Carrera Instrument Cluster Transplant To Boxster

[nils]

Finally found this delightful write-up: most impressive. I have been wanting to do this for a long time on our '99 Tip- ever since I bought a great looking unit w/silver dials.

This is now so long ago that I can't recall what I was told by the fleabay seller....

So, after having read this over a few times, time to look at the back of the unit and "OUCH" wrong numbers !

996 641 980 27 70C - problem is I can't find anything even close in my 2004 PET. I end up with the 996TT having 996 641 985 xx yy as the closest so wonder if anyone might have a clue as to the likely donor ? It is the "old-fashioned" version so think 2004 PET should cover the applicable models and yes it's labelled USA. One more point - it has a 7200rpm redline.

Anyone willing to venture a guess or better ?

Many thanks in advance,

Nils

[LowFlyR]

Finally found this delightful write-up: most impressive. I have been wanting to do this for a long time on our '99 Tip- ever since I bought a great looking unit w/silver dials.

This is now so long ago that I can't recall what I was told by the fleabay seller....

So, after having read this over a few times, time to look at the back of the unit and "OUCH" wrong numbers !

996 641 980 27 70C - problem is I can't find anything even close in my 2004 PET. I end up with the 996TT having 996 641 985 xx yy as the closest so wonder if anyone might have a clue as to the likely donor ? It is the "old-fashioned" version so think 2004 PET should cover the applicable models and yes it's labelled USA. One more point - it has a 7200rpm redline.

Anyone willing to venture a guess or better ?

Many thanks in advance,

Nils

If you read the whole long thing, you found out (it was somewhere in the beginning) that turbo one does not work. I don't recall the reason, but the gurus here probably will. Sorry, I cannot be more help.

Jake

P.S. Later I found this: http://www.renntech.org/forums/index.php?s...49&hl=turbo

Edited March 26, 2009 by LowFlyR

[Loren]

Finally found this delightful write-up: most impressive. I have been wanting to do this for a long time on our '99 Tip- ever since I bought a great looking unit w/silver dials.

This is now so long ago that I can't recall what I was told by the fleabay seller....

So, after having read this over a few times, time to look at the back of the unit and "OUCH" wrong numbers !

996 641 980 27 70C - problem is I can't find anything even close in my 2004 PET. I end up with the 996TT having 996 641 985 xx yy as the closest so wonder if anyone might have a clue as to the likely donor ? It is the "old-fashioned" version so think 2004 PET should cover the applicable models and yes it's labelled USA. One more point - it has a 7200rpm redline.

Anyone willing to venture a guess or better ?

Many thanks in advance,

Nils

For MY99 Tip you will need a cluster from a MY99 or MY00 Carrera with Tip.

It could be from a C4 (of those model years) but it would need to be re-programmed.

Your best choice would be part number: 996.641.104.03.70C

[nils]

Thanks so far and apologies for being too tired last night and not rechecking today before posting. I hate those who just ask the obvious w/o even looking in the owners manual so seems I got close.....

Anyway, a few pages further on in PET (442 of 480) I see this as the third group of instruments listed under "comb instrument dial aluminium" (which I have) for Carerra2 '01 model M338/M249 so RWD/Tip. Looking at the fuel components listed by Bill and also Loren's notes, '01 should also be ok so, in theory, the fuel issue should be solvable ? We'll have to see if the top up light will function - good news is that the bulb is there (3rd from bottom right).

I'll test it in the car later on and let you know how I made out - maybe additional workable unit.

Thanks, Nils

[KevinH90]

I realize that it has been a long time since this thread has been updated. I guess I'm late to the party for installing the Carrera Gauges.

I purchased a used cluster - part number 996.641.980.26.70C fits a MY01 6 speed 2WD - US car for my 2000 Boxster. I installed it in my car and it works fine except for a damaged clock/oil gauge lcd. As you can see in this picture. The oil pressure gauge reads 0, but it rises to between 4 and 5 when I turn on the car.

The lcd was not a surprise - I paid $155 for the gauge cluster (including shipping) and I knew it was from a warranty repair. So, it was a moderate risk/high reward situation.

What I planned to do was place the gauges from the Carrera on my Boxster circuit board. The circuit boards have the same part number and they appear identical. When I did that, I had the result shown here:

Everything works fine except for the voltmeter. It stays at the bottom whether the car is off or on. I'm assuming that the car is sending a useable signal to the voltmeter since it works when I have the "pure" Carrera gauges in the car. Of course the circuit board could be similar in appearance but have differences.

