89 520i analogue dash to digital

[adystorr]

Hi Guys,

My first time posting here, I have just got myself a 89 e34 520i SE and it has got an OBC fitted. The car is also fitted with an analogue Dash and do'es not have the display along the bottom. I was wondering if it is possible to swap it for the digital stye dash. A question on this

Will the car be wired to except the new dash. If not will i beable to change that and how.

If any one can help me on this or could give me a link if it has been put on the internet somewhere. I have tried a search put have not found anything.

Many thanks, and what a super forum this is. It has already saved me many pounds that i would have had to give the stealers

[Kalevera]

Given what I learned from a post a few weeks back, it's hard to say what kind of wiring harness is behind your dash. Some have two plugs (seems prevalent on euro "baby baby" sixes and the fours), most have three. You'll have to pull the module (or check the ETK and see if there's a picture) to find out. Most of our cars have more wiring than is necessary, but if they only stuck a two plug module in there, I doubt that there'd be the third plug just waiting in anticipation

Do you have the full OBC or the simplified version with like...4 buttons?

BTW, what's the appeal of having a check control? I realize that it has some inherent value, but to me it seems like another thing that can break.

best, whit

[adystorr]

Do you have the full OBC or the simplified version with like...4 buttons?

BTW, what's the appeal of having a check control? I realize that it has some inherent value, but to me it seems like another thing that can break.

best, whit

Hi Whit, thanks for the quick reply,

I have got the full OBC. And the appeal of the check control is that there will be more to play with when it goes wrong

[GaryE]

I recently got a bmw breaker to send me a inst cluster to replace a 92 520 one, he sent me an analogue one which did have 3 ports at the back (green, blue and yellow) looked like something off an earlier model, possibly an 89. (Ive had to send the analogue one back to them).

My 92 520 has the same 3 ports but with a digital odometer, but no big lcd at the bottom, just a small one for the transmission (displays: D,R,N etc).

Anyway - when I plugged the older one in, it worked alright just I didn't want analogue odometer, so I take it that they are quite universal as long as you have the right connectors going into it.

[adystorr]

I recently got a bmw breaker to send me a inst cluster to replace a 92 520 one, he sent me an analogue one which did have 3 ports at the back (green, blue and yellow) looked like something off an earlier model, possibly an 89. (Ive had to send the analogue one back to them).

My 92 520 has the same 3 ports but with a digital odometer, but no big lcd at the bottom, just a small one for the transmission (displays: D,R,N etc).

Anyway - when I plugged the older one in, it worked alright just I didn't want analogue odometer, so I take it that they are quite universal as long as you have the right connectors going into it.

Hi Gary,
I took my dash out today and it has only got two ports in the back. However there are three plugs two of which are plugged into the dash and a green one which is just lying around. I do have the correct indicator lever fitted as in the fact that when i press it in it changes the OBC display. I also noted that the dash i have fitted at the moment has a code reader fitted.

So with this info does anyone think i will beable to convert the dash ?

[pundit]

... I also noted that the dash i have fitted at the moment has a code reader fitted...

Code reader? Please explain. Can you take some pics?
I have a full OBC and OBC display instrument cluster but it doesn't display codes. Apparently the onboard code checking is not normally enabled on Aussie delivered E34's or it seems European models either. It appears the U.S. and specifically California had E34's delivered with the code checking option but most other countrys missed out.

Are you sure you have a code reader fitted as you mentioned? Does it plug into the instrument cluster? There are several on this forum who would like enable their non-enabled code checking. - TIA

BTW - Welcome!

[E34-520iSE]

Hi! Sorry to jump in like this but I have the same car/dash/plugs as you adystorr. Except I don't have the OBC. Can anyone explain the functions of the g/b/y plugs? Do you need a g/b/y socketed cluster, or would any cluster fit?

Cheers,

Shaun

[E34-520iSE]

Any ideas guys? If anyone's pulled a dash cluster out recently, what colour were the plugs? What model / year?

Cheers,

Shaun

[Kalevera]

Take a picture of the back of your cluster and post it on the board? I'd really like to see what one of the baby euro ones look like.

best, whit

[GaryE]

Heres a few pics of my '92 automatic 520 cluster....







I know that the green connecter goes into a seperate module that displays what gear the car is in, I've tried it without the cluster attached to the car and afaik that's all that does...

pics of the green connector and unit detached (its plug and play):
www.network49.com/cluster/frontgs.jpg
www.network49.com/cluster/backgs.jpg