E9x M3 cluster swap

[johnaldridge101]

I'm in need of some technical help with a 2009 pre LCI M3

I live in Germany and the dual MPH/KMH are slightly annoying me, I am in the process of registering the car here and I would like to convert the clocks/cluster to EU spec KMH only ones. I have my reasons to do so, I want to be clear, I am not trying to fudge the miles, making the car 20k "newer" than what it actually is. I have sourced the KMH clocks with only a 192 miles (307 KM's) difference, the ROD bearings were changed less than 1500 miles ago, with the miles being recorded on such a crucial piece of the history/documentation I'd be foolish to loose the last piece of real evidence.

So, anyway, the question is,

Q:can I fit these KMH clocks and expect them to work right away, or will they need coding to the ECU?
Is the distance stored elsewhere in the ECU? will there be a counting error between the old figures and new ones?

I know the horror stories of bricked ECU's if it goes Pete Tong......

Thanks in advance for help, advice and wisdom.

P.S when is the next PH Nurburgring trip?

[BigMoose1973]

Hi,

Have you considered Lockwood Dials? I imported my BMW from Germany and the speedo was only in KPH. Lockwood do a speedo dial which looks totally original and you keep your original cluster.

They are expensive but very good quality. Tricky to fit though !

Just a thought.

BigMoose

[E91M3]

Your replacement clocks will work but you will get a tamper dot next to the mileage display.

[TheAngryDog]

The mileage is kept in several places. I think even in the LCM.

[M7RT V]

Send the cluster to someone who can 0 the mileage via the EEPROM, plug it in, write the VIN via NCSExpert and then default code the cluster again with NCS. The LCM and CAS will write the correct mileage back to the KOMBI (cluster).

[Korgi160]

M7RT V said:

Send the cluster to someone who can 0 the mileage via the EEPROM, plug it in, write the VIN via NCSExpert and then default code the cluster again with NCS. The LCM and CAS will write the correct mileage back to the KOMBI (cluster).

This. Imported a F10 M5 from the UK to Australia when I lived in Paris. Bought the Lockwood dials first but they weren’t the same as the original dials and didn’t quite look right. Bought a used km cluster on EBay and had it programmed. Had an issue first time and the tamper dot appeared and the mileage would flick to 999,999 intermittently but got it right the second time. You need to find someone who knows what they’re doing. Very happy with the end result.

[johnaldridge101]

Thanks for the replies guys, I did find ALOT of information on a couple of specific M3 web sites and a couple of decent videos on youtube detailing the exact process.

I completely forgot about lockwood dials!! I was going to go this route, but then remembered the set of KMH clocks that are laying around.

So, I will cannibalise the KMH clock dial faces and swap them onto my MPH clocks, it should look more OEM than the lockwood as I am using all OEM parts and eliminates the need for any coding.

If I get bored one day I might have a go at "virginising" the spare cluster, I will either end up with a spare cluster or a wasted couple of quid