R50/R53 :: Hatch Talk (2002-2006) Cooper (R50) and Cooper S (R53) hatchback discussion.

R50/53 Navigation to Chrono Gauge Swap

  #26  
Old 07-18-2019, 10:49 PM
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While I recognize that we all need to know that the oil pressure gauge in the Chrono Pak provides no more actionable info, and we should point that out without fail to any new member who posts an interest in installing the Chrono Pak, I would submit that we don't need to point out the ignorance of anyone who wants to install one.

I for one want t replace my nav with a chrono Pak if anyone can make it work, because the Chrono Pak at least LOOKS good. Right now I have a nav system which is no more useful than the Chrono oil pressure gauge, and is totally replaceable by my phone. However, the nav looks like an afterthought cobbled together with even less design acumen than I have.

In short, some of us are looking for something less butt-ugly than the Nav screen to put in the middle of our dash, even if it provides us less than optimal oil pressure information.
 
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  #27  
Old 07-19-2019, 04:30 PM
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Originally Posted by deepgrey
You’re comparing apples and oranges here. The speedo and tach are actually very accurate (Well, there is a 5 kph static offset for the speedometer in my car because it’s German - assume other minis are the same). The ECU reads those values directly.

The coolant temp gauge in the standard center speedometer doesn’t give any real values. The computer sticks it smack dab in the center if it’s within normal operating ranges and moves it off center if it’s either too cold or too hot, but it does know the actual value at the sensor, even if it doesn’t tell you.

The oil pressure gauge in the chrono pack is different though. The fact that it’s moving around is the same as the light being off because the ECU doesn’t know the pressure. The only time the ECU knows to make the gauge read low is when the oil pressure switch trips, which is the same as the light coming on. It doesn’t give you any more info than the idiot light.
Not trying to hijack this thead, the speedo is not accurate, unless you have it calibrated! In fact in the 50 to 60 mph area, the speedo is factory set to show faster than it is actually going!
The tach is slow to respond to the RPMs at the instance of acceleration (lag).
The post was not looking for perfection, it was a plea to remove the nasty NAV sytem, so lets stop here with the bickering about the chrono package. I have been seeing this same useless help, since I got here. Let us try to be helpful, without insult, or getting off the question at hand! Thank you!
 
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  #28  
Old 07-19-2019, 04:47 PM
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Originally Posted by ItsmeWayne
Not trying to hijack this thead, the speedo is not accurate, unless you have it calibrated! In fact in the 50 to 60 mph area, the speedo is factory set to show faster than it is actually going!
The tach is slow to respond to the RPMs at the instance of acceleration (lag).
The post was not looking for perfection, it was a plea to remove the nasty NAV sytem, so lets stop here with the bickering about the chrono package. I have been seeing this same useless help, since I got here. Let us try to be helpful, without insult, or getting off the question at hand! Thank you!
The person I initially responded to was talking about adding the chrono pack for “essential information,” so pointing out that the gauges are fake is a perfectly reasonable response. I would hate for someone to rely on the chrono pack and not know that it doesn’t accurately represent oil pressure, mainly because of the drainback valve issue that’s been mentioned. The only bickering here involves your inability to understand that fact.

Second, I explicitly pointed out that there is a static offset to the speedometer. I’ve coded that out of my digital speedometer, so mine is indeed accurate to within a few percent. I have no idea what delay you’re referring to in the tach.
 
  #29  
Old 07-19-2019, 04:59 PM
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I'm going to add my two cents here to this thread.....

I picked up a Chrono-Pack from a 2006 MINI a month or so ago, the chrono pack and my NAV system were made 2 months apart.....I really don't like the NAV system, pain in the butt to input address's .....

Here are my findings when I installed this Chrono-pack into my '06 R52 JCW MINI

The mileage on the cars odometer will change to read the new center dash cluster's mileage, I went from 108,000+ down to 84,694 miles
My TPS or flat tire monitor light is always on now, I can not turn it off with the reset procedure
My DSC light is on all the time as well, throws a code saying VIN is different between old & new instrument cluster
Also have other codes in the speedometer cluster, and the steering angle modules because of VIN difference's
I cannot clear the codes at all
My back up warning system, or PDC system does not work anymore
I don't think the "Check gas cap" light will function either, I drove around for a while with the gas cap loose, light never came on
I had to get another dash bezel with the chrome rings because the NAV system takes a different bezel
All gauges in the Chrono Pack do work when I plugged the instrument cluster into my car. All the dash lights work and dim as they should.

Now this is what I have found when installing the Chrono pack on my car, your results may vary. I put my NAV system back in last week before I went to get the car aligned, not sure if it would have made a difference or not, but I didn't want to take a chance on the shop refusing to align the car due to the DSC and TPMS lights being on

Now, for a bit of good news I found out yesterday.....my neighbor down the street had a BMW 7 series car and he had a complete INPA program on his computer. We were talking about my car and in the swap I mentioned about the mileage and the codes being there after I did the swap.....he said his program was able to change the VIN and the mileage to what the car originally had for the new cluster install.....he's gonna try and get the program back from his brother who now has the BMW 7 series car......so I'm gonna wait until he can get the program & cable and I'll try this swap again and hope it all works correctly

Pictures below, not much to see that you all have not already seen.....I do not have the Chrono pack back in the car as of yet...but I will still pursue getting this installed and working as it should......I will also install a mechanical water temp gauge and a mechanical oil pressure gauge in the car for peace of mind knowing what temperature and oil pressure "actually" is

Bryan







 
  #30  
Old 07-19-2019, 08:21 PM
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I wish you the best of luck with that swap; people seem to have varying degrees of success. I’m pretty sure I recall a thread where Way said he had been able to change the VIN in a chrono pack but not the mileage. It seems like it might actually require some hardware hacking to fix, but I’ve never dug all that deep into it since I have no plans to swap my speedometer out.

