E34 low to high dashboard conversion?

[MarioAngelov]

Hi there! I have a few questions regarding such a conversion.

My car is a 07/92 520i, yet some of the things inside don't really add up. I have the small OBC with the digital clock, my dashboard is VERY weird -- it doesn't even have a check engine light. I removed it and saw that there isn't even a place for one out of the factory. I want to change it with the display-having ones -- do I have to wire in anything, or is it plug and play? Does it have to be reprogrammed having in mind 520is don't come with one from the factory /I think/?
Has anyone else here ever seen a 92 E34 with a dash so old it doesn't even have a check engine light?
Here is the VIN for reference GG15380
Thanks to everyone who helps in advance!

[shogun]

there is more involved than you expect, here all the details with pics and details in German language, copy and translate that http://www.pet-racing.de/E34
click on top right: KI low Hi Umbau

[MarioAngelov]

there is more involved than you expect, here all the details with pics and details in German language, copy and translate that http://www.pet-racing.de/E34
click on top right: KI low Hi Umbau

Tons of specific stuff indeed, yeah. I don't mind having to disassemble all, as I will be cutting out 2/3rds of the car anyways. Old owner left a leaking battery on the back and I'll have do some major cutting. Same goes for the front near the gas pedal, as he also sold it to me with a leaking heater core.. and there's the sill thing that I guess is standard on cars that old, that haven't seen love in some time.
What bothers me is that I probably won't be able to find an adapter harness in my country (Bulgaria), so I'll have to be rewiring everything by hand.
Do you have any idea why my original dash is from a pre-90s E34 if the car's VIN says it's manufactured 92? Oddly enough, my OBC has the whole set of wires on the back, ready to accommodate a OBC IV.
From what I've read, pre 90s E34 don't have a check engine light installed, but at least have a socket to it..

[shogun]

Maybe south42 here on the forum has an adapter harness from one of his parts cars, probably all US E34 have hi cluster versions https://www.petberger.de/pet-racing/...au/Low_Hi3.jpg
You would have to tell him which cluster back, white or blue you will have as Hi cluster

[moroza]

The large OBC swaps with the small OBC, no wiring required. The check engine light (CEL) will need the right engine computer to trigger it; not worth the conversion as these early CEL didn't do much anyway. I think they were required by law in the US.

[south42]

I do.


Andy

[shogun]

The large OBC swaps with the small OBC, no wiring required. The check engine light (CEL) will need the right engine computer to trigger it; not worth the conversion as these early CEL didn't do much anyway. I think they were required by law in the US.

CEL etc he does not care.
He talks about the low version cluster which apparently never was shipped to the US. They are different from the usual hi version clusters used in the US.
The low version cluster has a mechanical indication for total km and daily km.
Service Interval is a combination of LED and bulbs on a replaceable board.
It has 2 rechargable batteries in the cluster for the service interval
no warning light in the ECE version for coolant temperature
The automatic transmission gear indication is a separate unit plugged into the cluster.
Maker is Motometer

pics are here http://www.pet-racing.de/E34 click on top left on: Kombiinstrumente Uebersicht

[moroza]

Mentioned "check engine light" so I thought that was important.

US doesn't have a coolant warning light either (but the CCM display will report low level or high temperature).

Link is dead. Is it this?


I wouldn't mind replacing my US cluster with that. My CCM is disabled anyway and I like analog odometers that don't have pixels to burn out. Mario, if you end up swapping, don't throw yours away; I might want it.

[shogun]

here once more the link, works for me, try again, on top left click http://www.pet-racing.de/E34
Many in Europe want to change from low to high cluster, too many problems with that, just think about the 2 batteries inside leaking......service interval cannot be reset then etc

low cluster redesign main faults
Defekte / Fehler:
- Bekanntestes Problem dieses KIs sind die Segmentfehler gerne auch als "Pixelfehler" bezeichnet im Display - beginnend mit einzelnen Segmenten bis hin zum totalen Ausfall kompletter Ziffern = main problem is pixel faults in display
- Sporadischer oder dauerhafter Ausfall der Anzeigen (Tacho, Kühlwasser, Tankanzeige) durch defekte Leiterplatte, Anzeigen oder Codierstecker = sporadic or continious defect of speedo, coolant indicator, tank level by defective boards
- Die Beleuchtung der Instrumente wird mit der Zeit dunkler da die Scheiben von hinten verschmutzen = ilumination of cluster get's darker and darker over time due to dirt accumulation from backside of the glas/plastic
Sonderfall beim M21B24: Wenn die SI-Anzeige nach dem Start dauerhaft leuchtet und der Drehzahlmesser ausgefallen ist deutet dieses nicht auf einen Defekt des KIs hin sondern auf den Ausfall des "Spritzbeginn-Steuergerätes" = special case M21B24: when the service interval glows continiously after engine start and the RPM meter is not working, this gives a hint to a faulty injection start of the control unit, not a fault in the cluster

[moroza]

I don't use the service reminder anyway... and the "high" cluster can have gauge issues too.

[Bnn747]

Marioangelov,If by chance you still need a low to high instrument cluster adapter I have one.

[Stianaarre]

Marioangelov,If by chance you still need a low to high instrument cluster adapter I have one.

Any chance you still got it?
I might want it.

[zkd]

I did this few years back, and I also did the Upgrade to the bigger OBC V4 including the the stalk and the info display on the high cluster. here are some of the documents I used... you will need the high cluster with the blue back, you will also need the connectors there are 4 of them. and since you have the small OBC your car should have all the wireing need exept for 3 of them which are included in the documents I attached. if you need help just ask.
e34 Cluster pins-neg.jpggen_iii_back_text.jpglow to high wiring.jpg

steckerbelegung-x16-93.de.en.jpg

OBC-Pinouts.jpg