MFA in the 99.5? YES! w/ 98 Passat 1.8t cluster

compu_85

Gadget Guy
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Sep 29, 2003
Location
La Conner, WA
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Ok, the 98 Passat GLS cluster I bought just got here... and it WORKS! Here's my inital observations:
  • ALL the idiot lights work, EPC light operates (and is in the same place) as glow plug light
  • ASR light remains on (guess I get to connect that now!)
  • Tach is under recording, lists idle as 880 RPM in vag-com
  • Speedo is wrong, seemes to be under reporting
  • Fule gague works, temp gague works
I don't have the stalk or anything connected yet, so I can't test the MFA functions.

As they say, threads are better with pics










Can you tell I'm just a little excited!

Now I get to send it off to ELE28!

-Jason
 
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jck66

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Greenwich, CT, USA
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12 Passat SE / 14 BMW 535d
Re: MFA in the 99.5? YES! w/ 98 Passat 1.8t cluste

Are you sure that's from a 98? I thought I read in the forums that the 98 Passat retained the green lighting - some B4 owners are installing the 98 radio for its Phatbox capabilities, but only from a 98 because in 99 the Passat "went blue" and it no longer matches.


Pretty cool nonetheless. Nice work.
 

compu_85

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Re: MFA in the 99.5? YES! w/ 98 Passat 1.8t cluste

I'm guessing this is from a late 98 maby? I guess it could be from a 99, the seller wasn't totally clear. But it is non immoblizer. I did drive the car around with the cluster hanging there, and the speedo is way off.

I'll be sending this to ELE28 soon so it will work properly with the diesel ecu


-J
 

TeleDawg

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Golf GLS, 2004, Reflex Silver
Re: MFA in the 99.5? YES! w/ 98 Passat 1.8t cluste

Ok, the 98 Passat GLS cluster I bought just got here... and it WORKS!
What is the part number for your new-found cluster?


T.D.
 

Bayou_Flyer

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Last edited:

compu_85

Gadget Guy
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Keep in mind that a cluster from europe is going to have Immoblizer, even if it doesn't have CAN.

Still waiting to hear from ele28... he has sources oversees looking for the file!

-J
 

LNXGUY

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Barrie, Ont, Canada
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'05 Jetta TDI Wagon
Oh man, why did you have to go and do that :)

Now you got me all excited, lol.... What did you end up paying for the cluster? And also, keep your eyes open, I'd love to pick one up... MFA would be killer!!
 

compu_85

Gadget Guy
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Location
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I paid $160 for the cluster, temp sensor, and control stalk.




Then the next week one ended for $20!!!! Hopefully this puts a little fire under ele28... demand is increasing! lol!

Happy thanksgiving all :)


-J
 

Bayou_Flyer

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2010 Golf 4Door 6M
Where did your Passat cluster originate? I mean to have no CANBUS, no Immob, and a MPH scale and then you also get a temp sensor AND stalk; what a great find! Please keep us updated with any progress.
 

compu_85

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I got it from a dealer tech who was parting a 99 Passat on eBay. Great guy to work with.. he got very posotive feedback ;)

-J
 

compu_85

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La Conner, WA
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Bumping this thread... BECAUSE THE CLUSTER IS INSTALLED :D
First off, thanks to ele28 for the programming, and penclnck for his excellent cluster disassembly 'step by step'.
Swapping the faces was easy, and I think I have the needles aligned correctly. If not, I'll just crack the cluster again tomorrow.
First off, if you've had coolant migration and the harness was repaired, this is what will be behind your cluster:



Now, after the Passat's guts were transplanted into the TDI cluster:

Note that the idle is correct on the face, even though it's still listed as 880 RPM in vag-com :confused: The brake wear light is on because that feature is not installed on my car.

