Speedo swapping

[Ray Smoodiver]

I've located an E30 M3 cluster, but it is in mph, and I am in a kph country.

Is it possible to swap my current kph speedo into the M3 cluster?

Edit: I'm running an Alpina 2.7 right now, will I need the E28 M coding plug to have the correct rpm displayed?

[Gregs///M]

You can swap the speedo or any cluster part between any same generation cluster. There are earlier clusters with 9 LEDs in front, and later clusters with 7 LEDs in front. You can interchange the parts between two of the same generation but not from one generation to the other except fuel and temp gauges.

Coding plug should be swapped depending on how many cylinders your car has/what tachometer expects.

[Ray Smoodiver]

Cool, just the man I wanted to answer.

Both clusters are 7 LED, but the kph one is a motometer, and the mph one is VDO.



There are euro (657) and US (664) part numbers for the E28 M5 coding plugs - I am not sure what the difference might be, but I'd wager that whatever front I end up with, I'll need to use that plug. Also, the current 683 coding plug "should" be accurate to 7K on the E30 M3 tacho, but after that will not read, correct?

The M3 rear cluster has an additional connector which my 325 cluster does not have. I have circled it, I guess this is for the oil temp?



And finally, juuuust to make this interesting, I've got the long range fuel tank and associated "split" tank gauge as seen here:



Is what is displayed on the gauge handled by the gauge itself or the sender in the tank? IE: will the needle be in the same place on the gauge, regardless of what face is on there / gauge used? (If that makes sense).

Cheers for all your help.

Edit:

Got my cluster opened up:



I surmise the path of least resistance will be to dremel a hole in the back of the cluster for the additional connector on the back of the M3 tacho, and swap the red needles over on the other gauges.

I understand that it's bloody finicky to take needles off and get them seated in the correct place again. Confirm / deny?

Final task will be to then take the perspex off and find a way of removing the pictograms from the original speedo and fit them into the ///m logo'd housing to replace the words. Phew!

[nando]

the speedo will work fine. you can also just swap faces.

yes, the plug is for oil temp.

no idea on the fuel gauge - but my hunch is, the gauge is a little different to deal with the different resistance curves of the extra tank & sender. it will swap over regardless (use the one that matches your car).

to remove the needles, use a fork and a credit card underneath so you don't damage anything. I don't suggest ever removing the needle on the MPG/oil temp gauge though (just a general comment)..

[Gregs///M]

Nando has it right, and Ray, sounds like your on the right track. Using the M3 will give you the greatest RPM range, so I would use that one.

If you take the whole cluster apart, you can swap the back so you wont have to dremel everything out. Just remember to install the two washers on the fuel and temp gauges correctly, spring washer is on the inside, flat washer on outside.

[Ray Smoodiver]

All going fairly smoothly thanks for the advice gents, currently have gone VDO rear with cutout, Motometer PCB, VDO tach and Motometer gauges with red needles swapped.



What do you mean by the spring washer on the inside, flat washer on the outside Greg? I only had a single nut and washer on the poles for the temp and fuel gauge.

[Gregs///M]

There should be a thin wavy washer that goes down the grounding pole for temp and fuel gauge inside the cluster. It installs between the gauge and the printed circuit board. Then on the outside of the cluster, there should be a standard flat washer under the 7mm nut. between the blue or white plastic cluster back and the 7mm nut.