DIY: Z3 Non-M gauge cluster to Z3M S54 Conversion

[ZiMMie]

Did you receive these things yet?
I am doing the same thing.

Waiting for my venoxy faceplate before continuing to build, but I am not sure yet how to wire in the Gauge.S into the cluster.

Yes. although i haven't had time to continue. I'd like to reuse unused pins on the Cluster PCB and install external wifi antenna.
Hopefully i find some time within this month to finish it up. Although I'm not really in a rush.
Here is how it sits currently.

[et89]

Just to give an update and a few tips.

I got the eeprom flashed.

ended-up removing it as i didn't have a clip.

X-prog is not able to flash the 93CS56.
It doesn't have the option to clear the "Protections Bit" that enables to writing the entire eeprom.

You can use X-porg for the external coding chip C46.

Ended up using UPA programmer to flash the CS56 Chip.
Tips...
Read Protect Register
Record the protection bit *DA*.
Clear Protect Regiser
Write the Eerpom
Write Protect Register


I have ordered the Gague S. and a custom M S54-Z3 gauges from Venoxy.

Its keeps the s54 m z3 tachometer scale but has the oil temp cutout for gauge s.

Did you receive these things yet?
I am doing the same thing.

Waiting for my venoxy faceplate before continuing to build, but I am not sure yet how to wire in the Gauge.S into the cluster.

[ZiMMie]

If anyone is interested in changing the coolant gauge buffer, it start at 0xF4.
there isnt much of a buffer on the S54 EEPROM compared to the non m.

M54 Cluster Water Temp Gauge




S54 Cluster Water Temp Gauge

[ZiMMie]

Just to give an update and a few tips.

I got the eeprom flashed.

ended-up removing it as i didn't have a clip.

X-prog is not able to flash the 93CS56.
It doesn't have the option to clear the "Protections Bit" that enables to writing the entire eeprom.

You can use X-porg for the external coding chip C46.

Ended up using UPA programmer to flash the CS56 Chip.
Tips...
Read Protect Register
Record the protection bit *DA*.
Clear Protect Regiser
Write the Eerpom
Write Protect Register


I have ordered the Gague S. and a custom M S54-Z3 gauges from Venoxy.

Its keeps the s54 m z3 tachometer scale but has the oil temp cutout for gauge s.

[terra]

JBanzhaf thanks. i just ordered one to play with. could you please upload the EEPROM.
Do you know what byte to change to change it from Miles to KM?


I'm going to integrate Gague s in mine.



This will give me Oil temp, Level, Logging, coolant etc.

This will be a much cleaner solution. Not to mention the convenience of not turning your head to look at other gauges.


terra are these CAN Messages applicable to MSS54HP (CSL 0401/0301) as well?

Yeah those should be generally accurate for the mss5x

[JBanzhaf]

ZiMMie, I’ll send you a dump from one of those clusters tomorrow evening. Interesting that you say the changes don’t stick, as that is the method I used to code the two KM clusters I have. Are you using the correct profile in NCS to perform coding changes? I use revtor’s expert mode profile.


It’s interesting that gauge.s requires you to manually define the CAN id’s. It was my understanding that it used one of the diagnostic lines going to the cluster to get its data. I thought it was also plug and play with native MSS54 support. I don’t know very much about the gauge.s, so I’m probably just misunderstanding something.

[ZiMMie]

ZiMMie, I just sent you a PM with the EEPROM file. Changing the odometer from miles to km is very easily done using NCS Expert. If you aren’t able to do that, I currently have two km clusters in my possession that I can get a dump from and send you the file.

I’m interested to see how your gauge.s install turns out. Post some pictures of it when you’ve finished. I’ve had a couple of people ask me about gauge.s installs in Z3M clone clusters.

As for compatibility with the 0401 CSL DME, I can confirm that it works. My personal E36 is running Terra’s 0401 bin with the modified boot loader, and everything is working correctly (A/C, Check engine light, CAN Bus coolant temperature gauge, and cruise control).

Please dump the eeprom file on those clusters as we can compare where the changes are made. last time I tried to code those clusters with the exact changes, it will always revert back to miles 30secs after ncsexpet writes the changes.

I'll definitely post updates in this thread.

I'm actually curious if the CAN ID are the same as I'll have to defined them manually with gauge.s.
The predefined documented messages here were sniffed off an MS43. Bmw tend to keep the messages the same on the same chassis but you never know with the CSL software.

[PowerSax]

This whole thread is mind blowingly amazing. I did not have anything intelligent to add, but will be following the progress of ZiMMie and the gauge.s for my can bus conversion. Thanks all.

[JBanzhaf]

ZiMMie, I just sent you a PM with the EEPROM file. Changing the odometer from miles to km is very easily done using NCS Expert. If you aren’t able to do that, I currently have two km clusters in my possession that I can get a dump from and send you the file.

I’m interested to see how your gauge.s install turns out. Post some pictures of it when you’ve finished. I’ve had a couple of people ask me about gauge.s installs in Z3M clone clusters.

As for compatibility with the 0401 CSL DME, I can confirm that it works. My personal E36 is running Terra’s 0401 bin with the modified boot loader, and everything is working correctly (A/C, Check engine light, CAN Bus coolant temperature gauge, and cruise control).

[ZiMMie]

JBanzhaf thanks. i just ordered one to play with. could you please upload the EEPROM.
Do you know what byte to change to change it from Miles to KM?


I'm going to integrate Gague s in mine.



This will give me Oil temp, Level, Logging, coolant etc.

This will be a much cleaner solution. Not to mention the convenience of not turning your head to look at other gauges.


terra are these CAN Messages applicable to MSS54HP (CSL 0401/0301) as well?

[JBanzhaf]

Great information.

What are you using to view "OIL TEMP"?

I'm currently using a EURO cluster with a manual AC compressor Switch.

Not ideal, but it works.


terra i tried this year ago. The cluster changes via NCS doesn't stick.

I wonder if the changes can be applied via tool32.

The Z3M has an external oil temp gauge, unlike the E46’s built in oil temp gauge. I have a similar setup to the Z3M.

I’m no expert in Tool32, but from my experience with it, it has almost no functionality with these Z3 clusters. I don’t think Tool32 is capable of this. PAsoft isn’t either. PASoft’s algorithm doesn’t support the CAN bus Z3 clusters.

[terra]

I wonder if the changes can be applied via tool32.

Yeah I wonder. Or maybe PASoft?

[ZiMMie]

Great information.

What are you using to view "OIL TEMP"?

I'm currently using a EURO cluster with a manual AC compressor Switch.

Not ideal, but it works.


terra i tried this year ago. The cluster changes via NCS doesn't stick.

I wonder if the changes can be applied via tool32.

[JBanzhaf]

That’s possible, but I don’t think so. I’ve done 5 of these clusters now. The one in my personal car is a late 2001 production cluster. I just finished programming an early 2000 production cluster, a few minutes ago. They’ve all been C03.

[terra]

Looks like both C02 and C03 are can-enabled so probably a build date difference there. Eeproms should be close enough where it wouldn't really matter