Advice

[SeasideVanagon]

Hi all

Need some advice please.

Okay - i have a 1991 Vanagon - it would have left the factory with Speedo - Rev Counter and OX warning light on it's instruments. Somewhere along it;s journey through life it has lost the rev counter - gained a non working clock (instead of the rev counter set up) and had warning lights put in which don't include the OX warning light. I would imagine this happened when the clock was put in.

I intend to take the van back to original spec - and it's not the most important job but I was talking to a guy today and he said, have you considered that the clock is just a dummy, that the PCB is still set up for a rev counter and instead of changing the whole pod, they have simly removed the rev counter.

I hadn't thought of this - it would obviously be cheaper to put the rev counter back than replace the whole pod. i can put the warning lights back for about £7.

So my question is - before i shell out for a whole new dashboard pod - is there a way i can check the pod to see if the PCB is set up for a rev counter - or is there anyway I can check in general.

Any advice would be helpful

James

[ewenmaclean]

Hello,

if you've got pin 9 on the 14 pin multiconnector there, then that's the wiring for the tachometer and yes you should be able to put a tachometer in if you can get hold of one. I believe the signal for this comes from the coil on the 2.1, but on the diesel it came from the "W" pin on the alternator.

It's easy to remove the clock once the pod's out, but be very careful when unliclipping the pcb as the tracks are quite fragile.

Ewen

[SeasideVanagon]

Thanks Ewen

yes, I have been offered a rev counter for £56 - as opposed to £200 - £250 for a full Vanagon pod - okay I will check that out

Cheers

James

[ewenmaclean]

Hello,

follow the track for number 9 signal (it's a green wire). It'll go to the PCB behind the speedo too as a signal for the high revs oil buzzer warning. I'm pretty sure that track forks off to a connection you can make for the tacho - in any case it should be possible to run a wire directly to the tacho but I'll check later on a knackered PCB I have at home.

Ewen

[SeasideVanagon]

Thanks Ewen

That would be most appreciated. I am 90% certain the van left the factory with a tacho - so it's just whether someone replaced the tacho and warning lights or fitted a whole new pod - as the mileage appears to tally - I am assuming that they just replced the tacho.

Not sure why you would replace or remove a tacho though...
Cheers

James

[kevtherev]

Me neither, it was a standard item ...as you say

[SeasideVanagon]

Me neither, it was a standard item ...as you say

Kev

Yeah it's a mystery - I don't think it signals deeper probs - maybe it just stopped working and this is what someone put in. Things like this always make me think though.

She's still in the garage being fixed at the mo - so perhaps it was something to do with engine probs in the past?

Anyway it's just me being a bit OCD about it all - it's a long way down the list of things i would like to do or need to do - just need to get her back ont he road at the mo


James

[ewenmaclean]

Hello,

sorry I can't find my PCB - it might be in the loft. Perhaps the whole pod was changed and the mileage just coincidentally tallies, or the mileage was changed to be the same. Let us know what you find - hope you figure it out.

Ewen

[billy739]

if the dash pod originally had a tacho/rev counter it will have a digital clock in the middle under the warning lamps

anologue clock dash's just had this as blank

the pcb is different in clock/ tacho as the feed connections are different

either there was a fault or someone else fancied the tacho and swapped it.

look on the white sticker with your van details , will have engine code , option codes ect

M675 - Revolution Counter

[SeasideVanagon]

if the dash pod originally had a tacho/rev counter it will have a digital clock in the middle under the warning lamps

anologue clock dash's just had this as blank

the pcb is different in clock/ tacho as the feed connections are different

either there was a fault or someone else fancied the tacho and swapped it.

look on the white sticker with your van details , will have engine code , option codes ect

M675 - Revolution Counter

Hi

thanks for that - where will I find the white sticker - I have the VIN code - but I wasn't aware of a white sticker.

It looks like someone has take out the warning lights and digital clock - as a Vanagon it should have the OX warning light - it hasn't. But if I could find the white sticker?

Help much appreciated

James

[kevtherev]

You should have one of these stickers on the inside page of your service book.

[lloydy]

As your probably noticing, some of these vans have weird spec!
Take mine, arguably plushiest interior from the factory. Very high spec with factory pop top, wardrobes, two jump seats, heated rear window, central locking, and 16" package. But whoever bought the van new, skimped on the tacho!
Really that's the thing with German autos, everything is extra.
If you don't have the digi clock, then someone's either swapped the whole pod, or you just didn't get one

[SeasideVanagon]

Hi Lloyd

Of course and my van is an auto -- so the need for an auto is kind of negated. Also my van is one of the last, who knows what it left the factory with?

James

[lloydy]

Spooky just logged on, and you replied!
If you really, really really want to know what it left the factory with and have about £50 to spare VW will give you a birth certificate listing all extras fitted.
As kev said you will also have a white sticker somewhere, mine is just above fuse box.
Also under your driver seat Inline with the gear stick is a metal plate with some of the m codes, neither of these seem to be exhaustive though.
Birth cert seems the best way

[SeasideVanagon]

Lloyd

Yes shall look for the sticker. Being a US van the vin has to be displayed on the window - I have checked all the codes at Vanagon.com. It all checks out. I have also used auto check in America which told me when she left the factory and when the dealer sold her .


James