Thanks for the info guys. Is there any businesses in Sydney/ACT that have the skill/experience to replace my EEPROM. I have the two PCB's, but I jsut need someone to change them over?????

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Would any one know if the EEPROM from a standard EF cluster, be the same as the EL XR cluster.? I have replaced my cluster and damaged the EEPROM from the original when getting it out, thus I need to replace the EEPROM in the current cluster as it has about 150, 000 km's to many showing. Any help would be appreciated.

Last edited by cds70 on Tue May 31, 2005 6:05 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Unless you have the proper gear to remove the chip and replace it in your cluster you are better leaving it alone. Surface mount chips are not all that happy being pulled around, they need special equipment. It is possible to do it without but very risky. Someone else may have the ability to do it for you.
Cheers

Yep. you are right on the money!!!!!!! Hence I'm looking for a new one. Thanks.

Yeah, all the EF/EL Cluster EEPROMs are interchangable...
Im using an EF Mid Series in My High Series Cluster, No problems at all !

Just what I wanted to hear. Thanks very much for the info. I'll get it done properly this time.

I was looking at a mid 95 futura cluster the other day, these clusters have a 3rd connector next to the right hand plug. This connector is accessable after removing the tape that covers the access hole but the real interesting thing is that the pins on this plug are connected to the X24C44 NOVRAM chip (E2PROM most people seem to call it). Three connector pins access the CE (chip enable), SK (serial clock), DI and DO (data in and out) of the X24C44, while the other pin accesses the VDO chip in some whay (lost traces under chip).

It seems that this plug is some kind of service plug and may allow resetting of the oddometer. Later boards have test pins that could be used for the same resetting function.

Does anyone have any further knowledge on this connector or the test pins and how the data is stored on the NOVRAM chip ?

It just seems strange that people are changing the X24C44 NOVRAM when all they want is to reset their odometer to that of their old cluster and there may be a way of doing this

Cheers

It can be done according to the factory manual, but it doesn't say how. The car has to go to Ford dealer or licenced agent.

I had looked at this connector and traced out the wiring when swappng my cluster but dismissed it as the development time for a single change of reading was to much.
Cheers
TW.

Hmm, interesting. I pulled my original cluster apart, and found the test points. I have the datasheet for the chip, in time I'll look at programming a PIC to read out the data. The PIC16F84A has enough EEPROM to download the contents, I'll see if they make any sense. Will keep you all posted.

Dang.

hmm this sounds interesting...that meen u mite be able to programe the number of k's in instead of swithcing the chips rite?

FYI.
There are at least two cluster boards i have seen, one with a four track connector on the bottom left (like a PCI board connector) and the other with test points (actually the earlier mentioned board also has the test points.

The test point/ are on the gauge side of the board and marked as TP4=CE (chip enable)=PIN4, TP2=SK (serial clock)=PIN2, TP3=DI/DO (data in & data out (pins tied together on the board)=PIN3 and TP93=*RECALL (recall input). There are no test point for *STORE, VCC & VSS but there are points to solder to.

XICOR was bought by INSTERSIL and they have some docs on their site (had problems to download). They have a doc titled "Application Notes - Interfacing the X24C44 to the motorolla 6803 microcontroller" and include example on how to connect to the uPC and code on how to write and read from the NVRAM/EEPROM.

The more interesting thing is how the VDO chip handles the PIN1 of the first mentioned connector. I belive this pin is used to set the board to either read or write to the X24C44 NVRAM/EEPROM. Unfortunately i have no info on how PIN1 is controlled but it could be just a simple VCC writes while VSS reads rather than data pulses. I also assume that the VDO chip handles the actions needed to move data to and from NVRAM/EEPROM cells on the X24C44.

Haven't got too much time to look into this at the moment but may build a little cluster test bench some time in the future.

Cheers

after stuffing my odometer in my 98 XR6 ute after a not so successfull
LED conversion, I was forced to go and find replace it with another instrument cluster from a wrecked XR6 - only to find after I installed it, the ute I pulled it from had done an extra 50,000ks more than mine.
Anyway after asking every Ford mechanic in Perth I think, I was told
repeatedly that yes, you could reset your electronic odometer, if it was either brand new or if it had done less than 1500k's. Anything more and it couldnt be reset.

I thought this raised an interesting point - you may think you are buying a new ford straight from the factory - but how far really have those sales reps been driving around in it before you pick it up, before they reset the odo.

And secondly, if you could reset the odometer before the 1500k mark, why couldnt you do it after it.

PS - for everyone doing a red led conversion - there is no need to replace the orange odometer filter, just replace the globe - it looks fine and very red.

The only way to not allow a reset of the oddometer would be for the VDO chip within the cluster to inhibit this once the kays are passed the majic 1500 kms you mention. In any case, later versions of the cluster do not even have a pin connection for access to oddometer data, so resetting oddometer data can not be a service procedure (remembering that ford service mechanics are not allowed to be too bright).

For earlier versions (probably pre mid/late 95) that do have pin access for resetting the oddometer, you raise an interesting point - buy a new car but it may have travelled 1500kms. I know i wouldn't be very happy if that happened to me. But do remember it is illegal and the fine is $10K and may be larger for companies so i doubt it happens much.

Cheers.

Thanks for the info guys. Is there any businesses in Sydney/ACT that have the skill/experience to replace my EEPROM. I have the two PCB's, but I just need someone to change them over?????

I've spoken to a couple of TV repair places and they are not to keen to do the job because of the risk involved.

Any help would be appreciated.

If you are in ACT, there is a place in Belconnen that did mine. They have SMD desoldering equipment. Cost $20 to get done. PM me if you need the detail.
Cheers
TW.