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

R50/53 Chrono Pack Retrofit - All the info you need (hopefully)

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Old Jul 5, 2023 | 08:45 PM
  #276  
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It’s not really possible to find a new chrono, I know what my mistake was, but the flash is lost for my board, now I’m restoring it in pieces and I think if I had a second board, so there was no problem, since I successfully counted the old odometer, reset the vin code and mileage, so for the car it has become new, when I restore the firmware of my chrono package I will do the same
 
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Old Jul 6, 2023 | 05:18 AM
  #277  
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Originally Posted by Dotradepro
It’s not really possible to find a new chrono, I know what my mistake was, but the flash is lost for my board, now I’m restoring it in pieces and I think if I had a second board, so there was no problem, since I successfully counted the old odometer, reset the vin code and mileage, so for the car it has become new, when I restore the firmware of my chrono package I will do the same
I haven't spoken directly with Mini but from the looks of it, you can still order a new one. I guess I was wondering if that is indeed possible that it can just be coded by mini as a new unit and work around the mileage issue. Might need a new Speedometer tach as well which looks to be available too.
 
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Old Jul 6, 2023 | 10:11 PM
  #278  
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Originally Posted by Couch53
I haven't spoken directly with Mini but from the looks of it, you can still order a new one. I guess I was wondering if that is indeed possible that it can just be coded by mini as a new unit and work around the mileage issue. Might need a new Speedometer tach as well which looks to be available too.
Maybe I didn’t put it right, I can encode the panel as a new problem in that I had 2 panels and, due to not knowing on the chrono package, I killed the flash firmware and now I can’t get the arrows to work, I had my native odometer in the center, I successfully reset it because I already knew what I did wrong and he was defined as new in ista-p
 
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Old Jul 9, 2023 | 07:49 AM
  #279  
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I can confirm today that I successfully flashed the chrono dashboard and managed to program it as new at the end I received my native mileage equipment and vin number
 
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Old Jul 9, 2023 | 12:05 PM
  #280  
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Originally Posted by Dotradepro
I can confirm today that I successfully flashed the chrono dashboard and managed to program it as new at the end I received my native mileage equipment and vin number
Can you please post a detailed description of how you did that.
 
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Old Jul 17, 2023 | 09:57 PM
  #281  
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I have not yet been able to activate the oil pressure and temperature arrows in ncs expert there are two items but they are not saved in the car settings
 
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Old Jul 17, 2023 | 09:59 PM
  #282  
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I meant how you flashed the chronopack with the R270.
 
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Old Jul 18, 2023 | 02:12 AM
  #283  
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If your car is a pre facelift they will not work. You need to get a post lift DME an program it to your car’s specifications. Then you gauges will work.
 
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Old Aug 28, 2023 | 06:14 PM
  #284  
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Read eprom successfully with r270.


loaded binary files for 30 I downloaded from GitHub, removed .txt. And renamed from .bin to .BIN

Tried writing the flash (I assume you select flash) and tried writing eeprom with the 0km file.

both said it was “data size invalid” seems to be an absolute assload of commentating in it? The original read was minimal and any commenting mostly gibberish?



 

Last edited by Onizukachan; Aug 28, 2023 at 11:28 PM.
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Old Aug 29, 2023 | 12:27 PM
  #285  
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Figured it out, you have to download raw from repository, not right click save as from link in the instructions.


then the flash is only 131kb and eepron only 2mb
 
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Old Sep 18, 2023 | 05:49 PM
  #286  
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Onizukachan - any chance you'd be open to reprograming my units? (Have a chronos pack and nav unit) - plan to swap the nav units screen out for a carplay like unit in its place, but wouldn't mind having the chronos unit in its place for the time being.
Feel free to PM if you'd like.
 

Last edited by joshzash14; Sep 18, 2023 at 05:55 PM.
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Old Sep 19, 2023 | 09:55 AM
  #287  
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If you were local, I would

if you have a windows computer, get the r270, install the software and download the flash and eeprom files.
Follow the TDLR directions and strip out the numbered wires from the ribbon cable about 6” back and connect the wires as indicated in the pictures on GitHub.

make sure you can read it beforetrying to flash anything.

