996 to 986 Instrument Cluster question
 

Has anyone discovered the eeprom re-programming to make the gas gauge work correctly with a 2002-2005 996 c4 gauge transplant? The problem is the tank is empty when the gauge reads 1/4 tank.

I understand I may be able to get the dealer to re-code the fuel tank type or I may be able to hack the sender, but I thought I would check to see if anyone has made progress with the eeprom.

I have done two of these any never had that issue. I just finished my last swap last week. 2003 Boxster S with a 2002 911 C4 Cab cluster. Gauge is spot on.

Not sure that helps but I have not had that issue.

These fuel level gauges are programable with everything from a PST II to the Durametric system; you simply need to follow the recalibration procedure in the service manual.

JFP Thanks for your response. I have come to have great confidence in your advice.

A little more help please. I have the Enthusiast Durametric and best I can tell neither it or the professional version will calibrate the fuel tank. Am I wrong?

This is my hobby car and I dread going to the dealer and explain that I have cobbled the cluster and that I want him to PIWIS it as a 996 and calibrate my fuel. My sense is the dealer will not want to mess with me. I may try a few other thing first.

Anyone?....Particlewave? ..Does anyone know the eeprom bits in the newer blue grey and green connector cluster for a 986 to turn on the oil pressure and voltmeter? or alternately, does anyone know the eeprom bits to go from 20 gal to 16 gal fuel in the 996 blue grey green cluster?

Another possibility, at this point my sending unit span is from 12 ohms full to 300 ohms empty. I wonder if I add a potentiometer and adjust the sending unit to half a tank would that work? I'm not sure because I think my cluster is set to do that final 1/4 calculation so my OBC would be wrong.

Finally, I can just go on living and knowing that I am out of gas a 1/4 tank. None of this is super important on a hobby car, just fun.:dance:

The Enthusiast version will not do it to my knowledge, you would need to check with Durametric on that. The 996 cluster was designed to be used with two different gas tanks, the regular one used on the two wheel drive cars, and a saddle shaped one used on the four wheel drive cars. As the result, it had to be calibrated to the car by draining the tank completely, then refilling it to a specific volume of fuel; 12 liters for a two wheel drive, 28 liters for a four wheel drive car, then running the gauge calibration on the scan tool.

As the cluster's electronics for the gauge are somewhat different, I do not know if any data can be lifted from on and transferred to the other, but I do know that the factory calibration system does work.

Thanks again. I believe you are exactly right. Ugh dealership:barf:. Last resort, will get back to you if I discover a work around or hack. :cool:

@obthomas - Prior to purchasing my Durametric, I rented one off eBay to set up my cruise control.

Think it was around fifty bucks of so. Easy peezy.

Bill Ladd If you ever want to turn off you cruise control I will rent you my Durametric for $50. Easy Peasy.

What?

I already bought one.

I’m telling you that you can rent a full-function durametric from eBay to calibrate your gauge rather than go to the dealer.

Bill Ladd

I just talked to Owen at Durametric. The Professional does not calibrate fuel on a 986 and in fact Owen says that the professional does not do any more then the enthusiast for a 986. So for a 986 the enthusiast version is as good as it gets. I did not know this. Now I do.

Well crap. Just going off what JFP said. Was excited to find a solution for you to keep from paying those dealer rates.

Ah well.

I found an Indy that is willing to work with me and has the PIWIS. Waiting for an email with an estimate.

Interesting, but not sure that is correct; their own site says you cannot activate the cruise control on a 986 with the Enthusiast, but rather need the Pro.......unless something has changed.

If I get a chance, I will hook up my Durametric pro and see if it gives me option to calibrate fuel gauge.

I'm crazy busy lately, so it will be a few days if I get that chance.

The only difference between the Enthusiast and Pro versions has always been the number of VINs that can be stored (3 vs unlimited) and neither can do fuel gauge.

Got a quote to calibrate my fuel gauge .
490 dollars

Something must have changed. My durametric enthusiast 986 cluster activations or coding has both onboard computer and cruise control send activations

A new approach......Is there anybody out there that has done this 996 blue grey green connector cluster into a 986 and everything works including the fuel gauge calibration that can share a download of their eprom.:)

This may help, is from the 996 factory repair manual. A known issue with fuel level readings on empty tanks after a battery disconnect. https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...4f1460dd1a.jpg

Sent from my POCOPHONE F1 using Tapatalk

What is the year of your car? (It has been a while since I installed my 996 cluster and I have forgotten the colors of my connectors.). If you have the LCD-type cluster I have the EPROM dumps from both the 986 and 996 clusters I used in my 2000. The files are stored on a hard drive and I should be able to find them this weekend.

By a process of elimination you may be able to determine which line of code controls the fuel gauge and update the offending bits.

This post http://http://986forum.com/forums/boxster-general-discussions/43017-carrera-gauge-swap.html shows the code for the old style cluster. Lines 1 through 3 of the code include the odometer reading and the VIN. One of the remaining lines probably has the fuel tank type encoded.

My car is a 2003 and the 996 cluster is a 2002. I think your 2000 is the early version and mine is the later. I have the link you sent me and again there is much information about the early version. My problem can be solved for $490 at the dealer or Indy. My car is a hobby car and I'm just not ready to spend that kind of money on a gas gage that works but is empty when showing 1/4 tank. Thank you for trying to help. If just one more guy as nice as you comes forward with a download of the newer cluster I will save $490. Thanks again :cheers:

IKE84

You sort of went right at my problem. I have a 986 call it smaller gas tank found in both 986 and 996 cars. If my cluster had come from a 996 with the smaller tank we would not be having this discussion.

As fortune would have it my 996 cluster came from a car with a larger tank with a hump in the middle. My 996 cluster is coded to read the level in this larger tank and at 1/4 tank turns over the fuel level duties to the computer which then watches fuel flow and continues to provide level indication. The document you send goes to the problem with this fuel system set up.

The simple solution to my cluster is to have it re-coded and calibrated to my tank. I have a quote to do this for $490. However, if I can figure out the eprom bits I save $490.

Thank you so much for your response. If just one nice guy like you gives me a download of their working blue green grey connector 996 cluster I save $490.

Thanks again

When I was searching for information about this project I learned that there were two companies, North Hollywood Speedometer and Palo Alto Speedometer that can program VDO gauge clusters. They may be able to help you for less than $500.

I have the code for a late model 996 with the larger tank. PM sent to you.

I'm Back!


complete success!

In summary I bought a 996 blue, green, grey connector cluster and put it in my 03 boxster with the same color connectors. I added a wire and a new oil pressure sender.

I discovered that my gas tank was empty when the gauge read 1/4 tank. After considerable research I found that my 996 cluster was coded for a 4wd car that has a different shaped fuel tank.

You can read this entire thread to see what I tried but here is the answer:

A forum member gave me a BIN file of his working eeprom and I flashed my cluster with it. Now my gas gauge is spot on.

I believe this is one possible solution to the gas gauge problem with C4 clusters into a boxster.
I also reason that this will probably work for any 996 cluster 2002-2004 with the blue, green, grey connectors.

O.B.

Congratulations

I am looking for the BIN from an early 996 C2 with the non-saddle style tank.

Anybody have that?

Thank you!

I think I might have what you need. I'll check my external hard drive this weekend and let you know.

Thank you. I am not able to communicate with the cluster in my car (although I can communicate with all of the others) so I can't calibrate the fuel gauge.

I am hoping if I rewrite the .bin it will solve the problem.

I found the file, but the board won't allow uploads of bin files. Please send me a PM with your email address and I will email it to you.