VDO Gauge Guide

[JimC]

You have one technical problem. The needles are Red when powered on. -Ariel

Argh! Solution is replace all gauges!

Can you provide some installation guides or diagrams or even lists of compatible senders? This was a key benefit of the now-defunct egauges website - it was by far the best place to figure out what combinations of parts were necessary to build your set-up.

 

[LSpeedo]

Well I don't have any guides in specifics. I can make suggestions on senders in terms of compatible senders. Most Single station VDO senders are compatible. This information is always super useful for everyone involved, https://www.lspeedo.com/2019/02/06/identifying-senders/ that lets us give you an exact match, if we can't match that specific number we call Continental directly for clarification on that specific part.

As far as the website is concerned. I'm getting to it. I have some product suggestions added to some products. There is a massive layout redesign occuring at the same time that I'm working on. Refining the store. Egauge had the same platform our current site is running, it just needs to be better optimized. -Ariel


Video of the needles lighting up Red https://www.dropbox.com/s/jcdqniyvnmbv831/20210405_151045.mp4?dl=0 General misconception everyone makes.

 

[13diamonds]

Well I don't have any guides in specifics. I can make suggestions on senders in terms of compatible senders. Most Single station VDO senders are compatible. This information is always super useful for everyone involved, https://www.lspeedo.com/2019/02/06/identifying-senders/ that lets us give you an exact match, if we can't match that specific number we call Continental directly for clarification on that specific part.

As far as the website is concerned. I'm getting to it. I have some product suggestions added to some products. There is a massive layout redesign occuring at the same time that I'm working on. Refining the store. Egauge had the same platform our current site is running, it just needs to be better optimized. -Ariel


Video of the needles lighting up Red https://www.dropbox.com/s/jcdqniyvnmbv831/20210405_151045.mp4?dl=0 General misconception everyone makes.

Looks like these are J1939 compatible. Any confirmation that they can be wired together to display info directly of the Cummins R2.8 bus?

 

[LSpeedo]

Looks like these are J1939 compatible. Any confirmation that they can be wired together to display info directly of the Cummins R2.8 bus?

If the engines are J1939 compatible it should work. Resistance has to measure 60ohms across the data lines. On the SingleViu wiring it's the Pink and white wires. You can also do color changing if you hook up the pink and white wires in series (must use larger harness on tach or speedo with Pink/White wires). I can also demonstrate by making videos on how to set parameters and such.

 

[13diamonds]

If the engines are J1939 compatible it should work. Resistance has to measure 60ohms across the data lines. On the SingleViu wiring it's the Pink and white wires. You can also do color changing if you hook up the pink and white wires in series (must use larger harness on tach or speedo with Pink/White wires). I can also demonstrate by making videos on how to set parameters and such.

That would be great. I bought all my replacement gauges from you all a few years back. This would be a cleaner more reliable wiring setup with these gauges. I'm not well versed in the J1939 stuff.

 

[LSpeedo]

That would be great. I bought all my replacement gauges from you all a few years back. This would be a cleaner more reliable wiring setup with these gauges. I'm not well versed in the J1939 stuff.

As far as J1939, I'll be happy to help you when that comes up. Wanted to give everyone a heads up. We're getting a software update that allows use of the gauges over OBD port. Let you guys know when that comes running in.

 

[SHEKI]

So after waiting 4mo I finally received my VDO Singleviu gauges. Have my wiring harnesses built and pretty much ready to install but have one question.
Replacing the speedo cable with an electric connection. I have the VDO Hall Effect sender YBE100530 and the necessary 3 wire connector. My question is... Where do I connect the 3 wires from the hall effect to the 8pin connector on the Speedo. The center wire on the hall effect side is ground, so that one I know, it's the other 2 that have me perplexed. I'm assuming one of the remaining hall effect wires connects to pin 5 on the gauge (sensor input).
The only hall effect diagram I can find is 15 years old and for gauges they no longer make and the corresponding pins don't transfer over to the new SingleViu wiring.
I reached out to Jared, who is VDO's US tech support but he is pretty lame about returning emails and phone calls.

 

[Eugene.in.ut]

Bumppppp I definitely need to know this.

 

[SHEKI]

Bumppppp I definitely need to know this.

I think I have an answer... thanks to Red90
On the hall effect connector, Pin 1 connects to Pin 4 (via splice) on the speedo connector
On the hall effect connector, Pin 2 connects to Pin 3 (via splice) on the speedo connector
On the hall effect connector, Pin 3 connects to Pin 5 on the speedo connector

I will report back with photos once I've confirmed this works, hopefully this weekend.

 

[DefendersNW]

I think I have an answer... thanks to Red90
On the hall effect connector, Pin 1 connects to Pin 4 (via splice) on the speedo connector
On the hall effect connector, Pin 2 connects to Pin 3 (via splice) on the speedo connector
On the hall effect connector, Pin 3 connects to Pin 5 on the speedo connector

I will report back with photos once I've confirmed this works, hopefully this weekend.

if you look inside the VDO sender the terminals are marked

 

[SHEKI]

I've just finally gotten mine almost all sorted, I did a full set of 4 gauges.
On the hall sensor the pins are marked inside, so I wired them up as marked.
-The "+" (pin 1) on the sensor I pigtailed into pin 4 (ignition) on the gauge.
-The "-" (pin 2) on the sensor I pigtailed into the OEM gauge light ground wires which then connected into pin 3 on the gauge connector
-Pin 3 on the sensor I tied directly into pin 5 on the gauge connector

