Vdo 7k swap problems

[alpineE30]

The battery light was dead so , you may or may not have seen, but i was bitching alot when i first got on here because my battery wouldnt last a week. 86 eta cluster so it didnt have a resistor for dead lights like later ones and bla bla you probably already knew that. That no longer happens on the new cluster but FYI the tach did not work on the eta one either. The gas worked fine though but you already told me why it doesnt know so i know what to do for that.


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Yeah heard about that resistor, just cause the tach didnt work didnt mean the whole cluster/unit was totally bad

[JeLani]

Yeah heard about that resistor, just cause the tach didnt work didnt mean the whole cluster/unit was totally bad

Yeah but the battery was dead and i dont know how to solder nor do i have the time to really do that.


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[alpineE30]

So ok i will switch plugs and see of that works and when i have time tomorrow i'll take it out and try and donor the eta gas guage to it , suggestions on doing this?


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NO what Im just saying is the what ever 7k tach has to have the specific 7k coding plug to match otherwise your readings are not going to be correct 7k-7k coding plug and 5k tach goes with the 5k coding plug if you swapped just the cluster dont touch the coding plug

[alpineE30]

Only reasoning I was saying about swapping the coding plugs is cause I thought you opened the cluster up and changed the tachometer itself but you didnt even do that so dont swap any coding plug but if you decide to open the cluster up which I would have done then you have to swap the coding plug not sure if I can make it any clearer changing coding plugs arent going to do anything the tachs prolly dead or something or your not getting power or a signal

[JeLani]

Vdo 7k swap problems

NO what Im just saying is the what ever 7k tach has to have the specific 7k coding plug to match otherwise your readings are not going to be correct 7k-7k coding plug and 5k tach goes with the 5k coding plug if you swapped just the cluster dont touch the coding plug

Understand now , and yes i know not to use the 5k plug with it , thats not what i thought you were saying. Someone suggested i get a early "is" plug. So i will put in the one that came with the cluster back on. Them two are different types of plugs (7k still) but different serial numbers .
^ above is just my understanding in repsonse to you.


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[JeLani]

Only reasoning I was saying about swapping the coding plugs is cause I thought you opened the cluster up and changed the tachometer itself but you didnt even do that so dont swap any coding plug but if you decide to open the cluster up which I would have done then you have to swap the coding plug not sure if I can make it any clearer changing coding plugs arent going to do anything the tachs prolly dead or something or your not getting power or a signal

This I understand now. So there is something outside of coding plugs/cluster that i need to have a look at. This Being because it didnt work on the last cluster. Wiring?


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[alpineE30]

Id start over get both clusters side by side mark on the back of each one with a black magic marker of which one is the eta and the i start there then flip the face towards you and marked the coding plug eta or I then open the both up and swap the tachs then the coding plugs who knows the tach you got could have been bad from the get go I think theres a way of testing but im not going into that lol all my clusters are marked just so i know whats what etc

[alpineE30]

This I understand now. So there is something outside of coding plugs/cluster that i need to have a look at. This Being because it didnt work on the last cluster. Wiring?


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who knows you could just have two bad tachs you have to start with a good cluster before you even dig into wiring and electrical but then again if your not getting power/signal you can change a million and here it could be power/signal lol

[JeLani]

who knows you could just have two bad tachs you have to start with a good cluster before you even dig into wiring and electrical but then again if your not getting power/signal you can change a million and here it could be power/signal lol

Well i sure hope i didnt buy a bad cluster off of another member untold.


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[alpineE30]

Understand now , and yes i know not to use the 5k plug with it , thats not what i thought you were saying. Someone suggested i get a early "is" plug. So i will put in the one that came with the cluster back on. Them two are different types of plugs (7k still) but different serial numbers .
^ above is just my understanding in repsonse to you.


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Are you saying use a early 325is coding plug?that I dont know. Never dug into it that deep on what years and plugs can be swapped I would have just went with closes year and same brand cluster like a 87 325is cluster if yours is a 86eta? I dont know what year your car is and what year your cluster you swapped was but i think i seen 86eta which is the same as my car

[alpineE30]

Well i sure hope i didnt buy a bad cluster off of another member untold.


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That always happens with clusters your practically buying them blind unless you actually seen it in the car the same day and it worked

[JeLani]

Yes 1986 325e, not sure where the cluster came from


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[alpineE30]

Yes 1986 325e, not sure where the cluster came from


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It should have a part number written on paper on the back of the cluster the coding plug should tell you the year on the bottom

[JeLani]

It should have a part number written on paper on the back of the cluster the coding plug should tell you the year on the bottom

I'll look at it im not at home anymore


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[JeLani]

I'll look at it im not at home anymore


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1988
To be exact 9/88


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