Adapting S14 Silvia cluster to USDM S14?
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hokiruu
- Posts: 741
- Joined: Sat Dec 07, 2002 1:34 pm
- Car: 2012 INFINITI M37X Platinum Graphite
'95 240sx/s14 SR20DET (in 2000) SOLD - Location: Northern CA
Adapting S14 Silvia cluster to USDM S14?
Are USDM zenki and kouki gauge clusters different in back? Or just JDM and USDM clusters different but both generations the same?My S14 kouki clip came with a gauge cluster and I want to try to install it. My 240 is zenki. There are several differences in the back of the cluster such as number of connectors and their shapes. Does anyone know anything about converting the cluster? Maybe I will have to dissect their innards to make the JDM cluster work? I know this kind of things seem trivial, but I just want to try it for fun. I think it would be kind of cool to have the actual cluster from my SR in mt dash. Any helpful advice would be greatly appreciated.Uuri
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itsRaine
- Posts: 183
- Joined: Tue Aug 12, 2003 4:54 pm
- Car: Keira Knightly, the Lakers, and Keira Knightly.
You beat me to it! I was going to ask if a JDM S14 cluster will be plug-and-play with a US S14. Both the JDM S14 from where the cluster came from and my S14 I want to install into are 1995 models. I realize that the JDM S14 uses an SR instead of a KA, so I was thinking of maybe swapping the tach and speedo from the JDM cluster into my US cluster. Has anyone else tried this?
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hokiruu
- Posts: 741
- Joined: Sat Dec 07, 2002 1:34 pm
- Car: 2012 INFINITI M37X Platinum Graphite
'95 240sx/s14 SR20DET (in 2000) SOLD - Location: Northern CA
it's very simple to check it. just unscrew the inner cluster surround in the dash and carefully pull it out. once that is out you will see three screws holding the cluster in place romove these, unclip, the harness in the back, and remove the cluster. I would be very greatful if you could tell me whether they are different or the same too. If they are the same, I can just adapt my US cluster harness to kouki and install the silvia cluster.
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hokiruu
- Posts: 741
- Joined: Sat Dec 07, 2002 1:34 pm
- Car: 2012 INFINITI M37X Platinum Graphite
'95 240sx/s14 SR20DET (in 2000) SOLD - Location: Northern CA
Last night I stayed up late playing with my 2 clusters, haha.:pface
I don't think most of you care, but maybe someone will find this in a seach. Ha! Yeah right, like anyone ever searches!
Keep in mind that I have a Zenki 240sx cluster and Kouki Silvia cluster. I assume both Silvia clusters have the same cluster design as their respective 240sx models. If someone who knows reads this, plase verify whether or not this is true.
Here is what i found:
All the gauges except the tach switch over very easily. It appears this is only because the Zenki tach and speedo overlap, whereas the Kouki do not. Upon inspecting the backs of the clusters you will notice they are different. I did not give up here, however, because the actual connectors to the individual gauges are more or less the same, and the metal conduit-track thingys are labeled for your convenience!
The Silvia Kouki tach's stepping motor is superior in quality and design/durability to the 240sx Zenki one. I discovered this while removing the needles and in the case of the 240sx one-pulling out the entire spindle and apparently breaking the stepping motor. The Silvia one just slides off- quite logically. Go figure.
Unscrew the screws in the back of the housing to free the individual gauges, being carefull not to let them fall out and get damaged.
It is unnecessary to remove any of the bulbs, but if you must, go ahead-just arrange them so you know where to put them back.
Modifying the cluster housing to fit the Kouki (or) Silvia tach into the Zenki 240 housing was not very diffucult. Retain the back- light distributor made of clear plastic from the kouki tach along with the face and stepping motor. Fitting it into the USDM Zenki cluster is not too hard. At this point, it will become very clear what you have to do.
Using a very sharp Xacto blade, cut off the edge of the raised rectagle to the left of the tach (when you are looking at the tach face). Yes, I know this is a harness connection socket, but it will work missing a bit of the corner. This is necessary to fit the chip attached to the tach's stepping motor. There are several unnecessary posts protruding from the cluster housing blocking the stepping motor chip from fitting. Carefully break these off. now that everything is fit- get yourself some 18-14 ga. wire.
