Your dream instrument cluster

[ninjaotter]

So I'm embarking on a little project to modify my instrument cluster. Originally, I was going to modify a stock one, but now I'm starting from the ground up.

My question for all of you is simple, what does your dream cluster look like? Shift lights? Tach in the center? Numerical speed read out? LCD screen with engine telemetry? The sky is the limit. Want to toss an LCD screen in the center console like the R34 GTR?

Would you draw inspiration from a current cluster? Does the Audi R8 cluster float your boat? The GTR?

I'm just looking for ideas. The sky is the limit with me and my Arduino. Push comes to shove I'll upgrade to multiple Arduino's, a Beagle board, or a Raspberry Pi.

[nando]

started working on this almost a year ago.. still finishing up some wiring before I can make it look pretty :)

left black blob is an LED screen for a wideband AFR sensor, the right one is digital oil pressure.

still pretty much looks like this:

[ninjaotter]

...and we're both in Bellingham? E30 Instrument cluster party!

Is the PCB custom or borrowed from another cluster? E46?

[nando]

it's from an E46. Many hours have been spent hacking the software with WinKFP so that I can calibrate the speedo/odo and the board basically inverts signals for the gas gauge and indicator lights. the goal is to have it basically plug into my car without having to hack into my harness.

where in bellingham are you? I built a fairly crude test bench and have wanted to really get it all cleaned up and nice looking but it gets the job done..

[ninjaotter]

it's from an E46. Many hours have been spent hacking the software with WinKFP so that I can calibrate the speedo/odo and the board basically inverts signals for the gas gauge and indicator lights. the goal is to have it basically plug into my car without having to hack into my harness.

where in bellingham are you? I built a fairly crude test bench and have wanted to really get it all cleaned up and nice looking but it gets the job done..

I have a shop off Northwest on Waschke Rd sort of by North Bellingham Elementary and live in a little cottage on Northwest next to the mega church.

I'm interested in your test bench! I've been working on my own, but its not very far along.

[ninjaotter]

So you're running a stock ECU? Can you detail your setup for me? I'm looking into this winKFP program.

[Cletonius]

I heart this thread. Makes me want to dust off the CE degree

[nando]

So you're running a stock ECU? Can you detail your setup for me? I'm looking into this winKFP program.

well, a stock BMW ECU, but not a stock E30 ECU :p

you could do it if you knew the CAN commands for sending tachometer and other information directly to the cluster, and built something to interpret the signals. otherwise, you have to use a matching DME, either directly or as a sort of interface between the one that actually runs your engine and the cluster.

WinKFP is part of the BMW EDBIAS software suite.. basically factory options coding for most of the car's modules.

[ninjaotter]

well, a stock BMW ECU, but not a stock E30 ECU :p

you could do it if you knew the CAN commands for sending tachometer and other information directly to the cluster, and built something to interpret the signals. otherwise, you have to use a matching DME, either directly or as a sort of interface between the one that actually runs your engine and the cluster.

WinKFP is part of the BMW EDBIAS software suite.. basically factory options coding for most of the car's modules.

Mind if I email you so we can dig into this deeper? Or should we do it all in public?

[Wh33lhop]

Mind if I email you so we can dig into this deeper? Or should we do it all in public?

That's what she said. Also, public please; I'd like to watch.

[lambo]

That's what she said. Also, public please; I'd like to watch.

+1 on both accounts

[nofattys]

I think it would be sweet if you could modify the oil gauge light in the middle of the cluster and make it a RPM gauge / shift light. As you accelerate, it would go from green, to yellow, to red.

A boost gauge would work nicely where the MPG monitor was placed under the tach.

Changing the needle positions like on the Ebay clusters would be excellent as well. The 12oclock position is very nice if you have a small racing wheel which limits your ability to see the upper band of the tach as well as your speed from 60-140.

Give me black background, carbon fiber look to the dials, and what I typed above and I got $200 on it.

But if you want to drawn inspiration from another brand, Honda S2000 all the way. Huge sweeping digital tach across the top, digital onboard computer in the middle which could be modified into a 4 square method to mimic the A/C vent computer, giving you radar detection, boost gauge, oil temp, engine temp, left side gas gauge, right side trip computer; current mileage, miles till empty, etc

[ahalfacre5]

I love that idea for a shift light.... good use of something so.. well useless. I would love to have everything digital. A matching analog/digital rpm gushed, digital MPH, oil temp and pressure, gas, fuel pressure shift light, and trip/mileage. Oh and engine temp. It makes sense in my mind but that might be it

[nando]

Mind if I email you so we can dig into this deeper? Or should we do it all in public?

sure- send me a PM if you want. I haven't posted more about it because it's not done. I wanted to be sure I could actually do it first :p

[nando]

I think it would be sweet if you could modify the oil gauge light in the middle of the cluster and make it a RPM gauge / shift light. As you accelerate, it would go from green, to yellow, to red.

A boost gauge would work nicely where the MPG monitor was placed under the tach.

Changing the needle positions like on the Ebay clusters would be excellent as well. The 12oclock position is very nice if you have a small racing wheel which limits your ability to see the upper band of the tach as well as your speed from 60-140.

Give me black background, carbon fiber look to the dials, and what I typed above and I got $200 on it.

you'd pay $200 for all that in a custom built cluster? keep dreaming. a good working cluster could cost $100 all by itself, and still need some refurb work just to bring it to stock condition..

I love that idea for a shift light.... good use of something so.. well useless. I would love to have everything digital. A matching analog/digital rpm gushed, digital MPH, oil temp and pressure, gas, fuel pressure shift light, and trip/mileage. Oh and engine temp. It makes sense in my mind but that might be it

there is a way to run a shift light in the cluster I pictured with a CAN command, or with the right DME coding. I don't know the technical details of it though.