I have a Mazdaspeed cluster I'm selling to a customer, but I got it mixed up with another one I have, and now I'm not sure which is which (in terms of mileage). Is there a way to power up the cluster so I can read the odometer without having to install it in an FD?

Thanks
~Ramy

 

I haven't seen how it plugs in, but I imagine you'd need the other part that it plugs into first since you wouldn't want to strip your end to wire it up. You'd also have to test the wires on the car's plug to see which one's actually the one that it gets its power from, so that you could wire it into your source provided you get a cut plug from somewhere else. So you get the plug that's attached to the car from a junker, you splice it into a power source, then plug the dash into it. That's a lot of work which may not work at all, but that's my theory. This is just a guess though, as I haven't seen any of it.

 

What about the ground?

 

What about it?

 

I would think that'd be mighty tough Ramy....

 

Ramy, it should be do-able. You can use a 12VDC power supply from a computer.

First step is to modify the power supply so it will turn on without being connected to a computer. There will be one green wire on the biggest connector of the power supply. Use a wire or a bent paperclip to connect it to any black wire (GND) on that same connector.
(some photos here: http://www.overclock.net/faqs/96712-...upply-psu.html )

You'll want the 12V line (yellow) and the GND line (black), hook these up to the proper pins on your instrument cluster ( pg C1-10 of the Body Electrical manual):


Good luck,
-s-

 

Hey Scotty, thanks a bunch for that I'll let ya know how it turns out hehe

~Ramy

 

i would love to know this aswell... keep me/us posted!

 

Will do

 

By the way, most PC power supplies will output at least 10 Amps, which will burn wires REALLY quickly if you screw something up or accidentally touch power to ground for a couple of seconds (ask me how I know...).


It would be helpful to tape wires in place so they don't move around if you accidentally brush them. To be safe, you might want to add a 2-5A fuse on the power side of things. Most automotive blade fuses will connect to female spade terminals that can be bought at Radio Shack.

-s-

 

Ooh...thanks for the helpful tip. Def. wouldn't wanna burn a $$$$ cluster =-/

 

This is one helluva tip. Nice work!

 

why modify the pc power supply, could you not just use a car battery?

 

btw that picture you sent is to test the water temperature gauge.

 

A car battery will pump out in excess of 100-amps! My Optima is rated at something like 880 cold-cranking amps.

In short, you don't want to short-out a car-battery.

Installing fast-acting fuses is definitely the safe and sensible way to do it regardless of PC powersupply of a car-battery.

:-) neil

 

Good eye.
In order to test the accuracy of the temp gauge, you've got to power the entire gauge cluster as well as send a signal to the temp gauge. That was the best drawing I could find in the FSM's; most are pretty grainy.



Personally, I've got more PC power supplies sitting around than car batteries. The best solution might be to buy a 12V adapter from Radio Shack.

-s-

 

I couldn't find any info on how to test the odometer in the body FSM. The wiring diagram manual is pretty difficult to understand as well, but it does mention the ODO.

On the back of the cluster there is a wire that comes out that does say ODO ILL = odometer illumination, but I can't find the ground for it.

 

I found some 12V transformers sitting around today, they look like they've never been used. They plug into your standard (120V AC) wall socket, and output 12V DC (500mA).


If anyone wants them, I can bring a few to SevenStock. Send me a PM.

-s-