AjaxTT

Happy Thanksgiving to all! My new to me 1995 993 tip turns out to be a Canadian car originally. The on board computer is in metric, including the thermometer. Also the bulb is dim or out, only readable in sunlight.

Dealer says no way to change to US measurements. Any ideas.

BTW, my previous problem when I found water in the trunk, a dead battery and dash lights on with key out and engine off...all (except the water) were due to the harness shorting not the water. Cured with the recall.

Thanks for any and all help.

drsh

AjaxTT Sorry to hear your problems, I am sorry I don't have any answers, but hopefully with a little bump, someone may be able to help you. Good luck.

geolab

For the bulb, open and save the pdf. file for repair.
As for metric, the easiest way is to ask someone with a 993 and exchange the tacho, to try
and find out how a US tacho will interpret the info.
I have checked for you the temperature sensor in the front bumper.
It is the exact same for US or Rest Of the World models.
The question is to find out, where is the info interpreted?
With luck, maybe its only the tacho that interprets the signals.
To check more, search the threads for the downloadable PET (porsche parts) file,
and compare between US and ROW tach related electrical stuff
Moreover, I know for a fact that in the PST2 computer (porsche system tester),
you can program a tiptronic gearbox for the US or ROW. I have the PST2 but never adventured trying.

AjaxTT

Thanks for the help. Any DIY on removing instuments/tach?

geolab

there is a ton of info on rennlist. type tacho removal in the advanced search button, narrow search to 993,
and voila !

Richard C2S

Ajax,

The instruments remove pretty easily. They pull out of the dash. Try gripping the bezel (trim ring) and slowly turn slightly clockwise and counter clockwise to "loosen it up". If you can't get a good grasp on the bezel, you can use a thin, flat object (preferably NOT a screwdriver) to gently pry between the bezel and the dash. Be careful - you don't want to mark up the dash material around the instrument.

Once the tach or other instrument is loose, slowly and gently pull it out of the binnacle toward you. There are several wires attached to the back of each instrument. Make sure you "tag" any wires you pull off of the insturment or make a color coded diagram of where each wire goes for re-installation.

Good luck, have fun, be very careful and happy Thanksgiving. There is actually a lot to be thankful for, particularly for those of us who own a 993!

geolab

please pull off the wired plugs by hand and not with a metallic object or screwdriver, you will elec-short the instruments if you do so

Caveman

Note that the tacho with the computer is longer than the standard one and you'll need to remove the steering surround or even the wheel (depending on which post you read) to be able to remove it. There does seem to be a problem occuring as these units get older where the bulb dims intermittently so fingers crossed you only have a dead bulb!

Cheers,

David

pezza

Pretty sure the only way to change from metric/imperial is to replace the unit!

New these items aren't cheap, best try fleabay for a used one, they do come up from time to time, check with the seller to find out which car they were removed from, as the turbo computer has boost pressure also, which for a N/A car isn't needed.

The computer display isn't changeable like the newer models, 996 onwards, on these you can go from kph to mph etc etc.

Hope this helps.

geolab

do not remove any steering surround or anything. the trick
is after unplugging, you tilt the tacho 180 degrees, it goes
out without touching anything. Some had to push the tacho enplacement a bit, but it is the way to do.
Then again, it depends which model yr etc.
for ebay, there is one selling cheap in my opinion . item number 110056835326
no affiliation.

Akerlie

have the same problem, just the other way around (have miles, want KM's), since i am about to get my car to Norway from the US .
I would have swapped, but since my car is a mt i that wont be an option
But i guess i could get a metric gauge face, right ?

EA
Norway

xrix

When I had a problem with the backlight on my computer I followed the bulb change procedure (after removing my steering wheel etc, didn't know about the 180 degree turn trick ) but the bulb was not blown. I changed it anyway but still no light.

Later I found some comments back in the archives that suggest that there can be a problem with the logic chips on the tacho board that causes the light to fail - first it will "pulse" on and off for a few months, then fail completely.

I can't find any more info on this, but if you replace the bulb and it still doesn't work I think that this may be your problem.

993_Pilot

Here is the Link
This might be the easiest way to fix it. Good luck.

xrix

I guess you're talking about the speedo as opposed to the tacho. I guess if you have an OBC you'd need to change both the speedo (to get the markings in KPH) and the tacho (so that the OBC reads out metric).

geolab

Not at all, I was pointing at a brand new one at $250 buy it now

this one