Converting to a VN Calais dash

[vpbt1ss]

yeah with that diagram not all vp's r the same and not all the vn switches are the same and with the vp u also need to rewire the circut board if u want your interior light delay to work as its circuts are where the trip computer buttons go. some of the extra wiring on the clusters may also not be needed to be done.

[lsprewell]

LOL! Don't get angry stocky, its a good theory, but its actually the other way around, Holden first started using the one loom in the VN early series for both Exec and Calais, apparantly, but stopped doing so shortly after, as it cut costs down due to the higher sales of the executive models. So you would be very hard to find any VN's execs that have all the extra calais plugs and stuff, thats all..... And what has Jesus Christ have to do with this...?

[stocky]

yeah i was irritated last night after a long day of work. anyone got any other VN or VP diagrams they can post up here?

[HoZy]

I got a S1, S1 Calais dash, S2 Motor... No loom changing apart from adding what was necasary for the calais cluster.......

GOD YOU PEOPLE COMPLAIN!!

[stocky]

GOD YOU PEOPLE COMPLAIN!!

welcome to the internet

[HoZy]

You should be smart enough to figure it out urself, I did mine when i was 15 without any problems.....

Put both clusters down, An map the 4th plug, easy as piss !!!!!!!!

Read which wire goes where from the PCB

Cheers
MaT

[lsprewell]

why dont people get it. these diagrams were fine for my VN. maybe the later 1991 model VNs had a different wiring loom, but these diagrams worked

You say these diagrams were fine for your VN (Pre 91/Series II) but what I was saying is I have a pre 91 SI VN and the diagram was not exactly the same, thats all, so I was trying to re itterate to people that just because its a Series I VN doesnt mean that all the wires will match up exactly the same.

[FXST01]

Don't just draw a map of the 4th connector, map all the connectors as some are different and need to be moved to another location.

[HoZy]

Don't just draw a map of the 4th connector, map all the connectors as some are different and need to be moved to another location.

If that's true, explain why mines been fine for the for the passed 2years......

Cheers
MaT

[FXST01]

Originally Posted by FXST01
Don't just draw a map of the 4th connector, map all the connectors as some are different and need to be moved to another location.

If that's true, explain why mines been fine for the for the passed 2years......

Cheers
MaT

See the magic word in my sentence:

some
adj.
1. Being an unspecified number or quantity: Some people came into the room. Would you like some sugar?
2. Being a portion or an unspecified number or quantity of a whole or group: He likes some modern scupture but not all.
3. Being a considerable number or quantity: She has been directing films for some years now.
4. Unknown or unspecified by name: Some man called.
5. Logic. Being part and perhaps all of a class.
6. Informal. Remarkable: She is some skier.

pron.
1. An indefinite or unspecified number or portion: We took some of the books to the auction.
2. An indefinite additional quantity: did the assigned work and then some.

adv.
1. Approximately; about: Some 40 people attended the rally.
2. Informal. Somewhat: some tired.

[stocky]

dude, no need to be a smartass

[lsprewell]

Yes, I think that by now, we all know that their will be cases where a vn calais dash will go straight in without the need to move pins around on the rear connectors.
The reason people are saying to check is because obviously others (including myself) realised that we had to change a few pins around for it to work, and its good that you done yours at the age of 15, but it probably would of been more impressive if you had done it at the age of 85.
Anyone can wire up a dash following the pin assignments, diagrams, and labels etc etc. No one here is claiming to be extra smart, its meant to be advice to people who don't really know what they are doing.

Good Luck With Your Conversions People

PS: I done the blue led conversion the other day and visual mods to my calais dash, will post the pics up soon.

[HoZy]

PS: I done the blue led conversion the other day and visual mods to my calais dash, will post the pics up soon.

Can't wait to see the blue LED mod.

Cheers
MaT

[azkwazere]

OK... i just completed this one and i have some things to add......:

1. Dont start this mod with the intention that everything will go perfectly and you'll have it done before you have to leave for work... its takes hours not minutes. Approx. 3. Thats fully complete.

2. You dont have to remove you dash. Just the surround and fuse access panel.

3. When you have removed your cluster, you will notice the 3 Connectors.
TAKE NOTE: When siting in drivers seat looking at dash, the connectors are in this order: ([1] ------ [2] -- [3] )

4. I only had to remove and alter connectors 2 and 3. Not 1. I have a Series II VN.

5. To remove these connectors... Stick your hand up behind them (Through the fuse area) and squeeze the retaining clips together.... push outwards. Then using a small flat head screwdriver, leaver the 2 side clips off and pull the other two clips outwards. Slide backing plate off. Pull backing plate then connecotr through. This takes some creativity and patients.

