Z3 to E36 Instrument Cluster Swap

[parthomp]

Can you switch out the z3 cluster for the E36 cluster? Will it still work the same and without issue?

[BimmerBreaker]

Not for a facelift Z3 you cant

You will lose many features and wont be plug and play. Its a bad idea.

[parthomp]

Thanks, good to know it's not a simple facelift. I just happened to stumble across the look of the white gauges or the glow gauges for the e36, and couldn't find anything similar for the z3.

[BimmerBreaker]

Thanks, good to know it's not a simple facelift. I just happened to stumble across the look of the white gauges or the glow gauges for the e36, and couldn't find anything similar for the z3.

Gauge faces swap over. Those white gauge face clusters are not original parts they are afternarket and as Fix.a.ZX mentioned the cluster face is the same part.

Just try to find some gauge faces without the E36 cutout for fuel economy/oil temp and they will work

[parthomp]

Awesome thank you!

[bluptgm3]

Yes what was said above.

If your car is a '01 Z3 it uses Can-Bus to communicate to the E46 style ECU. Completely different cluster electronics, housings are identical and so are gauges. Minus that you do not have the economy gauge on the Z3 (or oil temp gauge in the case of euro e36).

This Z3 can-bus change happened with the M52Tu - M54 engine facelift in 2000-2002 only. This is far beyond the regular E36 range of electronics.

One similar car is the E36 Ti Compact, they always were more similar to a Z3 than a regular E36 including their clusters. But those being the same clusters as Z3 also lack the economy gauge. They were produced into 2001.

*By regular E36 I mean, Coupe, convertible, sedan, touring. *

The problem with a 318ti cluster is that the tachometer only supports 4 cylinder engines…


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[BimmerBreaker]

I just did a google search because of your post.. all Ti and Z3 clusters (aside from M) have 6,000-7,000 redline in the Rpm gauge, si absolutely no difference!

If you mean coding wise? That's very easy to code the engine type, as are the kilometers to code from the chipset. I've done countless clusters. Unless if course coding isn't your thing, I'm available.

Also the 323Ti cluster is widely available from europe, and super nice Black Gauge rings on it! Very rare for us north 'muricans that got poor options to start with.

Coolest part about those clusters is the silver gauge face imo!

[amancuso]

Yeah I got a Z3 cluster for its housing with the chrome rings but honestly the black rings from a 323Ti would look perfect on an M3.. pic below of the 323Ti special cluster (yes this is only available on the 323 M-package Ti, possibly a rare option I've heard on the Z3M S54 2001-2002 Coupes)

The gauges with the black rings are available on 1997-1999 2.8L Z3s.