NefMoto

Exactly as the title states.

I'm trying to put a Passat cluster into my subaru powered Vanagon.

I haven't picked it up yet since I'm just in the planning stages. I'm trying to find a guide for the process. I understand that it will require some fiddling to get the fuel gauge to work properly, but I know that it can be done.

Looking for any and all help I can get.

I'd start with sensory inputs. What sensors does the Passat have, and how do they relate to the Subaru?  Is the Passat cluster CAN?

I believe it is CAN. To my knowledge, it has all necessary sensor inputs.

The big issue seems to be fuel.

About halfway down this page, this guy discusses it.

http://forum.club8090.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=39&t=95175&hilit=alternative+dash&start=90

Awesome, sounds good.  For the record, if you Google "Tuning cluster Audi/VW" on Nefmoto (use Google, the Nef search sucks!), you'll find a good thread.  You can basically tune the cluster to suit your needs.  For example, buying a diesel cluster and adjusting the scaling maps for RPM to suit a petrol.

With that in mind, you could modify the scaling for the fuel gauge to suit your sender.  What sender are you using?  Subaru?  Could you replace with a VW one?

I'll be using the stock VW sender. Apparently, the Passat cluster is reverse. Shouldn't be too hard once I'm in it.

I have an early Audi A4 cluster fitted, the first generation works with a "reversed"  sender. Meaning that you can stick with your original vanagon fuel sender without modification. If it does read in the opposite direction, take out your sender and modify it with a bridge so the signal is reversed.

Pinout for cluster 1:

26-Pin Connector, Blue
1 - Open
2 - Signal for buzzer
3 - Terminal 15
4 - Terminal 15
5 - Open
6 - Terminal 61
7 - Parking brake/brake system malfunction
8 - ABS (input signal)
9 - Airbag (input signal)
10 - CAT
11 - Open
12 - Open
13 - Parking light, right
14 - Ignition switch, S-contact
15 - Chime signal
16 - Open
17 - Open
18 - Oil pressure 1.8 bar
19 - Terminal 58d
20 - Coolant level
21 - Turn signal, right
22 - Headlight high beams
23 - Speedometer Vehicle Speed Sensor (VSS) (checking → Chapter)
24 - Brake fluid
25 - Brake pads
26 - Parking light, left

26-Pin Connector, Yellow

1 - Terminal 58
2 - Terminal 58
3 - Engine RPM signal
4 - Air conditioner compressor
5 - Clock (output)
6 - Speed signal 1
7 - Speed signal 2
8 - Door contact (driver's door)
9 - Terminal 30
10 - Terminal 30
11 - Open
12 - Fuel tank warning
13 - Turn signal, left
14 - Open
15 - Open
16 - Seat belt buckle switch
17 - Open
18 - Terminal 31
19 - Terminal 31
20 - Diagnostic wire
21 - Open
22 - Open
23 - Open
24 - Open
25 - Sender for fuel gauge
26 - Engine coolant temperature sensor

20-Pin Connector, Black
1 - Fuel consumption signal
2 - Open
3 - Open
4 - Open
5 - Outside air temperature
6 - Selector lever display
7 - Open
8 - Open
9 - Coolant level
10 - Hydraulic pressure
11 - Trip computer - Reset
12 - Radio/Telephone - Clock
13 - Radio/Telephone - Data
14 - Trip computer (forward sequence)
15 - Radio/Telephone - Enable
16 - Rear lights/headlight low beams
17 - Open
18 - Trip computer (reverse sequence)
19 - Brake lights
20 - Open

4-Pin Connector, Black
1 - Oil temperature sensor

Or do that.  Or modify the dump.  Same concept.

My biggest concern is that I will have a subaru ECU.  I'm assuming I will have to graft a K line connection, which is fine, but is there anything I'm not seeing?

Also, will this cable do the trick?

http://www.amazon.com/VIMVIP-VAG-COM-409-1-Scanner-Volkswagen/dp/B00K6498D0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1449686121&sr=8-1&keywords=kkl+cable

This instrument cluster runs of a seperate tacho signal, coolant signal, speedo signal, etc. Even the MFA type clusters dont use the CAN line for any critical info, they all have signals coming from the engine or the ecu. You can modify your signals, or cluster dump accordingly, or just put some extra sensors if you like.

So how do I access the cluster? Through OBD or some other port?

You can acces the cluster through the k-line, but you can't rework the eprom with vagcom.
You can search this forum: http://nefariousmotorsports.com/forum/index.php?board=43.0 to see if you can find the eprom of your dashboard (if you know what type you want) and take a look inside what to expect. To read the cluster eprom, I think you can manage with a VagCommander or VagTacho cable. I dont have any experience with anything other than recoding clusters, so you need to find the info in the forums or ask someone that is willing to guide you in there :)

This is gonna sound patronising, but it's not.  

So, you've got this old van you've put a 2009 Subaru engine in, right?  And you're going to through a B5 cluster in it?  How are you going to get RPM, speedo, oil pressure, ABS, airbag, TC, screen washer lights to work?

I think the fuel gauge is the least of your worries at this stage.  

My first thought was to source a 2009 suby cluster, wouldnt that be so much cooler? (and easier)
But I guess it should be possible to use all signals from the new engine when you tap some sensors. Maybe adjust the eprom of the cluster to adjust, but I dont have any experience with that  ;)
The cluster itself is very basic, its more or less the same principle as your vanagon cluster but then with some extra wires and no mechanical speedo. I've seen stock engined vanagons running this cluster just by using the few switches and sensors that are on the block, and adding an external signal for the speedo (with an adapter on the original speedo cable).
I've converted my dashboard to this cluster, so I know exactly what you need to do when it comes to wiring. There are basically 4 wires coming from my engine, which are oil pressure switch, speedo (linked to gearbox in my case), tach rpm signal, coolant temp. The additional wiring are for the cruise control and dont apply to your case. All other wiring is already present in your current vanagon wiring (lights, handbrake, fuel, indicators etc.)
Adam: All luxury sensors like brake pad lining, ABS, EPS, Airbag etc etc dont apply on this car, so you could basically remove the light bulbs from the cluster   ;D

From an aesthetic standpoint, the B5 cluster looks and fits great (A4 as well). It also has a better information interface than the shitty stock Vanagon unit. I'm also switching from KPH to MPH.

My concern about speed is that I'm still using the stock Syncro transmission, so I may have to set up a hall sensor or something, but there are numerous ways to fix that issue. Tach should be fine. It will be working with the stock unit. Oil pressure will require a a sensor, but again, fairly straight forward.

I'm hoping to add cruise and a new instrument cluster could help with that as well.

My worry is that I've only seen this done with the 1.8t swaps. So, VW engine to VW cluster. I am hoping I can communicate through the Subaru OBD to the VW cluster.

None of your photos are live in that thread. Can I find them somewhere else?

Do you have photos of your cluster?

The cruise control I have built in is linked to the ecu VSS signal, clutch and brake switch and some ecu wires. It is not linked to the cluster at all. You will have to investigate what cruise options come with your engine/ecu and find out what vss the ecu would like to see. Come to think of it, that might be also important for your ecu's torque control. I've heared of TDI's that wouldnt run full torque without the speed signal linked to the ecu. In that case you will have to make 2 speed sensors. 1 for the cluster, 1 for your ecu (probably both on different signals/distance)

my cluster (running empty gas tank in this picture, but I drive mostly LPG lol)
(http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll32/tijnvanesch/IMG_20150903_171059_zpslf9mxj63.jpg) (http://s284.photobucket.com/user/tijnvanesch/media/IMG_20150903_171059_zpslf9mxj63.jpg.html)