hello im finally back to working on and driving my fiero... finally got a new job its been killing me cause my fieros been setting for 6 months ;-;
so my tach is dead on my stock cluster and almost all my lights are out on the cluster so... im wondering if anyone has a full list of digital dashes that can be used in the fiero from other cars that you could possibly find in part yards. ive done alot of searching on the forum and the easiest one i can see is the z24 cavalier but i cant find one available at all online or locally to southern Indiana.
ive seen a lot of other possible dashes that could be used but no one ever finished the forums and they leave it off with ive gotten everything to work except "tach" or "speedometer" and or they dont ever report back if it even fits in the car.... so unless theirs a term i should be using in the search function to find some better threads itd be really nice if i could get some help in finding a digital dash solution thats somewhat budget oriented .-. anyways... really looking forwarded to making my fiero my dream car again
If you have the cash just buy one from Tom on here. He has a few different colors for GT and non-GT cars. They are plug and play. http://www.tomsdigitalelectronics.com
If you have the cash just buy one from Tom on here. He has a few different colors for GT and non-GT cars. They are plug and play. http://www.tomsdigitalelectronics.com
Yea ive looked at them and they're super nice but first of all is the cash part... And second... I like the more sci-fi look of the older style dashes... I really like the cavalier's but since I can't find one at a local parts yard I know it'll cost me a bit of coin online. Thank you for mentioning Tom's though I should noted it in my original post
I was going to wait until they were ready for sale but I have a couple of the Cavalier digital dashes that I am going to modify to be plug and play on the Fiero.
If you are interested PM me and maybe we can work out a deal. I haven't decided what I'm gong to sell them for because I'm not sure how much work it is yet. But if it's like the Firebird setup it's going to take me a few of weeks of nights and weekends.
I was going to wait until they were ready for sale but I have a couple of the Cavalier digital dashes that I am going to modify to be plug and play on the Fiero.
If you are interested PM me and maybe we can work out a deal. I haven't decided what I'm gong to sell them for because I'm not sure how much work it is yet. But if it's like the Firebird setup it's going to take me a few of weeks of nights and weekends.
thank you for the link! i found it the other night while searching around and lost it when i forgot what term i used to find it in search and i couldn't find it in my history
I dont know about others, but..... The Toms Gauges look great except for the strange LED Bar paths. If he had of just made them go around in a circle vrs the straight lines with bends it would have been a much cleaner look. It is the only thing that keeps me from buying them myself.
I don't want to be a tease, but I did manage to reverse engineer the Buick Riviera instrument cluster, so that I could send signals to control all of the display elements. The next part of the job, though, would be to create an interface board that wires up to all of the signals that need to be read from the car's wiring. Also, I determined that the display boards, when in the housing, are not going to easily fit over the steering column, which would require some custom mounting for the housing. The project has been sitting for a year now. https://vgy.me/xvGp7w
Not trying to hijack your thread, and we are staying on the subject of digital dashes.. If I could find someone or someones that would work with me on the Riviera dash, I would be all in on that. I run out of talents when I have to start cutting plastic and fitting things. If someone could tackle the fitment and housing issues, I can finish the electronics/software stuff.. and then we share the solution. In general, though, the information on the instrument panel is all derived from hard wired sensors and such.. and the VSS is used for speed, as well as divided and delivered to the ECM. In my case, I make a PC board that you connect the existing wiring to, and it drives the Riviera cluster. Side note, the odometer is digital in this case, so I would make some provision for carrying over your odo value and setting it.
Why is it so hard to find a photo hosting site? Darned photobucket. This ought to be a link to 4 pics on dropbox. https://www.dropbox.com/s/l...a/IMG_1167b.JPG?dl=0 https://www.dropbox.com/s/7...f/IMG_1168b.JPG?dl=0 https://www.dropbox.com/s/p...v/IMG_1169b.JPG?dl=0 https://www.dropbox.com/s/l...9/IMG_1170b.JPG?dl=0 The 4 shots are of the guts of the Riviera IP. The display board has 3 separate glass modules. They are vacuum fluorescent. The middle board is the power supply for high voltages. It should have air cooling. The back board takes serial communications and converts it to scan data (over the 2 grey ribbons). I bought the Riviera BCM, and watched the two of them talk to each other.. captured the messages, and created my own program to communicate with the IP. I can talk to the IP directly now without the BCM, and have software routines to convert common values (MPH, RPM, Miles,) to the specific segment locations in the messages. The housing from the Riviera IP does not come anywhere close to fitting the Fiero housing. So the 3 boards are out of their original housing. If the Riviera board stack were mounted in the Fiero housing, it would fit OK, but there is no empty hump where the steering column goes. So the whole original Fiero housing would have to be raised up a few inches. That is OK, as I have to tip my wheel up (get in mah belly!) and so my original instruments are hard to see.. have to sit up and look down inside the steering wheel to see them. Higher would be better. I also started a design of an acrylic face plate that would fit into the Fiero housing, and have holes lined up to match the Riviera IP mounting holes. So I did get some progress, but alas, more to be done. The next step would be to make a PC board that takes all of the connections that go to the existing Fiero IP and convert them with a processor to serial data. It can all be done, except the Riviera IP has some data that does not apply to our Fiero. And the Fiero IP connectors would not connect right to this board, so new connectors would be in order. If one wanted to go back to the original, one would use wire taps to keep the old connectors. If I provided a DXF (or other file) for the acrylic face panel, does someone have a CNC machine to cut it on? Smoke acrylic would be ideal. The Riviera IP is smoke, as you can see on epay.. http://www.ebay.com/itm/90-93-BUICK-RIVIERA-INSTRUMENT-CLUSTER-SPEEDOM ETER-16139696-/253158838605?fits=Make%3ABuick%7CModel%3ARiviera&hash=item3af171514d:g:LIsAAOSw2o1Zlo1g&vxp=mtr So much done so far, it would be so cool to have this operating!
