Vauxhall GTE Digital Dash - underway with techno wizardry!

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VWCamperfan
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Re: Vauxhall GTE/GSI Digital Dash conversion

Post by VWCamperfan »

I'm pretty sure it was Mk3 sensor, yes.
The main problem with this conversion is usually the connectors on the back of the Digifiz. They are like rocking horse stuff! I have the complete list of what connectors do what on the back but had to solder wires directly to the inside of the circuit board on the Digifiz to overcome this problem. I didn't solder directly onto the connectors themselves because if the connecting plugs come up at some time I may well use them instead and wanted to keep the original connectors free of solder! Soldering onto the back of the connectors though works pretty well and won't damage anything in the process... So long as you don't use a 75 watt soldering iron!
The rest of it is just mating up the old wiring for the original dash to the new stuff.
You also have to wire in the oil pressure switch and pressure sensor... Yep, they have a buzzer of doom on the oil circuit! Works fine though.
There is also the RPM guage... Looks lovely as it bobs up and down and from side to side on you new dash... It won't do for much longer if you wire it directly to the coil tough! It has to be wired into pin No.7 on the ignition control module in the engine bay. The coil kicks out too much and you will have a fry-up on your dash if you wire it into there!
Mark.

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poshbuggers
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Re: Vauxhall GTE/GSI Digital Dash conversion

Post by poshbuggers »

Wow! More helpful info :mrgreen:

Is yours fitted in a van?

I'm considering building a special dash pod to house the unit more tidily/sympathetically. How did you fit yours?

'90 Syncro Hightop. Ex-BUPA/Rowan ambulance with 2.0L GTI power and some curious windows.
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VWCamperfan
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Re: Vauxhall GTE/GSI Digital Dash conversion

Post by VWCamperfan »

Yeah, mine is in my van! It just squeezes in front of the hydraulic tank on the brake master cylinder. Still working on fitting it in permanently however!
Mark.

I'm Not A Complete Idiot... Some Bits Are Missing!

1.6 Modified CT engine.

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Re: Vauxhall GTE/GSI Digital Dash conversion

Post by nicko868 »

so has any one fitted the GTE dash in there van ? i quite like the look of them and their price haha 10 quid of ebay inc postage haha , so how hard are they to fit ? any guides/ diagrams and also dose any one have any idea for housings ? :) chers :)

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Cyrus
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Re: Vauxhall GTE/GSI Digital Dash conversion

Post by Cyrus »

Very interesting thread, I'll be watching in anticipation.
If it all works out watch the price of gte dashes rocket!

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Re: Vauxhall GTE/GSI Digital Dash conversion

Post by nicko868 »

haha they have alread rocketed i managed to get my hands on one last night for 25 quid but i missed one the other night made like 120 haha

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Re: Vauxhall GTE/GSI Digital Dash conversion

Post by youthy giblets »

Dare I admit it on here but I own an Astra gte with digi dash aswel as several type 25s don't think the physical size of the digi dash will cause a problem when fitting into t25 as they are all electronic they are relatively compact. Thought about this but interesting to see how the fuel gauge will work and how accurate the rev clock will work or even if it will work on a diesel with a alternator w signal

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Re: Vauxhall GTE/GSI Digital Dash conversion

Post by poshbuggers »

A bit of a thread revival here.

I put my dash conversion on the back burner after a change of van (and a working original dash) negated immediate necessity.

I kept the parts though and looked at the binnacle conversion. At Busfest last year I saw a Senator (I think?) dash in a Syncro. It worked but wasn't as neat as I would have liked. It did respark my enthusiasm though.

After a lot of research I am now about to throw myself headlong into the conversion. My dash is working and has blue tint applied to suit the new style in my van. This was a complete pain and took around a week to do carefully but the result has been worth it.

I removed the curved plastic window from the front with a Dremel to allow flat mounting. This also eliminates most problems I have read concerning viewing in daylight.

Image

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I will be using electronics from Speedpuls.tk to connect the dash. They have a lot of experience with dash conversions and their Mk3 Golf looks a great proposition for anyone with a GTI/TDI engine. Very simple and straightforward. Unfortunately my chosen package of Syncro/GTI/Astra GTE and cruise control creates a few more technical issues but after some pondering and a lot of emails I think I have it sorted.

The gist of it is:
- Speedpuls dash convertor module which allows multiple connections to the VW loom at the dash.
- VW original speedo head removed and a Speedpuls/Gala transducer unit attached in the original hole - converting the mechanical analogue signal to digital pulse.
- Speedpuls frequency convertor module - this will allow me to fine tune the pulses to suit the Astra dash and match up the MPH correctly
- Claer dash pod. I looked at using the VW pod but it means a lot of cutting and fabrication to create a bit of a monster. The Claer pod comes blank (ready for Porsche/VDO gauges) so it's ideal for fresh cuts and new layouts out of the box. I'll be relocating the original VW headlight/hazard and fog switches into it using frame parts from a battered VW binnacle so I get proper mounts.

Image

There are a few additional things to look at - namely tacho signal, oil temp, oil pressure and fuel level but these can be worked out with the appropriate use of senders. An intermediate 'pot board' might be required to tune these to the dash (so half a tank actually reads like half a tank) but I will see how baseline settings are with the senders I have.

