NefMoto

Ok Its been a while since I was last here, anyway I'm about to purchase a brand new cluster for my S8 and was wondering what info can be stripped from it prior to going into service to assist in the repair or modification of other clusters of the same breeding.

The reason I ask this as I already have a similar cluster but its from a smaller engine car and has been used so I was curious if it could be made to operate in the same manner as a brand new cluster by copying data from new one to old one.

Anyone interested in guiding me in the correct direction as to hardware software and how to go about such a task?

At the moment I have VCDS Hex+can interface but I am more then happy to buy other equipment to move forward with this.

Look forward to hearing from you.  :)

Del

What year is your car?

2007, I am ordering the newest cluster available with the needle sweep on startup, digital speed on dis, and ACC compatible

Part number is 4E0 920 981 FX

All you can do is just dump its memory (I am not sure what memory type does it contain - if it is still a EEPROM as in older clusters or some kind of flash). Unfortunately I am not sure which tool could be used to do that. AFAIK genuine AVDI with proper licence should be able to do that but it just cost too much to buy it just for one cluster...

It should just be a matter of swapping it. No immo in the cluster on the D3. Just need to deal with component protection once it's done.

Thanks guys, I understand that there is no IMMO issues with the new cluster but there is the Component protection, that info must be stored somewhere in the cluster along with mileage etc, so there must be a location that that info can be read from, compared and changed like you guys are doing with other ECU's and clusters.

I have had my other cluster apart and had a look around the board but nothing jumps out at my like the usual chips that you guys are reading from.

This photo looks like the board in mine and its the only thing that stands out as a possible location I had a look at the datasheet for it but tbh honest it was a bit bewildering.

What software and hard ware do folks normally use to pull dumps from clusters???

(http://www.nifatrading.be/a8eprom.jpg)

That 29LV160BE is a flash memory. So it might be the one you need to read.

I am not sure if VAG Dash CAN will work with your car unfortunately. Unfortunately I am not even sure if AVDI would do the job after checking Abrites web site.

I'm sorry, I don't know either. I would think the old flash and new cluster would not be compatible as there are different features. I will watch this post with interest though.

I have seen on my travels around the net that people have had files ending in sgo for writing software to these clusters.

I believe they tried in vain i might add to use odis to do this, is odis capable of pulling software from a cluster also?

I do not think ODIS can read software from a cluster as OEM tool just do not need such a functionality.

Having a read through this makes me think that it should be possible to read the data out, however I am unfamiliar with this type of operation and was wondering if you guys could take a quick look to see if anything jumps out at you that would be a good place to start?

Desolder, use programmer with proper adapter and resolder. To be honest I would not risk destroying new cluster...

I have a old cluster that I can try things on at first I dont worry about destroying it, I appreciate your concern but nothing ventured nothing gained, can you if possible point me in the right direction for programmer and adaptor suitable for the flash in the picture?

I am not 100% sure but even this one (http://www.mcumall.com/comersus/store/comersus_viewItem.asp?idProduct=4231) should do the trick (at least "normal" LPT version of Willem lists 29LV160 as compatible). I would just ask MCUmall sales/support department if this programmer and included TSOP adapter would be compatible with 29LV160BE.

Thanks, I shall keep you informed when i find out more, still waiting for a bloody price back from supplier in Germany for the cluster though  >:(

Its a while back I posted in this Topic,  the secondhand cluster I bought is not installed,  I found the failure in my installed cluster, the voltage regulator BTS409L was making shortcut replaced it and it was working again.

Anyway I dismantled the other cluster and indeed the LCD display is partly blinded by a plastic sheet.  I think when dump the Flash Eprom from the wide LCD cluster and program it into the small view LCD it shall work, only the cluster then must be programmed to the car again.  ( component protection will be then active and only the speedo will work )

After the component protection is removed can dump again and then you can see where its changed in the Flash.
But i'm able now to learn components myself by VAS 5054A
Now must search for a widescreen (S8 - W12 ) dump.