[This message has been edited by Chris Eddy (edited 10-10-2017).]
OK, now we are talking. I love this gauge setup. Stop screwing around man and complete this. Time is running out. LOL
quote
Originally posted by Chris Eddy:
I don't want to be a tease, but I did manage to reverse engineer the Buick Riviera instrument cluster, so that I could send signals to control all of the display elements. The next part of the job, though, would be to create an interface board that wires up to all of the signals that need to be read from the car's wiring. Also, I determined that the display boards, when in the housing, are not going to easily fit over the steering column, which would require some custom mounting for the housing. The project has been sitting for a year now. https://vgy.me/xvGp7w
Just thinking that an UNO3 might be able to do most of the data conversion for you.
quote
Originally posted by Chris Eddy:
Why is it so hard to find a photo hosting site? Darned photobucket. This ought to be a link to 4 pics on dropbox. https://www.dropbox.com/s/l...a/IMG_1167b.JPG?dl=0 https://www.dropbox.com/s/7...f/IMG_1168b.JPG?dl=0 https://www.dropbox.com/s/p...v/IMG_1169b.JPG?dl=0 https://www.dropbox.com/s/l...9/IMG_1170b.JPG?dl=0 The 4 shots are of the guts of the Riviera IP. The display board has 3 separate glass modules. They are vacuum fluorescent. The middle board is the power supply for high voltages. It should have air cooling. The back board takes serial communications and converts it to scan data (over the 2 grey ribbons). I bought the Riviera BCM, and watched the two of them talk to each other.. captured the messages, and created my own program to communicate with the IP. I can talk to the IP directly now without the BCM, and have software routines to convert common values (MPH, RPM, Miles,) to the specific segment locations in the messages. The housing from the Riviera IP does not come anywhere close to fitting the Fiero housing. So the 3 boards are out of their original housing. If the Riviera board stack were mounted in the Fiero housing, it would fit OK, but there is no empty hump where the steering column goes. So the whole original Fiero housing would have to be raised up a few inches. That is OK, as I have to tip my wheel up (get in mah belly!) and so my original instruments are hard to see.. have to sit up and look down inside the steering wheel to see them. Higher would be better. I also started a design of an acrylic face plate that would fit into the Fiero housing, and have holes lined up to match the Riviera IP mounting holes. So I did get some progress, but alas, more to be done. The next step would be to make a PC board that takes all of the connections that go to the existing Fiero IP and convert them with a processor to serial data. It can all be done, except the Riviera IP has some data that does not apply to our Fiero. And the Fiero IP connectors would not connect right to this board, so new connectors would be in order. If one wanted to go back to the original, one would use wire taps to keep the old connectors. If I provided a DXF (or other file) for the acrylic face panel, does someone have a CNC machine to cut it on? Smoke acrylic would be ideal. The Riviera IP is smoke, as you can see on epay.. http://www.ebay.com/itm/90-93-BUICK-RIVIERA-INSTRUMENT-CLUSTER-SPEEDOM ETER-16139696-/253158838605?fits=Make%3ABuick%7CModel%3ARiviera&hash=item3af171514d:g:LIsAAOSw2o1Zlo1g&vxp=mtr So much done so far, it would be so cool to have this operating!
OK, so I went through some schematics to see what was necessary.. I will list them, everyone comment or add to.. Speed.. counter input. And /1, /2 outputs for cruise and ECM. Tachometer.. count input. Handle 4/6/8. Odometer.. all internal, with a method to setup your miles. Door ajar digital input Cruise/resume from cruise control, not sure how this is setup. High beams digital input Anti-lock digital input Fasten seatbelts digital input Trip.. not sure about this one. Brakes, digital input Oil pressure, analog input, current source Low oil, derived from pressure.. setpoint? Voltage, analog input Low voltage, derived from votlage.. setpoint? Left turn digital input Right turn digital input Coolant temp, analog input, current source High temp, derived from CLT Fuel, analog input, current source, current limitted low fuel, derived from fuel, setpoint? Hazzard, digital input Electrical problem, use this for SES Security, digital input Headlights suggested, digital input use external circuit washer fluid, digital input Service AC, digital input 8192/160 input from ECM 8192 output to Riviera IPC CAN bus for OBDII
Does the BCM convert the analog signals to digital ones for the display? If so you can put the bcm under the dash and just run the wires you need to the display.
