Thanks. Not quite done yet. Got to hunt down and kill
that buzzer so I can put back fuse #8 and get back my
message center (which I never use anyway... just an
other electric imperial-like optional toy:)
Having now tested the car in night and day, here are
my thoughts: Unit works and looks great. The unit is
backlight during the day using large pilot lights.
Daylight use works fine.
At night, with headlights on, the pilot lights turn
off and 4 small (almost x-mas tree light sized) bulbs
up in the top of the unit turn on and reflect on the
top of the gauges. This does almost nothing to light
up the guages at night. The shifter selector slide
rule is not lit at all at night. This means it's all
very dark and hard to read at night. Anyone else have
this problem or do I have something wired wrong?!?
Next weekend I plan on removing the cluster and adding
a second set of backlight lights so I can see better
at night- also plan on lighting up the gear selector
slide rule. Plan on using white x-mas lights in series
with resistors to do the trick... wire it in so the
headlight switch turns them on and controls their
brightness....
After this, I hope to tackle the auto dimm mirror and
the EVIC system... and then I'd have a Dynasty with a
full Imperial digital dash system:)
--- Kerry Pinkerton <pinkertonk@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> Jim, I'm impressed! I'd never have the nerve to
> tackle that job. I'll
> stick with sheet metal and paint.
>
> KerryP
> Patch panels fabricated
> Pinkertonk@xxxxxxxxx
> dte.net/57imperial
> Imperials -- 50 Limo, 57 roadster, 61's, 62, 68
> Convert, 73, a 66 300 and a
> bunch of lesser marques
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Jim Gathmann <jim_gathmann@xxxxxxxxx>
> To: 3.3 3.3 <mopar33lv6@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Cc: EEK EEK <eek@xxxxxxxxxx>; ImperialList
> ImperialList
> <mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Sent: Sunday, April 27, 2003 10:27 PM
> Subject: IML: Digital Cluster
>
>
> > Subject:
> > Ever wanted a digital dash in your analog
> > Dynasty/Imperial/etc?
> >
> > Summary:
> > I did it (I think)!
> >
> > Installed a digital dash in my (what was analog
> > cluster) AC/AY.
> >
> > Man. What a job that was. Started friday at around
> 5
> > pm, and I'm just now about finished (and did 2
> > all-nighters with only 4 hours of sleep, lol).
> >
> > It appears to be a possible swap without
> exchanging
> > body computers, etc.
> >
> > TEXT:
> > Basically I took my FSM, looked at how the analog
> > cluster wires up, and how the digital cluster
> wires
> > up. I noticed that several of the digital wiring
> > (about 8 or 9 of the 13 wires going to the digital
> > cluster) are the same as some of the wires going
> to
> > the analog cluster. Some analog cluster wires are
> not
> > used by the digital dash...
> >
> > I then figured out what the remaining 3-4 wires
> were,
> > and how to tie them into the car's electrical
> system.
> >
> > I then remved my dash trim, analog cluster,
> battery
> > cables, etc.
> >
> > I cut off the old analog cluster connector
> harnessesd
> > (2), while leaving about 1.5" of wire still
> attached
> > to the old connectors. Lacking the connector which
> > plugs into my digital dash, I took the cluster
> apart,
> > and used a sodering iron to remove the pins on the
> > back of the cluster. I then directly sodered wires
> to
> > the PCB.
> >
> > Then I spiced into the analog cluster's wiring as
> > needed, and ran two wires for the CCD (computer
> code
> > transfere buss for these cars- basically it goes
> to
> > the diagnostic port and the diag readers use the
> CCD
> > to collect info on the car- the digital dash
> > translates this code and uses it to know what to
> > display on the gauges), a few other odd-ball
> wires,
> > etc and put the cluster in. To get the +12 volt
> inputs
> > for the cluster, I went and taped into the radio
> fuse.
> >
> > Turned the key, blew my 40 amp rade fuse.... no
> one
> > sells fuses in 2 AM sat night (dope!). So I ran
> off of
> > a different fuse for testing my connections.
> >
> > Turned the ignition switch on- dash light up,
> worked,
> > idiot lights all worked, turning on the headlights
> > dimmed the backlite gauges... all good thus far.
> >
> > Volt meter, fuel level, odometer all worked-
> couldn't
> > check speedo, temp, oil psi without running the
> > engine... turned on the engine- temp and oil
> worked
> > (didn't drive the car- so speedo not checked yet-
> > couldn't drive with no dash, and soooo many wires
> all
> > over the place that I couldn't GET to the gas
> pedal!).
> >
> > So all apeared good and done. Well- kina. One
> glitch.
> > There is an electric buzzer under or in the dash
> > somewhere on the passenger's side. When you leave
> your
> > lights on, doors open, keys in, etc., you get that
> > buzzer going off. Well, for some reason, with the
> > cluster in and working, I get a constant buzzer
> sound
> > (that high pitched, ear piercing siren). Ok, so I
> > could play the radio so I don't hear it- BUT, the
> > buzzer stays on EVEN when the ignition switch is
> in
> > the off position (??).
> >
> > Looked over the FSM- the body computer uses fuse 8
> in
> > several circuits- some of the idiot lights, the
> car
> > message centre (picture of a car by the headlight
> > switch- when a door is open a red LED lights on
> the
> > picture...), and a few other things (including the
> > cluster). With 8 inplace, I get the buzzer- with 8
> > removed, no buzzer- so I went to find the buzzer
> so I
> > could just pull it (and then everything would
> work,
> > and no sound and electric draw when car is off).
> WHERE
> > is the buzzer? Spent some 12 hours taking off
> parts of
> > the dash, felling around- could not find it.
> Checked
> > all 4 fuse/relay boxes (yes the AC/AY's have 4-
> two of
> > which you can get to without removing the dash!).
> >
> > So I'm slowly re-wiring each circuit so it doesn't
> use
> > fuse 8-- one circuit at a time. Once I hear the
> > buzzer- I know which circuit is the problem.
> >
> > So far, I've re-wired the cluster so it uses a
> > different fuse, most of the idiot lights.
> >
> > Next to do are the rest of the idiot lights and
> the
> > message center (<-Which is what I suspect is the
> > problem). So I called it quits until next weekend-
> put
> > the car back together, cluster in and appears to
> be
> > working. Tomorrow I see if the speedo works when I
> > drive to work...
> >
> > Looking back, I would have gotten the other end of
> the
> > cluster's harness so I wouldn't have to take apart
> the
> > unit and re-wire the PCB! I wouldn't advise this
> > upgrade unless you all have the FSM handy, already
> > know how your dash is pretty much wired, AND are
> very
> > fimilar with electronics.... this was not easy for
> me
> > (took almost 3 days and 2 nights) and I can build
> just
> > about anything with electronics....
> >
> > __________________________________
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> >
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