How to Install a Standalone iC-7 Dash
Whether it’s a mechanically injected monster, or a reliable, carbureted cruiser, the new Haltech iC-7 standalone “classic kit” is a great option for modernizing your dash cluster.
When it came time to breathe new life into this classic Jeep Wagoneer, there was no better alternative than upgrading to the 7″ colour display. With its digital fuel gauge, customisable screen layouts and plug and play compatibility with other Haltech CAN devices, this was a no-brainer. Let’s walk you through the process!
Installation process
Prep-Work: The standalone iC-7 harness includes connections for three sensors of your choice, as well as a fuel level sender. It also has a connection for a vehicle speed sensor and a CAN connection port. This device is plug and play with our CAN-based tire pressure monitoring system TMS-4 and can also connect to our WB1/WB2 Wideband modules, or the TCA EGT modules.
This Grand Wagoneer came with a carbureted AMC 360 V8 and a Chrysler automatic transmission. It’s mainly used for summer transportation and some light off-roading on the weekend. For this install, we are going to opt for a coolant temperature sensor, a fuel pressure sensor and an oil pressure sensor. We will also upgrade to the optional GPS Speed module as well as the CAN-based TMS-4 and WB2 systems.
We need to scout out our sensor locations, luckily a quick web search found us the factory locations for most of these. The oil pressure sensor is a 0-150 psi transducer with a 1/8″ NPT connection; this will easily install the factory location on the passenger side of the engine block. A quick cleaning, a dab of paste, and we are ready to tighten and connect it to our standalone harness.
Our coolant temperature sensor is actually going on the water neck, there is a convenient 3/8″ NPT port. Using the included 3/8″ NPT to 1/8″ NPT reducer allows us to screw in the new sender.
Finally, the fuel pressure sensor will go into our factory soft line connection just before the carburettor. A brass inline gauge port tee provides the 1/8″ NPT port required to install the sensor.
NOTE: This sensor is rated up to 150 psi and although this application is carbureted (5-7 psi), it will also work great for mechanical systems that see much higher pressure readings.
Optional Upgrades: Now it’s time to get this thing in the air, as mentioned earlier, a WB2 wideband oxygen sensor module is going to be installed in the factory dual exhaust. While we are limited on tuning with the factory 2-BBL carburettor, the owner plans to use an aftermarket intake and 4-BBL carburettor in the future.
These sensors will be an awesome tool for dialling in performance after those upgrades. A good rule of thumb is to place the bung/sensor approximately 6-10″ AFTER the merge on one bank. For this application, that means after the manifold collector for each side.
Let’s also mention the fuel level sender while it’s in the air, the “FUEL LEVEL” input includes a pre-terminated connector and a flying lead wire. This gives you the ability to create a harness for your sending unit that can easily be disconnected if you need to drop/service the fuel tank. The ICC software is pre-programmed with a ton of popular ohm ranges, but a custom calibration table is included if needed.
With the Jeep back on all four, it was time to install the tire pressure monitors. Haltech offers both internal or external sensors, but for ease of installation and quick interchangeability, we opted for external units. No calibration is needed once the TMS-4 module is connected to our display using the included CAN cable.
Now it’s time to mount our WB2 and TMS-4 modules on the firewall, this gives us easy access to connect our CAN cables and connections for the dual wideband oxygen sensors.
Wrapping Up Under Hood: The only other thing to do under-hood is to wire in our engine speed input (Tach), luckily our factory ignition coil had a provision for a tach wire even though the stock instrument cluster didn’t show RPM. A quick spade connection on the standalone harness and we were finished with the engine bay.
In-Cabin Wiring
With our engine bay wiring and sensor installations complete, it was time to tackle removing the factory cluster and modifying the harness to adapt to our iC-7 display. Our Wagoneer used a mechanical speedometer cable, but after years of reliable service, it was time to upgrade to the GPS speed input module.
This plug-and-play device mounts an antenna with a single cable connection and calibrates with a simple check box in the Haltech ICC software. Not only will it register GPS speed (in mph or kph), it can also be used for odometer and trip meter readings.
The factory cluster wiring gave us a nice selection to tap into for our accessories, including turn signals, high/low beam, and our fuel sender wire. We should note that with the exception of the fuel sender and the handbrake connection, all other inputs will be positive trigger-based. Reference the diagram below for an example of how to wire up your parking lights.
While a swarm of butt connectors could do the job, we felt it was better to wire in an 8-pin Deutch connector. This not only cleans up our dash wiring but also provides a simple disconnect in the event we need to remove our dash in the future. While we were at it, we ran the switched +12v and ground connections to our fuse block wrapping up all of our wiring.
Final Details
With the dash wiring completed, the only thing left to do was mount our 7-inch display. Using a universal moulded panel (sold separately), we created a bezel that attached to the rear of the iC7 and allowed the cables to pass through. After making a few measurements and trimming, the bezel could use the factory mounting points and fit snugly into the Grand Wagoneer’s dash.
