I sucessfully converted my stock cluster with the NZ cluster, well kind of. All I did was take the PCB from the NZ cluster and swap it with the stock one. I then took the wires I tapped from the AT module and ran them right into the guage cluster plugs an of course in the appropriate spot. I also used the gear display from the NZ works out flawlessly.

 

lawlz 4 life....

Btw, great job dude, I'd love to try this if i was more electro-max-savvy.??? I Suppose that's understandable...anyway, CoNgRaTs...

 

Thanks, In order for this to work you would need the NZ cluster. Other than that its just tapping the signals from the AT module behind the radio with wire taps... thats really the hardest part. Then if you trace the PCB on the cluster you will see what plugs feeds each gear display light. Not that hard IMO.

 

props to ya for adding the indicator, looks good...

hmmm, i would like to swap out my cluster. but i want my odometer to read the current 230k miles tho shooting for 250, them 300k lol...

 

omg, you did it? Nice; now how much do those clusters run>?

 

Yes sir done, finally! I got the cluster from Sinturion from Maximas Down Under Club. He posted here on the Org to see who would be interested in buying the NZ custer and he would import them. I payed about 65 bucks for the cluster and the shipping was a killer like 40 bucks I believe.

 

eh well i need to get some digital SE reverse glow guages first... i just think that'd be a great mod if it displayed all the of the physical gears and TC lockup for an auto or manual.

 

Looks really good man! Nice work!

 

Thanks man, I still have to figure out a way to seperate the Park and Nuetral signal.

 

I feel bad neglecting this thread for so long! That is awesome that you guys have figured it out. Congrats to MOHFpro90 and maxprivate (am I missing anybody?). It was fun to scan the last few pages of this thread and see the progress you guys have made. Good stuff.

Between my work blocking access to the .org (I used to go on every lunch hour), buying a new house, getting married, having a baby, etc. I haven't spent time like I used to on both the .org and on my car. But I'd like to get back on this project!! Right now, I am still where I was two years ago - all I have done is physically installed the New Zealand PRND21 letters/bezel into my U.S. cluster:



I still need to wire it up. Has anyone done a comprehensive write-up on the wiring, by chance? There is good stuff scattered throughout this thread but an all-in-one-place write-up with diagrams and pics would be great. Most particularly, I am still uncertain how to wire up the switching connections at the shifter itself.

Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks guys. And, again, great job!

 

You do not need to wire anything into the shifter itself, I didn't do a write up and I really don't have the time to do one. You can get the signals for the gear display from the body control module behind your radio. The FSM diagram can be found from NYCmaxima.com that's where I got it from.

Then, tap each signal from the BCM P,R,D,N,2, and 1 with wire taps. I used 22 gauge wire (not stranded ) and ran them up to the cluster. Then trace where each signal wire goes (on the back of the clusters PCB) to its corresponding harness plug. You have to make like a hook on the wire to get it secure in the harness plug( this is the reason to use solid wire and not stranded). Once you plug in the harness plug to the cluster the wires will not move anywhere.

The only problem is that the P and N wire come off the same signal wire so if you wire in the N wire to the harness plug P and N lights will light up together whether you are in park or neutral. I just left the N wire disconnected but still ran it up to the cluster until I figure something out one day. There's your write up

BTW I love how your boost gauges are intergrated into the steering wheel cover. Looks stock, Im going to be boosting to and I would love something like that.

 

(P)
(U)
(T)
(A)
(N)
(G)

(L)
(O)
(A)
(D)
(E)
(D)

(B)
(O)
(R)
(E)
(D)
(!!)
and if you got a white on black max like a few of you do you could have
(P)
(A)
(N)
(D)
(A)
(S)
lmao

 

I made my own dam PRND display in my cluster. hahahaha But these are much cleaner cause they are factory..

wait what am i talking about? I drive a 5 speed integra.. WHY AM I STILL ON THESE FORUMS? LOL

 

What you did was creative but I knew there had to be an easier way... and there is. Not hard at all to do. Thanks for the compliments.

 

we have f1 cars?

 

WTF?!?! most random post ever

 

He bumped a 5 month old thread for that

 

Yes.....yes we do....They use stock Maxima's in racing....LOL

 

 

Please lock this!

 

For those of you having problems with the P and N lights lighting up at the same time, you can diode isolate the two, to have them light up correctly.

 

Care to elaborate a bit more? Have you physically done it? Or just an idea?

 

I am looking at my '96 I30 FSM. Both P and N goes to pin 19 of the AT control unit.

You would stick one diode between P and pin 19 and another between N and pin 19 (taking care of anode and cathode direction). Then you would tap the gauge cluster side light to the anode of each.

I'm too lazy to draw up a sketch.

 

Here's what I was going to do for my 1998 GLE:

 

You want this entire awesome thread locked because one guy made an odd comment?

 

Mike, that is exactly right.

 

I cant see the diagram that Mike posted on this desk top at work but I can see a croped image of it on my Blackberry The pic isnt to clear. I'll check it out at home. In Any event since no one has done it, this is just thoery at this time. It is extremely difficult to work at the AT module or BCM (thats where I got the tansmissions signals up to the cluster from) to solder anything in since its so tight to work in there. Its possible though.

