M5 dash binacle in a 535i

[beetos]

Hi
I was wondering if a dash binnacle from a late 3.8L E34 M5 would be backwardly compatible with a 535i? I know that the oil temp would need so hooking up but will the rest of it work with the existing wiring on the 535i? (computer display, tach, speed, temp etc).

Thanks.

[Alexlind123]

May i ask what a "binnacle" is?

[Brandon J]

If you are talking about the gauge cluster then the answer is no.

Rpms will be off from the display, you will not have oil temp, instead that will sweep like the mpg display. Many people ask the same question over and over again. To get it to work you will need to find a way to cleverly hook up an oil temp to the gauge cluster hard wiring. Then you will have to get your own coding plug (the thing that keeps the mileage as well as tell the gauge cluster how to behave) re-programed by a dealer computer with a technician who has never done it before. You will need this so that the tachometer readjusts for the 8k tach instead of the 7k rpm one. It will also program to use the oil temp gauge instead of using it as a mpg one. Your own current mileage will have to be the same.

Next time you might want to add what the purpose of adding such a cluster is going to do for you. If it is cosmetics, not something to do. If it is for the oil temp, fabricating center gauge pod is easier and adding oil temp/ oil pressure/ A/F meter to the gauge is more beneficial. If you did an M5 swap into the car, you wouldn't be asking this question as research would have led you to the answer I gave above.

Good luck with your car mods.

[beetos]

Thanks for the info. The 'purpose' would be to give idle hands something to do as I know the whereabouts of one quite cheap and I could do with a nice integrated oil temp gauge.

Yes, I know you wont get oil temp.....thats pretty obvious, but it
should not take too much to find the signal and rig it to a NTC oil temp gauge.

I don't think are right regarding the span for the RPM gauge though, why would the M5 cluster use a different span / pulse format? I know M5's that run aftermarket ECUs that give a standard pulse for the RPM guage and they work fine. Anyway, you make it sound like its not worth persuing but I will anyway just for a laugh.

[Paul in NZ]

the fuel tank on a m5 is also diferent capacity to a 535 90l vs 80l

[shuriken]

Yes it can be done but is a hassle as far as I can see. I have an article on a guy with a '89 535i sport (M5 body kit, metric cross spoke alloys and 240 Michelin TRX tyres(puke) and M-tech suspension which mates stiffer dampers to standard springs) The guy in the magazine added a M5 binnicle but says it was a lot of hassle but no info.

[Brandon J]

One thing I don't do is desktop racing or paper mods. That means I speak from experience rather than hearsay. So, again, I DO know for sure and yes, the M5 tach is 8k and sweeps with the same area as a 7k tach. So it will be off. The pulse sensor is the same as it is a 6cyl, however the gauge cluster is a computer itself and the parameters it uses is coded in the coding plug. I received my m5 cluster from the donor car that my M5 power and drivetrain came from. I tried using that cluster about 4 yrs ago and then yanked it.




Thanks for the info. The 'purpose' would be to give idle hands something to do as I know the whereabouts of one quite cheap and I could do with a nice integrated oil temp gauge.

Yes, I know you wont get oil temp.....thats pretty obvious, but it
should not take too much to find the signal and rig it to a NTC oil temp gauge.

I don't think are right regarding the span for the RPM gauge though, why would the M5 cluster use a different span / pulse format? I know M5's that run aftermarket ECUs that give a standard pulse for the RPM guage and they work fine. Anyway, you make it sound like its not worth persuing but I will anyway just for a laugh.

[beetos]

Roger that......project getting canned as we speak. Should have quit while I was ahead!

I'll continue with my origami:p