And we’re done! The final step was to connect to our iC7 display through the included USB communication cable and load the new standalone firmware through ICC. If you’re unfamiliar with our software package, read on to learn more about configuring sensors as well as other inputs!
Direct Inputs Setup in the ICC Software
Loading iC-7’s Standalone Default
From the main screen click on the “Load Defaults” menu and select “Standalone”.
All the iC-7 inputs are now automatically set to “Direct” input mode.
Speedometer Input
The speed sensor provides a signal which, when received by the iC-7 can be used to display vehicle speed and/or set up speed-based alarms. The Haltech iC-7 harness will connect directly to a Haltech GPS Speed Input Module (HT-011310) without any additional calibration or configuration required.
You can also connect your iC-7 to an existing OEM vehicle speed sensor. In the Channel Settings window untick the “Using Haltech GPS Speed Input” box. If you already know your sensor’s Pulse Rate (PPM), enter it and click “Apply”.
If you don’t know your sensor’s PPM calculate it using the following steps:
1. Ensure your speed sensor and iC-7 dash have a common power and ground supply.
2. Connect the sensor signal wire to “SPEED IN” (Pin 33).
3. Display the Speed Pulse Rate channel on an available gauge.
4. Drive the vehicle at 40KPH (25MPH) and note the Speed Pulse Rate value. You will need an external device (such as a GPS Speed smartphone app) to reference vehicle speed.
5. Enter the Speed Pulse Rate value in the relevant box and click “Apply” and you’re all set!
Tachometer Input
The “TACHO IN” is used to supply the display with the engine’s RPM signal. This signal can be provided by multiple ignition types. The “TACHO IN” input is an unterminated flying lead type that allows for easy integration into many different types of OEM and custom-made wiring harnesses.
Connect this input to your current tachometer input wire. This wire can originate from a factory ECU, an ignition coil, or your engine wiring harness. To configure the RPM (TACHO IN) channel in the ICC software, select the tachometer on the main dash layout page.
In the “Channel Settings” dialog box set your minimum and maximum RPM values (eg. 0-8000).
Choose your engine configuration from the “Engine Type” drop-down menu and hit “Apply”.
Analogue Voltage Inputs (AVIP)
The Analogue Voltage Inputs on Haltech’s iC-7 can accept variable voltage levels from 0V to 5V.
The pre-calibrated inputs include air and coolant temperature, oil and fuel pressure, and fuel levels (volume) inputs. If your sensor is not listed in the “Sensors Connected” drop-down menu of the “Channel Settings”, you can use the “Custom” option and enter the calibration values manually.
Oil Pressure (AVIP 1)
The connector labelled “OIL PRESS” attaches directly to the Haltech oil pressure sensor. This connection is pre-terminated with a 3 pin Delphi connector.
Fuel Pressure (AVIP 2)
The connector labelled “FUEL PRESS” attaches directly to a Haltech fuel pressure sensor. This connection is pre-terminated with a 3 pin Delphi connector.
Coolant Temperature (AVIP 3)
The connector labelled “CTS” attaches directly to a Haltech engine coolant temperature sensor. This connection is pre-terminated with a DTM-2 connector.
Fuel Level (AVIP 4)
The flying lead connection labelled “FUEL LVL AVIP 4” is used to connect your existing fuel level sender to the iC-7 Display Dash. The harness also features a DTM-2 in-line connection for servicing.
Once connected you can you calibrate your fuel level sender using Haltech’s ICC software.
To calibrate your fuel level sender go to “Dash Settings” then “Channel Settings” on the navigation menu. Choose “AVIP 4 Sensor Value”. Select “Input Calibration”.
The sensor dialog box will show a list of pre-configured sensors including optional Ohm ranges for common sending units. If you have one of the pre-configured sensors, select it and click “Apply”.
If your sensor type or Ohm range is not listed, you will need to input the “Custom” sensor type. With the fuel sender connected to your iC-7, connect a Voltmeter across your fuel sender gauge posts, and measure the minimum and maximum float height voltages.
Input those voltages to their corresponding value (0-100). For maximum accuracy measure all eight data points. Otherwise, leave them blank and allow the software to interpolate the values.
Oil and Fuel Pressure Configuration
The AVIP1 and AVIP2 channels are already pre-configured for Haltech’s 0-150 PSI pressure sensors. They are labeled “Oil Pressure” and “Fuel Pressure” respectively. Follow the steps below if you need to change the sensor type or the display target of this channel:
1. Choose “Dash Settings” / “Channels” from the navigation menu.
2. Choose “AVIP1 Sensor Value”. You can change its default label “Oil Pressure” if required.
3. Select “Input Calibration”.
From this dialog menu, you can choose a different sensor type. You can also input a custom sensor type providing you know the voltage range and values for that sensor.
Most pressure transducers have a range of 0-5V, but this may vary and it is important to obtain the correct manufacturer’s sensor data prior to calibration.
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