Xantia speedo conversion begins..............

[mirafioriman]

Changed an early cable driven Xantia speedometer to an electronic one?

My Xantia cable driven speedo is rather erratic and annoying and I'm wondering if this conversion is possible? I know I would need the appropriate dash cluster, a sender unit and the associated wiring.

Is the wiring possible?

[citroenxm]

Hi there...

Ive often wondered about this!! No doubt quite simple. Theres 3 pins to the sensor... so that should be + and - and of course signal out to the speedo.. so then the signal wire then needs to go into the car to the instruments to the pickup on the speedo clocks plug, which if your ok with electronics can be easyilly followed by the tracks.

Ive a few instrument clusters with electronic speed pickup. This also then eliminates the problem of the speedo cables being NFP... The speed sensors weres used across the whole range, and in the xantias right up to the last cars.

I beleve the worm drive is the important item if you use a sensor from a different model. IE: An XM sensor pickup but use the Xantia worm drive.

[mirafioriman]

Thanks so is the electronic sensor fitted in the same place that the speedo cable fits in on the gearbox?

[citroenxm]

Exactley, they are a like for like swap! Exactley the same just where the cable push's in theres a Cap and its a flat top, with a socket for the plug!

[mirafioriman]

Mmm I think a trip to my local breakers could be on the cards this weekend

[citronut]

you might even find the wiring is in place already

[mirafioriman]

I do have a recollection that there is a multiplug flying around that area that isn't connected to anything. Would be ace if it was the electronic speedo wiring multiplug

[Old-Guy]

you might even find the wiring is in place already

Quite likely in the months before the change (new model year?), as the loom with the extra wiring would have to be the first change introduced, then much easier to co-ordinate the introduction of only 2 new components not 3.

[mirafioriman]

Visited my favourite breakers this morning

They had 3 or 4 Xantias in and I got an electronic speedo dash cluster, a speed sensor, some of the wiring just in case and a series 1 column shroud as mine currently has a later one fitted and it rattles

Getting the speed sensor was a pig of a job. Two wouldn't come out so in desparation I tried a third and it popped out dead easy I wonder how easy my cable drive will be to get out........

The good news is that I did indeed find an unused multiplug tie wrapped up in the area, it has three wires and fits the speed sensor!

Further updates as I fit the dash cluster and speed sensor and see if it works

Should be able to get on to the job this afternoon

One question does the electronic speedo have a fuse or a relay in the circuit?

[citroenxm]

No, its quite likely to pick its power up from the cluster power rail, so my guess theres only a need to cnnect up the sensor speed signal.. remember to follow the "Signal" track from the speedo to the plug at the mottom to see is the wire is already there...

Looking interesting...

[mirafioriman]

Got it fitted but it doesn't work

However the rev counter didn't either. Now, the dash cluster I got came from a Petrol and my car is diesel. I swapped the rev counter from my cable speedo dash cluster and the rev counter now works. The fuel level, coolant temperature and all the warning lights work too including the glowplug light (I just had to put a bulb in the hole).

So my question is, are petrol and diesel rev counters the same? If they are then it looks like the rev counter in my new dash is faulty and perhaps the speedo could be too. If they are different then it looks like I have a problem which is wiring related with the speedo. I haven't checked if the wire is there yet, I just decided to plug it in and try it

[citroenxm]

Ahhhh derv rev counters and petrol ones are very different... note the different red lines at max revs and that's why.. so its perfectly fine.. my guess is you will need to put in the signal wire in from the sensor to the dash....

[mirafioriman]

Well I've been having a fiddle but not made much progress.

The sender unit wiring I have found has an earth in the middle but nothing at either end.

The speedo has three wires between it and the tracks on the dash cluster but I haven't followed these yet to see which multiplug they go to.

It would be very helpful if I had a wiring diagram but I can't find one anyone got any ideas?

[citroenxm]

Citrojim has a fair few diagrams, but bear in mind the CXM and Xantia rally is on this weekend so there will be a few at that so it will be quiet on here...

I dont have wiring diagrams personally.. so cant help you much further. The problem may be that the engine harness may already have the sensor plug ready, but that doesn't mean the car interior behind the dash harness has the other end fitted.

[mirafioriman]

Thanks for the help so far. I'm going to go back to the breakers tomorrow and snip the dash cluster multiplugs to compare the wiring with mine. If all else fails at least the fuel and coolant gauges and the rev counter work