The stepping motor chip gets its signal from screws that screw into it. You can see which of these is which by looking on the back of the housings. For the record, clipping the wires from the airbag lightbulb near the bulb (mine always blinked an pissed me off anyway and, so here's my revenge. i'm going to be installing a race steering wheel soon anyway) will give you very nice wires with eyes on the end for screwing to the stepping motor chip. Using the screws you originally removed from the housing, screw these wires into the chip. Now get some larger diameter, broad, flat headed screws. Pull the wires from the correct parts of the stepping motor chip through the correct holes in the housing and twist them into eyelets. Screw the larger screws in, making sure you get good contact between the wire, screw, and metal condiuit on the funky blue plastic circuit on the back of the housing. Now you can use the original connectors from your dash to make Silvia Kouki Gauges work.
Damn, I'm good. And damn, I'm a dork for spending so much time of this. Worth it? You betcha. True to life conversion. My 240 is now more like the Silvia my SR clip came from. Real redline, real milage. Real JDM conversion.
I don't think most of you care, but maybe someone will find this in a seach. Ha! Yeah right, like anyone ever searches!
Keep in mind that I have a Zenki 240sx cluster and Kouki Silvia cluster. I assume both Silvia clusters have the same cluster design as their respective 240sx models. If someone who knows reads this, plase verify whether or not this is true.
Here is what i found:
All the gauges except the tach switch over very easily. It appears this is only because the Zenki tach and speedo overlap, whereas the Kouki do not. Upon inspecting the backs of the clusters you will notice they are different. I did not give up here, however, because the actual connectors to the individual gauges are more or less the same, and the metal conduit-track thingys are labeled for your convenience!
The Silvia Kouki tach's stepping motor is superior in quality and design/durability to the 240sx Zenki one. I discovered this while removing the needles and in the case of the 240sx one-pulling out the entire spindle and apparently breaking the stepping motor. The Silvia one just slides off- quite logically. Go figure.
Unscrew the screws in the back of the housing to free the individual gauges, being carefull not to let them fall out and get damaged.
It is unnecessary to remove any of the bulbs, but if you must, go ahead-just arrange them so you know where to put them back.
Modifying the cluster housing to fit the Kouki (or) Silvia tach into the Zenki 240 housing was not very diffucult. Retain the back- light distributor made of clear plastic from the kouki tach along with the face and stepping motor. Fitting it into the USDM Zenki cluster is not too hard. At this point, it will become very clear what you have to do.
Using a very sharp Xacto blade, cut off the edge of the raised rectagle to the left of the tach (when you are looking at the tach face). Yes, I know this is a harness connection socket, but it will work missing a bit of the corner. This is necessary to fit the chip attached to the tach's stepping motor. There are several unnecessary posts protruding from the cluster housing blocking the stepping motor chip from fitting. Carefully break these off. now that everything is fit- get yourself some 18-14 ga. wire.
The stepping motor chip gets its signal from screws that screw into it. You can see which of these is which by looking on the back of the housings. For the record, clipping the wires from the airbag lightbulb near the bulb (mine always blinked an pissed me off anyway and, so here's my revenge. i'm going to be installing a race steering wheel soon anyway) will give you very nice wires with eyes on the end for screwing to the stepping motor chip. Using the screws you originally removed from the housing, screw these wires into the chip. Now get some larger diameter, broad, flat headed screws. Pull the wires from the correct parts of the stepping motor chip through the correct holes in the housing and twist them into eyelets. Screw the larger screws in, making sure you get good contact between the wire, screw, and metal condiuit on the funky blue plastic circuit on the back of the housing. Now you can use the original connectors from your dash to make Silvia Kouki Gauges work.
Damn, I'm good. And damn, I'm a dork for spending so much time of this. Worth it? You betcha. True to life conversion. My 240 is now more like the Silvia my SR clip came from. Real redline, real milage. Real JDM conversion.
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yellow_jacket
- Posts: 1355
- Joined: Mon Jan 13, 2003 4:43 pm
- Car: 95 240sx
Re: (hokiruu)
hey, bringin this back from the dead, but thanks for pushing to figure this out. i just converted my zenki cluster to a kouki cluster by doing this. there is a LOT of plastic cutting involved, more than hokiruu said. i might even recommend a dremel for this.
now i have beautiful circular gauges that match my autometer's in color.
cheers,Marko
now i have beautiful circular gauges that match my autometer's in color.
cheers,Marko
Re: (hokiruu)
hey, bringin this back from the dead, but thanks for pushing to figure this out. i just converted my zenki cluster to a kouki cluster by doing this. there is a LOT of plastic cutting involved, more than hokiruu said. i might even recommend a dremel for this.
now i have beautiful circular gauges that match my autometer's in color.
cheers,Marko
now i have beautiful circular gauges that match my autometer's in color.
cheers,Marko