Thread: super mod that i have not seen anyone do yet

I'm slowly assembling the parts to get this done, fellas.

I've got a 99 venture compass/trip computer thing on the way, and montana console w/homelink comin my way, have to put the two together :O

heh..

yer funnny

got the homelink button/panel in today, i also took the harness for the DIC/homelink from the donor console. the panel is a different color (it's the newer gm roof color, shale) i'm still workin on gettin the SEM medium grey that is supposed to match. I took a few pics to use in my write up later on, but i wont do the write up until after i get the correct DIC and get the wiring figured out. that being said, here's how i plan to attack the wiring at the console. ( I started this because i wanted to test the homelink, so it's now in the console, and working, just needs to be color matched)

In taking down the console in the grand prix, there are 2 harnesses. one is pos/neg only for the accessory plug in the cubby up front. the other harness is for the map lights. the map lights harness, i intend to leave alone. The DIC plug is the pretty standard gm 9-pin connector harness (the same one used by the oe cd changer/slave tape units. the harness that plugs into the DIC is female. this leads back to a male 9 pin plug that would plug into a harness in the roof (same style connector) Now, it just so happens that i have a spare female 9 pin plug in my stash of stuff. So, what I intend to do, is run my wires up to the roof (I'll get the wires needed together and list them in the how-to) and use the 2 pin power/ground that was for the accessory plug (i dont want to cut this off, can return to stock if needed/wanted later) and the other wirres will go into the 9 pin female connector that i have. so everything will plug/unplug easily at the console overhead


yay!

lol hope i didnt confuse all of you too much!

Originally Posted by Gearhead43

Pics dude!!! And oh, why you need another trip computer when you have one in the DIC?.. Did I miss something??

i'm after it more for the temp/compass, in it... though i suppose i could have done that with a rear view mirror... but other people have done that.


.... im thinking of another mini-mod to go with this one, too. the one downside to this mod is loosing the 12v receptacle up on the headliner. i use the one i have now to charge my motorola bluetooth handsfree device.

in looking at the overhead console, it appears that there should be enough space on the part between the DIC and the windshield to drill a hole and mound the 12v socket there... we'll see. If there is not, i intend to use the top hole of a 3 gauge pillar and mount the 12v socket there, using a custom mounting plate....

well, some potentially disapointing news on the overhead console trip computer mod.

I have a '97 GTP. if you didnt know, the 97's use a dedicated line for the fuel level signal. All later years have that integrated into the UART serial data line. The 97 transport/montana also uses a dedicated line for the fuel level signal, but it's a different wire color (every other wire for this mod between the two vehicles is the same) and routed slightly different in the wiring diagrams. I'm kinda afraid to hook the different colored wires together, for fear of frying something. Adding to that, i have a 99 montana DIC, which does have a pin for the dedicated fuel level, it's just blank. that, in itself doesnt bother me, i can just put the pin there.


sooo, i am debating what to do at this point. I might just finalize the homelink install (including the color match of the plastics) and get a new rearview with temp/compass (what i was really after anyway)


now, if i do that, if there is ANYBODY out there that would like to put the trip computer in their 98-2002, I have ALL of the info and this can be done with a little bit of $$ and it would be COMPLETELY plug and play (well run wires at least) but NO splicing of factory harness will be required.

NONE.

With regards to the 97 install:

The 97 Montana and 97 GP do have different fuel wire colors, but they are fully compatible. I just took a chance and connected them, works like a champ. So, I don't know if anyone else did this yet, but just go ahead and hook it up.