What I did to get a good read was tin the only rearmost section of exposed wires after stripping so I could press fit them into the socket holes in the board amd when they got to tinned section, boom. They stayed.

there is only one wire that needed to be soldered in place so I tinned that one fully and just touched surface contact point with iron to preheat, then put wire atop and touched wire with iron to make a temp connection I could just pop free after.

when you have a good connection it will read or flash it in 6-10 seconds, when you don’t it will stall and sit there not actually doing anything for minutes.


after you have it flashed, hook it up to car.

Don’t bother with copying vin etc from old one, dont even bother trying to read old one.


once it is virginized, if you have pasoft 1.4 aka bmw scanner, it has the options to import over from ews in menu with a click, instead of having to fndtlessen etc amd switch moduels and codes back and forth in NCSexpert…, those options are in it for one click operation. Worth the $20 for that one too, have had mine for about a decade and used on 2 former early 2000s bmws and now 3 r53s.

 
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Old Mar 14, 2024 | 09:47 PM
  #288  
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As opposed to doing all of this coding stuff, couldn't you just swap over the EEPROM from the car's original cluster to the Chrono cluster? I understand desoldering and resoldering a 52 pin IC is no fun, especially as delicate as EEPROMs can be, but with the right tools, it is possible. I'm guessing you might have to fight some conformal coatings as well... but again, manageable.

So in short, wouldn't moving the E²PROM to the Chronopack cluster from the original cluster take care of the VIN/Mileage/features disparities? What else would be needed at that point? For this thought experiment, I am assuming a 2006 facelift center speedo EEPROM being moved over to a matched set of 2006 facelift Mickey Mouse ears/Chrono gauges.
 
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Old Mar 15, 2024 | 12:58 AM
  #289  
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Hmm, maybe I’m not getting where it is easier. Seems to be a lot more work than simply revirginizing a chrono? 104 desolders amd 52 resolders for a total of 156 solders compared to… 1 solder, a $20 r270 and 10 minutes time start to finish?
 
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Old Mar 15, 2024 | 03:39 AM
  #290  
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Originally Posted by Chamberlin1
As opposed to doing all of this coding stuff, couldn't you just swap over the EEPROM from the car's original cluster to the Chrono cluster? I understand desoldering and resoldering a 52 pin IC is no fun, especially as delicate as EEPROMs can be, but with the right tools, it is possible. I'm guessing you might have to fight some conformal coatings as well... but again, manageable.

So in short, wouldn't moving the E²PROM to the Chronopack cluster from the original cluster take care of the VIN/Mileage/features disparities? What else would be needed at that point? For this thought experiment, I am assuming a 2006 facelift center speedo EEPROM being moved over to a matched set of 2006 facelift Mickey Mouse ears/Chrono gauges.
I'm not sure if the EEPROM is where the coding bytes are stored
 
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Old Sep 21, 2024 | 10:53 AM
  #291  
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Pinouts and setting correct?

Hi Guys,

i have soldered as below and have the 270+.

im struggling to read the flash and eeprom, where am I going wrong?





 
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Old Sep 22, 2024 | 09:37 PM
  #292  
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Flash write problem

I'm having an issue with writing the flash. I can read/write the eeprom and read the flash. Since I'm using a 270+ I'm pretty sure the flash has been corrupted. When I load the flash file that I want to write and then press the write button it just hangs. Does anyone have an idea on what the issue is?
 
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Old Sep 22, 2024 | 09:43 PM
  #293  
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Originally Posted by xeiona
Hi Guys,

i have soldered as below and have the 270+.

im struggling to read the flash and eeprom, where am I going wrong?