Now doing a TEST with the odometer adaptation:


And after coding it back to NA specs:


I'm gunna wait till the next G2G to wire up the switch because I'm not 100% comfortable taking the airbag / steering wheel out. (hmm, maybe we need an emergency G2G :rolleyes: )
Just goes to show how insane us TDI people really are...
-Jason
 
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compu_85

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Update on the ASR led (kinda x posted from the other thread)

US 99.5 Clusters do have the asr warning light installed. The light is turned off by ground. But, the wire connected to this pin is hard wired to a ground, not to the ABS pump. Connecting the pin to the correct pin on the pump makes the light function properly.

The Passat cluster seemes to be backwards... The light was turned on by ground, and now that it is connected properly (tested with the old cluster) the light is always off... except when the car is started cold, the light illuminates very dim briefly.

I'm gunna talk with ele28 to see if this can be fixed. I have yet to install the stalk... maybee I could wire up a temp button to cycle the functions? You connect the pins to ground to signal the switch, right Lito?

-J
 

tongsli

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2000 Jetta TDI, 2004, Jetta Wagon TDI PD
I don't know. I just connected it to the stalk. You'll have to look at the wiring diagrams but that may not tell you if the wires are + and -

Just install the stalk!
 

compu_85

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But that means I have to pull the steering wheel... and the airbag... and I'm really not comfortable doing that unsupervised. :eek:

Well... how hard is it? You need some special bit for the bolt that holds the steering wheel on, right?

-J
 

tongsli

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2000 Jetta TDI, 2004, Jetta Wagon TDI PD
Yes, you'll need a large Torx drive for the steering wheel. I think Metalnerd sells them. Check his site for the bit.

Just disconnect the battery when you take the airbag off. I think I have pictures (in my folder on the picture server) of the steering wheel and how you need to insert a short screw driver into the access hole.

When you re-install everything, just make sure the key is in the ignition and turned one click before you connect the ground strap of the battery.

That's all.
 

compu_85

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OK. Got this installed today... finally. My steering wheel seems to have modling problems... getting the airbag off is a major pain.

On top of that, the MFA does not work properly. Instant MPGs always reports 5, not matter what. Avg MPGs reports 15.x after resetting, then after a moment drops quickly to 3.6.

Also, the speedometer disagrees with the MPH display... 10mph speedo = 10mph MFA. 35MPH speedo = 33 MFA 60MPH speedo = 54MFA. 80 speedo = 70 MFA. 2000 RPM should be 58 MPH, right? That's what shows in the speedo, but the MFA reads 54mph. I'm gunna do some more checking with vag-com to see how off that is... Probably monday.

Hopefully ele28 can resolve this software issue.... or perhaps some euro software in my ECU would help ;)

-Jason
 

compu_85

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No.. it's not working properly... the instant mpgs is ALWAYS 5. Stopped, going along the road, WOT, whatever. :(
 

compu_85

Gadget Guy
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Location
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Grounded the temp sensor better fixed that issue. But I've noticed another one:

When you do an output test, after the needles sweep, shouldn't the speedo come back to 100 KPH? And the Tach to 3k RPMs?

Also, I tried without success to code it for the fixed interval. The digit for that function in the later clusters serves as the number of cylinders... it only takes 4 or 6. BUT, if I hold in the trip reset button while turning on the ignition on, service comes up in the odometer, and by pressing it again, the display cycles between insp and oil! Clicking the clock knob turns the display to dashes... doesn't seem to work (probably because it's not coded properly, eh!)

-Jason
 

MOGolf

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What is the coding you've set? 07240?

Service intervals:
on this cluster isn't it channel 10 for distance in steps of 1000 km for oil service, channel 11 for inspection in steps of 1000 km, and channel 12 for inspection in steps of 10 days? (typically set to 00015, 00030, and 00037 respectively)
 

MOGolf

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That vintage Passat cluster rightmost digit had 2 = gas, 0 = diesel.
 

compu_85

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Oh hmm..... Interesting. Howard Cooper must have coded my previous cluster wrong when they replaced it, because that's what I borrowed the code from.

-J
 

MOGolf

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Golf/Jetta/Bora used that position for distance impulse.
 
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