Auto Meter D-Pic Gauge Installed

[Donny Carlson]

And a new triple gauge pod wrapped in leather. Life is good.

The D-Pic is a cool little gauge. I was a bit taken aback because it sticks out compared to my Dakota Digitals (the bezel is bright and the digits are a much brighter and lighter color than the DD's), and it constantly displays lateral G forces, which can be a bit distracting at first. But then you notice it's actually fun to watch and very sensitive, and I was particularly happy with the auto recording of highest acceleration G forces.

The gauge is a snap to calibrate (it tells you to wait while it takes at rest calibrations, then you accelerate balls to the wall for 3 seconds in a straight line. Voila!)

Other than the real time G-force displays, it measures, records, and reports -

1) Quarter mile elapsed time and speed. You can set it to use the LED bars as a christmas tree to practice reaction times (which it measures and records) and launches. This is WAAAYY cool.

2) 0-60 times. I did one kinda easy like on a back street so as not to get the attention of the local constabulary: 5.58 seconds. Cool!

3) 60-0 times. Still haven't done this one yet.

4) Dynamic Wheel Horsepower. I haven't entered the weight info yet. I'm going to head over to John Rodgers Drive, which leads to the local dog track and test this stuff out.

I have only a couple of gripes. I could probably paint the bezel black, but it would be great if Auto Meter offered it (especially the Cobalt version) with a black anodised bezel. Also, it's bright as hell, even when dimmed.

And this one cheeses me off -- I have a dead led in the right side led bar. This is the kind of thing that you have to think about. I could take it out, it's only three wires, and send it back for a replacement. It's under warrantee. But, jeez, I just put it in after weeks of waiting and want to play with it. I have to decide whether I can live with the dead LED, or if the expense of this gauge warrents it being fully perfect from the begining.

Here are some shots of the pod and the D-Pic. Sorry about the suckage of the D-pic in action shots, these were shot on the fly. Note the dead LED.

My old double A pillar pod, painted to match the interior:
http://www.mercurymarauder.net/gallery/data/500/medium/DSC01899.JPG (http://www.mercurymarauder.net/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=7704&size=big&cat=500&page=5)

The new triple A pillar pod, wrapped in leather to match the interior (the other A pillar was wrapped to match).

http://www.mercurymarauder.net/gallery/data/500/medium/DSC00142.JPG (http://www.mercurymarauder.net/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=8291&size=big&cat=500&page=2)

Another shot of the new pod in action:

http://www.mercurymarauder.net/gallery/data/500/medium/DSC00176.JPG (http://www.mercurymarauder.net/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=8305&size=big&cat=500&page=1)

A crappy shot, but this is "last run" then it shows the result. Note the dead led on the right.

http://www.mercurymarauder.net/gallery/data/500/medium/DSC00190.JPG (http://www.mercurymarauder.net/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=8307&size=big&cat=500&page=1)

This is how it looks in "real time mode" while going straight (no lateral G forces, so 0.00 displayed and no LED's.) If you turn to the left (to change lanes, for instance) then the left side LED's light up (the number that light corresponds with the amount of G force) and you see a G display in the middle. Turn to the right, the right side LEDs light up. Acceleration G forces also display, and when you let off othe throttle the gauge shows negative G-force as the car decelerates. It's very entertaining.

http://www.mercurymarauder.net/gallery/data/500/medium/DSC00171.JPG (http://www.mercurymarauder.net/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=8304&size=big&cat=500&page=1)

[BADMERC]

The next one worked better. They have to work on things. (Auto Meter) You still need a long road. WITHOUT SOMEONE WATCHING YOU!!!!!!!

[Donny Carlson]

I've lived with it for a week now, so here's my report.

The gauge is coming out! Auto Meter says to return the gauge for repair or replacement because of the dead LED, so when I get chance I'll pop it out and box it up for return. I'm going to see if they will change out the bezel for a black one (they have black bezels on some gauge lines), though if not, it will get painted black before it goes back in. This bright metal bezel just sticks out too much in my cool, dark glass digital cockpit.

