M2-1002 Cluster Fiddle

After a considerable time hunting, I've managed to get a M2-1002 cluster with the idea of swapping it into my '94 NA. There are two major challenges involved. Cosmetically it's somewhat worse for wear with the paint on the facia peeling and threatening to destroy the lamp icons and of course, it's not plug & play with the existing vehicle harness.

There is also the small matter of a previous speedo face conversion from KPH to MPH which will need to be undone. I suspect Adam (Revlimiter) may hold the key here.

Through this thread I hope to share, gather and document information and suggestions to get the cluster looking good and functioning within my car.

I'll start by posting a few photos of the cluster...

http://i996.photobucket.com/albums/a...psg3ul6uqc.jpg

Above is a photo of the cluster as it arrived. Note the peeling paint revealing the alloy facia.


http://i996.photobucket.com/albums/a...pstwnb0awe.jpg

A side by side comparison of the M2 cluster on the left, and the usual NA cluster on the right.


http://i996.photobucket.com/albums/a...psrwnpgq6q.jpg

Each wire routes via a connector or plug before terminating on the connector which plugs into the original vehicle harness. Note the foam noise damping material which has deteriorated into a sticky mess.


http://i996.photobucket.com/albums/a...pscyo45vtj.jpg

The rear of the cluster after removing most of the foam.


http://i996.photobucket.com/albums/a...pspq6rcl7n.jpg

Above is one of a number of three piece plastic shrouds housing 1N1004 diodes.


http://i996.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps1e535pdx.jpg

Diode shroud open.


http://i996.photobucket.com/albums/a...psb1aj6zgy.jpg

Showing the diode.


http://i996.photobucket.com/albums/a...psgdcs0kyb.jpg

Rubber insulated in-line connectors. The rubber is as new.


http://i996.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps9btfs2jv.jpg

All cluster wiring terminates in the connector above which would connect to the M2-1002 vehicle harness.

What a convoluted mess. Good luck with it.

Thanks for the update, I was wondering how you planned to tackle the harness. I always like the look of that cluster but after I saw the back I decided it was beyond my electronics scope of knowledge. :shock:

The wiring looks pretty good to me. I would expect that it just requires different plugs. Would the M2 have different senders?
I googled dashboard icons and got loads of options. Plenty of free vector graphic files available. They're scalable images suitable for a vinyl cutter
Either:
Get vinyl graphics cut
Get the graphic cut as a mask and spray them on.
I didn't find this, as I didn't look very hard, but you may find dash icons as rub on transfers.
Good luck, it's going to be a unique cluster.

I think I used used to own this and has certainly been on its travels (JP -> UK -> US -> NZ).

Who would do that to a 1002 cluster?

https://uguucageoflove.files.wordpre...7/meme-wtf.jpg

time. age. heat. most likely

Thanks for the contributions guys. I'm away on business until later this week so will probably not get to doing much before the weekend.

I plan on mapping out the wire color\plug pin\functionality next. It'd be great to find the M2 harness plug, so if anyone has one in the bottom drawer, best you get it out :toomuch:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Demon I Am

What a convoluted mess. Good luck with it.

---

Thanks Demon I Am.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Phatmiata

Thanks for the update, I was wondering how you planned to tackle the harness. I always like the look of that cluster but after I saw the back I decided it was beyond my electronics scope of knowledge. :shock:

---

No problem. It's not the wiring that scares me to be honest. More doing justice to the facia.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Malibu Q

The wiring looks pretty good to me. I would expect that it just requires different plugs. Would the M2 have different senders?
I googled dashboard icons and got loads of options. Plenty of free vector graphic files available. They're scalable images suitable for a vinyl cutter
Either:
Get vinyl graphics cut
Get the graphic cut as a mask and spray them on.
I didn't find this, as I didn't look very hard, but you may find dash icons as rub on transfers.
Good luck, it's going to be a unique cluster.

---

Wiring is in as new condition with no deterioration to the insulation that I can see. In-line connectors are not corroded at all. I'll take your suggestions on board. The original finish on the facia is not smooth and I suspect will be difficult to replicate. I'll try to get a pic that shows this more clearly.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jamie

I think I used used to own this and has certainly been on its travels (JP -> UK -> US -> NZ).