6. The pins for each connector are as follows... TAKE NOTE OF THIS (coudl save you hours.... aZk is a fool sometimes)

Looking at the connoector... as it would be in the dash:
______________________
| [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] |
| [7][8][9][10][11][12] |
|____________________|

7. When you plug it back in, if you try to test your lights, you MUST have your dimmer switch plugged in. This could also save you hours of re-soldering the same illumination wire becasue you think that you've stuffed up somewhere.

8. The Stage III cluster can be used without the 4th Connetor, however, it will not display any information in the LCD panels and the ODO (odometer) will not work. This is illegal.

9. When you plug everything back in... you will notice you odo XXXXXXXX will be constatnly on. THis is normal, it does not turn off. Dont try for hours to work out why. It is just this way.

10. When splicing your wires, Use hookup wire to extend the connections so its not as hard to solder and manuver... Take your time also as they are short wires and mistakes can be made.

11. The ECU wire is discribed as being in a connecor YBXX, ignore this and splice it exactly from the ECU main input loom. (Connector in bottom of ECU)

12. The Wires were all the right colours for a VN SII according to the included diagrams.

13. If you try to start your car after installing ECU wire and it all goes black... you've done something wrong... yes, it happened!

14. The Stage III will work without the trip comp buttons, i know cos i dont have any yet! You just cant cycle through the modes.

15. Get all the soldering right the first time and double check eveerything before you put connectors and dashes back in... its annoying to have to pull it all out again! (oh say 17times)

16. Cover every join you make... terminate everything.

17. Thats it kids. Cant think of anything else as of yet! Good luck. Its not that hard and it can be done right the first quickly....

Special thanx to Stocky and Hozy.... Both got alot of pm's and msn time.

Good luck!

aZk.

[HoZy]

Congrats aZk

Cheers
MaT

[stocky]

nice work. wouldve helped you out more if i could, just been busy lately

[lsprewell]

I would agree with everyting AZK said, but I didnt make the mistakes you mentioned above except....

Vn Dashes can be removed in 1 min flat easily...
It only takes 30mins to wire in the 4th connector and the job is done.


PS: Not sure why there would be any problems in regards to wiring it up wrong, the wiring only goes one way.
I never encountered problems with the display going black after plugging into the ECU, this only happens if you don't know what your doing.

Anyone doing this job would know you need the headlight/parker switch connected for the lights to display!!!!! RIGHT!!!

[philipbtaylor]

it would help if you got the plug that goes into the back of the switchblock. it will make it easier to connect the new wires to your existing plug

Hey,
I ran into this problem of not having enough wires in the orgianl plug 6 months ago and I kinda put the whole project on hold, is there any other way around this, maybe a way of being able to insert more wires into that plug?

Or do you think I should just go and find one. Would conventrys sell them?

[stocky]

just go the wreckers and find another plug. doesnt need to be calais. then pull 4 wires out of the plug and put them into your original plug

[FXST01]

Has anyone done this to a VP? if so, can you explain to me what you did to the wiring at the binnicle switches? I can see where the computer wiring needs to go and in what order, but theres only two vacant spots and i need to remove two wires, where /what do i do this these removed wires?

Does your dome light and rear demister work after doing this? as mine only works now when the button is held down.

[FXST01]

So no one has done this to a VP?

[lsprewell]

So no one has done this to a VP?

If your VP has a body control module than you have to wire it up accordingly, just follow the user manual schematics for a vp and you should have no problems....I will be upgrading a vp dash next month to a level 3 cluster, so I will post anything I find that might be of help, but I dont see it being an issue...

[vpbt1ss]

yeah i have done a vp one in mine takes alot more effort todo and alot of custominsing not as easy as a vn todo if u want everything to work

i need to sit and draw up some digrams for it but ppl in melb i can make up the custom switches u will need but then its a simple job to fit

to fit into a vp u need:

orginal switch block
VN Calais switch block

and with parts from both and both circut board u can have it all working including interior light delay

and you will also need black paint for the switches ad vn ones are grey

and interstate ppl i can do also if needed

[FXST01]

OK solved my problem by combining the calais switch with my exec one.

[vpbt1ss]

have u fitted it yet? i have rough diagrams i can try to scan for you