trip computer

[totaleclipse]

is it possible to retrofit the trip computer from a D9 HDI to a 2.1TD D8?

[mjb]

No. You might be able to get a D8 trip computer retro-fitted if your ECU harness/connector has a wire 1368, but a D9 one is completely out of the question

[totaleclipse]

what model of d8 came with a trip computer?

mine is an executive, so should have thought that if tehy came with a trip computer mine would have it?

how do i tell if i have wire 1368?

[mjb]

what model of d8 came with a trip computer?

Almost all but the most poverty-specced cars. The thing is very few are actually wired up and set to run in trip computer mode (t/c mode disables the radio display)

how do i tell if i have wire 1368?

Open up the ECU plug and start looking at the numbers printed on the wires. It's a tedious job. I know the Bosch MP3.2 and MP7.0 ECUs have the wire, dunno about any others

[totaleclipse]

what model of d8 came with a trip computer?

Almost all but the most poverty-specced cars. The thing is very few are actually wired up and set to run in trip computer mode (t/c mode disables the radio display)

ok, from that, being that mine is an executive, i have to surmise that i do have a trip computer, SO being that you used the word mode, how do i put it in trip computer mode? i have an aftermarket stereo, and don't use those functions anyway.

[mjb]

To put it in t/c mode, lever it out and turn the little dial on the side to another position using a jeweller's screwdriver

HOWEVER

To be of any use, the trip computer needs 3 things to memory:
1) An intercept on the fuel gauge sender to dashboard
2) A tachometer feed
3) Most importantly, wire 1368 from the engine ECU... IF your ecu has that wire to be intercepted

For the most basic of trip computer functionality, you NEED 1368 from the engine ecu to be fed to the t/c. That is pretty much non-negotisble

[teamster1975]

I'm pretty sure it was only the D8 petrols that had the live fuel data from the ECU.

[mjb]

I'm pretty sure it was only the D8 petrols that had the live fuel data from the ECU.

I don't think anyone's actually been and looked on any engine other than the tubby and V6

[teamster1975]

I'm pretty sure it was only the D8 petrols that had the live fuel data from the ECU.

I don't think anyone's actually been and looked on any engine other than the tubby and V6

I fitted it to my old 1.8lx.
When I was researching it (and before I found this haven of knowledge! ) I found a site that said it was a no-no on the diesels. Don't ask me where it was cos I can't remember!

[mjb]

What ECU does the 1.8 have?

[teamster1975]

What ECU does the 1.8 have?

Pretty sure it was the MP3.2, same as the tubby. Bosch something or other anyhow!

[jibz]

Hi - This topic is interesting. I have been thinking if i had a t/c on my 96 executive .... I really wanna know how to set up the t/c..

Almost all but the most poverty-specced cars. The thing is very few are actually wired up and set to run in trip computer mode (t/c mode disables the radio display)

What is the connection between the radio and t/c ??? cos i have an after market cd player in mine .....

To put it in t/c mode, lever it out and turn the little dial on the side to another position using a jeweller's screwdriver

What "little dial" are you reffering to
someone also told me that the wiper stalk control the t/c?? my wiper stalk controls only d wiper

Regards

[mjb]

What is the connection between the radio and t/c ??? cos i have an after market cd player in mine .....

The standard radio uses the trip computer as a display, so you see the radio station name etc on it

To put it in t/c mode, lever it out and turn the little dial on the side to another position using a jeweller's screwdriver

What "little dial" are you reffering to

It's obvious if you lever the t/c out. It's a 4-position rotary switch which can be turned using a very small flathead screwdriver

someone also told me that the wiper stalk control the t/c?? my wiper stalk controls only d wiper

You'd need a new stalk, and more likely than not wiring for the stalk, as well as wiring for the fuel level sender, the odometer, the ecu... It's all covered in the main thread on this subject.

[jibz]

You'd need a new stalk, and more likely than not wiring for the stalk, as well as wiring for the fuel level sender, the odometer, the ecu... It's all covered in the main thread on this subject.

Thanks mjb...
Read the thread now but just wanna clarify this ..
For the following wires: 1368 wire from the ECU, fuel level sender, odometer..do i need to cut them off from their original position and solder them to the t/c or i just need to intercept it with another wire and solder it to the t/c ???????

Regards

[mjb]

For the following wires: 1368 wire from the ECU, fuel level sender, odometer..do i need to cut them off from their original position and solder them to the t/c or i just need to intercept it with another wire and solder it to the t/c ???????

It was a while ago, and I can't even remember what I ate for dinner last night... so take the below with a pinch of salt!

What I did was:

Wire 1368 (I think it was beige in colour) from the ECU/engine harness needs to come through the bulkhead to the trip computer. I used a "scotch lok" to attach to it, but I'm reasonably confident it's only for the trip computer so can be cut and soldered. Use a fairly thick wire for this, and the best place to put it through the bulkhead is in the cavity by the drivers side bonnet hinge. If you pop out the panel at the side of the dashboard you should be able to see it go through. My routing method is to use a hook fashioned out of wire to hook it and pull it through the side panel, then from behind the instrument cluster, get the hook to come out the side panel, attach the wire and pull through. It can then go to the t/c with everything else.

The switch needs wiring in. One pin is a ground (DO CHECK THIS!), which can come from anywhere and the other's the normally-high signal to the t/c. My first retro-fit involved wiring both pins of a microswitch (which I blu-tac'd to the dashboard ) to the t/c. The second time I bought a stalk and wired the button pin to the t/c. IIRC the stalk's button's already got a ground just no signal. If memory serves I think the pin was connected on the harness (but didn't go anywhere) so I cut the harness wire and soldered a wire in.

The odometer signal, power(?) and ground wires were taken from behind the instrument cluster using scotch-loks

The fuel gauge sender is more involved as you need to cut the feed to the instrument cluster and route it through the t/c. Some have reported success just tapping it but I've done it twice and needed to cut it and pass it through the t/c.

There are two sane ways to connect these wires to the t/c. The cleanest is to get hold of a connector which attaches to the existing connector to provide a second tier of pins. The method I used first time round was to disassemble the t/c, solder wires to the PCB, braid them, and feed them out via the little hole on the back. I then stuck a 9-pin D-sub connector on the back to allow for disconnection. If you're near stoke, I'll sell you my D-subbed t/c for a tenner, but I can't post it.

As I say, my memory's iffy so double-check everything I've said with the wiring diagrams I posted on the main thread