (if there worth a hoot). Thanks for everyone's help. It looks great in the "Not an Ashtray" tray.

[BruceRTL]

Here I'm going to try and document the installation of my ScanGauge in to the "Not An Ashtray" tray.

Step 1: Remove the "Not An Ashtray" tray. Thanks to LarryR, I've learned that all you need to do is grip the tray firmly and pull out. You can see from the side view where the side tabs clip in.

[BruceRTL]

Step 2: Next I removed each of the 2 kick panels on either side of the center console. The trick here is to carefully take a flathead screwdriver and pop the clips out. The first time I did this I was afraid I would break something, but it ended up being no big deal. This exposes a phillips screw under each kick panel. I removed both of those screws as well as the one exposed by removing the "Not An Ashtray" tray.

[BruceRTL]

Step 3: Now that the center console was free (kind of) I gripped the console and pulled out. This popped a couple of more clips. Now the center console was only being held by the slack in the wires from the cigarette lighters and seat heaters. It was about this time I noticed a friend had come into my garage. The garage door was open and he just wondered in. Note, no lizards were hit hurt in the installation of this device .

[BruceRTL]

Step 4: Now that the center console is free I drilled a hole into the plastic behind where the "Not An Ashtray" tray lives. At this point, it was easy to route the ScanGauge wire around the console. After doing this, I clipped the center console back in to place, put the 3 screws back in, and popped the kick panels back on. Now I went to the work bench and drilled a couple of holes into the, "Not An Ashtray" tray. I added some Velcro to the back of the ScanGauge and mounted it into the "Not An Ashtray" tray, plugged the cable into the ScanGauge, and clipped the "Not An Ashtray" tray back into it's home. It works great and I can eve close the tray to hide the ScanGauge.

[VoicesInMyHead]

Originally Posted by BruceRTL

It works great and I can eve close the tray to hide the ScanGauge.

AWESOME! Nicely Done! Great pictures! I was hoping you were going to do this Sun - I was going to offer to help. (Ok, I really wanted to see the stuff removed ). I'm thinking about this... we'll talk at lunch next week.

[LionelLines]

Nice job, Bruce! Especially nice pix.

Sorry I wasn't around when you needed some help earlier today....

Your installation looks very similar to mine. NAA closes! ScanGauge works! Everything is tidy.

The only difference is that I did not pull the entire console out; I was able to fish the wire through.

After a fifty-mile trip today, I noticed how much I really can use the ScanGauge to provide good info. on gas mileage....