Someone wanted to add a race computer to their MINI in the location of the Tachometer, and asked me if the car worked with the tachomete disconnected.

I tried and in my 2002 MINI Cooper 5-speed, no cruise, no on-board-computer, everything works just fine without the tachometer. Odometer works, Trip-miles counter works.

I have a spare tachometer, and I verified that both tachometers work in my car, so there's no secret BMW/MINI handshake required to install a different tach.

I brought up the worry that the missing "idiot" lights might be a problem.

On my MINI, I have two lights that aren't important to me:
- Bright-lights-on
-Turn signal is blinking

And three lights that are important to me:
- Service Engine Soon
- Parking brake on (Also maybe low brake fluid?)
-ABS failure

So, I started looking at my spare tachometer. (I added labels for the LED functions)

with the intent of adding a connector to the back of the tachometer that will allow the 5 LEDs to be added anywhere in the dash.

You could drill holes in the dash, or add a small plate to hold just the LEDs you are interested in.

You could have square, round, red, amber, blue, white or whatever color LEDs you want.

The stock tachometer would get hidden behind the dash, and there would be room for a beautiful race computer.

From Race Sport.net
Or you could go stealth.


Since I have money invested in this project and it may turn into a product if people are interested, please send a Self-Addressed, Stamped Envelope to me if you want me to send you a schematic and instructions so you can do this mod yourself. (My address is in my profile)

It will take me about three weeks to figure out how to do it, and make the modifications on my spare tachometer.

If people aren't comfortable doing the modification themselves, I could do it for them one of two ways.

I'm thinking I would have a few modified tachometers in stock, you would pay for the modification plus a HEAFTY core charge and I would send you a modified tachometer.

You remove your stock tach, install the modified one and return the stock one to me for modification for the next customer.

When the tach arrives, and I verify it functions properly, you get your core charge back. That's pretty standard.

Or, you can remove your tach, send it to me and I'll modify it and return it to you without the core charge. You take a chance on me ripping off your tachometer this way.

The SASE will allow me to get some names and addresses for future product mailing if that ever happens, and I can get something back for giving this information out for free.

Comments and criticisms are welcome.

 

Kinda looks like the racing computer peter has installed

Good luck with it, from your description it sounds promising.

Can't wait for you to post the schematics on here

 

im very intrested!!keep me up to date!