Regarding the remaining gauge pins...
-Pin 1, I did tap into the OEM harness wire that is dedicated for the gauges & horn
-Pin 2, I ran a new ground wire through the bulkhead where the speedo cable came in and crimped a ring connector on and screwed in into an empty but dedicated ground. I've read and been told that the gauges should not share power or ground. (This is why I used the dedicated fused power and created a clean ground)
-Pin 6, I used the existing gauge illumination wire (red/white), but decided I'm actually going to tie it into pin 4 so they're always on when the truck is on (the small display is impossible to read without the light on)
-Pin 7, CAN high, got pigtailed all together (all 4 gauges, not connected to any other wires)
-Pin 8, CAN low, got pigtailed all together (all 4 gauges, not connected to any other wires)

Connecting the CAN wires allows the Speedo to send commands to the other SingleViu gauges (changing light color and brightness)

Here is where it got a bit challenging (at least for me)...
I had a very hard time trying to calibrate the speedometer and this is why...
You have to connect a wire to the 12 pin on the 12 pin connector in order to access the configuration menu. I didn't have a 12 pin connector but I did have extra wire harness connectors. I crimped a wire to the connector with a male spade on the other end so I could easily and temporarily plug it into constant power on the truck (I made sure to use electrical tape on the wire connector so as not to short anything or the gauge).
Once in configuration mode and "units" set to US, you can scroll down to "Pulse". In US setting, you can not manually set the pulse, it defaults to "auto detect".
*This is where I was really loosing my mind.
You're supposed to drive 1mi, using a GPS app, of your choosing, on your phone. Doesn't matter how fast you drive or if you have to stop at red lights (although if you're stopped too long I found it did exit "auto detect" mode and I had to start over).
Problem I had, it was way off so I tried several time and each time was a failure. I eventually got someone from VDO tech on the phone and was told that the early batches went out misprogrammed. That it required driving a km and not a mile.
So, all that being said... if you drive a mile and the calibration is way off, try starting over and driving .62 of a mile

I just ordered a 12 pin connector as I am unable to get my Speedo gauge lights to change the lights on the other gauges even though the CAN wires are correctly tied together. According to VDO tech guy, the 12 pin connector harness needs to be connected and tied into the rest of the harness for the Speedo to communicate with the other gauges.
Not all the wires are needed for this, so I'm just going to build my own harness.
12 Pin connector to 8 Pin connector
-Pin 1 to -Pin 7
-Pin 2 to -Pin 8
-Pin 12 to -Pin 1

-Pin 3 of the 12 pin connector gets jumped back into Pin 4 of the 12 pin connector with an inline 120ohm resistor

Supposedly, doing that will allow you to change the color and brightness of all the gauges. I have yet to get my new connector and resistor but trust it'll work. You can also just order the 12 pin connector with wires (VDO 2910000484300).

If you want to build your own harness here are the parts and a link to a place that has no minimums with reasonable shipping. I saved about $85 building my own harness.

Molex connectors
8 pin connector
12 pin connector
Pins

For my 300Tdi I ordered:
A2C3832870001 -Speedometer 100mm 90mph
A2C3833130001 -Fuel level 52mm
A2C3833340001 -Water temp 52mm
323-095B -Temp sender 250F
A2C3833190001 -Oil pressure 52mm
360-009B -Pressure sender

YBE100530 -Hall Effect sender
STC4637 -Harness connector
571665 -O-ring


This is the main harness I made, two connectors get pigtailed together, and the same for the other two. Then those two pigtails get pigtailed together. Was looking for the cleanest way to get all 32 wires bundled together without a rats nest.

As mentioned, still working out getting the gauges to take their marching orders from the speedo but hope to have that sorted next week.
The lighting is very good, bright and even. Really happy with the gauges and how they look in the truck. I loved the aesthetics of the OEM gauges but hated my mechanical speedo (which was in km and about 10% off on the slow side). I'm actually going to wire the illumination to the ignition power so the lights are always on when driving. The gauges are a little hard to read at a glance during the day and the digital display is near impossible to read when not illuminated (could also be my 49yo eyes).

 

[SHEKI]

Built the 12 pin connector, utilizing only the CAN pins (1 & 2), jumper pins (3 & 4) and configuration pin (12).
This worked well and allowed the speedo to communicate with the other gauges and set the color and brightness parameters.
The only issue I still run into is, with the #12 pin connected, The vehicle always enters into "configuration" mode. I'm going to reach back out to VDO tech to inquire but in the meantime I disconnected to 12 pin connector. Once set, the gauges keep their programming. If I decide to change color or brightness, I'll have to remove the screws and pull the binnacle off, connect the 12 pin connector, program....
Be nice to just leave it programed and have it function normally. The manual states that to enter configuration mode you have to hold the button on the speedo in while turning the key into "accessory" position.

For anyone wanting to build your own 12 pin connector
Parts
Connector
Contacts
Resistor
Regarding the resistor, VDO didn't have specs on the power rating so I "winged it" and went with a .500mW, I'm going to guess and say that a .125mW would work as well. These are tiny and would let you hide/protect them inside the connector if you wanted to be slick about it.

 

[Eugene.in.ut]

Really appreciate how thorough you were with this! Thanks for the follow up @SHEKI

 

[SHEKI]

Really appreciate how thorough you were with this! Thanks for the follow up @SHEKI

After unsuccessfully searching online for hours about these gauges and how to install, wire and program them I decided no one else should have to waste that much of their time.
Hope this makes it quick work for the next guy.

 

[Eugene.in.ut]

I will confirm once I get the hall mark sender. Have everything else set and ready to go!

 

[Eugene.in.ut]

Huge thanks to @SHEKI for bringing it home with the how to on the gauges. I had a general idea of what to do, but having the confirmation on how to move along was very confidence inducing. Stoked to have working gauges (just missing oil pressure).