QuestionQUESTION: Hi Roland,
This hairy sugject again. We doreesponded earlier in the year-January-but then I threw the project into the 'too difficult' box!
I'm gonna convert my analog dash to a digital cluster. I now have the Digital Dash, BCM and the Tranmission Computer all from the same '91 car that was in a head-on. Due to the accident the Engine Control Unit/Module available isn't in good shape-no outer casing, but may be useable.
Will my current ECU (analog) run the Digital Dash?
Do I need to change the Tranny computer or not?
I assume that I MUST change the BCM.
Any other suggestions? (Don't do it! is an option)
Regards, Pete
ANSWER: Hi Pete,
What is the year/make/model/body style of the receiving vehicle and the donor vehicle? Because you are overseas from the US do both cars share the same model year code(10th digit of the VIN)?
Roland
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QUESTION: I can't answer that easily,ie give you numbers, as I'm not near the car right now. But....The receiver car is a Chrysler Lebaron convertible 1991 with the Mitsubishi 3.0L V6, and the donor is the same car (Chrysler Lebaron Convertible 1991 model year)as far as I know. Donor is in upstate NY and the receiver (as you correctly surmise) is in the UK.
I can get the UK VIN fairly easily and (if it hasn't yet gone to the crusher)the donor car numbers too.
(Sorry I was so vague with the first Q-just got a bit carried away and thought you were a mind reader!)
Regards, Pete
ANSWER: Hi Pete,
It would be good to verify that the donor and recipient have the same letter in the 10th position of the VIN because there were significant year-to-year changing in the early '90's Lebaron conv't. If these are from the same model year, then I would believe that the ecu/tcm/bcm are interchangeable. I would believe that the fact that you are using ecu/tcm/bcm from the mechanical cluster set up will not be disqualified by changing to a digital cluster.
I don't have the reference date for our earlier exchange (can you tell me?). But I believe the main problem in changing over is of course first to have the proper plugs for the digital cluster as the mechanical cluster plugs are different, and second that the wires that are provided in the recipient cluster plugs are quite different from the wires you need to run the digital cluster. This means you are going to have to install a number of wires that currently not in place in the recipient car. Did I mention that to you?
Do you have the wiring diagrams for the plugs of both of the clusters? Do you have the wiring info about where to connect the new wires needed for the digital cluster to operate?
I believe a number of LeBaron convert owners over the various years have tried this out, and they are members of the ChryslerLebaronClub at autos.yahoo.com You might do well to join that group at yahoo autos and inquire in a posting about analog (mechanical) to digital cluster conversion specifically for a '91 vehicle to see what the results are/were before you dig in to this project.
Roland
PS If you would care to 'rate' my answer, click on the thank/rate tab below and where you see the question about a nomination of me to be 'volunteer of the month' consider a 'yes' response.
Thank you
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QUESTION: Hi Roland,
Previous correspondence was 10/11th January 2011.
I have male and female plugs ('tails') with the digital cluster so I should be able to graft these into the existing harness.
I don't quite understand your meaning "and second that the wires that are provided in the recipient cluster plugs are quite different from the wires you need to run the digital cluster". I believe the analog plugs will have to be cut off and replaced with the digital plugs to allow the digital cluster to function, is this what you're getting at.
I have a full set of Chrysler manuals-all wiring diags in two volumes as well-so hopefully the plug wiring diags should be in those books.
I joined the ChryslerLebaronClub just this afternoon and I'm waiting for the verification email-there seems to be good stuff on that forum.
(It's now almost 1am where I am,so even if you reply with your usual promptness you won't get much more from me tonight!)
The above PS has been dealt with.
Best regards, Pete
AnswerHi Pete,
One correction: the bcm plug wiring and bcm itself need to be modified/changed out, as well I now notice. How big that is I would have to study. The main issue at the cluster is the recipient car doesn't have the twisted pair of digital data bus wires going to the cluster, nor does it have a wire from the high beam fuse, so those will have to be wired in from elsewhere. If you have the Chrysler '91 wiring diagram manual that will show you what is different between the two cluster set ups as regards the cluster plug wiring and the bcm plug wiring.
Roland
PS Thanks for the rating and kind remarks.
