Late instrument cluster into Early car

[stretch. 0]

Simple quick question, will the later instrument clusters be a straight swap into my 1990 1.8 16v?

 

If not, I only realistically need a new temp/fuel part of the cluster, would this swap from a late into mine?

[eugopnosaj 0]

There are a few differences with the clocks, some of the early corrados had smaller fuel tanks. Also you'd need to check whether your cluster uses the vacuum hose for the speedo, digital vs analogue odo etc...

 

Another note is that the mileage on the odo is stored in the clocks not the ECU so if you swap them it'll show the incorrect mileage...HTH!

[stretch. 0]

Mines a 12gallon tank, on the back of the dials I have (from memory!) the wide electrical plug, small black vacuum hose, and a speedo cable connection. The odo is analogue.

 

The main issue, is that I dropped the bloody clocks after I installed some backlit dials, lost the temp needle, fuel level stopped working, and I've cracked the bloody plastic -- Which is different between early and late clusters!

 

Annoying. And I can't find any early clusters either. Which is ever more annoying.

[DiamondTony 10]

I'm doing the same conversion for my 20vt engine as the signal is digital. There's apparently a wire up guide on VWVortex - but I've not searched as I'm just getting some electrician to do it lol

[eugopnosaj 0]

@DiamondTony - The 20vt engine uses CANbus from memory and you can get an adaptor for it

 

@stretch - See there's your answer, the late ones won't really work as they don't use a speedo cable, my 92 was the crossover from early to late and just uses the vac hose. The gubbins fit so you can swap the plastics over, the gauge will be out on the fuel tank. I'm not sure whether you can just use the actual gauge (but use your face for it) as I would imagine that the adjustment would be the same but hopefully someone else can answer that...

[DiamondTony 10]

Yeah I know about the adapter, it's a Tachometer for the Rev counter - everything can be adapted to work, just needs the correct rewiring and connecters - or so I have been informed... We shall see when I fit the new clocks into my 1991 model analogue car! Saying that my digital clocks are from a 1991 16v too so should be simple, fingers crossed

[GrahamU 6]

I have a late cluster in my early dash with the 20v engine,

 

tacho runs straight of the AGU ECU,

 

you need the VSS sensor in the gearbox to replace the cable,

 

You also need to run the second indicator feed

 

and there is a mod for the temp gauge, have a look here

 

http://forums.vwvortex.com/showthread.php?3078876-The-unofficial-Cluster-Swap-thread/page3&highlight=early+late+cluster

 

And I'm quite sure the size of tank doesn't matter, if its half full then its half full no matter what size it is, you just need to ignore the capacity printed on the dial

[stretch. 0]

Cheers guys,

 

Thanks Rado for the link, I was trying to find it for a while yesterday!

 

It doesn't look too complex to be fair, the wiring for the cluster seems pretty easy, and it has a few nicer touches than the early cluster (separate indicator lights being one!)

 

The only thing it doesn't really touch on, is the VSS wiring from looking at it, but I've got a bentley manual which should shed some light on that.

[GrahamU 6]

VSS is quite simple, PWR, GND and signal.

 

The signal is a 5v line supplied from the cluster, as the sensor turns the 5v is grounded causing the signal to be a 0 - 5v square wave

 

I'll check later for which pin is which

[GrahamU 6]

VSS wiring

 

Pin 1 - Ignition 12V

Pin 2 - Signal (pin 27 of cluster)

Pin 3 - GND