how can you tell what year a cluster is from? How many different clusters are there for the E28? What years are compatible with each other? What are the main differences?
thanks!
Instrument Clusters?
There are two styles of clusters in e28's. Early style clusters have nine SI LED's, and were produced up to 1/86. Later clusters were from 1/86 through the end of production and have seven SI LED's. They also have lithium SI batteries, which are on the main board.
The clusters are completely different except for the speedometers. You can swap an early speedo into a late cluster. But the tach, center gauge pod and all other parts except for the lens are different. The earliest car I've installed a late cluster into is a 9/84 533i with OBC 1. My Mom's 83 528e with the digital clock did not have the yellow connector, so it'd need some rewiring to work with a later style cluster.
If you can, I strongly recommend retrofitting clusters. The later stuff is better built, and I like the way the needles move too. If you have all the right connectors, it should plug right in. And you can swap your old speedo in to keep the mileage correct.
The clusters are completely different except for the speedometers. You can swap an early speedo into a late cluster. But the tach, center gauge pod and all other parts except for the lens are different. The earliest car I've installed a late cluster into is a 9/84 533i with OBC 1. My Mom's 83 528e with the digital clock did not have the yellow connector, so it'd need some rewiring to work with a later style cluster.
If you can, I strongly recommend retrofitting clusters. The later stuff is better built, and I like the way the needles move too. If you have all the right connectors, it should plug right in. And you can swap your old speedo in to keep the mileage correct.
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C.R. Krieger
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Doesn't that work out to four different clusters? Early and late eta and early and late M30? The cluster bmanice shows is obviously out of an eta (4800-rpm redline tach) - whether early or late I can't tell. And, for my own education, can you swap eta clusters with M30 clusters?turbodan wrote:There are two styles of clusters in e28's. Early style clusters have nine SI LED's, and were produced up to 1/86. Later clusters were from 1/86 through the end of production and have seven SI LED's. They also have lithium SI batteries, which are on the main board.
If you can, I strongly recommend retrofitting clusters. The later stuff is better built, and I like the way the needles move too. If you have all the right connectors, it should plug right in. And you can swap your old speedo in to keep the mileage correct.
I was more referring to the hardware. There are probably 20 different combos of tachs and speedo increments for either style of cluster over the years. Also consider that the e24 and e23 also used the same cluster from about 83 on. So there are probably even more combos out there.
You can swap small block and big block clusters, manual and auto clusters, OBC and non-OBC clusters. As long as the car has all the connectors for it, it'll work. If not, you'll need to do some wiring.
As far as cluster parts, the only thing that fits all of them is the speedo. The tach, center pod and motherboard are different than the early cluster and do not interchange. If you have an early m30 and early m20 cluster, you can mix and match all you want. Same for a late cluster. Neat huh?
You can swap small block and big block clusters, manual and auto clusters, OBC and non-OBC clusters. As long as the car has all the connectors for it, it'll work. If not, you'll need to do some wiring.
As far as cluster parts, the only thing that fits all of them is the speedo. The tach, center pod and motherboard are different than the early cluster and do not interchange. If you have an early m30 and early m20 cluster, you can mix and match all you want. Same for a late cluster. Neat huh?
Both my cars were made after 1/86 and have seven SI LEDs, but have two NiCd cells on the main board. In both cases the batteries died, and I remote-mounted new ones. I think the lithium batteries are on new replacement boards from the dealer.turbodan wrote:There are two styles of clusters in e28's. Early style clusters have nine SI LED's, and were produced up to 1/86. Later clusters were from 1/86 through the end of production and have seven SI LED's. They also have lithium SI batteries, which are on the main board.
ProgRama Inc. sells a batteryless replacement for the early, pre-1986 style board.
BMW hadn't invented them yet apparently.Hmm. I have one cluster dating from 11.87 from and another from 3.87 from my super e that both had lithium. I have not seen the nicads on the late style hardware. Were the batteries on the main board?RonW wrote:Both my cars were made after 1/86 and have seven SI LEDs, but have two NiCd cells on the main board. In both cases the batteries died, and I remote-mounted new ones. I think the lithium batteries are on new replacement boards from the dealer.turbodan wrote:There are two styles of clusters in e28's. Early style clusters have nine SI LED's, and were produced up to 1/86. Later clusters were from 1/86 through the end of production and have seven SI LED's. They also have lithium SI batteries, which are on the main board.
ProgRama Inc. sells a batteryless replacement for the early, pre-1986 style board.
turbodan wrote:There are two styles of clusters in e28's. Early style clusters have nine SI LED's, and were produced up to 1/86. Later clusters were from 1/86 through the end of production and have seven SI LED's. They also have lithium SI batteries, which are on the main board.
RonW wrote:Both my cars were made after 1/86 and have seven SI LEDs, but have two NiCd cells on the main board. In both cases the batteries died, and I remote-mounted new ones. I think the lithium batteries are on new replacement boards from the dealer.
ProgRama Inc. sells a batteryless replacement for the early, pre-1986 style board.
Well, as I said, "Both my cars were made after 1/86 and have seven SI LEDs [i.e. the new style board], but have [or rather, had until I replaced them] two NiCd [instead of lithium] cells on the main board."turbodan wrote:Hmm. I have one cluster dating from 11.87 from and another from 3.87 from my super e that both had lithium. I have not seen the nicads on the late style hardware. Were the batteries on the main board?