E46 M3 cluster swap

[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]

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

[RobertK]

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

[nando]

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

[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]

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]

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.

[RobertK]

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

[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]

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]

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.

[nando]

I had a sheet of plastic laying around, so I figured, what the heck? I'll try making it by hand, and if it looks like poo, I can have it laser cut instead. I made a pattern at work in CAD, printed it and glued it to a piece of cardboard, then cut and trim it to make sure it fit. Then I taped it to the plastic, and went to town with a knife. I think it turned out rather well..




as it turns out, the outter edge doesn't have to be even close to perfect - the shroud that screws over top of the cluster covers most of the edges. I'm going to glue it together with model cement, fill the corners in with model putty, and then paint it matt black.

Still have to figure out the clear face, but I'm leaning towards using a stock one. The extra hole for the odometer reset will be a bit annoying though. I also have some flexible clear plastic I can cut to cover it instead, which I may try, but it's a complex shape (curved in 2 directions). the one on the pic is obviously damaged, but it was useful for mock ups. if only I could figure out a way to fill in that extra hole.

there's also the bottom edge I have to cover somehow that you can't see in the pic. I might cut what's there out now (basically where the lights go through on a stock cluster) and put a straight piece.

[FredK]

Looks like a good fit!

[Farbin Kaiber]

Downright awesome.

[nando]

I'm motivated to finish this after taking so long since MS3 supports it directly now. I don't have to wait to get MSS54 running in my car. :)

wiring will be fun, but I think that's easier than fabrication of plastic bits..