Gauge cluster freakout

[BeirBrennerE30]

Well after my swap my cluster never really worked correct(tach never really showed the correct rpm and the temp showed low for no reason)... and now it has decided to finally give up the ghost i think(maybe this is why it was incorrect)

so I have a Motometer cluster in my '86 325es(prod 10/85) with an obd1 s52... if i was to buy a new cluster would it matter if it were Motometer or VDO since i am changing the cluster instead of just one gauge??

could i get a '90 325is cluster(VDO) and swap in an m3 tach(VDO) with the 8k redline and have everything work correctly and accurately other than the tach??

i am going to bite the bullit and buy the dakotadigital tach unit to get the tach to work correctly as everything i have tried has sucked

thanks guys for any help

please no guessing on this one.. i have a brand new s52 that i reaaaallllly dont want overr3v'ed

[ldsbeaker]

pm sent for ot remarks....

[Van Westervelt]

You can swap the clusters, just not indiviual components. Make sure you get the little white coding plug for whatever tach you are gonna use though.

[DeM3n]

just get a cluster out of an 87 thru 90 325i and throw it in the 8000k tach from the e30 m3 will not work without recalibrating ( pain in the A$$ ) by the way I have an 88 m3 with an obd1 s52 tryed many options this is what I've learned.

[BeirBrennerE30]

just get a cluster out of an 87 thru 90 325i and throw it in the 8000k tach from the e30 m3 will not work without recalibrating ( pain in the A$$ ) by the way I have an 88 m3 with an obd1 s52 tryed many options this is what I've learned.

that is what im planning on doing, exactily...

i am getting the tach calibration box from www.dakotadigital.com to get the tach to work correctly... i have tried to get it to work otherwise but to no success... according to the people at DD this should fix the tach problem with no issues as it essentially will turn the 6 cyl signal into a 4 cyl signal that the m3 tach can read correctly

how did you end up calibrating your tach??

[bmws50b30]

You can swap the clusters, just not indiviual components. Make sure you get the little white coding plug for whatever tach you are gonna use though.

i swapped my 318is cluster for a VDO cluster from an 89 325is and it worked. Except the fuel gauge is inaccurate. So I swapped the 318is fuel gauge (moto meeter) into the VDO cluster. Everything works fine now. Not sure about the e30M tach though.

hope this helps.