Instrument Cluster rev counter

[Noctule]

Rev counter arrived this morning!

It's a MK6 rev counter.

AAARRGGHH!

(not chuffed)

[ned]

Rev counter arrived this morning!

It's a MK6 rev counter.

AAARRGGHH!

(not chuffed)

Aren't the Mk5 analogue gauges and the Mk6 analogue gauges the same?

[Abcd123]

Are they the same and a straight swap?

[Noctule]

Aren't the Mk5 analogue gauges and the Mk6 analogue gauges the same?

No, different alternator so presumably different w-signal from alternator. Reads the same as the mk2 Mondeo revcounter though.

electronic_mondeo_clocks.jpg

[Noctule]

Here's some new pics to replace those now missing in the technical article by member 'theonefromthesky' on modifying Mondeo revcounters to work in the Smiley. https://fordtransit.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=121390&c=1

mondeo_97bp_revcounter_in_mk5transit.jpg

mondeo_97bp_revcounter_circuit_board.jpg

mondeo_97bp_revcounter_r7_r8.jpg

I'll be attempting the mod soon (as in maybe next week). Watch this space...

[Noctule]

mk6_transit_revcounter_r7.jpg

[ned]

So am I right in thinking the rev counter is working backwards?

[Noctule]

No, it's all down to the frequency of the signal coming from the alternator. The resistors do the same job as the gearing for the speedo in the gearbox. Change the resistors and you change how much the rev counter reads. The resistors in the Transit revcounter allow a working range from 750 to 4250 rpm. Put in a Mondeo revcounter and it might for example read a tickover of say 5250rpm, 7 times that of a DI. That could potentially mean if the revcounter could read high enough, 4000rpm on a Transit clock would then read as 28000rpm on a Mondeo rev counter.

The reading backwards thing is only to do with the fuel gauge and sender, they need to be matched as earlier Mk5 senders are apparently wired differently to later Mk5's.

[Noctule]

Finally found the time to mod the rev counter! Well, more accurate to say that time was found for me.

Here's a pic of the modded circuit board, sorry it's a messy job but I didn't want to go to the expense of buying a hot air pencil after finding my local electronic shops wouldn't do the work.

mondeo_rev_counter_r7_modded.jpg

R7 has been replaced with a 0ohm 1206 smt chip.

The clocks were then fitted in the camper and played with until it was about right and... Success!

mondeo_rev_counter_r7_modded_cal.jpg

The easiest way to calibrate it is to plug the clocks in with the speedo left out. You can then pull the rev counter back out to adjust the blue pot (R8)

I know someone with an electronic tacho test kit (you stick a special sticker on the crank pulley and it counts the passes to give you the rpm) so I can calibrate it properly later.

[Noctule]

Nearly there with the cluster conversion.

Today I swapped the left hand jewels to make it more suitable for the Transit. The bottom one came out of the old cluster and gives back the correct icon for the water in diesel warning. The top one had to be ordered from Ford, and swaps an unknown warning to the trailer indicator warning. The one thing that needs sorting here is way the lamp works. The Mondeo cluster circuit board differs here so this lamp flashes along with the right hand indicator whilst the ignition light is on. To get around this I have ordered a rubber sidelight bulb holder that I am going to try to cut to match the same shape of the cluster lamps.

cluster_jewels.jpg

[Noctule]

... and it turns out that the mystery icon is cruise control.

[Noctule]

Last piece of the jigsaw... rubber bulb holders arrived this morning so I trimmed one carefully with a craft knife to make it a similar size and shape to the standard instrument bulb, wired it in, and gave it a whirl. Success!

bulb_holder.jpg

trailer_warning_working.jpg

[Noctule]

Forgot to mention, if there is no response from the rev counter, check the wire from the cluster to the alternator is present. If not, you need to add one.

One end is the grey/black wire on the alternator. The cable disappears into the twist connector below the battery, but the wire in the loom from there into the cabin will be missing.

IMG_20200327_1243502.jpg

The other end will need a flag crimp to fit in the connector block for the cluster, there will be one missing at A6(?). I got a connector from a scrap yard and transplanted a piece of wire on a crimp.

IMG_20200327_1244438.jpg

[gotgcoalman]

I shall pop my cluster back out and have a look see.

So signal wire from alternator = revvy thing worky.

Hopefully it doesn't catch fire



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