Combination Meter Disassembly

[Legacy777]

Last year some time I picked up some extra combination meters to look into trying to convert the speedometer from cable driven to electric driven. I never really got around to do anything with them until a couple weeks ago. Here are pictures from the disassembly.

http://main.experiencetherave.com/subar ... combmeter/

After taking it apart I'm not so sure I can "convert to electric as is. Anyone ever tried doing something like this or heard of someone converting the speedometer to electrically driven?

[vrg3]

Your best bet would probably be to get a gauge cluster out of an Impreza or Legacy that has an electronic speedometer from the factory -- maybe you could swap the speedometer/odometer over.

Why do you want to ditch the speedometer cable?

[kimokalihi]

Probably because it snaps so easy and is a huge pain in the ass to get the cluster back in and have the cable seat properly in the back of it.

[vrg3]

kimokalihi - Hmm, yeah, that'd be nice. I had forgotten what a pain that was.

Josh, it looks like you'd already had the idea, but from Jessekrs123's pics (One Two) it sure looks like an SVX speedometer could be made to fit. The mounting tabs are different and there's some extra material at the top, but it seems similar enough.

And then it'd also say "premium unleaded fuel only" on it!

[Legacy777]

The main reason I want to ditch the cable is because I can then dump the signal into my ECU, and adjust the output to the combination meter to "calibrate" the speedometer. It's probably a lot of work just to be able to calibrate the speedo....but what else do I have to do

It looks like the overseas Legacies may have had an electronic speedo....
http://bbs.legacycentral.org/viewtopic. ... 91#p373891

[vrg3]

Oh yeah, I hadn't thought about the recalibration thing either.

I feel like popping the speedometer open, figuring out which gear(s) needs to be changed, calculating the change, and sourcing the new gear(s) would be a lot of work too. I'd pick your route over mechanical recalibration too.

[Legacy777]

They make recalibration adapters that go inline on the cable itself. That would work, but I like the electronic way

This site has a bunch speedometer gears and other goodies.

http://www.transmissioncenter.net/speed ... ____va.htm

[vrg3]

Oh, I didn't know there were any of those that fit Subarus. I still like your way better anyway.

[kimokalihi]

Oh didn't think of that. I would like my speedo recalibrated as well. If I subtract 10% from the reading, that's how fast I'm really going.

[dscoobydoo]

You might check on the libertyRS forum and see what they have.

[Legacy777]

Talked to Timo and it sounds like he's got something I can probably use/retrofit.

[PhyrraM]

Just a *guess* at this point, but knowing that most overseas clusters are electric I would check into LHD Postal wagons....might also be electronic.

[vrg3]

Good thought, but the postal wagons do have cable speedometers.

[Legacy777]

I think he might be thinking of LHD postal wagons overseas. Kind of like we have RHD postal wagons here.

[PhyrraM]

Whoops, typo.

I was thinking that the RHD postals that we get here in the states might be Electronic, like most of the RHD Legacies in the rest of the world.

It hardly matters if our postals are confirmed to have the cable.

I wonder if there even is a country that had a LHD/MPH/electronic speedo combination?

[Legacy777]

Yeah I don't know about the MPH electronic speedo......but I'm hoping I can remove the needle and gauge from one of the US gauges and put it on the overseas guage.

Since I'm going to be calibrating the speedometer through the Link, it shouldn't matter....