TA_C10: Stage 1

[cornerstone]

Keep the pics a comin man. I'm living vicariously through you guys until my kitchen remodel is done.

[TA_C10]

Originally Posted by cornerstone

Keep the pics a comin man. I'm living vicariously through you guys until my kitchen remodel is done.

Kitchens take forever, I know this from experience lol. Hang in there man.

[TA_C10]

Ok I'm jumping ahead with this post. I had to post this. It's terrible lighting and it made the video turn out blurry(phone camera) but it's worth it. I powered the truck on for the first time tonight.

Dakota Digital RTX demo mode.

https://youtu.be/1ZkcCznqYU4

[MDPotter]

Oooooooh those are cool.

[1971Stepside]

Dang! Those are sweet. So expensive, but sweet.

[derotoreut]

nice!!! Can't wait to get mine installed.

[TA_C10]

Originally Posted by MDPotter

Oooooooh those are cool.

Thanks man!

Originally Posted by 1971Stepside

Dang! Those are sweet. So expensive, but sweet.

Yeah this and vintage air were the two big purchase items I made for this truck(besides the engine/trans combo). But I think they will be worth it for a daily driver getting that modern day information

Originally Posted by derotoreut

nice!!! Can't wait to get mine installed.

Your gonna love em man. I ready to get everything calibrated and the truck driving down the road! so close....

[TA_C10]

Update - In-Dash mounting plate - Dakota Digital Control Box

So I posted earlier the beginning of this idea, now I finally completed it. I pulled the plate back out of the truck and mocked everything up. Came up with a plan for the BIM-01-2 box, OBDII setup, and my LED brake lights relay for "resistance". More on this later.

For the BIM module, this was easy, I just drilled and tapped the plate for some screws.

For the OBDII setup, I purchased a splitter so I could mount both the BIM module up inside the dash plugged in, and another OBDII plug under the dash like modern vehicles have. I also took into account that I may need to reach up and access the BIM plug to "unplug" it if I can't use bluetooth scanner tool at same time as dakota digital. So this is what I came up with. Pictures pretty much tell you what I did.










Here is how I mounted it. I just had this laying around. I welded it to the back of the plate. The bolt and washer fit perfect through it. I ended up laying down 2 coats on both sides. VHT roll bar paint.





I think it turned out pretty good. One thing I have not done is test the new gauge panel installed yet.... It better fit....

[cornerstone]

So glad you're ahead of me on this! You do know I plan on draggin' my heap over there after you've figured out the complicated crap, right?! I'm messin' with ya, but I do hope to ask specific questions as they come up! I've had the RTX set up on my dresser in my bedroom now for 6 months... every now and then I go fondle it. It's killin me not to have the time to play with my toys!
I have to admit it though, I am enjoying the kitchen remodel. My back and knees not so much. I've given myself another dedicated week or so then I plan on splitting the time up between C10 and kitchen.

[Scurry67]

Really nice job man! i dig the video too. you're really making me want to pull the trigger on a Dakota digital. Is the install not too complicated?

[TA_C10]

Originally Posted by cornerstone

So glad you're ahead of me on this! You do know I plan on draggin' my heap over there after you've figured out the complicated crap, right?! I'm messin' with ya, but I do hope to ask specific questions as they come up! I've had the RTX set up on my dresser in my bedroom now for 6 months... every now and then I go fondle it. It's killin me not to have the time to play with my toys!
I have to admit it though, I am enjoying the kitchen remodel. My back and knees not so much. I've given myself another dedicated week or so then I plan on splitting the time up between C10 and kitchen.

LoL. Bring it! I hope your taking pictures of this kitchen work. We wanna see that stuff too!

Originally Posted by Scurry67

Really nice job man! i dig the video too. you're really making me want to pull the trigger on a Dakota digital. Is the install not too complicated?

Thanks, and if you like them in that crappy video then you will really love them in person, they are bright and crisp. The digital portions of the gauges are subtle enough too that they still look vintage with a little touch of modern. Just enough.

[TA_C10]

Update – 3 Fan Relay Wiring(resistor-diode) – New Battery


After thinking about my fan wiring, I figured out instead of splitting the trinary ground wire close and putting a resistor and diode on each wire separate and connecting to each low and high side trigger connection for the relays, I made the split in wires “after” the resistor and diode so I only needed one.

Here is the updated wiring diagram(and this is why I do my diagrams first on paper in pencil ).






And here is my method of wiring in the diode and resistor. Usually you would “T” the main wire and send the resistor out to separate ground but being inline I think will add enough resistance(time will tell). I found out you can cut the resistor leads short, heat the wire jacket so its soft, and slide the resistor lead into the soft jacket and it will hold it for you while you solder them together. Works great. Here are a few pics. Don’t forget to put your heat shrink on first!













I ended up getting a red top optima after all. Turns out it was only $30 more than the AZ Duralast AGM battery, so this was a no brainer.








Lights!

[TA_C10]

Another pic of the gauges.