---

I believe you're correct Jamie. I may have sent you a message on another forum in this regard. It certainly has toured the world.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by fwdtamiya

Who would do that to a 1002 cluster?

https://uguucageoflove.files.wordpre...7/meme-wtf.jpg

---

I don't believe the damage was intentionally inflicted. Well, I would hope not.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Demon I Am

time. age. heat. most likely

---

Agree. I guess it spent a good amount of time packaged without the owner at that time realizing it was potentially doing damage.

There was a yahoo japan auction a couple months (?) back. It was a m2 1002 dash harness and metal dash frame. Keep an eye out, as it was the 2nd time I saw it up for sale with no takers. Third time would be a charm for you, and make this a simpler reality.

I'm talking about that markered mess of a KMPH->MPH conversion guys.

You emailed me about this earlier last year, right? I seem to remember seeing that converted speed face. What a mess...

The wiring is... terrifying.

BEST of luck! If I can help at all, you know how to find me.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by revlimiter

You emailed me about this earlier last year, right? I seem to remember seeing that converted speed face. What a mess...

The wiring is... terrifying.

BEST of luck! If I can help at all, you know how to find me.

---

More of a super time consuming project, that's why I suggested holding out for the factory loom with proper connector he needs.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by vote4pedro

There was a yahoo japan auction a couple months (?) back. It was a m2 1002 dash harness and metal dash frame. Keep an eye out, as it was the 2nd time I saw it up for sale with no takers. Third time would be a charm for you, and make this a simpler reality.

---

I'll keep an eye open for that. It'd be a great help. Shout out if you spot it again please.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by fwdtamiya

I'm talking about that markered mess of a KMPH->MPH conversion guys.

---

Oh, yes, that's somewhat suboptimal. Not the way I'd do it, but to each their own.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by revlimiter

You emailed me about this earlier last year, right? I seem to remember seeing that converted speed face. What a mess...

The wiring is... terrifying.

BEST of luck! If I can help at all, you know how to find me.

---

Cheers Adam. Indeed I did. I fear the speedo won't clean up so we'll be speaking some more I'm sure.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by vote4pedro

More of a super time consuming project, that's why I suggested holding out for the factory loom with proper connector he needs.

---

It'd certainly make life a lot easier.

Someone on another forum pointed me to this...

My initial measurements show it to be a perfect fit. Who would have thought?

http://www.te.com/catalog/bin/TE.Con...238,776996&N=7

http://i996.photobucket.com/albums/a...psgwyglsb7.jpg

I wonder why you want to alter your stock Mx-5 harness to fit an M2 plug. Think about altering the M2 harness to fit Mx-5 dash plugs. It would make it easier to transfer to another car later, if desired.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Malibu Q

I wonder why you want to alter your stock Mx-5 harness to fit an M2 plug. Think about altering the M2 harness to fit Mx-5 dash plugs. It would make it easier to transfer to another car later, if desired.

---

I wasn't looking to replace the existing plug on the vehicle loom, but rather piggy back the Tyco connector with the two standard connectors. If I could find the corresponding plugs for the standard connectors, I'd make an adaptor cable with them and the Tyco cable. That's first prize for me. Make sense?

Yes, a connecting harness makes a lot of sense. Good idea.

Slow progress and still no response from the local Tyco agents re the connector so I'll go direct to the source.

I also spent a couple of hours cleaning off most the nasty stickiness and separating the harness from the gauges themselves.


http://i996.photobucket.com/albums/a...psvxicwzu9.jpg

Next move was to liberate the gauges from the cluster and to get into the speedo to either restore or replace the gauge face that had been modified during it's stay in the UK.

The gauge bezel is crimp fitted to the gauge and there was evidence of the previous efforts to get it off. Two small flat screwdrivers and a few toothpicks eventually got the bezel off but it was quite stubborn. Luckily any marking or damage to the gauge body or bezel is well hidden during normal use fitment.


http://i996.photobucket.com/albums/a...psutftrju2.jpg


http://i996.photobucket.com/albums/a...pspefzlu5w.jpg


http://i996.photobucket.com/albums/a...psulj0hdfr.jpg



The conversion to MPH can be seen more clearly in the pics below. I'm not even sure where to start trying to clean this up so I'm not going to rush anything here before I give it some thought. Any input would be most welcome.


http://i996.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps1yhrlnq7.jpg


http://i996.photobucket.com/albums/a...psq4vnhqqc.jpg

You'll see in the photo below that the MPH conversion cut another gauge face and attached it to the M2 face with what I presume is cyanoacrylate. Those bits are not coming off in a hurry. Also interesting for me was that the splined shaft for the needle and not just a pin.

