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Frequently Asked Questions

 

Before making an enquiry please read through this entire page to see if your query has already been answered!


"How long does the conversion take"

Typical turnaround for a cluster conversion for a vehicle I have on file is 7 days. If I do not have the vehicle on file then it will take in the region of 2 weeks.


"Can you source me an S2000 cluster"

Please note I do not supply S2000 clusters, I simply convert them. You must source your own cluster and send it to me.

When buying a cluster (in most cases from a vehicle dismantlers by mail) I would advise you state that it must be well packaged. Remember to ask about the condition of the display face - this is a useful bargaining point on price - fight for a discount if it is not in pristine condition. Remember you are choosing to retrofit this cluster to your car because of how it looks - so appearance is the major factor when sourcing a cluster.   


"Will the S2000 cluster work in my Civic, Integra, aeroplane, lawnmower, golf buggy etc"

After conversion, the S2000 cluster expects to see a standard Honda VSS signal and engine coolant temperature sensor. I will consider adapting the unit to cater for different inputs on other brands of car, but this will depend on demand - please ask for details. K series engines with no gauge temperature sensor are also fully supported.
 

"VTEC Mini Conversion - I have a Honda B series engine which I am installing in to a Mini using the original Honda wiring loom - can I use the S2000 dash?"

Yes, no problem - this is even easier if you send me up the dash loom as supplied with your engine along with the S2000 cluster - I will make all the necessary modifications which allows a plug and play installation. Even if you are not using the stock Honda loom and an aftermarket engine management system (ECU) you can still use the S2000 dash by hooking it up yourself - please ask for details.

Please Note - With a Mini conversion it is highly unlikely that you will be using the original Honda fuel sender! After conversion, your fuel gauge is reprogrammable to is can operate with almost any fuel level sensor.


"How do I install the cluster, can you make it plug and play?"

The cluster cannot be simply plugged into your vehicle. This is because there are no mating halves available for the stock gauge cluster connectors, and the installation differs greatly between vehicles. It is a lot easier and cost-effective to remove the stock connectors and hook up the S2000 cluster wire by wire to your vehicle.

This may sound frightening, however the cluster (when converted) is no harder to install than your average car stereo and is simply a matter of matching the wires on your car against those on the cluster, using the appropriate diagram as a guide.

If you don't feel comfortable about the install enlist the help of someone who can, a competent auto electrician or car audio installer can install the cluster in under an hour.

Take a look at the installation pages for more information.


"How easy is it to install?"

If you can wire in a sound system, you can probably fit the S2000 cluster to your car. You will need some fabrication ability to mount the cluster in your car  depending on your type of vehicle. Please take a look at the installation guides here for cars that have already been covered.


"What's a VSS?"

A VSS (or Vehicle Speed Sensor) is a device that mounts on your car's gearbox and is driven from the final drive. Almost every Honda car after 1992 came fitted with a gearbox mounted VSS which drives an electronic speedometer in the gauge cluster as well as the PGM-Fi ECU. On earlier cars the speedometer's were cable driven and the ECU got its speed signal from a VSS mounted inside the speedometer module. To learn how to convert your gearbox cable drive to a VSS, take a look here.
 

"I have a Honda K series engine, how does this affect things?"

The K series engines and transmissions are fully supported once the cluster has been converted, please let me know when ordering.


"My Honda has a cable driven speedo, how does this affect me?"

Most Honda's before 1990/1 were fitted with a cable driven speedo and Honda obtained a speed signal for the ECU via the speedometer module. By converting to the S2000 cluster you will of course be removing original cluster and lose your vss. For a number of solutions, please take a look here.

 


"Can you enable the KPH/MPH button on import gauge clusters?"

Yes, this can be made active again to allowing switching of the speedometer and odometer readings.


"What do I have to do to make the cluster physically fit in my car? Do I have to trim the dash"

Mounting of the cluster is essentially up to yourself, use my guidelines in fitting your own as a starting point. If you get the mounting angle wrong you will end up with distracting reflections from the face, not recommended while trying to drive. If there is enough demand I will make mounting brackets for your vehicle, CRX/Civic EF8/EF9/EE8/EE9 brackets will be available shortly.


"Does everything on the cluster really work?"

Yes. Every gauge, every warning light is fully functional. Warning lights enabled on dash depend on the market (UK/Japanese/US) etc the cluster was designed for.

 

"Can you alter the red-line on the cluster? / Can you change the colour of the gauges?"

Yes, and yes - although this is a delicate procedure and I will require you to sign a disclaimer before starting the work.

 

"Can you make the display show my boost level or intake temperature etc?"

No, the dash uses a custom manufactured LCD with individual segments (it is not a dot matrix) so you are limited to use the stock "elements" as they are. The only way this could be achieved is to use the rev counter to display boost as none of the other gauges react fast enough. The rev counters response is instantaneous. Again, demand dictates whether I add this feature.


"Can you add a shift light to the cluster?"

Yes, it is possible but demand dictates whether I add this feature.

 

"Is the cluster's display affected by strong sunlight?"

Due to the way the cluster was designed by Honda, the display is perfectly viewable in all conditions - it has an extremely wide viewing angle and even in the strongest direct sunlight it is not affected. Remember this cluster is fitted to a production vehicle and was designed to handle extreme conditions.
 

"Is the cluster's display affected by temperature?"

The S2000 cluster as you may have guessed uses an LCD. LCD's in general are not famed for their performance over wide temperature variations - cold temperatures causing a slow down in response and high temperatures causing the segments to go opaque. From the tests I have conducted the response of the cluster is excellent in low temperatures, even at -12°C only a minor decrease in response is noticeable. It also deals well with high temperatures, and I have not noticed any problems with cabin temperatures as high as 70°C and beyond. Again, this cluster is fitted to a production vehicle and is designed to handle extreme conditions from the outset.

 

And Finally.....

If your question has not been answered, my contact details can be found here.