[Kronald_70GMC]

Wow those gauges are awesome!

[TA_C10]

Here are the parts I ordered for the diodes and resistors.


https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[Scurry67]

Dang man, looking good. You make it look easy! I'm pretty intimidated by the wiring harness honestly. Any advice before I jump into it as far as videos or good reads to study up on???

[cornerstone]

Originally Posted by Scurry67

I'm pretty intimidated by the wiring harness honestly.

Hey don't worry about it! He gave the all clear so I figure we can all just bring our junk to him! You know how it is after you do it once, the next time is easy and goes way faster. I bet with a steak dinner and a case of his favorite beverage he should be able to knock out our trucks in an afternoon. All we need is a shopping list and a date from you TA_C10!

[TA_C10]

Originally Posted by Kronald_70GMC

Wow those gauges are awesome!

They have enough colors you can choose from to either switch depending on your mood, or the color of truck interior you want to match lol.

Originally Posted by Scurry67

Dang man, looking good. You make it look easy! I'm pretty intimidated by the wiring harness honestly. Any advice before I jump into it as far as videos or good reads to study up on???

YES! Plan everything wiring first.. I mean everything. Especially if you want to add anything modern into it. And that bulkhead connector. Huge deal. I will have more info on that later. But I was able to use this forum and ls1swap forum for everything I needed to research. Good example is the 3 fan relay diagram. Nobody had one that I could find that integrated the AC trinary trigger. So between MDPotter and myself we built these. MDPotter has the GM diagram modified and I just customized mine on paper but this is the first one made that I know of. Huge thanks to MDPotter btw for his collaboration on this.

I have made a ton of diagrams for everything I did so if anybody wants them let me know.

Originally Posted by cornerstone

Hey don't worry about it! He gave the all clear so I figure we can all just bring our junk to him! You know how it is after you do it once, the next time is easy and goes way faster. I bet with a steak dinner and a case of his favorite beverage he should be able to knock out our trucks in an afternoon. All we need is a shopping list and a date from you TA_C10!

Hahaha! Yeah bro money is all you need and after the virus came out I switched from Corona to dos Equis!

[TA_C10]

Or maybe some of these.

[cornerstone]

I think Ernie Brown on local radio 570 am KLIF came up with this first....

[TA_C10]

I worked like a dog getting her ready to fire. Made a checklist, got it done, and she fired right up. I have a long way to go still but super happy. And guess what, fans don't work lol. I gotta troubleshoot tomorrow. Don't know if the PCM doesn't have them set to fire or if I did something wrong but I will figure it out no worries.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AfKg0EF44BI



Then second video, I finished my second checklist thanks to some help and I drove the truck for the first time. I never got to drive the truck since I bought it almost 2 years ago.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfd1THkFY8Q&t=53s

[Kronald_70GMC]

Originally Posted by TA_C10

I worked like a dog getting her ready to fire. Made a checklist, got it done, and she fired right up. I have a long way to go still but super happy. And guess what, fans don't work lol. I gotta troubleshoot tomorrow. Don't know if the PCM doesn't have them set to fire or if I did something wrong but I will figure it out no worries.

https://youtu.be/ZMtcIWR-3To



Then second video, I finished my second checklist thanks to some help and I drove the truck for the first time. I never got to drive the truck since I bought it almost 2 years ago.


https://youtu.be/kfd1THkFY8Q

Wow that must feel great! It sure sounds sounds great. Good work!

[MDPotter]

Awesome man! There's nothing like the first start and drive. Looks like the cops were checking it out too!

Sucks that your fans don't work though. A good first test is to ground out the relays. Let us know what you find!

Your track width is huge, makes me want to lower mine more.

[TA_C10]

Originally Posted by Kronald_70GMC

Wow that must feel great! It sure sounds sounds great. Good work!

I was on cloud nine, didn't sleep a wink I was so wired.

Originally Posted by MDPotter

Awesome man! There's nothing like the first start and drive. Looks like the cops were checking it out too!

Sucks that your fans don't work though. A good first test is to ground out the relays. Let us know what you find!

Your track width is huge, makes me want to lower mine more.

Yeah man that second video is the biggest redneck video I have ever seen lol. Only thing it's missing is nobody got injured

So I grounded out my relays and they work perfectly. So I'm not sure why the PCM isn't grounding out at 195 degree for low. It never gets any hotter which is awesome, that huge radiator works really good just sitting there in my garage idling. And I didn't have a radiator cap either so that was just open the whole time.

Anyway, I need to figure out why it's not working. I know the PCM is reading the water temp gauge properly because my Dakota's are reading from obdII. Maybe Brenden forgot to put that into my tune?

[MDPotter]

That's what I hate about sending my PCM off, there's no way to verify that they did everything. I would check to make sure the wire is on the right pin and that you have continuity from the C1/C2 connector and if that doesn't work, it's a good excuse to buy HPTuners! That way you can get in and view things and change things as much as you want. I'm really considering getting it myself.