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bmw-nav
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Tue Apr 21, 2009 5:30 am

Hi, am clocks from a 318 different to 325 clocks?
Ive got a problem the clock background lights dont work and when i bought a replacement clock it had 3 connections and ive only got 2 on my wirring loom. Im missing the bottom block(think yellow). Whats the bottom block control
Any help apriciated
StuBeeDoo
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Tue Apr 21, 2009 6:46 am

IIRC, the yellow plug is the feed to the OBC. It isn't vital to how the instruments function.
The fuel guage is different though, and will give a false reading. You also have to change the coding plug in the front at the bottom right-hand side or the rev counter will read incorrectly.
This is why I no longer drive an E30......

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Brianmoooore
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Tue Apr 21, 2009 10:33 am

You're missing the green socket as well - but you don't need that either.
Coding plug on the front and fuel gauge inside are the differences between the two clusters, with possibly a slightly different red line position on the tacho as well.
Do any of the other panel lights work? Probably a blown dimmer in the main headlamp switch.
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Thu Apr 23, 2009 7:45 pm

All the other lights on the clock work e.g warning lights. Its just the back ground so at night i cont see a thing
The car was originally a 1.8 so would the fuel and coding plugs have been changed with the engine swap
Thanks for all the help
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Brianmoooore
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Thu Apr 23, 2009 8:49 pm

I'm not referring to any of the warning lights, just the lights that illuminate the heater panel, clock, etc.
If these don't work, pull out the rear ashtray, and lift out the bulb and bulb holder behind it, that illuminates it. It will have a grey/red and a brown/white wire on it.
Turn the lights on and use a piece of wire to connect the brown/white to a good body earth. Anything happen?
If your tacho reads correct the coding chip will have been changed. Fuel gauge is matched to the fuel tank, which wouldn't normally have been changed with an engine swap.
magpie
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Thu Apr 23, 2009 11:10 pm

have you tried turning the h/light knob,
whilst it's in the on position.
it dims and brightens the cluster lights. :?
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Mon Apr 27, 2009 3:33 am

magpie wrote:have you tried turning the h/light knob,
whilst it's in the on position.
it dims and brightens the cluster lights. :?
Is this on the under panel, If so i dont have one there, just a hole where its suposed to be fitted and the wiring isnt there aswell :?
The heater controls lights work
any ideas
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Brianmoooore
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Mon Apr 27, 2009 9:54 am

Dimmer is part of the main lighting switch - nothing to do with the headlight aim control on the under dash panel.
The lighting connections to the cluster are pins 23 (grey/red) and 24 (brown/white) of the white plug.
If the heater panel lights work, then your new cluster probably doesn't have bulbs in it!
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