Matt's RX7 #NeverGiveUp

[MattScott]

Well I'm pleased to announce the seat saga is finally over! Happy with my new seating position and the fact the seats don't touch or rub anywhere (which in a FD is quite an achievement I think you'll agree)!

I have always loved the Cobra Nogaro seats but not the driving position using the Bride rails.

RHDJapan supplied me a new set of Nagisa super-low seat rails but the side mounts weren't wide enough (assume Japanese seats are narrower!) and had no lateral adjustmenr as they were welded to the rails! So out with the angle grinder and a quick re-coat in satin black before bolting down some new low side mounts from Puretrack. They needed notching to miss the sliding mechanism but everything bolted up and bolted to the seats before a bit more hokey-cokey to get them in the car and bolted down - phew!

First 'in car' photo is the 'before' using the Bride rails. Not the best photo but you can see that the top of the seats 'kissed' the headlining.
The following photos show the difference the new setup has made.

Happy with the result and can now move on to the digi-dash once it arrives......

[clive]

Well done as I have known a few buy seats with these ears and then find they can't shut the doors on their FD's !

[MattScott]

Well done as I have known a few buy seats with these ears and then find they can't shut the doors on their FD's !

They just miss the door cards ! I think they are 560mm tip-to-tip which is the max before things start to flex Certainly been a war of attrition 

[MattScott]

So I have a question for those more technically minded among us and/or more clued up on Mazda's electrics than me!

The instructions for my newly purchased Digital Dash state that it needs a constant voltage and powered from somewhere which is switched on with the ignition and doesn't drop volts when you crank the engine. I'm hoping Mazda thought to put a suitable circuit somewhere close to the cluster which (preferably) doesn't require me to be a contortionist to get at!

Does anyone have any recommendations and/or suggestions?

Thank you muchly! 

[boosted]

Does it state what power consumption is?. Fuse ratings.
There will be both a permanent live and a switch live on the plugs to existing dash im sure.
The volt drop cranking is difficult 1 as will defo happen...more todo with your battery health and cold cranking Amps than anything else...plus a good earth.
Ill look at drawings and see what cables you can tap into.

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[boosted]

As a side note my ol westory had a digidash that had permanent live for remembering settings for alarm limits and rev counter rpm limit etc. During slumber when battery isolator off...would loose this info, rather annoying. I wired pre isolator in the end.. but had to remember to top up battery periodically. Hopefully yours has a battery back up for settings. No doubt the permanent live is retain your settings. Worth jotting them done once happy.

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[MattScott]

Hey Jon, thanks for replying. From the look at the specs it only has a switched earth. May have an internal battery or use flash memory but I guess I'll find out! Definately only has 2 wires to worry about (excl. lead from my Apexi) and will step down to 5 volts (not mention of amp rating)

[boosted]

Here you are switched live and a permanent live.
All fuses too.

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[boosted]

So plug pins 4E and 2D.
Hopefully makes sense.

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[MattScott]

Thanks Jon and Merry Christmas to you and yours.
Appreciate you sending these through and yep they make sense. Will 'tease out' the cluster with everything crossed (as I know the plastic dome is prone to cracking)
I know you're working so hope you get sometime to relax over the festive period.
Thanks again.

[MattScott]

Well I thought it was time for an update. Can't believe the year has run away from me (again) and were halfway through June !

So to update - I now have a fully configurable and customisable digital dash installed and working

As is often the case, i had to remove the cluster and surrounding trim and reposition my boost gauge to the a-pillar. Now I know what someone may thinking - "why keep a boost gauge if the dash can do everything in one place?" - well I happen to like my defi gauges so will be configuring the dash for the "other stuff"

The reality is I've not had a working tacho/speedo/odomenter for years and this dash was no more expensive than some of the 2nd hand clusters up for sale. Plus it's new so should keep working !

Anyway power sources found (thanks Jon),  cluster back in and low and behold the odometer starts working again! Not been for a test drive yet but if the speedo also works and the PFC registers it, I may have my launch control back If not, I have a GPS option so either way I'm less.reliant on my phone having charge.

So all bolted into the car and ....... well nothing actually. The dash connects via a USB socket to the serial output of my Datalogit unit but wouldn't connect for love nor swearing Many cables, adapters and messages later (at this point I just want to call out that Powertune in Oz could not have been more helpful and responsive) when finally we realised that the unit had the wrong case and the USB sockets I needed to use were enclosed!

One cover removed (and a replacement on its way from Oz FoC) and the dash connects and I'm a very happy chap! Need to take for test drive and configure a few other parameters but progress has been made!

The eagle-eyed may also have spotted by brake warning light too. Luckily that just needed a little more 5.1 as suspect the recent discs+pads+fluid change just needed a little.top up.

What's next? Well it's MOT time ..... wish me luck

[clive]

Well done, I like that     

[Casey]

that looks great 

[Mr Spiller]

That looks brilliant


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[boosted]

Yep top notch.

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