Converting to a VN Calais dash

[Jxfwsf]

i thought there was no difference but confirmation is always good, thanks, was leaning towards an issue with the cluster as the l2 is fine

 

[88GreenVN]

i thought there was no difference but confirmation is always good, thanks, was leaning towards an issue with the cluster as the l2 is fine

All 3 levels of cluster gauges will work on standard Executive wire set up. So a L1 set of gauges will/should work in a Calais if needed. (I test all L2 VN clusters I rebuild in my car thats running a S1 VQ Statesman loom in it)

 

[Jxfwsf]

.......part 2 of the above mod... this way i only have to link 5 external wires, 1 to the ecu and the 4 switches.
Much easier than splicing into the dash wiring and if i use a 5 pin connector to the 5 wires that are hanging forward in the pic it's easy to transplant to other vehicles if i ever get rid of the car and keep the cluster.
Cluster slides straight in like this, just ran a wire to the ecu and have the basic functions, now just to get a switch block and install that, at least it has an odo for roadworthy.

Use an adjustable soldering iron and set it to the lowest possible heat setting to melt solder, not a monster iron but a good electronics one and it's easy to solder to the tracks without damaging/lifting from the plastic once you scrape a small area with a knife and tin it. Don't solder to the edges but to somewhere in the middle of a track like pictured, don't hold the iron on there to long, just long enough to tin the area, i also put some good quality tape over parts to stop wires from moving around, could also use small dabs of hot glue.

regarding the issue with the speedo i mentioned earlier, the unit is stuffed, just adding 12 volt power to it and it jumps to 80, spare parts it is.

 

[88GreenVN]

.......part 2 of the above mod... this way i only have to link 5 external wires, 1 to the ecu and the 4 switches.
Much easier than splicing into the dash wiring and if i use a 5 pin connector to the 5 wires that are hanging forward in the pic it's easy to transplant to other vehicles if i ever get rid of the car and keep the cluster.
Cluster slides straight in like this, just ran a wire to the ecu and have the basic functions, now just to get a switch block and install that, at least it has an odo for roadworthy.

Use an adjustable soldering iron and set it to the lowest possible heat setting to melt solder, not a monster iron but a good electronics one and it's easy to solder to the tracks without damaging/lifting from the plastic once you scrape a small area with a knife and tin it. Don't solder to the edges but to somewhere in the middle of a track like pictured, don't hold the iron on there to long, just long enough to tin the area, i also put some good quality tape over parts to stop wires from moving around, could also use small dabs of hot glue.

regarding the issue with the speedo i mentioned earlier, the unit is stuffed, just adding 12 volt power to it and it jumps to 80, spare parts it is.

Some good work there if you cant find a 4th plug!! I wont be doing the cluster soldering bit tho - I find the wires easy enought to splice into the dash loom (but I guess I've done a few now LOL). Only takes about an hour to do - and you can still run a L2 cluster if the car is to be sold and you wish to keep the L3 cluster.

 

[Jxfwsf]

half the reason i did it this way, didn't have the 4th plug and the plug that was on the lcd unit was stuffed (plastic was all broken & missing bits)
and being a 30 degree day i wanted to spend more time in the aircon than in the car messing about with wiring
It easy to solder but as stated and warned use the iron on the lowest temp that it will melt solder at and don't stay on the plastic backing to long the iron i used is a smd work station set to 170 with a fine tip. Easy job compared to some of the smd crap i've changed in the past.
I'll take some more pics n draw up a wiring diagram when i get some multicolored ribbon cable for those that can't work it out from all the info in this thread (maybe i'll even make it look a bit neater, only used such long wires cause i have to get the lcd unit back out and replace the buggered screens).

you wouldn't happen to know where i could find some of the lcd panels by themself? looking for a center and right one (the ones i have aren't bleeding but missing segments, it's not the carbon impregnated silicon or circuit board at fault, can't justify the cost of a complete cluster for a bit of luxury)

 

[sexy holden chik]

Hi guys im new to this but just wondering i just bought a digital dash from ebay to install in my 89 vn commodore s and when i put it in it started smoking and blew...
I didnt do anything except take my old one out (which wasnt digital) and put the new one in...
HELP????????????????????????????????

 

[Jxfwsf]

Hi guys im new to this but just wondering i just bought a digital dash from ebay to install in my 89 vn commodore s and when i put it in it started smoking and blew...
I didnt do anything except take my old one out (which wasnt digital) and put the new one in...
HELP????????????????????????????????

sounds like you bought a vr/vs cluster, they don't work, what was it advertised as and what did they say it came out of?

 

[hi_ryder]

its always good to compare the back of the cluster side by side with the old one to make sure all the wiring labels match up. otherwise your going to have a smoke show....

 

[vpcomm92]

Going wrecker hunting thi weekend, just been through all 23 pages and I've got most of what I need.
Just one thing I must have missed.
With the soldering the standard LH SB to the trip comp LH SB ( as in page 16) How necessary is this? Is this just to get the interior light delay? Or also to get the wipers to work?
I have a VP v6, plan on getting all VP V6 or VQII parts, so just wondering what is the soldering the PCBs together's function?
Thanks

 

[88GreenVN]

Going wrecker hunting thi weekend, just been through all 23 pages and I've got most of what I need.
Just one thing I must have missed.
With the soldering the standard LH SB to the trip comp LH SB ( as in page 16) How necessary is this? Is this just to get the interior light delay? Or also to get the wipers to work?
I have a VP v6, plan on getting all VP V6 or VQII parts, so just wondering what is the soldering the PCBs together's function?
Thanks

If you use a standard L3 switch it will smoke up You can however (if you can find one) use a VP Berlina L3 switch block (black) that has no slider control on it - but has all the trip buttons needed.

I've made about 20 converted switch blocks over the years and it's not a sinch - but taken step by step you can make one and solder in the 5 extra wires and it all will work as it should.