QuestionHi Dick, I have a couple of spare electronic dash display modules for my 1981 FS carb conversion and I've been told that there is a battery inside that holds the memory information for the odometer reading ect. My question is how long will it hold it before re-setting to zero? I've also been told that once the battery dies, the module is useless. Should I install my spares from time to time to keep the batteries charged? Is it true that even though the modules were supposed to be replaced when the dealer did the carb conversion, the replacements were the same as the old ones and only the wiring harness into the module was diferent? Thank you for your time, George.
AnswerThe odometer memory for these dashes is permanent - at least in the 4 of these cars that I've owned, and the 2 or 3 loose dash clusters I've tested, the mileage always comes up when you power up the cluster, so I think the memory is in a semiconductor memory of some sort (probably C-MOS) that never forgets. I know one of the clusters I have hadn't had power applied for at least 10 years, and it still remembered. I've owned one of these cars since 1987, and the spare parts I've accumulated included a spare dash cluster that I didn't even look at until 1998.
I also don't know what sets the "asterisk" in the odometer display to warn that the unit has been replaced - some things about these cars are still a mystery to me!
I don't know what the differences are for the two clusters - but I believe there is one, else the factory wouldn't have gone to the trouble and expense of changing them out. The factory paid for these conversions for the first few years, and they were not about to spend money they didn't need to spend.
Anyway, enjoy your beautiful car, and if you are not already signed up, check out the on-line club for all Imperial owners - it's wealth of information, and the price is right (zero!). Go to www.imperialclub.com
Dick Benjamin