I would try it without the extending wires.
​​​​
 
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Old Oct 10, 2024 | 09:13 AM
  #294  
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Flash sw17 hw07

Hello together, can anyone share hw07 sw17 flash and eep please? I cant found anywhere the 128kb verison of flash :/ thank you!!
 
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Old Oct 25, 2024 | 01:59 PM
  #295  
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Adding correct VIN and mileage via r270 bin file

Originally Posted by cut7
Thank you for your prompt reply. I purchased an R270 kit pictured below (it came with USB & power cables, not pictured). The problem is the colors in the ribbon cable don't match the color / position number in @YulCmr github instructions. What am I not understanding here? Could you send a picture of the wires you soldered to your board? is your ribbon cable the same as mine? Mine starts with blue (labeled 1) then proceeds green, yellow, orange, red, brown, black, white, grey, purple, then repeats that pattern for a total of 26 wires. Below are @YulCmr instructions, but as you can see, they don't match my ribbon cable colors; plus I don't have a coaxial cable in my kit, nor is there a place to plug one in. Wire color :
  • YELLOW = RESET
  • PURPLE = BKGD/BDM
  • BLACK = VSS/-
  • RED = VDD/+
  • GREEN = PE7 / xclks
R260 - R270
  • Black / GND / 26
  • Red / 5v / 1
  • Yellow / RST / 7
  • Purple / BKGD /19
  • Green / XCLKS / 5
Coaxial
  • White / ECLK / 8
  • Black / ECLK_REF / 24


What programming device did you purchase? Did your ribbon cable match @YulCmr instructions? What am I not understanding here?

Salvage Car repair. I have an R53 pre facelift which was flood damaged in the boot frying the battery. The console is partially stripped so putting used dash back in.
Does anyone know how to edit the code of the flash and eprom to change the VIN and mileage. I can see from previous posts I where the data is stored.
Without FFing everything are there how does a VIN convert to binary/hex so I can type it in. I have both eprom and flash files from this centre speedo to edit and re flash.
Cheers
Cheers
 
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Old Mar 6, 2025 | 07:28 AM
  #296  
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Hello, I have bought a Cooper S and I’m trying to retrofit the Chrono Pack. What an incredible job you’ve done to make this possible for "normal people"!
I have an R270+ programmer and have read all the posts and @YulCmr GitHub, but I have one doubt regarding the coaxial pinout solder points, as the picture is not very clear.

Could you confirm if these are the correct points?

 
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Old Jun 5, 2025 | 11:19 PM
  #297  
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Originally Posted by comijmv
Hello, I have bought a Cooper S and I’m trying to retrofit the Chrono Pack. What an incredible job you’ve done to make this possible for "normal people"!
I have an R270+ programmer and have read all the posts and @YulCmr GitHub, but I have one doubt regarding the coaxial pinout solder points, as the picture is not very clear.

Could you confirm if these are the correct points?

These are the correct ones
Orange - GND CLK
White - ECLK
 
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Old Jun 15, 2025 | 06:06 PM
  #298  
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If you just pony up the $1k and buy new, you don't have to code etc... but why does ECS Tuning compatibility chart show NO NAV? Obviously they are incompatible at the same time, but if you're pulling the NAV, this new module should be drop-in for the most part? I'm talking facelift part to facelift car here. Obviously different bezel too for the Chrono vs. NAV...

https://www.ecstuning.com/b-genuine-...r/62109126997/
 
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Old Jun 16, 2025 | 12:09 PM
  #299  
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Why spend a grand when you can do it fo4 $100 and an hours time.

and yes nav to chrono is the easiest swap since the car already has the dual column gauges. Just have to code cluster itself to vin after reviginizing.
 
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Old Jun 16, 2025 | 12:22 PM
  #300  
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Originally Posted by Onizukachan
Why spend a grand when you can do it fo4 $100 and an hours time.

and yes nav to chrono is the easiest swap since the car already has the dual column gauges. Just have to code cluster itself to vin after reviginizing.
Do you offer this as a service? I would gladly pay you $100.00 if you could successfully reprogram my chrono pack.
 
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