Re: Changing an S6 speedometer from km/h to mph

[Igor Kessel <four_rings@worldnet.att.net>]

Does anybody happen to know what might be involved in converting an S6
speedometer from km/h to mph? Is it a new cluster or of the
"flip-a-switch-and-change-the-face" variety?

I'm looking into importing a '97 S6 from Canada to the US.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

§1. If the donor is a '92-'94 S4 or '95 S6 (mechanical cluster), your
options are:
1. If you want both the speedo + odo = new cluster.
2. Your tach will display the "S4" logo instead. The tach is not
interchangeable - it has the same three connectors, but a different
light diffuser - won't fit mechanically.
3. Swapping only dials is out of question - different odo windows.
4. Swapping only speedos is out of question - different position of the
hole for the daily mileage reset button. Different PCB and different
speedometer itself, both mechanically and electrically.
5. The older cluster will work well in the '97 S6 except for the oil
pressure gauge - the '97 S6 does not have the pressure sender in the
block. Also in the harness (black 5-pin plug) the contact in position #1
for the oil pressure gauge is unpopulated. 
6. You'll lose the voltmeter coz older cars did not have one.
7. You'll lose the the seat belt warning lamp coz on a '97 it is part of
the cluster and in the older cars it is part of the harness. Who cares
about it anyway...


§2. If the donor is a '92-'94 S4 100 or '95 A6 (mechanical cluster):
Same as above but you'll lose the white faces. Clusters are plentiful
and cheap at scrap yards.


§3. If the donor is a '95.5 A6/S6 -> forward (digital cluster) - you'll
have a direct replacement.
1. Install a USA-spec speedo dial (not sold separately BTW and no one
makes it aftermarket).
2. Reset just the odo to miles with a VAG1551.

Right now I am in the process of assembling one cluster out of two, per
§1.

So far:
1. A complete cluster from a '94 S4 works very well in my '97 S6.
2. I swapped the dials on the water gauges so I still have the numerals
and the dear to my heart deg C instead of the moronic
"cold/just-about-normal/hot" gauge devised for the USA market.
3. I swapped the dials on the fuel gauge so I still have the very well
familiar to me "R-1/2-1/1" Euro format instead of the moronic "E-F" and
"Unleaded Fuel Only" (hell - what else, extra virgin olive oil?) gauge
for the USA market.
4. I ditched the clock. I have one (in the proper 24 hr format) in my
panoramic tinted Russian made cabin mirror.
5. I retraced/resoldered the PCB for the triple gauges on the right so
that the voltmeter is now sitting where the clock used to be. This mod
requires a 6.2v zener diode, a 68 ohm 1w ballast resistor and a 500 ohm
trimmer potentiometer for calibration. And a couple of 2.5 mm dia Cu
rods soldered into the board for the voltmeter coz it has a fancy
3-terminal arrangement (the term #2 uses the 6.2v reference tension off
the zener).

In the works:
1. A 10 mm dia super bright (12000 mcd) red LED will go in the socket
left by the seat belt warning lamp. This LED will listen to the WGFV. In
my '89 200TQ I've built it into my self-made lambda gauge, which I
mounted on the LF speaker grille by the A-pillar, next to the boost
gauge. Its rapidly increasing flashes under the full throttle provided
quite a spectacle, especially in the darkness. In your face type of
location. Kinda made those seeking to outdrag me to back off half the
way :-).
In the S6 this LED will make the seat belt warning light flash in the
dashboard instead. An understated tongue-in-chick kinda location.
2. Neither the rectangular nor the round one of my self-made 30 LED
lambda meters fit in the cluster. I will probably redesign it and shoot
yet another PCB layout, with just 20 LED in a straight line as a
multi-coloured bar graph and mount it in the empty rectangular window
for the gear selector indicator for the automatic transmission.
3. The empty rectangular spot where in a '92 S4 a trip computer display
used to reside will be occupied either by a miniature 1.5" dia boost
gauge or by an illuminated digital compass. Most likely the compass,
tho, coz I am breathtakingly dumb when it comes to directions. The full
size boost gauge will have to go elsewhere, prolly on the A-pillar.
4. The oil pressure sender will be installed and the jack in §1 will be
populated with an extra wire. The importance of an oil pressure gauge in
any car can't be overenphasised, especially in a turbo.

-- 
Igor Kessel
Two turbo quattros.