E46 M3 cluster swap

[nando]

Well the CAN support in MS3 would let you run the cluster without the E46 DME.

IIts definitely a ton of work - mostly because i don't want to modify the car's wiring. I'd like to get to the point where i can test the dang thing in a car soon.

[RobertK]

CAN support would still be nice for those of us who want to use the MSS54. What is keeping the original clear face fit atm?

Also, if you need help with any of the fabrication stuff I can see what my CNC guys can do. Just started working with another shop that has a much faster turn over and very reasonable prices.

I still have the one cluster on the shelf you gave me a lead on to hold onto just for this once i get my S54 in.

[nando]

wow, almost 2 years since I posted anything in this thread...

well, I've got the thing pretty much fit together. just need to make the face out of plastic, glue it together, and paint it:



Made a prototype face out of cardboard. Going to scan it at work, CAD it, and make a few more for test fitting. Then hopefully I can get it laser cut or something.

I haven't finished soldering all the internal wiring yet, but I've got everything to do that. also, it took me so long to finish, they actually added BMW CAN support for E46 clusters to Megasquirt 3. :|

the last part, and possibly the hardest, is to make the clear face. I don't know if I want to modify the stock E30 one, or just make one out of a sheet of acrylic or lexan.

I'm still kind of amazed that the entire cluster fits inside the E30 cluster, with both motherboards.

[RobertK]

PM me your addy and I will ship you an ecu.

[nando]

moving past concept stage:



some things temporarily hot glued in (the board on the back will be epoxied). actually, I used hot glue on the ignition drivers in my megasquirts for years without issues. I doubt the cluster will get hotter than that :p.

[nando]

fuel gauge I finally figured out.. sorta. I had to adjust the settings for falling/rising rates (liters/minute). default was 1.9 and .9.. now I'm using 75 and 50. the defaults worked fine before, not sure why it doesn't work now. anyway, the gauge responds and doesn't drive me too batty (if you increase it too far, any noise in the system will make the needle wiggle, and drive me nuts!!!!).

basically I'm done with the software portion. now to finish the wiring..

[nando]

I got the fuel gauge to respond, albiet slowly..

it probably takes an hour to move from full to say, 1/4. Eventually it will reach the level I've set and settle there. It just takes way too long.

I can't think of what would cause that. I'm going to fiddle with the time-based gauge damping values and see if something just got borked.

also I notice the "all function" self test doesn't work any longer. I wonder if that's related. I'm not sure why that doesn't work, it did before. it may be related, although none of the other gauges appear to have an issue, they all respond normally to inputs..

[nando]

just the ECU. EWS is a fairly "dumb" system - it doesn't actually affect any of the internal engine calculations like RPM, etc.

[RobertK]

Sure thing. Do you need just the ECU or do you also need the EWS and key with it?

[nando]

I could test one of your MSS52 DME's with my M3 cluster. 95% sure it will work.

[RobertK]

I asked but they had no more M5 clusters. If the E46 M3 cluster will work in its place I would probably just go that route.

A local guy made me a decent offer on my freshly rebuilt S50 so I may keep the S54 swap for my DD and one of the S62s for Mila. So I would like to put a trick cluster into both of them.

If there is anything I can do to help this along let me know.

[nando]

nice :D

if you don't want EWS, you could sell them for good money and get one on ebay without EWS (cheap since they are useless in a stock car without a matching module). Not having a matching key is less of an issue, you can even code your own keys with a little investment (I haven't gone that far, my MSS54HP came with a matching key, EWS module, and transponder).

did you get a cluster or say you had one? you don't really *need* the LCM, but it could be nice to have. I considered convering my entire car to use the LCM but decided it wasn't worth it. I am trying to keep my mods to the cluster reversable in case I decide to do that later.

I don't know how similar the shape of the M5 cluster is to the M3. I am pretty sure that you can use the M5 and M3 clusters interchangeably. MSS52 = MSS54 with 2 more injector and coil drivers. the M3 cluster can be changed from a 6cyl to an 8cyl coding with 1 setting.

would you be willing to send me an M5 cluster/DME to test? I could test MSS52 with the M3 cluster, or MSS54 with the M5 cluster. My gut feeling is the M3 cluster is far more common, thus cheaper, than the M5 cluster, and they're functionally the same thing. I also have a feeling the M3 cluster may fit better inside the E30 housing.

[RobertK]

Pigtail harnesses for the cluster, external temp sensor, maybe the LCM.

I would grab ews modules, keys and transponders if you can, the dme is worth more with an ews module.

Nabbed 4 ECUs with the EWS, 2 with keys. Unfortunately, no LCMs, temp sensors, or wire harnesses were left because they had crush all the cars. :(

[golde30]

fuel gauge is still stuck. pissing me off.. but making some other progress:

Nice. Turn this into a DIY kit. Would be awesome.

I dont have a problem with trimming/fitting to the e30 dash, but the wiring and circuit boards are beyond me.

[Farbin Kaiber]

Every time I see this thread, I'm slackjawed.