As an aside, I don’t recall INPA being able to code modules, but your neighbor probably knows that. Or, I could be wrong. I’ve only ever used INPA to read and clear codes and NCSexpert to do coding.

Anyway, I’m pretty interested to see if you can get everything swapped and working as it should.
 
  #31  
Old 07-19-2019, 08:43 PM
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It is amazing how people forgot the state of vehicle navigation back in early 2000s. It is rather unfair to beach and moan in 2019. Even I considered getting the nav option when I was configuring the Desire in 2004. However it was a simple decision to opt for the standard issued center speedometer for its continuity with the classic mini. I fail to see the allure of the chrono pack sell-up option even if oil pressure and temperature is real. The over embellished styling look wrong to me in the Mini.

If it were me in the shoes of owner with the now so obsoleted nav I would pursue hacking in an android multifunction display or using the space to mount a few real gauges with wood screws.

I am sure this post would only increase my popularity.

I am too quite sure you cannot use INPA to change the VIN for the chrono pack from another vehicle. There is a very good reason why this is so hard, and I am aware of no one has succeeded including that cute young girl on YT. And no, I didn't need to watch the video to know.
 

Last edited by pnwR53S; 07-19-2019 at 08:53 PM.
  #32  
Old 07-21-2019, 01:51 PM
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Originally Posted by pnwR53S

I am too quite sure you cannot use INPA to change the VIN for the chrono pack from another vehicle. There is a very good reason why this is so hard, and I am aware of no one has succeeded including that cute young girl on YT. And no, I didn't need to watch the video to know.
Maybe it was not INPA....that may have been my mistake in remembering the conversation with my neighbor about it.....but he does have the entire program on his computer to input values, change VIN in the modules to what you want.....he does not have the communication cables anymore.....so I would have to get those

Bryan
 
  #33  
Old 07-21-2019, 02:24 PM
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Ended up just going with an ultra gauge. It will look similar to this setup below


Thanks for all of the replies, lots of info.
 
  #34  
Old 07-21-2019, 04:05 PM
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I swapped from chrono to nav it was not very hard, but I have no way to fix the miles.

To fix your ABS errors, you need to put the original kombi back in, dump the kombi module settings with ncsexpert. put the kombi you want to use in and fix the abs settings, they need to match the one your car came with. Not very hard! if I recall mine had 3 ABS settings I had to change to match my modules. You have backup sensors I would imagine those are in the kombi too, you need to "Diff" the two files and address the differences. There will be some obvious ones that have to stay different there are settings in there for chrono and for nav

Once done with that I used ista - D to zero my steering angle sensor (it's in kombi) and then reset all the errors, now I have no errors.
 
  #35  
Old 07-22-2019, 04:52 PM
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Originally Posted by MrBlah
I swapped from chrono to nav it was not very hard, but I have no way to fix the miles.

To fix your ABS errors, you need to put the original kombi back in, dump the kombi module settings with ncsexpert. put the kombi you want to use in and fix the abs settings, they need to match the one your car came with. Not very hard! if I recall mine had 3 ABS settings I had to change to match my modules. You have backup sensors I would imagine those are in the kombi too, you need to "Diff" the two files and address the differences. There will be some obvious ones that have to stay different there are settings in there for chrono and for nav

Once done with that I used ista - D to zero my steering angle sensor (it's in kombi) and then reset all the errors, now I have no errors.
Yes....my neighbor said that he could change any value in the car to anything he wanted except the mileage.....that remains the same

Bryan
 
  #36  
Old 12-08-2019, 02:57 PM
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Nav to Chrono conversion

Originally Posted by MrBlah
I swapped from chrono to nav it was not very hard, but I have no way to fix the miles.

To fix your ABS errors, you need to put the original kombi back in, dump the kombi module settings with ncsexpert. put the kombi you want to use in and fix the abs settings, they need to match the one your car came with. Not very hard! if I recall mine had 3 ABS settings I had to change to match my modules. You have backup sensors I would imagine those are in the kombi too, you need to "Diff" the two files and address the differences. There will be some obvious ones that have to stay different there are settings in there for chrono and for nav

Once done with that I used ista - D to zero my steering angle sensor (it's in kombi) and then reset all the errors, now I have no errors.
Appears that you are very knowledgeable in the application of ista - D & ncsexpert inorder to reset the module values but, their has to be a way to crack the stored computer mileage to match your original ? I have seen car mileage hackers modify the mileage on a behind the scene investigative reports in L.A. on a variety of different auto's.
 
  #37  
Old 01-20-2020, 07:35 PM
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I just completed this swap on a friends 2005 Mini Cooper S and have successfully coded everything to clear all error codes or warning lights. It was pretty much as MrBlah has stated as far as all of the steps, except I used Tool32 instead of ISTA/D. Yes, the mileage did change and reflects the one in the Chrono unit. I did find the following instructions to change the mileage on a BMW: https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...VIN-and-coding, not sure if that is applicable to our cars or not, but it is too involved for me to even try.
 
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