Here's my question: If I had someone with a PIWIS or a PST2 run the following procedure is there a menu option to turn on the voltmeter? Specifically, does anyone know whether the menus that display in step 9 will have a choice for activating the voltmeter?

1. Get DME and Immobilizer codes for the car in question. You will need to contact a Porsche dealer, providing proof of ownership and the VIN number. Safe guard these codes and any other codes the dealer may furnish. They can be used to have keys made and/or re-program the car so that the real owner cannot access the car. Use these codes when asked to input the old codes and the new codes in the DME and immobilizer fields of the PST2 / PIWIS. If you have a battery that is suspect, i.e., old and/or weak, use a battery maintainer while doing the procedure. If the PST2 / PIWIS senses a voltage less than 12 volts, it may refuse to code the DME. Any power interruption during the reprogramming of the DME can complicate the situation substantially….possibly unrecoverably.2. Connect the PST2 / PIWIS, turn key ON, select 996 and DME. The only option will be to reprogram the DME.3. Reprogram DME as a 996 DME.4. Turn key OFF then back ON.5. Rescan all controllers for a 996.6. Change model type order code to 996310 – North American C2 Cabriolet (996311– RHD C2 Cabriolet)7. Turn key OFF then back ON.8. Rescan all controllers for a 996.9. Code instrument cluster. Step through every option, i. e., OBC, Cruise Control,Cabriolet, etc. (If you forget to code any of these options before you recode the DME back to 986 at the end of this procedure, you’ll have to start all over again at step 2!)10. Initialize the instrument cluster. This over writes the existing instrument cluster parameters.11. Turn key OFF then back ON.12. Program DME as a 986. North American 986’s are LEV vehicles when asked to input “emissions type”. There are three other emission types : RoW, EOBD andEOBD/Belg. These are used in other parts of the world. The type order code for a 986 is : 986310; a 986S is : 986320; a 986 (RHD) is : 986311; a 986S (RHD) is : 986321.13. After programming the DME follow the instructions to clear CAN bus fault codes in the controllers that have faults (usually the AC and PSM).14. Turn key OFF then back ON.15. Rescan all of the controllers for a 986.16. Turn key OFF, disconnect PST2 / PIWIS. Finished!

Edited February 9, 2013 by KevinH90

[whall]

Kevin,

I wish I could help with the voltmeter problem. I don't understand the nomenclature "pure". I would suspect that there is a compatibility problem between the 996 cluster and the 986 circuit board........although there is no such problem with the oil pressure gauge. You might run the situation past the folks at PA Speedometer or the manufacturer, VDO.

As to your question about the PST2 / PIWIS having an enabling function for the voltmeter, there is none. You can check the system voltage to compare with the voltmeter indication.

When you find the solution to your problem, please let us know what it is.

Bill

[KevinH90]

Thanks for the reply. Two of the Porsche independents in the area confirmed that a PIWIS or PST-2 could not activate the voltmeter. I emailed Palo Alto Speedometer and North Hollywood Speedometer and the best they could offer was to replace the circuit board - for $600.

Fortunately, I received some input from an electronics hobbyist who posts on the 986 Forum. He was able to reprogram the circuit board on his Boxster cluster so that it could operate the Carrera gauges. http://986forum.com/forums/general-discussions/43017-carrera-gauge-swap.html He is very helpful and gave me the following information.

There is a chip on the circuit board called an EPROM (Erasable Programmable Memory) that can be reprogrammed. I had to buy some equipment so I should be able to give it a try over the weekend. Here are the steps:

1. Read the programming from the Carrera board and save it.

2. Read the programming from the Boxster board and save it.

3. Copy the first two lines of code from the Boxster circuit board and write it over the first two lines of the Carrera Board programming and save it under a different name. This puts the mileage and the VIN from the Boxster into the Carrera code.

4. Write the updated Carerra code that you saved under a different name to the Boxster Circuit Board.

5. Attach the Carerra Gauges to the Boxster circuit board and install it in the car.

I'll let everyone know whether I'm successful by the end of the weekend. If it works I'll provide a full write up with photos.

Edited February 22, 2013 by KevinH90

[KevinH90]

It worked. I'll provide full write up later.

[KevinH90]

Check out this post on the 986 Forum for more details on using the circuit board from a Boxster to replace a defective circuit board on a Carrera gauge cluster. This would allow you to use a Carrera cluster with one or more defective lcd's for a transplant and potentially save some money.

http://986forum.com/forums/general-discussions/43017-carrera-gauge-swap.html

[KevinH90]

Here's information on how to program the clusters with mileage, VIN and model number.