Low spec to high spec cluster conversion

[ripvanos]

I purchased my first E53 in December of 2021 just two months ago.

The car is a “low spec” 3.0 car as it has the smaller display for mileage and OBC menu items. I have been wanting to do a 4.6is cluster retrofit if I ever came across one. Thankfully, a friend of mine nabbed one and is sending it over to me!

I have a couple questions as to how much coding/ work is needed to convert, and who might be a good recommendation to send it to. Glancing through the forums I’m seeing there’s not a lot of information in this topic. I know there’s a lot of support for this type of thing in the E46 community, I assume the concept would be the same for E53/39 clusters

My main concern with this conversion is the OBC menu information and the fact that the “low spec” cars didn’t have a coolant level sensor.

Will I run into issues with the car not being able to display some OBC menu information as it is much more detailed in the full size display clusters (date, timer, etc.)?

Also, any recommendations as to where to send the cluster for VIN & mileage matching, along with getting the adjustable redline set up correctly?

For reference, my model is an 01 3.0 5 speed


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[txyaloo]

Paul with Fixels will be able to program your VIN/mileage in. I know he has a DME tune that enables the oil temp on the M62/4.6 cluster but no idea if it will work with the M54. Also not sure if he can adjust the redline.

[andrewwynn]

My low spec car had a coolant level sensor it just wasn't used. I am trying to remember if it had a wiring connector or nothing.

[Lowblock]

BMW used to manufacture a kit for the e38 and e39 to do this conversion. I would assume it would transfer over to the e53 as well. I built my own kit using the schematics that bmw provided using parts I got from digikey and mouser to install the high cluster in my e39 touring, it wasnt too difficult. I do remember having to buy a new dash buzzer, as the one in the car didnt have all of the correct connections to do this conversion. I built the kit so that it would be reversable, dont ask me why I did, I dont know. I cannot recall if a coolant temp sensor had to be bought or if the sensor in the vehicle was there but you had to install a wire in the connector where one wasnt present or not. Do a search online for "e39 low to high cluster conversion" and the schematics should pop up, they actually give you a step by step procedure on how its done. Paul "fixels" is a great resource as well, but he spends most of his time on the Bimmerforurms in the e39 forum. I can tell you that the Oil Gauge and Tach lights will not work with the m52/4.

[RocketyMan]

This can be done with BMW scanner v1.4.

I did it on mine...

[oldskewel]

Originally Posted by andrewwynn

My low spec car had a coolant level sensor it just wasn't used. I am trying to remember if it had a wiring connector or nothing.

This here is the issue. At least the first issue to consider.

The coolant level sensor is "in" the coolant expansion tank. Generally new tanks come with new sensors, although they are easily removable and swappable between tanks, sold separately, etc. Even with a low cluster, your expansion tank may already have the sensor in it, if it is not original.

The high cluster is needed to display the coolant low message (or whatever exactly it is).

But in between, the not-surely known issue, is whether the wiring harness from a low-cluster car has the 2P connector to plug into the coolant sensor in the expansion tank.

My high cluster car (2001 3.0i) does have this, of course. If I had to guess, based on bad memory, I'd say the low cluster cars do NOT have this connector. And the connector immediately bundles into a thick bundle of wiring in my car. So I would not assume it will be an easy add-on if that connector is not already there.

The sensor itself is a little complicated regarding a float, magnets, and a reed switch. But it ends up as a simple open/closed switch showing either zero or infinite resistance. From my notes on this, the switch is open (infinite resistance) when the float is at the bottom (coolant level low). So if you were to run the high cluster with no sensor wired in there, you might get a constant coolant level low warning. But at that point, I don't know anything at all about the important details of ECU analysis of sensor readings and communication with the cluster.

[Bmwe5320023.0]

For the 4.6/4.8 cluster to on 3.0, Fixel can do it.
He will program your vin, so you don't have a tamper dot.
He will vigninize mileage to 0. Once you plug the cluster, cluster will download mileage from LCM/EWS.
He will code your cluster according to your ZCS.
He will also flash your DME to get your oil temperature gauge and RPM rings on the new cluster working.
Then everything will work on M54.

Before you can do that, you need to change the wiring from low to high.

Low clusters have 2 connectors for the cluster, and high cluster have 3.
I've seen lots of diagrams online. I found one guy in France who makes the connector, he charges 300 euros.
I found one guy in Russia who charges 75 euros. However with the current situation, there's probably no way to send money to Russia.

I was thinking of building the connector myself. 300 euros surely seemed overly expensive to me.
But I read on different forums that the wiring diagrams to build connectors from low to high clusters are not 100% accurate.

I'm currently wanting to install 4.8 cluster into my 1998 E39.

I hope someone who actually made a working conversion cable can post the correct diagram that's working 100%.

Then it would be a matter of depinning and repinning the connectors and adding a couple of things like the coolant sensor.

[Lowblock]

yes, I did it in my e39. One thing that was helpful is that I bought off ebay for cheap a 12 inch section of the cluster wiring for the e38/9/53 high cluster. the easiest way to install it is to get the wiring and match the wire colors to the car, most of them, I would say 90 percent matched, atleast in my car. You will have to run no more then 5-6 wires to complete the retrofit, the coolant sensor, there were a couple wires that go over to the glove box area, a couple grounds, and then there were some that go to the DS footwell area buzzer. That is how I eventually installed it in my car. Before that I attempted to build a complete retrofit harness, like BMW once offered. I found all of the pins and connections through Digikey and Mouser online, except the connectors that the existing car gauge harness would plug into, that was the hardest thing, I found something that would work but it made it big and bulky so thats why I just went with the cut and solder method with the pigtail. Somewhere over on Bimmerforums I made a post with pictures and all of the part numbers involved. There is a detailed harness diagram that came from BMW that helps you with the whole thing. My suggestion would be to find that and go from there, its relatively easy from there. If I can find my old drawings I will try to post. Also, I had probably less then $40 in materials for everything involved in making the retrofit harness, but again, in the end the pigtail was easiest.

[e39_touring]

I have done this on an E39 as well as part of a factory navigation retrofit. It's been a number of years, so the details are a bit fuzzy, but I ended up using DIS to code the retrofit & cluster to the car (cluster was new, but virginized will be the same).

There is a very minor change to the wiring, IIRC - something about bringing the I-bus or an additional channel to the cluster. I actually corresponded with BMWNA about this at the time (15+ years ago), and they were impressed that I was taking on such a project!

Anyway, I still have a copy of the retrofit diagrams that cover all the wiring, etc. PM me if you want a copy, and I can dig it up and email it to you. The E39/E53 will be electrically identical despite some of the part numbers being different. I won't be able to help with the additional functions of the iS cluster, though. Would be cool to see that working on a 5 spd (like I have, too).

Oh, one last thing I will say about the high vs. low cluster, though, is that a big advantage of the low cluster is you can use aftermarket radios and not loose the (limited) obc function like you do with the high cluster when you take away the MID/NAV.

[e39_touring]

I got a couple of requests for the high obc retrofit document - I found it and it's attached here.