Fitting a VSS to your cluster (aka Speedo Swap)

[qikteg]

Disclaimer: The following is provided as a GUIDE ONLY, and neither myself nor Ozhonda take any responsibility for the outcomes of someone else doing the following. You follow these steps at your own risk!

In response to this thread: http://www.ozhonda.com/forum/showthread.php?t=112892 , i figured it would be easy to try and outfit my existing cluster with a VSS equipped speedo, than try a full dash conversion. This is a pretty specific swap, so others might be different, but i guess it goes to show that swapping out components isn't too difficult with a bit of work. This is most useful for oldschool hondas that want to go vtec.

Aim: Add an electronic Vehicle Speed Sensor to a cluster which doesn't have one (in this case, a B16a Vtec swap into G1 Teg).

Required:
- Speedo from a cluster which has a Vehicle Speed Sensor
- Dremel/File
- Drill
- Existing Cluster
- Wires
- Screws/bolts etc.
- couple of hours

Steps:

(1) Remove cluster from dash as per FSM (easy enough, find the screws, unplug the plugs, and pull the sucker out). Remove clear plastic protector screen (clips on top and bottom), and remove black plastic screen
http://i700.photobucket.com/albums/ww10/b04033a/Picture055.jpg
http://i700.photobucket.com/albums/ww10/b04033a/Picture070.jpg

(2) With the cluster out, flip it over, and undo the screws holding in the existing speedo.
http://i700.photobucket.com/albums/ww10/b04033a/Picture067.jpg

(3) Remove speedo from cluster.
http://i700.photobucket.com/albums/ww10/b04033a/Picture021.jpg

(4) Comparison of the two speedos. (DA9 speedo on the left (VSS equipped), DA3 on the right, non VSS). Pull the needles out, and unscrew the screws to remove the face plates. Remove the perspex mounting plate from the DA3 speedo.
http://i700.photobucket.com/albums/ww10/b04033a/Picture062.jpg
http://i700.photobucket.com/albums/ww10/b04033a/Picture058.jpg
http://i700.photobucket.com/albums/ww10/b04033a/Picture027.jpg
http://i700.photobucket.com/albums/ww10/b04033a/Picture054.jpg


(5) Line up the top holes of the DA9 speedo face and the perspec mounting plate, as this will be your point of reference. The window on the perspex plate will need to be dremel'd or filed out for full view of the odometer. Additionally, holes will need to be drilled on the mounting plate for the screws and needle. its a matter of lining it up, marking it and drilling it.

The DA9 Speedo face will need to be trimmed to fit the black plastic screen
http://i700.photobucket.com/albums/ww10/b04033a/Picture008.jpg
http://i700.photobucket.com/albums/ww10/b04033a/Picture006.jpg

(6) Assemble the DA9 Speedo with the perspex mounting plate inbetween the mechanism and the Face plate with the original screws. I also chose to swap over the orange needle for consistancy. Test fit speedo back into cluster
http://i700.photobucket.com/albums/ww10/b04033a/Picture023.jpg

(7) Remove speedo again, wire up the ground and active terminals with enough wire to reach down underneath the dashboard.
http://i700.photobucket.com/albums/ww10/b04033a/Picture068.jpg

(8) feed wires through the back of the cluster, and refit the speedo mechanism. you will need longer mounting bolts, as the originals do not reach.
http://i700.photobucket.com/albums/ww10/b04033a/Picture071.jpg

(9) Refit black plastic screen and clear plastic protector
http://i700.photobucket.com/albums/ww10/b04033a/Picture078.jpg
http://i700.photobucket.com/albums/ww10/b04033a/Picture079.jpg

(10) Enjoy Vtec!

[ECU-MAN]

thats an awsome DIY

good work

[SHOGUNOVDDRK]

You clever bastard.

[Bludger]

the cool thing is if you stuff up, cheap replacements are available.

[JasonGilholme]

what about the tacho?? Reving to 8200 would almost be off the clock on that dial lol. Would potentially be the same approach would it not?

[qikteg]

If not exactly the same principal, but It would probably be easier, cos it's not mechanically controlled, so just fit and wire and you're done. The only thing is that the da9 tacho redlined at less than the da3... Redlining to the end of the dial will look sweet as though, now that you mention it :)

[Ashwee]

Just what I needed. Thanks a bunch! :)

[jdmEG5]

i did this to my EG, i wanted to get white face dials, i removed the "2 screws". I did practically all this besides trimming. After the result, My speedo, rpm, fuel, temp gauges werent working properly. My Rpm revd up to 3000rpm really slow and never went back down until 4minutes or something and so did my speedo. Just an addition, maybe you gotta becareful not to use magnetic point screw drivers, my problem was caused my magnectic point screw driver whiuch faked up the springs/ magnetic parts bhind the gauges.

[Bludger]

^^^^

LOL, something went wrong somewhere.

[qikteg]

lol... i would suspect though that it may be something else. the mounting screws used could actually be grounding points or built into the circuit. i don't think honda would expect people to not use magnetic tipped screwdrivers, as generally its an industry standard... plus the magnetics wouldn't have affected your other gauges either.

i'm yet to road test it, so i'll see how it goes....

[CRXer]

^^^^

LOL, something went wrong somewhere.
think the nut holding the screwdriver was a bit too loose...........

[jdmEG5]

think the nut holding the screwdriver was a bit too loose...........
everything was back where it was, i called up my honda mechanic/electrician/freak, he said it was all fine, coz he checked it up. He was the one that told me what was the problem and how it was caused. magnetic = sensitivity from the sensors -> speedo