I suspect it's time to start talking to Adam about some replica faces for speedo and tacho. I'd do both to get a good match.

http://i996.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps7xixuf94.jpg

Thank you for posting so much detail and detailed photos! This will make me consider a 1001 cluster in the future, since they don't seem as daunting as previously thought. Do you think nail polish remover on a q-tip would damage the cluster? Maybe you can test an inconspicuous spot. I'm thinking the only areas it would harm is the white portions where the speeds are placed over the 80 and 100 marks, but it should help to pull those glued on pieces off.

I'm wondering, with it popped open and easy access... are you planning on re-setting the mileage to match your actual mileage, or re-setting it to "0"?

This is really neat, I look forward to seeing progress, and hope it all works out!

-Matt

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by fwdtamiya

Thank you for posting so much detail and detailed photos! This will make me consider a 1001 cluster in the future, since they don't seem as daunting as previously thought. Do you think nail polish remover on a q-tip would damage the cluster? Maybe you can test an inconspicuous spot. I'm thinking the only areas it would harm is the white portions where the speeds are placed over the 80 and 100 marks, but it should help to pull those glued on pieces off.

---

My pleasure fwdtamiya. Hopefully someone can benefit from this thread in the future. I'm not sure what nail polish remover would do but I am still considering having a go at cleaning it up, as in my opinion, the face is not worth anything as it is. I'd still like to get Adam to fabricate a set of replacement speedo and tacho faces anyway.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by MLambert19

I'm wondering, with it popped open and easy access... are you planning on re-setting the mileage to match your actual mileage, or re-setting it to "0"?

This is really neat, I look forward to seeing progress, and hope it all works out!

-Matt

---

Thanks Matt, I'm sure it will. Yep, I'll match the mileage to the original cluster.

We have a vehicle "Warrant of Fitness" system in NZ which is a regular check that your vehicle meets required safety standards, at the time of inspection. By default your mileage is recorded and tracked at each WoF inspection, and the info is available to Joe Public. It's quite handy when looking to buy a pre-loved vehicle.

I can tell you from personal experience that you cannot do a thing with the speedo. Gauge faces are painted such a flat color that they show everything from skin oil to that gloss black paint (obviously). Adam is your best bet to make another set of gauge faces - to make sure they all match. I think he can do speedo calibration too?

wow why did someone do all that mess? Such a shame, pretty sure you cannot clean that up, I recommend sending them to Adam at Revlimiter.net and ask for a reproduction of them. If anyone can make it whole again its him.

The original font is no great cop, so probably improved if you just change it and get away from the Times New Roman font Mazda used. It was a pain in the royal having to drive in a MPH country with a KPH speedo.

http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n...ps6f1e49e7.jpg

If Adam gets his hands on them and converts to MPH... he'll have a template for if anyone else ever finds a set to convert... WIN-WIN!

To convert he'd have to do some real work. The scale on my AWD gauges is not the same as my OEM gauges. 100kph ≠ 62mph. Although looking at the original hack job it might be accurate?

Surely Mike won't want to convert to m/h though, New Zealand is km/h.
Roadsternut, if you want some m/h faces, I'm sure Mike would trade :mrgreen:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by vote4pedro

I can tell you from personal experience that you cannot do a thing with the speedo. Gauge faces are painted such a flat color that they show everything from skin oil to that gloss black paint (obviously). Adam is your best bet to make another set of gauge faces - to make sure they all match. I think he can do speedo calibration too?

---

The more I look at it, the more I agree. I did want to save/restore as much as I could, but I don't think there is a chance with the converted face.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Phatmiata

wow why did someone do all that mess? Such a shame, pretty sure you cannot clean that up, I recommend sending them to Adam at Revlimiter.net and ask for a reproduction of them. If anyone can make it whole again its him.

---

Agree, and have been in contact.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by roadsternut

The original font is no great cop, so probably improved if you just change it and get away from the Times New Roman font Mazda used. It was a pain in the royal having to drive in a MPH country with a KPH speedo.