The next issue is brightness of the digits, which if you look in the photos above (and keep in mind, these are DIMMED) the Auto Meter gauge is easily twice as bright as the Dakota Digital gauges. Me no likey. At night, the D-PIC is extremely distracting and actually casts a blue glow in the cabin. The glass on the DD's is smoked (as the Nordskogs as well), but the AM gauge is clear glass. The face of the gauge is black, and there's a small opening for the digits. I've decided to install a micro switch in the pod when the gauge goes back in so I can turn it off. Basically, this is a tool/toy, not a monitor. Do you really need to know the G-forces every time you turn the car? Not all the time, that's for sure. I'm also considering applying some tinting film across the digits to dim them down.

I have to say this overbrightness tends to make the gauge look cheap. The DD's and the Nordskogs are classy and look like something that Ford would install. The Auto Meter -- no question, this is aftermarket. Kinds screams JC Whitney, imo. They really need to rethink the display.

The gauge itself works as promised and as a boat load of fun. I've been doing quarter mile runs out on the sparsely traveled acess road to the dog track, and loving every one of them. 0-60 is cool, too. 60-0 not so much. I haven't tried the horsepower rating yet.

The position of the gauge at the top of the triple pod is the best place for it, easy to reach the buttons and see the display (especially when the staging tree is running). Just don't forget the off switch.

[RCSignals]

Donny, a piece of window tint cut to size over the glass might make it look more like the others, rather than just clear glass.

I don't know what else can be done to reduce the brightness. if it were just a question of lighting you could probably just install a resistor, but being display LEDs that wouldn't work. Maybe autometer has a solution.

[Petrograde]

Donny,
The leather A-piller looks fantastic!!!!! :up:

I know I asked you this in the other thread, but could you please give some more details on how you turned the double pod into a triple pod? Thanks!

[FordNut]

Donny,
The leather A-piller looks fantastic!!!!! :up:

I know I asked you this in the other thread, but could you please give some more details on how you turned the double pod into a triple pod? Thanks!
I assume he did what others with a triple pod have done. It's actually a double and a single. The single gets mounted in the upper position and the contour is modified with a heat gun so that it fits the pillar trim properly.

[Zack]

I thought it might be a triple for an F-150????
Please tell us Donny, as I want to do this myself

[martyo]

I assume he did what others with a triple pod have done. It's actually a double and a single. The single gets mounted in the upper position and the contour is modified with a heat gun so that it fits the pillar trim properly.


Yep, that's how it's done.

[MM03MOK]

I thought it might be a triple for an F-150????
Please tell us Donny, as I want to do this myselfhttp://www.mercurymarauder.net/forums/showthread.php?p=266443

[Mike Poore]

And a new triple gauge pod wrapped in leather. Life is good.


http://www.mercurymarauder.net/gallery/data/500/medium/DSC00171.JPG (http://www.mercurymarauder.net/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=8304&size=big&cat=500&page=1)
:eek: UM, Donnie? That middle one? Is that your speed? :rofl:

Those look great, and the leather wrap is a nice touch. Good job!:high5:

[Donny Carlson]

I thought it might be a triple for an F-150????
Please tell us Donny, as I want to do this myself
Use the Auto Meter single and double pods for the Marauder. The double pod install as normal. Install the single pod above. This will require reshaping the pod with a heat gun. Some have had better luck using two double pods and use one of the pods from the second double pod.

My trim shop dude actually cut the double pod to made three single pods. He then wrapped each pod individually, and both pillars. The pods were then glued in place using interior trim glue.

Be sure you space them far enough apart so one pod doesn't block the gauge below it.

You can, of course, skip the wrapping part and paint the pod/pillar assembly. It looks so much better wrapped, though. If you don't want to use leather, use the same Ford interior vinyl used in our cars (on the upper door trim). It perfectly matches the interior color.

[Petrograde]

Thanks! :up: :bows:

well,.. I guess I'll surf on over to SummitRacing.com and get the single pod!