Fun with factory switches

Went to the junkyard yesterday, and picked up several of those "Sport/Economy" switches from some automatic galants. I wanted factory looking switches for switching from low/high boost and turning off/on my water-alcohol injection.

I used plain old mspaint, the "Arial Narrow" font looks pretty close to what Mitsu uses on switches and gauges. I used 24 points for the horizontal words, 16 points for the vertical ones. Printed out scaled to 50% on regular paper, then took the switches apart and glued the paper in. It will probably fade over time, but I'll deal with that later.

The switch panel itself is dirty, but I thought it came out pretty good...

 

[V8EATER]

That looks great! I've been wanting to do something like that for some time, just never got around to it.

 

[curtis]

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/applause.gif

 

[boostx]

nice

 

[IncorpoRatedX]

I'm impressed. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[turboflanagan]

I wonder if laminating them would help with the fading?

 

To do it right, I should probably print them on photo paper and use some "fixer" spray with UV blocker. I'll see how long they look good and re-do them right if it's an issue.

 

[sag1441]

dang thats cool

 

i have one wired up in my car too. it turns the fans on all the time

 

Looks great. I've been planning to use one of those auto trans switches in my Talon for that same purpose and was wondering how difficult it might be to open the switch and put a different label in.

 

Quote:

Looks great. I've been planning to use one of those auto trans switches in my Talon for that same purpose and was wondering how difficult it might be to open the switch and put a different label in.




I destroyed one to figure out how they work. Pry up on the bottom surface while pulling out the piece with the wires soldered on it. Helps if you warm it up a little first so the plastic isn't as brittle. Once that piece is out, it's easy to figure out the rest.

 

could you shed a little light on how you plan to wire the switches.ive wanted to adjust boost with the factory switch but never figured out how the wiring could work.

 

[icurunnin]

man you stole my idea. I already have the switches and am fixing to buy the control solenoid to go from wastegate (7psi) to boost controller (15-16psi). Looks good!

 

Quote:
could you shed a little light on how you plan to wire the switches.ive wanted to adjust boost with the factory switch but never figured out how the wiring could work.


Ahh. Well, I don't have the dual-stage boost controller yet. As for the alky injection, it's currently just a switch that grounds a relay. I was just going to use my ohmmeter to find two poles that are open with the switch off, and closed with the switch on.

Anyhow, that's next weekend's project. I'll post up the pinouts then. Looks like there's an LED in the switches.

 

[curtis]

Quote:
could you shed a little light on how you plan to wire the switches.ive wanted to adjust boost with the factory switch but never figured out how the wiring could work.




I built one years ago using the factory mitsubishi solenoids.
For this you need two solenoids and a few feet of vacuum hose, two switches, t fittings and vacuum line resrictors.. I always gangster the stuff from the junkyard that way it looks factory.

First you need to hook a vacuum line from the pressure port on the factory turbo elbow and or the one over next to the factory bov or both and t them together this will give an average of the pressure pre and post intercooler. Not that big of a deal which you use.
Second hook a line to the wastegate accuator.


Now deside where to mount the solenoids. I file out some slots and mounted them in the factory air brather box behind the pass headlight. Nice and cool there. Now for wires.

You'll need two wires from the battery (12 volt) and two wires from the factory econ switches One will be for the first stage and one will be the second. Simply run a wire to the e brake bracket in the console to the switch for ground then out of the switch to the solenoids. One side of the solenoid has the hot wire and the other will be grounded when the button is pushed.

Now for the hook up of the solenoids. You'll need the ones that are normally closed. You will t them into the line that goes from the pressure referance then on to the wastegate accuator. When the first button is depressed it opens a one of the solenoids which creates a leak. Same with the second. You can find the mitsubishi solenoids on all types of japenese cars some flow more than others. Mine did something like 8 pounds with both off then the first stage went 15 then the second went 20 I think but I found that I left them on all the time. It worked ok but I always wanted to put a check ball with spring in the vent port on the solenoid so it would build boost quicker then release. The resrictors are used if its venting to much. Its really trial and error to get it to work where you want. You can use presurized air and a regulator with a gauge for testing but without air flowing through the turbo and pressing against the flapper valve its a lossing battle.

 

[GVR4Doug]

That looks great!

BTW: What alky kit are you running? I was looking into them and trying to research. I havent found a lot out there yet... any info would be great!

 

[iceman69510]

I need one of those switches. Anybody got an extra?

 

Quote:
That looks great!

BTW: What alky kit are you running? I was looking into them and trying to research. I havent found a lot out there yet... any info would be great!



The snow performance kit is a sick meth injection.. decent price, and has some cool addons for the kits, IE adjustable presure sensor and fluid level indacators. Alot of kits come with crapy pumps and you dont want that failing under boost. They even have b00st juice that even raises the HP... Best mix for these kits are the washer fuild from walmart.. my friend had a case in his trunk at all times on his 22psi 8v SC'd vw.

http://www.snowperformance.net/

 

Quote:
That looks great!

BTW: What alky kit are you running? I was looking into them and trying to research. I havent found a lot out there yet... any info would be great!



It came with the car, so I don't know where the original owner bought it. PM pisces if that's important to you.

It's a Shur-Flo pump, with soleniods to activitate it, uses the windshield washer reservior. I've replaced the hoses once, and put in a new nozzle. No troubles otherwise, and I can run 30psi with no knock ( FP Green, Big FMIC, some other mods ).

This page looks very similar to what's on my car.

This web page also looks similar to what's on the car, except he's using NOS nozzles.

 

[jepherz]

Quote:
I need one of those switches. Anybody got an extra?



I think I do. I'll check when I get home.

How do the switches look with the lights on?