The R34 gets a Gauge Lift - Dextrx

The triple gauge cluster in the R34 GTT is actually an extremely well designed piece of kit which came standard on all GTTs from the Nissan factory. It displays the battery volt levels, oil temperature and of course boost levels. All 3 gauges are housed in a plastic shroud which allows them to be safe and secure while driving, while also being positioned in perfect viewing angle for the driver. 

Excellent design and it looks great...nice job Nissan!

A common mod for the GTT is to replace the factory gauges with a set of aftermarket ones which fit in the factory shroud. I, myself wanted a change from the factory look (and a more accurate boost gauge) so I decided to get my hands on the Nismo triple gauge set made specifically for the R34GTT.

NISMO ER34 GTT Gauges

Getting the gauges themselves was no easy task and was probably harder than the actual install itself! I was scouring the net, eBay, emailing many suppliers, and those that I did eventually find were close to $400 AUD for a second hand unit!! 

My searching eventually then took me to Yahoo Japan Auctions where I saw 2 second hand units for around half the price at $200 AUD. Great I thought!.. But everything was in Japanese, I didn't understand how to check out and combined with the fact that the seller didn’t ship outside of Japan...I was really stuck. I eventually decided to use a shipping forward company who also was able to place bids on my behalf on Yahoo Auctions - Buyee.jp. I will share my thoughts on these guys in a future post, but they were a pleasure to deal with.

Anyway I digress; 2 weeks later the Nismo gauges are in my hands ready to install!

Straight off the bat they are designed with the exact same shape as the stock GTT gauge’s, but of course with a great Nismo flair to match the more commonly found Nismo dash. Not only does the orange on black colouration match something seen out of a fighter jet, each of the intervals on the gauges themselves are marked. Let’s take a look at the differences between the boost gauges for example. 

R34 GTT Stock Boost Gauge (left) & NISMO Boost Gauge (right) 

The stock gauge shows vacuum / boost pressure of -700mmHg to 0 to +1Kg cm2 (14Psi) and very little information in-between. This is one of the main pain points of the stock gauge – it’s inability to accurately show you boost levels. With the Nismo gauge, you can tell very easily how much boost you are running as the intervals are clearly marked from 0 all the way to 1.4Kg cm2 (20 Psi). This is the same story with the other two gauges, each interval is clearly defined and numbered which makes the Nismo set a lot more accurate.

Just as a side note; because the Nismo boost gauge starts at 0, it doesn't show vacuum pressure. While not such a big issue, I do know there are some drivers who like to know vacuum pressure as well as boost. With the Nismo gauge, it sacrifices the vacuum intervals to show a better breakdown of intervals on the boost side, which is a very welcome addition in my books, especially if you’re planning on running more than the 14psi which is the maximum value the standard gauge can display. One other minuscule downside is the fact that, because the gauge doesn't display vacuum pressure, the needle itself is relatively docile and only moves when you apply boost. So for those of you who are wanting a more ‘active’ gauge this might not be for you. However the accurate reading of boost levels combined with the ease of install, makes this Nismo gauge set a great buy in my opinion, especially if you have the accompanying Nismo dash.

Apache Helicopter? F-14 Fighter Jet?  Nissan R34? 

The Workshop

Installation of the unit is an absolute breeze, and below I have a step by step breakdown on how to get the job done.

Step 1:

Using a flat head screwdriver, wrap the end with a thin rag to not damage the finish on the car, and pry open the AC vent on the left side until it pops out.

Step 2:

You now have access to the 2 screws which hold the shroud in place. With a Philips screw driver, undo both of these and push up and out to remove the shroud.

Step 3:

There are 2 screws which secure the gauges to the shroud. With a Philips screw driver undo both of these. Also unplug the sensory cables which connect to the back to the gauges. This can be a little tough, so take your time and slowly wiggle the plug free.

 
Step 4:

With your new Nismo gauges in hand, reverse this process and they will be up and running in no time. Too easy!

As you can see the install process is dead easy and the end result looks great! Let me know your comments and what you think of this guide, or the Nismo gauges in general.