The Cluster Thread

[Beej '86 325es]

I haven't seen any clear documentation on which clusters are useable with the M/S50 swap.

That being said, I'd like to know what options there are.
i.e. 325i cluster, E30M3 cluster, etc. and what coding plugs are required.

What about E36 or E46 clusters in the E30 dash, ever been done?

[Jarvis]

AFAIK, something as new as an E46 cluster would not work. They have to be coded to work in the car. You can't even swap clusters between E46 chassis', so I doubt it would work in an E30.

E30 325i cluster is probably the easiest to get to work with a 24v swap.

[Beej '86 325es]

What about running an E30 M3 cluster, do I just need a 6 cyl coding plug? If so, would the plug from my ETA work?

[DanGillan]

i will be running a stock 'i' cluster. everything should read right.

[Brew]

What about running an E30 M3 cluster, do I just need a 6 cyl coding plug? If so, would the plug from my ETA work?

No, the m3 cluster with the ETA plug won't display RPM correctly, as the M3 and 325e tachometers are different scales. You can either use an 325i or 318is cluster w/ a 325i coding plug or get the e30 m3 cluster modified by a custom speedo shop. There is also an aftermarket component you can get that will modify the tach signal, I believe. A few guys mentioned it in a similar thread about a week ago.

[AndrewBird]

No, the m3 cluster with the ETA plug won't display RPM correctly, as the M3 and 325e tachometers are different scales. You can either use an 325i or 318is cluster w/ a 325i coding plug or get the e30 m3 cluster modified by a custom speedo shop. There is also an aftermarket component you can get that will modify the tach signal, I believe. A few guys mentioned it in a similar thread about a week ago.

If he could use a 325i cluster with a 325i coding plug, why couldn't he use a 325i coding plug in an M3 cluster? Or are the M3 tachs also different from the 325i? If so, how did James switch to an M3 cluster?

[bmw332i]

I'm going to chime in here. When I had my car conversion done at Schneller, I had my original e30 325i cluster in the car. I then found an e30 M3 cluster for cheap. I called up Mike Morris, and asked him if it would work in my car. He said that I would need to take the e30 325i coding plug from the lower right hand corner of my stock cluster, and swap it with the e30 M3 coding plug (I stupidly threw the e30 M3 plug away). It works just fine. The only thing now, is that the tach reads high at high rpms. So if the tach is reading 8k rpms, I'm actually doing near 7k rpms. But to answer your question, yes, an e30 M3 cluster will work with a 6cyl e30 325i coding plug (except for the tach thing, but I can live with that). Not sure about any other clusters/plugs, but I know mine works just fine.

Pic:

[Brew]

The coding plug is just for the tach, and while the 325i coding plug might work in the m3 cluster, the tach will display exactly as it would in its original 7k RPM cluster. So 8k is really 7k, as you said.

[bmw332i]

The coding plug is just for the tach, and while the 325i coding plug might work in the m3 cluster, the tach will display exactly as it would in its original 7k RPM cluster. So 8k is really 7k, as you said.

Wow....... I guess I didn't make myself clear enough.

[Brew]

Wow....... I guess I didn't make myself clear enough.

I just wanted to clarify that putting a m3 cluster in with a 325i coding plug doesn't really gain you anything, other than red needles.

[DanGillan]

and a tach that reads wrong

[e30sd]

I'm going to chime in here. When I had my car conversion done at Schneller, I had my original e30 325i cluster in the car. I then found an e30 M3 cluster for cheap. I called up Mike Morris, and asked him if it would work in my car. He said that I would need to take the e30 325i coding plug from the lower right hand corner of my stock cluster, and swap it with the e30 M3 coding plug (I stupidly threw the e30 M3 plug away). It works just fine. The only thing now, is that the tach reads high at high rpms. So if the tach is reading 8k rpms, I'm actually doing near 7k rpms. But to answer your question, yes, an e30 M3 cluster will work with a 6cyl e30 325i coding plug (except for the tach thing, but I can live with that). Not sure about any other clusters/plugs, but I know mine works just fine.

Pic:

you have an 8k s52? details!

[bmw332i]

you have an 8k s52? details!

It's not tuned to 8k rpms. Turner wanted to keep the engine life a little longer than a season. Right now, it's tuned for 7300rpms. I was remarking on the fact that the tach is off by about 1k rpms when it's up high, so that when the tach "says" 8k rpms, it's really about 7k rpms. Besides, tuning it to 8100rpms (which is what they would have done if I REALLY wanted them to) would only have yielded half a dozen more hp, but would have been detrimental in the long run. Here's a list of what has been done to it (there's more, but I can't remember it all) from one of my other posts:

1998 MZ3 s52 with 50k miles on it
Custom ITG CAI w/heatshield
Euro MAF
Dinan BBTB
24lb injectors
UUC Underdrive pullies
Schrick Cams (264/256)
Ferrea Sodium filled +2mm oversized intake/exhaust valves
Ferrea Ti retainers/dual valve springs
TMS Competition port and polish of all intake/exhaust surfaces
TMS shorty headers
Euro race metallic cats
TriFlow e30 M3 Exhaust
All 100% SS custom exhaust fabrication
Custom tuning (dozens of hours)
8.5lb UUC Stage 2 LWFW
Spec Stage 3 Clutch

[e30sd]

i was just fucking with you but that's awesome.

you have PM

[equate975]

We have covered this many times.

YES the e30 m3 cluster WILL work

All you need is a 325i(is) encoding plug for ANY e30 cluster (assuming the tach goes high enough)

The 318i(is) will NOT work, its a 4cyl engine, you pretty much just need a 6 cyl encoding plug.

The 325e(es) "works" but its off a bit.

As for the e30 m3 tach. Its goes up really high, but all the numbers are still correct with the 325i encoding plug. If it really bothers you swap out the tach for a 325i one and swap the needle.