Newbie with a 740

[Laird Scooby]

Originally Posted by fredmcv

Also, mine doesn't have the additional guages at the sides (oil pressure?).
Fred

Hi Fred

FYI, the extra gauges in the Yazaki cluster are Voltmeter (on the left) and Turbo Boost (on the right). The voltmeter would be a useful addition and if already installed in the cluster, i doubt would need any extra wiring. The boost gauge could probably be adapted to a straight vacuum gauge and would need some tubing from the instrument to the inlet manifold. I understand the boost gauge incorporates a vacuum gauge into its movement anyway so wouldn't take much to make it vacuum only.
I might be wrong on this but i think Volvo sold extra gauges to fit in the clusters for the owner that wanted a bit more than the basic kit. With that in mind, if you didn't want the extra gauges you could remove them and fit the blanking plates from your original cluster.

Hope that helps!

[fredmcv]

Originally Posted by Laird Scooby

Hi Fred

FYI, the extra gauges in the Yazaki cluster are Voltmeter (on the left) and Turbo Boost (on the right). The voltmeter would be a useful addition and if already installed in the cluster, i doubt would need any extra wiring. The boost gauge could probably be adapted to a straight vacuum gauge and would need some tubing from the instrument to the inlet manifold. I understand the boost gauge incorporates a vacuum gauge into its movement anyway so wouldn't take much to make it vacuum only.
I might be wrong on this but i think Volvo sold extra gauges to fit in the clusters for the owner that wanted a bit more than the basic kit. With that in mind, if you didn't want the extra gauges you could remove them and fit the blanking plates from your original cluster.

Hope that helps!

I like the idea of the extra gauges but I don't think the Yazaki instuments are compatible with my car. Do you happen to know if the connectors etc are the same?

[Laird Scooby]

I don't know for sure Fred - the only thing i can think is if they're not it would make a lot of work for Volvo to change the loom to accommodate a different cluster.
I think there is a section on interchangablity of clusters in the 700 FAQ section.

Having had a look at the pics of the back of the Yazaki clusters, they are different to the VDO but not that different so they may work, they may not.

There is the old "try it and see" method but if you're on a budget then that isn't always possible but could be worth a go, especially if there aren't many VDO clusters around.

In the 700 FAQ section there is an article on repairing the Yazaki speedo including the odo/trip meters but sadly nothing for the VDO units. Either they don't play up very often or they're not so easily repaired!

Just had a quick read through the rest of this thread and someone else has said they aren't compatible so i guess we're both looking for a new VDO speedo! Mine tells me how fast i'm going but the odo/trip meters don't work :



Neither have moved since i got the car although the previous owner reports they were working last time he used the car which was just under a year ago!

[fredmcv]

Hi Dave

Have you tried replacing the cogs to get the odometer working? That's what I was trying to do when I broke the needle on mine.

[Laird Scooby]

No, i haven't Fred - for the simple reason i firstly couldn't find an easy way into it and secondly i'm not so good with small things as i used to be (too many painkillers!) so i would stand a fair chance of doing permanent damage to the speedo head itself. Also the fact there is no DIY guide in the FAQ for VDO instruments suggests repair is either nigh on impossible or not for the wobbly handed!
Also seem to recall seeing somewhere (probably in the FAQ) that parts weren't available for VDO but were for Yazaki. This also put me off. Also contacted the previous owner and he was of the opinion both of the mileage recorders worked fine last time he drove it so i'm looking for something simple and meanwhile hoping the vibration while being driven might be enough to get it back into working mode again.

[baggy798]

Dumb question: Have you tried pushing the reset trip stalk in a couple of times? When I reset it in my old 740 it sometimes got stuck on 0000 and wouldn't begin counting.

[fredmcv]

Not a dumb question at all. I did try that though, with no joy. When I took it apart I found the cog that turned the odometer had stripped.

[Laird Scooby]

Originally Posted by baggy798

Dumb question: Have you tried pushing the reset trip stalk in a couple of times? When I reset it in my old 740 it sometimes got stuck on 0000 and wouldn't begin counting.

I don't think it's a dumb question either and it's something i've tried many times, both stationary and while moving but nothing seems to get either set of digits moving.
Before i had long term insurance (i used temporary insurance the day i collected it) i managed to get the trip meter to start counting - up to 000.9 and then it stopped!