This was a well thought out good install of a Riviera Digital dash. The job was nothing short of excellent. However, would changing from simple gauges to fully electronic ones decrease reliability?
Lol, the original gauges would sway back and forth when you hit a turn. I think it's a market improvement.
To be honest, the Riviera instrument cluster is known to flake out and stop working sometimes.. so it is not a perfect solution. It was just a cool one that uses vac fluorescent gauges that look so 80's. I looked over the choices on LCD displays, and was not thrilled with what I saw.. to fit them into a fiero bucket, they would have odd shapes. And then when done just look so modern.. if I wanted that I would buy a Kia Forte or some other cheesy car. And on the question of "does it take a year", there are many parts that are not available to order for a year. It is a land mine out there, and no easy solutions. Once I place an order for the chips that I need for the board, I will have a good idea of what the availability is and time scale.. The project has been a lot of fun.. I lernt so much about all of the instrument signals. All of it is good clean fun, and if someone wants to follow in Cajun's footsteps and do it, I will add in my help. And Cajun has all of the mechanicals and plastic lens worked out. Just a reminder that the wiring diagram is here.. https://u.pcloud.link/publi...4CjjABvFBA9J2m25v6ny with the detail that Cajun and I are still working out the dimmer wiring.
I've actually done things like this in the past, oftentimes this is caused by the lack of a heat sink in the circuits. Though, I'm sure, you're well aware of that already. I've noticed that the addition of a heat sync and a peltier unit can actually keep those early 90's electronics from self-destructing. Although this might just be biased because of where I live, that being Florida.
Essentially, a basic computer fan, and cover for the back, would do the Trick.
It's definitely something great enough to wait for. I'll see if I can't improve upon your designs a little in the meantime.
I brought my 86GT to Fierorama 25. That was a hoot! Anyway, the Riviera digital IC worked as it was supposed to. The bonus is the fact the trip meter also worked. A big plus specially when your gas gage is not very accurate.
I have been attempting to install a Riviera digital IC in my GT for over 10 years! Yes, you saw correctly 10 years. I had at one time got the Riviera digital IC working on my test bench but not what I was looking for. The set up was really a Riviera setup. It included the ECM, BCM and HVAC controller from a 92 Riviera. Worked but I was not interested in installing the setup in the GT so I shelved the project. Then some years later someone had mentioned on PFF they were attempting an install of a Riviera digital IC in a Fiero. That project was very short lived and weathered on the vine. Then alone comes Chris Eddy with is wonder box, a BCM specific for the Fiero and Riviera digital IC interface. I was offered the opportunity of the testing the BCM for him and eventually installing in my GT. The project took around a year in total. I for my part I developed a test stand specific for testing the Fiero BCM and Riviera IC. The rest is history.
I am forever grateful for the opportunity to be part of the Fiero BCM/Riviera digital IC project and to Chris Eddy.
Is the system perfect, NO but very close. Chris is aware of the couple issues with the system and I am sure he will in time sort them out.
Would I do it again, absolutely without hesitation. Having said that I would approach the project a little differently. Experience is the mother of invention.
What would I do differently: 1. Use specific connectors for the interface. I used mini-terminal strips for the interface wiring. Connectors I believe would have been better. To that end I am in the process of developing connectors to plug into the Fiero IC connectors. Less of a wiring issue. With these connectors almost anyone would be able to do the project. 2. Not use the Riviera digital IC for interior lighting control. I have pretty much done that already. I have a separate 500 ohm pot for controlling the lighting of the Riviera digital IC. Works better for me. It also involves less wiring modifications. 3. Ensure the Riviera digital IC and Fiero wiring interface is plug & play.
I am currently working on a video of the Riviera digital IC in action for all to see and appreciate the project.
I am now turning my attention to my next project............swapping a 2010 Chevy 3500 & 4T65E into the GT. I have acquired the 3500 and in the process of stripping the engine cradle of my parts car for the swap. This way I will have use of my GT until I am ready to make the swap.
I brought my 86GT to Fierorama 25. That was a hoot! Anyway, the Riviera digital IC worked as it was supposed to. The bonus is the fact the trip meter also worked. A big plus specially when your gas gage is not very accurate.
I have been attempting to install a Riviera digital IC in my GT for over 10 years! Yes, you saw correctly 10 years. I had at one time got the Riviera digital IC working on my test bench but not what I was looking for. The set up was really a Riviera setup. It included the ECM, BCM and HVAC controller from a 92 Riviera. Worked but I was not interested in installing the setup in the GT so I shelved the project. Then some years later someone had mentioned on PFF they were attempting an install of a Riviera digital IC in a Fiero. That project was very short lived and weathered on the vine. Then alone comes Chris Eddy with is wonder box, a BCM specific for the Fiero and Riviera digital IC interface. I was offered the opportunity of the testing the BCM for him and eventually installing in my GT. The project took around a year in total. I for my part I developed a test stand specific for testing the Fiero BCM and Riviera IC. The rest is history.
I am forever grateful for the opportunity to be part of the Fiero BCM/Riviera digital IC project and to Chris Eddy.
Is the system perfect, NO but very close. Chris is aware of the couple issues with the system and I am sure he will in time sort them out.