---

Is that in a 1002 and is it yours roadsternut? I can only sympathise about the pain it must cause and recommend you strip the cluster immediately and send me that face. I'll replace it with a magnificent set of Revlimiter faces.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by MLambert19

If Adam gets his hands on them and converts to MPH... he'll have a template for if anyone else ever finds a set to convert... WIN-WIN!

---

True, and that's great.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by fwdtamiya

To convert he'd have to do some real work. The scale on my AWD gauges is not the same as my OEM gauges. 100kph ≠ 62mph. Although looking at the original hack job it might be accurate?

---

Happy to scan teh face and post it if you think that would help.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Malibu Q

Surely Mike won't want to convert to m/h though, New Zealand is km/h.
Roadsternut, if you want some m/h faces, I'm sure Mike would trade :mrgreen:

---

I would most certainly be happy to help out by taking the KPH face over :D.

To clarify, I owned for a while #86 M2-1002, and now this car is part of the Mancini collection.

These clocks, when fitted, are really like stepping back 40 years, in more ways than one. The lighting is spectacularly poor, so I would encourage you, with it all in pieces, to upgrade the bulbs, and to pay careful consideration to the clock face material used.

The question was raised as to why the clocks were converted; they came from the UK. MPH is not required for the MOT but it is for Construction and Use. This conversion is typical of what an importer did back in 1999-2000. Mazda were charging £400+ for just a replacement speedo (including a £300 core charge). So the importer had to do what he did. These clocks would not have come out of a M2-1002; most likely, part of the stock of parts released in 1993-1994 by Mazda after the M2-1002 failed. Some trim parts were used by a Tokyo Eunos dealer, in the Tokyo Limited, but there were more than 200 sets (including spares) left over from the 1002 program. These were sold through the M2 shop. I personally didn't like the font used, and if I was in the same position, I would convert to the 1001-style font. Don't forget there is a speed limiter in these clocks, and its a different setup from the stock clocks.

Thanks for that insight roadsternut. I wondered about how efficient the lighting was and had made a note to check it out before putting the cluster back and possibly look at some upgrade options.

I'm interested in following this clusters history as obviously it was in a car at some stage and if that car wasn't a 1002, someone must have done the same conversion as this.

I'd prefer keeping the cluster as original looking as possible and won't be changing the font.

Can you expand on your last sentence, "Don't forget there is a speed limiter in these clocks, and its a different setup from the stock clocks."?

There was a speed limiter integrated into the gauge cluster on Japanese MX5's, because the cluster is so different the speed limiter design is as well.

ex.

You will need to dive into the guts of the speedo, and remove the speed limiter

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by fwdtamiya

There was a speed limiter integrated into the gauge cluster on Japanese MX5's, because the cluster is so different the speed limiter design is as well.

---

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by roadsternut

You will need to dive into the guts of the speedo, and remove the speed limiter

---

Thanks gents. Clearly I read too much into the earlier comment as I imagined something way more sinister than just that a speed limiter existed. I'll take a look and document it.

Quick update. The facia has been sent off to a crowd that specialise in CNC work and screen printing onto various substrate including metal. They'll copy the original icons which are fortunately all still intact, and reproduce them on a screen print once the facia has been refinished.

I've posted sent the gauge faces to Adam (Revlimiter) and he should have them within a few days.

The M2 1002 dash loom mentioned earlier made a reappearance on YJ, and thanks to vote4pedro for alerting me. Buy Now was JPY25000 and the reserve was higher than I was prepared to pay for the value it would add for me.

The Tyco connectors and contacts I ordered have arrived, and Malibu Q very kindly sent me some bits from an Astina cluster that may help make up an interconnecting harness. Malibu Q, I'll be sure to buy you a cup of tea should we meet.


http://i996.photobucket.com/albums/a...pshcquua65.jpg



Here's a photocopy of the facia before I sent it off, and I'm tempted to get a few spare facias CNC'ed while I have the cluster in pieces.


http://i996.photobucket.com/albums/a...pstmowqecy.png

I'd be interested in at least one.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Rogue

I'd be interested in at least one.

---

I'll find out approximate pricing and/or if they'd part with the CNC file.