OSIR Vent Gauge Pod + Gauge Install

[laggster]

Hi Everyone,
I just thought I'd share my experiences going through the install process.
I know not everyone likes the look of the OSIR vent pod, but I think it looks alright?

If all goes well, the end product should look like this:

I haven't pushed the gauge all the way in yet, in that photo, which is why it looks like it's sticking out a bit.

This is a combined process with the OSIR RHD Vent Pod and a Pivot XV-A gauge.
I picked this gauge for ease of install - just plug into a power source and the OBD port.
No boost taps, no cutting into grommets, no messing around the firewall ... etc etc.
So the data the gauge will display is what the ECU reads from the factory sensors.

No instructions come with the OSIR part. Just a plastic part in a plastic bag.
AWE have a video for their vent pod install, and the only part applicable is the vent removal process.

So where do we start...

Open the driver's door and open the fuse box cover.

[Apologies, I didn't take a photo of this step earlier, this is from after everything was finished, but you get the idea]

Locate the fuse pliers on the inside of the fuse box cover and use the bigger side of the pliers to extract the 10A fuse you'll use as the power source for the Gauge.


Connect the 10A fuse tap in place of the 10A fuse.
Run the power connector down to the ODB port where it will be connected to the gauge's wire loom.

Interesting I noticed all the fuses were inserted on an angle, you can press on the top of each fuse and then they'll sit flush ... wonder why that's so?

Time for bloody knuckles. Let's remove the air vent.
Ok, so according to the AWE video, you can press up from behind the dash, through the fuse box opening, with what appears to be very little effort and it should pop right out .

Here's a view into the dash cavity from the fuse box. You can see one of the clips holding the vent in place.

... ok let me try ...
... darn thing wont budge!

Looking at the AWE PDF instructions, they advise to pry up from the bottom then push 2 clips down at the top to clear the dash.

For me, it sort of went like this:
- try to push out from the back
- bottom right clip popped out.
- bottom left of vent wont move
- tried prying around the right side to get more leverage
- for each mm it moved out when prying, it moves 2mm back in when you take a break ...
- tried prying slowly towards the left along the bottom of the vent
- vent made horrible cracking snappy sounds
- finally got enough clearance to see the metal clip
- popped out bottom half of vent
- angled vent upwards and cleared the dash opening

Here's the view of the 2 clips to be wary of.


This is what it looks like inside the vent cavity.


I'm thinking I may want to literally get some duct tape and cover up some of the openings.
I'm thinking the air from the vent opening, will not only pass along the top, but now has the chance to flow in this under dash area, including the fuse box area. Considering how much condensation can form when turning off the AC after heavy use, I'm worried the condensation may get into the fuse box area. (Am I being too paranoid? let me know what you'd do?)

I'll leave it for now. But i'll come back to it later. Electronics and moisture don't mix.

So now that the cavity is clear, it'll be alot easier.
Feed the gauge's wiring loom from the odb port through to the fuse box area and back out the dash opening.
Tuck it in neatly along the dash lines.

I tied up the excess lengths and tucked it neatly away. (See 2nd Image).

Snap in the OSIR gauge pod.

It has plastic clips in the same locations the factory vent had metal clips.

Connect the cable to the back of the gauge.

Position gauge in the vent pod.


Connect fuse tap power source to wiring loom and tie off unused aux connectors.


Snip off the left over bits of the cables ties and neatly tuck away the cables, aaaaannnnnnd .... Bob's your auntie!

I think it looks uniform with all 0's at 7'o clock.


[Apologies for the photo quality. Photos were taken with my phone in the dark]

Thanks for reading