Would I do it again, absolutely without hesitation. Having said that I would approach the project a little differently. Experience is the mother of invention.
What would I do differently: 1. Use specific connectors for the interface. I used mini-terminal strips for the interface wiring. Connectors I believe would have been better. To that end I am in the process of developing connectors to plug into the Fiero IC connectors. Less of a wiring issue. With these connectors almost anyone would be able to do the project. 2. Not use the Riviera digital IC for interior lighting control. I have pretty much done that already. I have a separate 500 ohm pot for controlling the lighting of the Riviera digital IC. Works better for me. It also involves less wiring modifications. 3. Ensure the Riviera digital IC and Fiero wiring interface is plug & play.
I am currently working on a video of the Riviera digital IC in action for all to see and appreciate the project.
I am now turning my attention to my next project............swapping a 2010 Chevy 3500 & 4T65E into the GT. I have acquired the 3500 and in the process of stripping the engine cradle of my parts car for the swap. This way I will have use of my GT until I am ready to make the swap.
I welcome comments and questions.
Do you know if a unit like this would work as a replacement for the BCM? Just to get the gauges and and basic functions working.
Edit: not sure what happened, but this link didn't insert somehow.
Not sure what you mean by replace the BCM.. the original system has an ECM, which we are not fussing with, but no BCM. And we are not adding new gauges, just replacing the originals with the Buick IC.. And it is designed to work with the regular tach and speedo signals, your ref to the Dakota unit is usually used to convert signals.
Not sure what you mean by replace the BCM.. the original system has an ECM, which we are not fussing with, but no BCM. And we are not adding new gauges, just replacing the originals with the Buick IC.. And it is designed to work with the regular tach and speedo signals, your ref to the Dakota unit is usually used to convert signals.
If I'm understanding this properly, you're saying that the gauges themselves do not need the hardware that you said would take a year to get?
Sorry, I was under the impression that the gauges wouldn't work by directly connecting them to the fiero's outputs for the gauges.
Praetorian, let me describe the system. There is an instrument cluster from a '90-'91 Buick Riviera. There is a PC board that I designed and programmed, which wires up to your car. The PC board sends the necessary signals to the Riviera IC. Cajun added in all of the mechanical fitment, smoked bezel, and worked out the wiring in his car. Parts to make the PC board are hard to get. Many parts are hard to get right now. I made some changes yesterday to the PC board.. a different micro-controller that I can buy, and I changed the connector on the board that was a pain. I am working toward ordering and buying new PC boards and parts, which I will likely have some time in late October. The speedo and miles are accumulated off of the VSS signal that comes from the car.
Praetorian, let me describe the system. There is an instrument cluster from a '90-'91 Buick Riviera. There is a PC board that I designed and programmed, which wires up to your car. The PC board sends the necessary signals to the Riviera IC. Cajun added in all of the mechanical fitment, smoked bezel, and worked out the wiring in his car. Parts to make the PC board are hard to get. Many parts are hard to get right now. I made some changes yesterday to the PC board.. a different micro-controller that I can buy, and I changed the connector on the board that was a pain. I am working toward ordering and buying new PC boards and parts, which I will likely have some time in late October. The speedo and miles are accumulated off of the VSS signal that comes from the car.
Okay, so, and I'm sorry if I have it wrong still, the tachometer and speedometer just use the vss signal. But The other instruments water temp, voltage, etc. Need to go through the PCB to get displayed on the Riviera cluster.
[This message has been edited by Praetorian (edited 09-30-2021).]
Yes, going into the PC board, there is A VSS input signal for the speedo (and divided by two it is output to the ECM). A tach input signal for the tach. And there are analog wires for each of the gauges.. voltage, oil pressure, coolant temp, lamp dim, and fuel. There are a bunch of on/off signals. And there is a trip/odometer. Then there is a setup procedure to select your cylinders (to make the tach right), and to set your odometer starting point. At some point before the boards show up, I will write up a document to describe all of the wiring and how to's..
I'm skilled enough to do it on my own, as long as I can get the proper hardware lol
I actually just went to a local scrap yard and got a full instrument cluster to make a separate one. So I don't have to cannibalize the fresh one that's actually on the car.
That is exactly what I did for my build, I used the instrument cluster surround from one of my parts cars. Once you begin cutting on the cluster surround there is no turning back.
That is exactly what I did for my build, I used the instrument cluster surround from one of my parts cars. Once you begin cutting on the cluster surround there is no turning back.
[This message has been edited by Cajun (edited 10-03-2021).]
That is exactly what I did for my build, I used the instrument cluster surround from one of my parts cars. Once you begin cutting on the cluster surround there is no turning back.
The VSS that used to go to the speedometer goes to the BCM.. and that signal is used to work out the speedometer, and then the odometer and trip readings. The BCM stores the odometer in memory. And then those readings are all sent over to the instrument cluster.
I realise this is a bit of an old thread, but if you haven't gotten the dimmer circuit working yet, i may have a proposal. Why not make an input from the stock wiring to the BCM like in the diagram below, then completely ignore the dash's PWM output signal? I think this would simplify things quite a bit, though i'm no EE so there may be something i'm missing.