I am looking at the wiring of the Riviera BCM now.. it appears that body related functions are hard wired there, but all engine related functions are on the ECM. There are two serial 8192 wires on the BCM.. probably talking to the IPC and ECM. And if we mated up the ECM and BCM to the panel, I am not sure if the tach or speedo would be the right ranges. What am I thinking.. the ECM would not operate unless it ran the engine. Plus these modules are pretty large, there is not much room under the dash. The tach and speedo inputs are really the hardest parts of the job.. the digital and analog readings are all slow and easy. I have already started a PC board to do this job.. the schematic is mostly done, and the connector is an AMP 1-776163-1. I am psyched.. I will get the whole thing operating electronically, and then I am sure folks will find a way to integrate it physically.
An update on the Riviera dash project.. I designed and ordered a PC board, which takes the Fiero's hard wired signals and converts the info to data that will go to the Riviera module. I also added a serial input so that I can take the ECM data in, why not. And I added CAN bus so that I can take a whack at adding OBDII. I will have the PC board by week end and start on assembling. I have written some software, but it will all have to be debugged. There are some folks that would like to collaborate.. once I get it to work, then the collaboration of fitting into car comes into play. The gauge cluster is VFD, so the HVAC and stereo will have to be converted to blue somehow. No teasing here, I will get it to work.. Once working, I can replicate the PC board so that others can do it too.
Chris you are awesome, but you need to finish the universal engine tach project so I can finally correct my tach readings from my engine swap Just had to give you a hard time.....
Why is it so hard to find a photo hosting site? Darned photobucket. This ought to be a link to 4 pics on dropbox. https://www.dropbox.com/s/l...a/IMG_1167b.JPG?dl=0 https://www.dropbox.com/s/7...f/IMG_1168b.JPG?dl=0 https://www.dropbox.com/s/p...v/IMG_1169b.JPG?dl=0 https://www.dropbox.com/s/l...9/IMG_1170b.JPG?dl=0 The 4 shots are of the guts of the Riviera IP. The display board has 3 separate glass modules. They are vacuum fluorescent. The middle board is the power supply for high voltages. It should have air cooling. The back board takes serial communications and converts it to scan data (over the 2 grey ribbons). I bought the Riviera BCM, and watched the two of them talk to each other.. captured the messages, and created my own program to communicate with the IP. I can talk to the IP directly now without the BCM, and have software routines to convert common values (MPH, RPM, Miles,) to the specific segment locations in the messages. The housing from the Riviera IP does not come anywhere close to fitting the Fiero housing. So the 3 boards are out of their original housing. If the Riviera board stack were mounted in the Fiero housing, it would fit OK, but there is no empty hump where the steering column goes. So the whole original Fiero housing would have to be raised up a few inches. That is OK, as I have to tip my wheel up (get in mah belly!) and so my original instruments are hard to see.. have to sit up and look down inside the steering wheel to see them. Higher would be better. I also started a design of an acrylic face plate that would fit into the Fiero housing, and have holes lined up to match the Riviera IP mounting holes. So I did get some progress, but alas, more to be done. The next step would be to make a PC board that takes all of the connections that go to the existing Fiero IP and convert them with a processor to serial data. It can all be done, except the Riviera IP has some data that does not apply to our Fiero. And the Fiero IP connectors would not connect right to this board, so new connectors would be in order. If one wanted to go back to the original, one would use wire taps to keep the old connectors. If I provided a DXF (or other file) for the acrylic face panel, does someone have a CNC machine to cut it on? Smoke acrylic would be ideal. The Riviera IP is smoke, as you can see on epay.. http://www.ebay.com/itm/90-93-BUICK-RIVIERA-INSTRUMENT-CLUSTER-SPEEDOM ETER-16139696-/253158838605?fits=Make%3ABuick%7CModel%3ARiviera&hash=item3af171514d:g:LIsAAOSw2o1Zlo1g&vxp=mtr So much done so far, it would be so cool to have this operating!
I have a cluster from a C6 Vette that I'd like to be able to use on my Fauxrrari project , is there a way to do what you did with a can bus system?
I got a Riv digitsl dash i really want in my car!!! I would love to get ahold of any way of making it work with my 4.9 swaped fiero. Currently I have a cavalier dash and have been using it for years. Love it. I have built 2 more and swapped 1 into a friends car. But the Riv dash would be so much cooler! Let me know if the interface will be for sale!
I did get the PC board, more parts here tomorrow.. will begin building it. Cannot wait to see it lit up! On your Corvette, that is a whole new project, it would be a lot of work for a one of..
On your Corvette, that is a whole new project, it would be a lot of work for a one of..
Yeah, I had a feeling it might be, thanks for your input. Might be easier to drop an LS2 crank (58x crank signal) in the LS1 I'll be running and wire the car with the C6 harness and bcm I got with the dash.
Just had to give you a hard time.....
