Acura RSX: Mounting a Gauge Inside the Center A/C Vent

The center panel is held by three clips. Wrap a flat-head screwdriver in a cloth and pry gently at each clip location, choosing a hidden spot so any slip does not leave a visible mark on the trim. Work the edge free until you can grip it by hand and ease it out. With the panel loose, disconnect the wiring harness behind it (the green connector) and set the panel on a bench.

Undo the screws that fasten the A/C vent and the climate control unit to the back of the panel, taking care to find every one. As the control unit comes away, the temperature dials on its face will pop off; pull straight and keep them together so none are lost. If the build will span more than a day, plug the climate control unit back into the car between sessions so the A/C stays usable.

Lay the vent against your wood and trace two patterns. On the piece that will show at the front, trace around the circular vent opening to capture its exact outer profile. On the backing piece, trace the full irregular outline of the vent, including its mounting tabs, and mark the center of each screw hole (the holes themselves are drilled later). If the backing piece is a solid block rather than a flat sheet, be sure not to mirror the outline as you trace. A 1/4 in. plywood sheet is easier to work than a block.

Find the center of the outer circle traced from the vent on the front piece. Measure your gauge's body diameter (the author's gauge was 2-1/16 in.) and, using a compass, draw an inner circle of that diameter. Center it within the vent circle, or offset it if you prefer the gauge to sit off-center within the opening.

Clamp the wood firmly to a bench before running the rotary tool. On the front piece, cut just outside the outer line and just inside the inner line, staying off both lines so material remains for sanding. The backing piece is less critical: cut close to the outer outline in a single pass but stay accurate around the mounting tabs, and open the gauge hole at least as large as marked. After the front ring is cut, stack it on the backing piece, align them, and transfer the gauge opening across so both holes match. Drill the screw holes in the backing piece and test-fit it to the panel; no part of it should sit wider than the panel edge.

This ring needs the most patient work. Mark an arrow on its back pointing 'up' so you can reinsert it at the same angle every time. Sand the outer edge a little at a time, test-fitting into the vent repeatedly until it drops in flush against the vent lip; work only where the plastic is stopping it while keeping the round edge clean. Then sand the inner opening until the gauge slides in with a tight, snug fit.

If your gauge has a metal bezel that would otherwise stand proud of the panel, sand the flat front of the ring on a taper that slopes down toward the inner opening. This recesses the bezel so nothing protrudes past the panel face. Check as you go that the ring still seats snugly in the vent and the gauge still fits tightly after the material is removed.

Before applying glue, fit both pieces into the panel at once, screw the backing piece down, and draw a few reference lines across the top of both so their rotation is locked in. Confirm the inner openings line up. Apply wood glue, match the reference marks, and clamp. A piece that dries rotated out of position means more sanding, so verify alignment before the glue sets, and follow the drying time on the bottle.

Finish at least the visible surface, though coating the whole adapter is fine. Lay down primer, then several coats of your color, then clearcoat, buffing lightly with steel wool between layers for a smooth result. The author matched the factory satin-black trim look using a high-gloss black base under several coats of satin clearcoat.

Once everything is fully cured, seat the gauge in the finished adapter and screw the adapter together with the climate control unit onto the panel. Refit the temperature dials, reconnect the wiring to both the gauge and the A/C unit, and press the panel back into its three clips until it snaps home.