New gauges installed

[EganM]

My car came with 3 gauges from the factory, 2 of which are utterly useless in a performance oriented car (the clock and the outside air temp gauge). It made sense to swap them for oil pressure and water temperature, but no one makes a replacement gauge to match the grey face gauges that came with the car.

I contacted the guys over at LeatherZ and they suggested swapping all three gauges out for black face ones that all match. I didn’t want to wait 4 weeks for the special chrome ring ones so mine have the black rings.

LeatherZ included the oil distribution block and remote pressure sender along with the clamps for the air collector box and excellent instructions.

I installed the gauges into the console and wired them up at the same time I did my sport switch and pre-wiring for my stereo setup. I used the included amber condoms for the bulbs which match the rest of the dash lights perfectly.

[EganM]

I ran the sender wires into the engine bay and there they sat for a couple of months while I tackled some other projects.



I started it back up a couple of nights ago. First step was to remove the strut bar. Next the filter box and elbow came out. The heatshield comes out too.



Then it’s on to the air collector box. There’s a bunch of stuff connected to it that needs to be removed – the dipstick, the vent on top, some hoses on the bottom, etc. Then you loosen the two 10mm nuts that hold the box to the bracket underneath it.

Then you loosen the six clamps on the throttle bodies and break the collector loose. I used a long screwdriver and pried them right off.

[EganM]

There’s one additional hose in the bottom of the collector box that is a pain. You have to reach inside the box and squeeze the four prongs while trying to pull from underneath (you need small hands).



And then just slide the box out!

[EganM]

At the bottom of the oil filter housing is the stock oil pressure switch (left arrow). I removed it (24mm wrench) and switched it over to the spare port (right arrow).





Then the LeatherZ oil distribution block goes in place of the stock switch. It has a hose which goes to a remote sender for oil pressure. And sticking out of the top is the sender for oil temperature.

[EganM]

With the block loosely tightened, I temporarily reinstalled the collector box to check for any fitment issues.



Once everything checked out, I torqued the block down and then located the remote sender. I put it in a different spot than what was in Leatherz’s instructions simply because their spot was really hard to reach and get a tool on.



Next I reinstalled the collector box permanently, along with all of its attachments, as well as the filter box and elbow. I fired up the car and checked for leaks. It all looks good and functions perfectly. I still have to finish the sender for the water temperature gauge, but that involves draining the coolant, so I’ll wait and do a full cooling system service at the same time.

[Z3speed4me]

please clean your engine bay!!! ahhhhh

[Z-Thrizzle]

The black gauges look pretty good even though they are not chromed out.

Where did you get the CF piece around the shifter? Did you glue it on?

[Itsablurr]

very cool project!

[2kredz3]

that is sweet! does anyone know if the m52 has the dual oil bungs on the filter housing?

BTW, CLEAN YOUR ENGINE!

[Randy Forbes]

please clean your engine bay!!! ahhhhh

+1

that is sweet! does anyone know if the m52 has the dual oil bungs on the filter housing?

BTW, CLEAN YOUR ENGINE!

+2

I'm surprised you didn't clean the airbox while you had it out

[EganM]

The black gauges look pretty good even though they are not chromed out.

Where did you get the CF piece around the shifter? Did you glue it on?

The PO did the CF. It just sticks on. If it wasn't for the glue residue I would have removed it all. I don't really care for the look.

[s52e368]

please clean your engine bay!!! ahhhhh

+1

live in the desert ?

[EganM]

As for the rest of you, I'm going to do a full detail on the engine bay this weekend. I think we have a high of 70 forecasted for Saturday.

[jbarton750]

You really should add this to the DIY sticky if you haven't already. Very handy post.

(BTW...you should be ashamed of the engine bay!)

[EganM]

Looking good!

I sound just like you when I want something

Ya, I didn't want to wait 4 weeks for the chrome gauges, but I waited 3 months to install the setup (granted the gauges went in right away while I was pulling the console).

[RAW VEGAN]

Excellent post! Didn't even know our engines came with spare ports!

[ZeeCubed]

Mmm. I like.

[gsp62]

Excellent job, and thanks for the detailed posting. I'm jealous.

[Randy Forbes]

Excellent post! Didn't even know our engines came with spare ports!

Only the S-54 has an unused port on the filter housing. The S-52 does not.

[sideslip]

Nice work!

Cool project that I would love to do at some point, but your first pic scares me. Is there a less invasive way to replace the gauges? How do you get the wires from the gauges to the engine bay? What would a project like this cost?

[EganM]

Better?

[2kredz3]

Better?

there is just a little dirt on the pass. side strut tower under the strut bar.

[fmcfad01]

that is sweet! does anyone know if the m52 has the dual oil bungs on the filter housing?

BTW, CLEAN YOUR ENGINE!

It does, but it also has a VANOS line and two sensors, which totals 5 ports needed and only 4 supplied. Thus, you need a leatherz or randy forbes made block to add another port. The only thing is, the filter housing does not have a thermostat, so if you want oil cooling, you have to install the S54 or euro e36 filter housing or one of the various oil caps.

Only the S-54 has an unused port on the filter housing. The S-52 does not.

right, both ports on the back side are occupied with sensors on the S52.

[2kredz3]

It does, but it also has a VANOS line and two sensors, which totals 5 ports needed and only 4 supplied. Thus, you need a leatherz or randy forbes made block to add another port. The only thing is, the filter housing does not have a thermostat, so if you want oil cooling, you have to install the S54 or euro e36 filter housing or one of the various oil caps.



right, both ports on the back side are occupied with sensors on the S52.

will the s54 oil housing fit the m52 tho?

[fmcfad01]

will the s54 oil housing fit the m52 tho?

good question. I have no idea. Many cheaper alternatives as well...