 

It's okey that you got the transmissions signals from TCM but for the Park and Neutral lights to work properly, you will need to put a separate wire coming from the Inhibitor switch pin 4 (before the diod) and appropriate pin of the cluster. Otherwise it will not work and here is why: There is only one wire there going to the pin 19 of the TCM. If you look at the diagram you'll see that wire coming from the pin 4 of the Inhibitor switch is shorted to the wire coming from the pin 6 of the inhibitor switch, that in turn connected to the pin 19 of the TCM. You must add diods prior to the wires 4 and 6 of the inhibitor switch. Just the way I drew on the diagram. Good luck!

BTW, Infinity cluster looks super awesome in maxima too:

 

Yeah that cluster does look nice, is that from a 98 I30?

So you put diodes in the wires before the inhibitor switch? Where is the inhibitor switch located? I have a 97 so I'm not sure if its the same as far as wiring. So your saying the inhibitor switch is the only place the signals can be separated? But yes your correct, looking at the TCM on the 97 FSM the P and N wires are shorted together and go to one terminal of the TCM so adding diodes there will do nothing.

 

What year cluster is that? and are there any LED's in there (behind numbers/needles)? or is it stock?

 

Here is the picture of where the Inhibitor Switch is:


The red oval is the Inhibitor switch, the green oval the the Inhibitor Switch Connector where you would install diods. The picture is of the VQ35 engine and transmission but the VQ30 has the same location. VQ30 is in the back of the picture.

The cluster is from 2001 Infinity I30.

 

The cluster is from 2001 Infinity I30. It is stock. It does not have any LEDs. There is a single fluorescent lamp that lights up the cluster. The cluster is lit very well. I would not want to replace it with any LEDs, but that is me.

 

So, I see where the diodes are. So your took power using with two individual wires taps from 4 and 6 before the diodes at the inhibitor switch?

I see you whited out wire 4 being shorted to wire 6 going to the TCM or does this still stay shorted together with the diodes?

Seems like it would be tuff to get to it with the engine in the car

 

You are correct. You take power before the diodes. The wires stay shorted. We just adding 2 diodes. I made another diagram that should be more clear. Please forgive my artistic skills:



Oh, and it should not be too hard to get to it. I find it much harder to work with the TCM. Really no room to move. Unless your work area looks like this :

 

I see what needs to be done..
yeah if mine looked liked it would be much simpler. Yeah it was tough tapping the wires at the TCM when everything is together hahaa.. but to isolate the P and N with the diodes it needs to be done at the inhibitor sw.

Looking at the FSM it looks like Inhibitor sw harness F51 and F52 are on the right side of the car facing the engine. correct?

Did you put those diodes ( any size diodes I assume will work?) on the female side of the plug? or the male side? Im guessing the male side since thats what goes out to the TCM. Then tap the wire 4 and 6 right before the diodes. Nice!

oh, BTW your drawing skills are fine... hahaa

 

If you are looking at the engine bay connectors will be on the right side.

You will need to put diodes on the female side of the plug, because the male side is part of the inhibitor switch itself. It would be too much unnecessary work to put diodes there. I think you got confused by the male / female connectors. According to the FSM the F52 is a female plug. As far as the size of the diode I think any will do (you might want to get more educated suggestion here).

I made another picture for you:



I actually never got to put diodes in. I was doing it in 2 stages. 1. Get the Infinity cluster in and make sure everything works(done). 2. Put diodes in. Never got to finish that. Instead, I did a full swap for 2003 VQ35. The pics above with 2 engines and without the dash is my car while had being worked on.

 

Nice on the VQ35 swap, Im sure you'll be happy once your done. If my engine ever blows up (boosting soon) I'll do the 3.5 swap too.

So the diodes go in the female plug then, Im tapping wire 4 and 6 just before them (diodes). Sounds right? The pic you drew looks backwards as far as where to take power etc. Unless Im just looking at it wrong. I get the idea though. Thanks a lot for the diagrams.

 

You are welcome!

My swap is 100% done. I already got about 1500 miles on new engine it. It rocks!!



I think you are still confused about whole power thing. I'll try to explain better. If you look at the 1997 AT-12 diagram you'll see that F52 female connector has 7 pins. Pin #3 always receives + (power) when ignition key is in ON OR START POSITION. None of the other contacts DIRECTLY receive + (power). When you move the gear selector lever, it in turn changes position of the shorted contacts in the Inhibitor Switch. Therefore allowing for electricity (+) to flow. So in P position contact #4 flowing electricity, in R - #5 and so on. That is why you would tap your wires right after the F52 plug, but before the diodes. Also do not install the diodes too far from the plug because we don't know where the connection between wire coming from contact #4 and wire coming from the contact #6 is. Basically as long as you can see 2 separate wires you are good. I would do it a couple inches from the F52 plug. Good luck!

 

Sweet man, I bet its a beast compared to the 3.0. Are you having any issues burning oil some people complained of? You had to swap the ECU as well correct?

Yeah I understood what needs to be done I was just looking at the diagram wrong. I'm most likely gonna do this when it warms up a bit more. But thanks again for the explanation. I still have some diodes left from when I made my harness for my projectors so I'm set with those.

 

Yes, I did a FULL swap. Wiring harness, ECU, NATS, all the good stuff. I didn't notice fuel burning issue yet. Hope never will.