AYC extra (external LEDs) in a-pillar mod

[MarkSanne]

This week, the missus complained about the AYC indicators in certain serious cornering situations. True, as the AYC indicators are not located all that well by our japanese engineers at Mitsubishi HQ back then.

As I did the 260km/h mod using bradc excellent article (http://www.clubvr4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=26357) I didn't close everything back up to be able to do the external AYC LED mod too.

Well... first I started looking at the AYC PCB from the gauge cluster that I had left out to see if it was possible to hook up extra LEDs. Didn't seem to be that big of a deal, although I'm not anywhere near really understanding electronics, so I bought a set of green LEDs, drilled holes in a spare a-pillar and connected the 3 slighty shorter LED pins (which are ground) to each other and grounded that to the body chassis.

Then hooked up each AYC LED source feed from the back of the instrument cluster (after putting back the AYC PCB in the gauge cluster ofcourse).

To make removal of the HC instrument cluster just as 'easy' as it normally is, I cut up a USB extension cord and used it for easy attach/detach.

Then I started up the ignition: 3 green AYC bars on the dash. And 2 secs later: 3 green AYC external LEDs on the A-piller! Only bad thing is: both don't go off... I think my chassis ground is wrong isn't it? But then... where should I connect it to?









Any advice would be very much appreciated!

[Wodjno]

Kin awesome work Dude

It's always amazed me when Members say ! Hey! "I had AYC lights up on the Roundabout in the middle town today"

I iz always lookin at the road I suspect i have had 3 AYC lights lit once or twice! But can't confirm!!

Sorry can't help with wiring.. But keep up the good work

[giblet]

Like WODJNO, I can't help with wiring. But damn good work!

[Turbo_Steve]

I would suggest you need to run an earth back to the dash earth. None of this chassis earth stuff.

[Nitephyre]

Hahaha, that's fantastic!

So simple yet so elegant. I find it hard to see mine as the wheel is always in the way.

[Davezj]

great idea mark.

i always find it quite stupid that you have to look down at the dash to see how far you pushing it.
i was thinking of a leds shining on the windscreen as a bit of a heads up display.

but the A pillar is great. nice touch

[wintertidenz]

Aww pants, you beat me to the mod

Will have a play with mine today as I'm going directly from the ECU, and will confirm the grounds

Good work though, very tidy!

[apeman69]

You're using green, red, black wires in USB cable to connect to pillar LEDs and dash LEDs.
Presumably the yellow wire from the USB cable connected to the pillar LEDs' common (earth) terminal is the one connected to the chassis somewhere. (Purple wire floating about in 1 picture?) Should be a case of leaving the yellow wire at the pillar-end USB cable connected to the USB plug/socket and connecting the corresponding yellow wire at the dash end to the dash earth connection. This is assuming that the same coloured wires are used for corresponding connections within the two USB cable sections.
Generally USB cables have red, green, black, white wires. The metal casing around the plug is connected to the twisted foil shielding on the, normally, white and green data wires. So you would, potentially, connect same coloured wires together. It's difficult to tell from your pics if you are using two sections of USB cable with the same colour scheme for the wires. It may be, though you've probably already done so, worth checking that the pins are connected correctly at the USB plug/socket connection.
Either way, what Turbo_Steve said...

[MarkSanne]

Thanks for the nice comments guys!

@apeman:
The purple cable comes from the white USB cable which I soldered to a yellow wire from the telephony cable which is soldered to the ground pin on the LEDs.

About the USB plugs: they happen to have the same color wires as the telephony cable I used, so all was easy to hook up. Only color difference is the white USB wire that is yellow in the telephony cable (white/yellow... close enough to keep things logical).

So my initial idea about a wrong ground is correct. Hmm... now's the big question: where can I find a correct ground on the HC instrument cluster.

Would this indicate on being a ground point?

[miller]

Wow great work!

I always need my passengers to tell or yell when when each AYC bar lights up!

[MarkSanne]

Did some re-wiring without the desired result, so went to a local tv repairshop who always fixes 6G ECU for me and other 6G clubmembers. He explained I needed to do it quite a bit different. I'll do a rewiring job tonight. Unfortunately now I need 6 wires so bye-bye USB connectors/plugs. I'll dig up something else.

I can feel it: a set of proper working AYC LEDs in the a-pillar are just around the corner (...).

[steelie600]

How about putting the 3 leds on the peak of the dashboard???

[Spirit]

Got to say Mark, that is a brilliant idea for a mod !!! Well done mate, hope you get it working asap.

[Confused]

Are they not ground-switched, rather than +ve switched?

[Atik]

How about putting the 3 leds on the peak of the dashboard???

I would expect the new LEDs can be located anywhere you want, as long as you run the wires there. The fact that its been done is prety darn cool! I am watching the thread with interest as this is something I'd probably tackle too. Might go for a green/amber/red style display though.

[Wodjno]

I would expect the new LEDs can be located anywhere you want, as long as you run the wires there. The fact that its been done is prety darn cool! I am watching the thread with interest as this is something I'd probably tackle too. Might go for a green/amber/red style display though.

Or even Multi colour LEDS.. That display 3 Green, then 3 Amber and then 3 Red

[Mark 4]

Brilliant work Mark, have some rep.

[Atik]

Wonder if its possible to add a small buzzer to the third light so it gives you an audible warning when you hit 3 bars

[Wodjno]

Wonder if its possible to add a small buzzer to the third light so it gives you an audible warning when you hit 3 bars

That would just be constantly annoying

[Atik]

Yeah right, like you are always on 3 bars when driving day to day