400 Trip Computer Conversion...

[Daniel M]

Ok People, here's another question....

I have a 1994 2.0i, B20F Engine 440. Can i take a dashboard with the onboard info centre computer (that the 480's have and the early 400 Turbo's have) and plonk it in my dash? Ive seen a '96 P plate 460 2.0i CD with one in, and again, just wondered if the relevant wiring was there.

Any ideas people?

Cheers,
Dan M :7

hey dan,
depends on whether or not your on a speedo cable - if not youll need to change your gearbox / the sensor on the gearbox as ones with a trip computer are electronic speedo cables.

cheers now.

Matt.

Well Daniel,

you're a brave man :)
Anything is possible as the saying goes but Iám afraid with a Volvo born in Born the Netherlands you'll never know. Read this
http://www.volvo-480-europe.org/foru...opic.php?t=126
thread on the Volvo 480 Club Europe messageboard and you'll understand what I mean :)

levensnevel

a smile every mile

[Daniel M]

Bloody Nora!

That has put me off a bit! x( I got lost about halfway down! Sounds like a massive job. I assume that my 440 is running off an ordinary speedo cable-but i wouldnt know unless i saw one with an electronic cable. And if i did need to convert to an electronic cable, would i really need to change my gearbox over, or did i just read the post wrong? It did seem like a good idea, but i think i've changed my mind! Really need to speak to someone who knows the car inside out, or has even done it themselve's! Oh well...Im not going to give up on the first hurdle however, a little more research is required. Plus i need to know how to fiddle the mileage-the donor dash i've seen has 125k on the clock-my car's done 73k, so i need to wind it back!! :9

Any more suggestions welcome...i'll be back soon...;)

Dan

Hey Dan,
I thought about this and inquried at my local volvo guru garage and thus found out about the gearbox problem, hence im still on standard dash. Not sure if you can change the sensor arrangement on the gearbox - without physically seeing it i dont know! Sounded a pig of a job anyway so i gave up. After driving the 480 with one in however, i dont think they are worth the effort! Especially when they keep falling over.

Hope this helps,

Matt.

[RAW]

does anyone know if these could be fitted into a 740. i know it has the electronic speedo cable so there shouldnt be a problem there, but are there any other issues, other than finding one of course!

Richard

[B20F]

If you want to fit a 480 infocentre in a 740, forget it. Besides the electronic (pulse) speedo sensor you'l need all the other sensors too like oilpressure, oillevel, water and oiltemp, outside temp. And a ecu&wiring to calculate range, instant milage, average milage.
In the 440&460 with B18&B20 engines the wiring for the IC is already installed. So besides the gearbox and infocentre you will need to fit oilpressure and oiltemp sensor and outsidetemp.sensor. Probably cheaper to buy a 440/460turbo which are allready equipped with an IC...
The electronic gearboxes can be identified by their typenumber on top of the gearbox. If this ends with M it's a Mechanical, if E it's Electronical. For example M60M versus M60E for the 2.l engines.

[RAW]

RIGHT, oh well, it was a nice idea!

sounds like a lot changed in a fairly short period of time! were these ICs the round ones i have seen photos of in the past? i thought i might have been able to fit one where the clock is in the 740 dash, but it deffo sounds like more trouble than its worth!

thanks for the info

Richard

[Chris_C]

It is doable, I had one running in a 300 for a while (think this linky should work, ignore the vast amounts of rice :$
http://www.volvoforums.org.uk/vbpicg...hp?do=big&p=21)

Problem is the main controller for the info centre is bolted onto the back of the 400 dashboard PCB and separating the electronics really isn't trivial. My plan has always to be making a standard controller that just takes the standard senders something like an old skool Zemco ZT4 (which is all the stock 300 was, with a Volvo badge) but more important things came along.

So the option is you either have to hide a significant part of 400 dashboard or really get involved with the electronics.

B20F, the mechanical speedos don't need to have an electronic sender fitted, they already have one as it's required for the ECU.

[B20F]

B20F, the mechanical speedos don't need to have an electronic sender fitted, they already have one as it's required for the ECU.

To install an IC in a 440/460 you have to install an E gearbox otherwise the IC won't work. I didn't mean you have to fit a sensor but a complete gearbox. Or is there a possibility to tap the electronic signal from the ECU so you don't need to fit the E gearbox to make the IC work? That would be new to me.