So I'm about to take on this Mod. Which I found at Columbia Rovers.


I want more dash space for my Ultra Gauge and other gauges and gadgets. Other than turning the A/C on and Off and checking the outside temperature it provides no useful information and takes up premium dash space.

I reached out Columbia over the web to see how they accomplished it but have yet to get a response.

I'm guessing they cut out part of dash bezel and then modified the overhead area with it using bondo or the like.

Looking at it I would have to splice and extend about 48 wires. My thought is to run a 25 Pair Telco cable from the current location to the overhead area. Ideally I would like to find the proper male and female connectors and just make an extension cable without having to cut the original wires.



Anyway that is my thought process for now. Anyone have any other suggestions on how this mod could be accomplished?

 

Interesting.

 

That 24 gauge phone cable may not be up to some of the amp tasks for certain conductors. Will have to use the splices, no space for a 66 block up there.

 

I like 110 blocks better. Feels more modern.

 

The standard voltage for the telephone system is 48 volts DC. Ringing voltage is much higher, around 90 volts AC at a low frequency. When you place a load of about 600 ohms on the line, you are "off hook" or connected.
Telephone ringer voltage is 50.5 volts at standing and -50.5 volts at ringing


Jelly Beans are your friend!

 

The low frequency ringing current is normally 20 Hertz, on a POTS line. I'd favor the connector at the bottom, silicone filled, and strip both wires rather than depend on jacket penetration, one of the wires may have insulation thickness that is not telco standard.

It is the amps that would concern me, up to 10 amps to the module, and while relays drive the blower motors, you have vent control motors as well. So 24 gauge wire won't handle the amps for some things, and you would have to "double up" or run a few extra conductors along. I would suggest you chop out that part of the harness from a boneyard vehicle, that way you will have one end to work with. As far as getting the other end to make it plug and play, with the right factory number some place like Newark should be able to sell you one. Or snag a control unit from bonyard and cut it apart to get connectors.

 

Not trying to get off track here but are we gonna just glazed over the fact they managed to remap the ecu for more power?

 

Would be nice to know what was changed, how much it cost to do it for a walk in client, and what type of computer a shop would have to do that. It might be the cheapest power upgrade you could do. But I think it does show the approximate limit that can be reached with a stock setup. If they could have got 50 HP more, they would have done it.

But a little over 10% is respectable, and only the dollar costs will let people know if they can justify it. RPi posts similar results on their web site (10-15% with new Eproms).

Now what they can do with remap plus new engine parts will be interesting.

 

OKay so maybe the telco wire is not the best route to take. I'm going to an electronics store today for some brainstorming ideas.

 

No - the telco wire is a good idea for everything that isn't high current. It is cheap and plentiful, you may just have to run a couple of extra wires that are larger. If you were to slice open that cable to your computer keyboard or printer you would find plenty of small gauge wires. But 24 gauge is considered to have about a 2 amp limit in an enclosed space. And it would be pretty warm then. Wire insulation also determines the ampacity rating, and phone wire insulation is thin, so those punch down blocks will work without stripping the wire.


Nothing like melted wires to lead to loss of vehicle.