s14 cluster and tach w/ s52

[Jason89i]

I picked up a 90m3 to swap in lieu of fixing the 89is. (yes, i did get hammered from insurance after the deer incident.)

I have heard rumor that the s14 tach gets a different type of signal from the dme and that swapping the coding plug is not a viable solution.

Anyone have experience with this?

Thanks, Jason

[FredK]

Wow, congrats on picking up the 90 M3. It will be one sick car, and it has the 5 lug "swap" already done!

Sorry I don't know anything about the topic at hand though.

[1990m3]

I don't know anything about that Jason, but I do know that I had to swap a 6-cylinder coding plug into my 318is to get the tach to work properly. It works fine now, now that I've got most of the tweaks out.

Are you driving that car already?

dave

[1990m3]

if you are having trouble finding an answer let me know and I might know someone that can help you with this

[325Projectz]

Small problem...

Since the car comes with a 8k tach and 4 cyl coding plug, it isn't going to read right (but you already know this).

So you need a 6 cyl coding plug, but problem is, bmw never made a 6 cyl coding plug for a 8k tach. If you put the 7k 6 cyl coding plug (325i) in it, at redline, which is 8k, the engine will really be at ~7k. You can switch the gauge face back to a 7k tach (thats no fun though) and it will be spot on.

My guess is that it is possible to retain the 8k redline, but would probably cost a pretty penny or two. If someelse knows more, chime in!

[Jason89i]

Are you driving that car already?
dave

nope, engine is installed, bu not driving yet. i just want to have everything figured out before i dive into it.

i sure have put a lot of time into it. engine fully rebuilt and assembled.....done. transmission resealed, lightweight flywheel, diff and shortshifter.....done. ie springs, big sways w/ block reinforcings and stainless lines....done. adjust rear subframe and poly's.....done. aa stainless exhaust and track pipe.....done.

ive got all the wiring figured out, but i do not have the s14 c101 plug to fit the chassis plug. im using the m20b25 c101 plug but moving the pins.

now im in your boat. i just need to find an expansion tank with a level sensor.

cheers, jason

[Mike B.]

North Hollywood Speedometer will redo the tach to work for around $150.

Just send them an email detailing what you want done... They reconfigured my Porsche tach to work with Ford EDIS for one of my Megasquirt projects.

Sorry I missed your call on Saturday. I would have loved to come by the shop to see the progress you are making.

[325Projectz]

North Hollywood Speedometer will redo the tach to work for around $150.

Just send them an email detailing what you want done... They reconfigured my Porsche tach to work with Ford EDIS for one of my Megasquirt projects.

Good to know! Did you have to send them the cluster? How did that work out?

[Jarvis]

bmw never made a 6 cyl coding plug for a 8k tach

What about the E28 M5? I believe that had an 8K tach and was obviously a 6-cyl. Anyone know if the cluster internals from E28's work with E30 stuff?

[325Projectz]

Good question, although the cluster styles are different.

I was thinking along the lines of an e30...

Even then, it wouldn't be easy getting your hands on one of those.

[1990m3]

Jason,

car looks good in the pics. I didn't need a level sensor so I just got an expansion tank and made a custom mount for it. I had to use a lot of hose to plumb over to it the way I wanted but it turned out really nicely. I'll send you some pics tonight. I have a friend that swapped an S52 into e30 m3 years ago, I'll ask him if he remember what he did.

My cars going to the exhaust shop next week, I've driven it, but it's too loud to make a habit of :)

[Mike B.]

Porsche 911 tachs are individual... They just pop right out of the dash... no cluster. They had the tach for 4 days, in which they changed the internals to work with the output from the EDIS control module. The tach is from a '71 and I was concerned about them getting it to work with modern electronics, but everything was delivered as promised and works great.

NHS (http://www.nhspeedometer.com/) is pretty accomodating and they will work with whatever you send them.

[325Projectz]

Great info! Thanks.

[jmc330i]

So you need a 6 cyl coding plug, but problem is, bmw never made a 6 cyl coding plug for a 8k tach. If you put the 7k 6 cyl coding plug (325i) in it, at redline, which is 8k, the engine will really be at ~7k.

Ive got a converter from Dakota Digital in my S50 conversion so I could use the M3 tach. I havent wired it in yet, but I know a guy here in the UK who has and it works great.

Im not sure if he used the 6cyl or 4cyl coding plug - thats something I need to find out for mine, but he said its easy to wire in and set up.

http://www.dakotadigital.com/index.cfm/page/ptype=product/product_id=127/category_id=287/home_id=59/mode=prod/prd127.htm

[Ryan Stewart]

I, myself, am curious about the dakota digital adapter because of some people thinking that the tach might still be a little off. Im not sure why since all they need to do is read the # of pulses on one given cylinder or on a CPS but whatever. Mine idles at 600 and says it stops at 7000. I guess the redline is supposed to be 7200 but, in all honesty, I am not looking at the tach when i have bounced it off the limiter.