As the transducer produces a speedo signal I will be tying this into the ECU and cruise control. The ECU will then be able to provide real time data for the BordComputer MFA system in the dash pod as well as diagnostics. The cruise control uses a period VDO Tempomat system with a VW control stalk and pedal switches. The speedo signal also provides data for the inbuilt satnav and radio volume controls. It really will be used to it's best but as the dash is costing a pretty penny - it needs to!!!!


Anyway, I am happy to answer questions. This dash might be the death of me - but it will be a big step forward

'90 Syncro Hightop. Ex-BUPA/Rowan ambulance with 2.0L GTI power and some curious windows.
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Re: Vauxhall GTE Digital Dash - underway with techno wizardry!

Post by silverbullet »

Very cool. Refreshingly tech-heavy :-)
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Re: Vauxhall GTE Digital Dash - underway with techno wizardry!

Post by poshbuggers »

A little update.

I ordered an oil temp sender as Mike and I have been discussing the GTI engine, cooling and the pioneering work GaryD has carried out on his van. I want to see where the temperature sits on a VDO analogue gauge to act as a baseline for the digidash.

Today I pulled out the Dremel and trimmed back the clear 'lense' on the digidash more, giving a nice flat edge for the surround to fit up to.

Once this was tidied up enough (needs wet and dry and a little polishing in yet) I set to cutting out the main hole in the pod. This was with some trepidation as the digidash is flat and the pod is concave - making measuring awkward. Using the approach of cut inside and 'open out' I spent an hour refining the aperture. I'd say it's 95% there now and ready for infills to seat the dash and hide the mounts for it.

Image

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Quite happy with it up to yet though :D

'90 Syncro Hightop. Ex-BUPA/Rowan ambulance with 2.0L GTI power and some curious windows.
)

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Re: Vauxhall GTE Digital Dash - underway with techno wizardry!

Post by 300CE »

That looks pretty damn smart Paul! :ok
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Re: Vauxhall GTE Digital Dash - underway with techno wizardry!

Post by poshbuggers »

It's getting there but I will be happier when the surround is done and tidy. The finish there needs to be spot on and my fibreglassing is a bit rusty.

I'm going to lay up some strips for the 4 sides and bond them in one by one onto brackets.

'90 Syncro Hightop. Ex-BUPA/Rowan ambulance with 2.0L GTI power and some curious windows.
)

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Re: Vauxhall GTE Digital Dash - underway with techno wizardry!

Post by poshbuggers »

Today the kit from Speedpuls has arrived, very neatly packaged too.

Image

The Tachotronic unit has been wired direct to the transducer, saving me some work.

I now have to work out the pinouts from the Astra dash and tie them into those from the T3. Thankfully this can be made tidier/simplified with the plug breakout board (supplied) which has 3 rows so you can tap into the T3 wiring without need for modifications.

80% of the wires needed can be accessed this way and it gives options for doubling up (i.e. where one vehicle has multiple inputs for the same warning light or where you want to tee off the tacho signal).

Tobias sent me a pinout guide (in german, but I have translated it) which helps nail things down. The only issues seem to be where the displays differ - in this case the handbrake warning light (external on the T3), indicator warning light (singular on the T3, both sides on the Astra) and the oil temperature (the T3 uses an inbuilt pressure system in the dash, the Astra doesn't).

These can be worked around but using spare pinouts on the board, wiring direct to the Astra plugs from the external switchgear or omitting the function.

Personally I want everything that can possibly work, to work so the oil pressure glitch may have to be experimented with. Tobias suggested the use on an analogue pressure transducer which I believe produces a different signal to a normal temperature sender.

Has anyone had experience of these?

'90 Syncro Hightop. Ex-BUPA/Rowan ambulance with 2.0L GTI power and some curious windows.
)

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Re: Vauxhall GTE Digital Dash - underway with techno wizardry!

Post by poshbuggers »

First test of the dash in the van.

No oil temp or pressure inputs yet, speedo and tacho to be connected. Indicators and Hazards have a conflict - something to do with trailer wiring as it triggers the buzzer.

Otherwise it all seems good. I have to spend a while extending the wiring from one plug and heatshrinking it to the breakout board to make a proper tidy loom.

Video here: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10 ... =2&theater :D

'90 Syncro Hightop. Ex-BUPA/Rowan ambulance with 2.0L GTI power and some curious windows.
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Re: Vauxhall GTE Digital Dash - underway with techno wizardry!

Post by Robsey »

I have a GTE DigiDash retro fitted in my mk3 Cavalier.

You will not have the in-built facility for oil temperature.

Fuel tank values will be very odd too, because the gauge is set up / calibrated specific to the shape of the mk2 astra fuel tank. It is massively inaccurate even on other vauxhalls never mind a vw.

The oil pressure is a two stage item - 1 wire from a standard oil ptessure switch.
A second wire from a pressure transducer.
A generic sender should work.
It must work for upto 5 bar pressure.

Engine temperature and battery voltage meters should not cause any issues.
But be aware that the temperature gauge is very vague.
From memory the gauge blocks are in increments of 20ºc.

I haven't yet gone in-depth with the T25 tacho signal from the alternator w contact.
On 80's vauxhalls, the gauge took it's rev counter pulses from the low tension side of the coil.
(Normally a green wire).

In reality - I would have converted my cav back to analogue, but I did too good a job soldering the wires.
I simply cannot be bothered to redo all the wiring / strip off the digi links.

If you need pin outs or digi dash test data, then let me know.
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Maybe one day I might get it finished

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