Experts?? Will this cluster work?

[Torchd]

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2337/2459288836_214f533d66_b.jpg

The upper cluster (with the clock) is what i currently have in my car.. and the lower one with the Tacho is available..

Will the tach one work in my car??  I dont know which brand it is..  but my original one (with the clock) is by VDO..

Will i have to do anything to make it all work specially the tach??

Please helpp me out i badly need a working cluster!

[burn_your_money]

As long as they both have 2 connectors it is plug and play.

As long as your alternator has a W terminal you shouldn't have to do any wiring to make the tach work.

[Torchd]

Thanx burn ur money!!

But... Wouldnt different brands pose a problem??

I had a W terminal before... but i changed my alternator and it has the W written on the back but the connector is not there... I can remove that plate (inside the alternator) from the original alternator and install it in the new one!!..  I believe this way i'll get my W terminal back...  Is that correct?
What color is the W terminal wire btw?

And the older speedo goes to 200 km/h and the new one goes to 180..  Will i get accurate readings?  The older says 950 in the speedo and the newer one says 975...  what does this number mean??

[Vincent Waldon]

Thanx burn ur money!!

But... Wouldnt different brands pose a problem??

I had a W terminal before... but i changed my alternator and it has the W written on the back but the connector is not there... I can remove that plate (inside the alternator) from the original alternator and install it in the new one!!..  I believe this way i'll get my W terminal back...  Is that correct?
What color is the W terminal wire btw?

VW buys parts from many different vendors but the specs remain the same...  the cluster pinout is vendor-independent and so it won't matter who built the cluster in the end.

In terms of the W terminal... if there's no terminal under the W label then there's no terminal... meaning you will need to manually add one (disassemble the alternator and add the correct wire using a soldering iron) or swap out the alternator with one that actually has a W terminal under the label in the casting.

If you're not comfortable with electronic work I can't recommend adding the W terminal yourself... difficult to describe in words over the internet and you run the risk of wrecking the alternator by overheating the diodes.

I've seen several colors of wire for the W signal at the alternator, but the most common seems to be red.

[Torchd]

Thanx Vince for the write up!!

How can the W terminal be added?? I will get it done from some professional...  but i will still need to guide them as they prolly wont know much about German alternators!!

okay, the clusters are vendor independent...  wouldn't different locations of fuel, temperature gauge, one indicator light as opposed to two, different high beam light, matter??

[Torchd]

Vince....  can you please reply?

Thanks.

[VelocityConservation]

I confirm what Vincent says.

I had a VDO cluster with clock, the AutoMeter cluster I switched to went in no problems.  Then I wanted the mileage to be right (NC DMV can be cranky about this) so I put my VDO Speedo in the AutoMeter cluster.

VelocityConservation

[Vincent Waldon]

Vince....  can you please reply?

Thanks.

Not sure what you are waiting to hear.

As previously stated, the pin-out of the cluster is vendor-independent... so it does not matter who made your cluster or what the location of the actual gauges is... it will plug and play assuming it has the same plug configuration (1 plug = CE2, 2 plugs = CE1)

In terms of adding the W terminal... there is tons of discussion on this subject here on the board... have a look and then holler if you have specific questions and someone will chime in for sure.

[Torchd]

Cool.... i get it now..

Cheers.. Thanx!