ChipTorque Shift Light

Garry · Postby **Garry** » Fri Apr 03, 2009 12:36 pm

I used a small relay and converted it to a buzzer, though I could still use the LED if I wanted to as well as the buzzer. In direct sunlight with the roof down it was a bit hard to see the LED unless I was specifically looking at it. With the roof up and especially at night it works better. But using it as a buzzer I dont need to look at anything and can concentrate on the road ahead. Setting it up as a light was easy and I took all the wiring from the instrument cluster circuit board. Converting it to a buzzer wasn't to difficult, once again using the cluster wiring to power everything. It's all mounted onto the back of the cluster so you dont know it's there until you hit a few hundred rpm before redline. I've had it for years and it's worked flawlessly. If you want a big blingy light then this probably isn't for you. If you want something functional to warn when approaching redline then the buzzer works well, the LED not so well.

Hammer · Postby **Hammer** » Fri Apr 03, 2009 2:15 pm

Hmmm, might be interested in this too.

Is it hard to set up?

d-mag · Postby **d-mag** » Sat Apr 04, 2009 11:11 am

That sounds excellent Garry.

Garry · Postby **Garry** » Sat Apr 04, 2009 7:39 pm

Unfortunately it was so long ago I cant remember exactly how I did it and I really dont feel like pulling the dash to pieces to work it out. All I'll say is that it can be done and it wasn't overly complicated. From memory there is a switched 12V supply and earth on the circuit board, the tach signal comes from the back of tacho. I think thats all that was needed for the shift light.

All you need is a 12V switched supply, through the micro relay then buzzer then to earth for the buzzer circuit. I think I used the same 12V and earth as the shift light. The LED wires switch the relay. If you know more about electronics than I do you could probably replace the relay with a transistor or something nicer.

To set the shift light/buzzer you just rev the engine to the desired RPM and press the set button. Simple as.

Hope that helps a bit.

evil_weevil · Postby **evil_weevil** » Tue Apr 07, 2009 1:06 pm

I have one in my r33, you have to rev the car to the revs you want, then press the button to set it.
Its quite small, but the LED light is mega bright at night. If you want something "hiden" and out of site, its a good one, I just didnt find it too bright in the day, and I only race in the day anyway at the track!!

So, Leads me to the mx5,
racing in the day, I need something I can see, easy to use! just press the button to set the shift light, no need to rev, easy to adjust and has electronic tach read out too.
A mate in an s13 got this from just jap

http://justjap.com/store/product.php?pr ... 267&page=2

Was very easy to install!
Theres a thread in the electronic/ecu/etc part of these forums about installing a shift light, great info there and worked well for me

bruce · Postby **bruce** » Wed May 13, 2009 2:57 pm

Installed picture puh-lease?

Hellmun · Postby **Hellmun** » Wed May 13, 2009 7:16 pm

Attached is an old pfd I found in googles cache from Flyin miata. Used it to install my shiftlight from the instrument cluster pinouts. Has all year models instrument clusters pin outs.

Fatty · Postby **Fatty** » Wed May 13, 2009 7:32 pm

Garry wrote:I used a small relay and converted it to a buzzer, though I could still use the LED if I wanted to as well as the buzzer. In direct sunlight with the roof down it was a bit hard to see the LED unless I was specifically looking at it. With the roof up and especially at night it works better. But using it as a buzzer I dont need to look at anything and can concentrate on the road ahead. Setting it up as a light was easy and I took all the wiring from the instrument cluster circuit board. Converting it to a buzzer wasn't to difficult, once again using the cluster wiring to power everything. It's all mounted onto the back of the cluster so you dont know it's there until you hit a few hundred rpm before redline. I've had it for years and it's worked flawlessly. If you want a big blingy light then this probably isn't for you. If you want something functional to warn when approaching redline then the buzzer works well, the LED not so well.

garry, what sort of buzzer did you use? and where did you mount the buzzer?

if the tacho signal is just a voltage (is that right guys?) ... i'm thinking you could use a voltage switch kit (about $30 from jaycar) in place of the shift light, and save yourself $20 or so (if you're a tightass like me :lol:

)

Garry · Postby **Garry** » Thu May 14, 2009 9:51 pm

Fatty,

I used a small 12V buzzer from Jaycar or Dick Smith and mounted it to the rear of the instuments. It's quite loud and I have no problem hearing it in traffic with the roof down. It's possibly a bit loud with the roof up. I'm not sure what sort of signal the tacho wire puts out though I vaguely remember reading somewhere that it's some sort of pulse signal.