Instrument cluster help

[NO SHAM3]

Finally installed a radio in my car and to my surprise the tach started working. The problem is that I can feel the car redline at about 4000 RPM. How do I find out if the right cluster is installed in my car?

[crazyman]

What year is your car? For the older ones usually it's VDO, the newer ones they started putting in moto meter cus they were better. I swapped out my VDO dash for a moto meter dash cus they work better. That was plug and play for me.

[NO SHAM3]

its an '89

[crazyman]

It might be just a ground issue for the tach to be not accurate. I'm not sure how yours is but on my 318i the harness for the dash routs right behind the sterio, so it's possible that a wire is pinched and causing that. If that doesn't turn anything up I would just try swapping it with another tach to see if it still does it, for starters. I'm going to go ask my buddy about it to see what he thinks, then I'll let you know what I find out.

[AndrewBird]

Check the coding plug in the cluster. It's on the bottom right portion on the front of the cluster. If you have the wrong coding plug in, the tach won't read correctly. There is one for 4 cylinder cars and one for 6.

[crazyman]

Ah so that's what that stupid plastic thing is in the back of the dash. I always wondered what the hell that was for. Thanks for the info

[NO SHAM3]

Thanks guys I'll check it out and let you know. My holiday work schedule is hectic right now.

[bmwm42]

if your car is a 325e your redline is only like 5k rpm