1998 R34 head unit/infotainment

[Kapr]

Hi. In these days i finally get to the interior. Bought some new parts to change and now iam at the radio unit.
It is some old carrozzeria unit. 

Is there any unit to fit to the R34 which can show me some info about the car like oil/coolent temperature etc? I just want cuz of this. If it cant i try to find OEM cuz i dont even listen to music :-) 
 

[Rezz]

There's the Apexi DIN3 meter however it's long been discontinued:

https://www.apexi.co.jp/products/discontinued-products/din3-meter/

This guy installed one in a R34 Skyline 1DIN pocket using brackets which could go in the space for the radio? I don't own an R34 so can't confirm.

https://minkara.carview.co.jp/userid/2839151/car/2447015/5771545/note.aspx

If you could find one for sale it might do the job?

 

Edited August 7, 2024 by Rezz

[tylink720]

I just ordered a double din android head unit that can display engine parameters with a obd2 scanner. I have a Haltech though, so I don't know if the stock ecu can do this?

[GTSBoy]

56 minutes ago, tylink720 said:

I have a Haltech though

So, what you're really saying is that you should have bought an IC7 to put there?

[Kinkstaah]

I want to say that Haltech can be used with ODBII tools nowadays. Kinda useful if you want your head unit to do other things as well, like maps, music, phone calls.. *and* digital gauges.

Stock ECU does not use ODBII. I don't think a R34 is going to have any head unit that reads OEM ECU's to display.... the things the gauges already display. (boost, battery voltage, oil temperature, oil pressure)

[Duncan]

Also keep in mind that oil temp, oil pressure are not in the ECU unless you add them.

Either way you should be able to get RealDash running on any unrestricted android head unit, I used an ATOTO S8. Mine is connected to a Link but I assume Haltech is the same basic approach, you just need to add a CAN to USB converter for the head unit. 

More details of my setup in my stagea build thread (somewhere...) if that helps

[tylink720]

On 8/7/2024 at 4:13 PM, GTSBoy said:

So, what you're really saying is that you should have bought an IC7 to put there?

Yep, poor man’s IC7

[Kapr]

Hi. Thanks for the info. I have stock ECU so no "easy" 2DIN radio?

@Rezz: tak Apexi DIN3 would work with stock ECU/car?
As i said i dont even listen to music in this car so this would be nice. 

[GTSBoy]

The Apexi DIN 3 is just 3x gauges. You can achieve the same goal via a number of different approaches. You can buy 3x 52mm stepper motor gauges and their accompanying sensors and fit that up with a 3x gauge mount. I have EGT, Boost and Oil Temp in mine.

If I were starting from scratch these days, I would buy an LCD or OLED screen, driver board and Arduino or similar and build from scratch.

[Kapr]

Ok thanks i try look into it.

And i dont wanna start a new thread so i ask here.

Can this steering wheel https://trust-kikaku.myshopify.com/products/875111001 fit on my car (R34 GT) It has OEM GT/T wheel (no auto - factory manual) Of course the center with the airbag would be from that stock wheel.

[Rezz]

7 hours ago, Kapr said:

Apexi DIN3 would work with stock ECU/car?

Yes. It's not dependent on the ECU. It's connected to its own set of sensors and uses its own harnesses/sensor unit.

[soviet_merlin]

The sensible solution is probably to follow everyone else's advice and get something that just reads from CAN and can show anything.

But, in similar style as Apexi there's also the Defi DIN gauge kit. They are still making them and releasing new colour schemes. Comes with its own sensors and runs independently from the ECU.

https://www.defi-shop.com/products/din/summary_din/
https://www.nengun.com/defi/din-gauge-rhd

I have those in my Stagea. Personally I like them because they are good quality clean looking analog gauges that look OEM at night. Reading coolant temp, oil temp + oil pressure. Shows at a glance whether the car is warm enough to boost it or getting too hot and need to let off a bit.

 

Lessons learned with this:
- The pressure sensor output can also be split off to an aftermarket ECU. Mine goes to both the gauges and the Haltech
- Apparently can't do that for temperature sensors. From what I understand they use specific resistances for the signal and splitting off from it might mess with the readings.

[Kinkstaah]

The thing about the above is that the R34 already has a triple gauge cluster for this. Though you could run 3 _more_ which is what I used to do back in the day. But you do start to run out of things to monitor.

Ultimately the stock ECU is kinda limited. You end up eventually replacing the stock ECU then start picking up gauges and displays that interface with the ECU you end up going with.

[MBS206]

On 8/11/2024 at 8:48 AM, Duncan said:

Also keep in mind that oil temp, oil pressure are not in the ECU unless you add them.

Either way you should be able to get RealDash running on any unrestricted android head unit, I used an ATOTO S8. Mine is connected to a Link but I assume Haltech is the same basic approach, you just need to add a CAN to USB converter for the head unit. 

More details of my setup in my stagea build thread (somewhere...) if that helps

Haltech are releasing Haltech Connect.

Their Nexxus ECUs have WiFi, and the Headunit can connect over WiFi direct to the ECU.

Also allows full access to every parameter in the ECU, so you can tune from the Headunit.

[Duncan]

15 hours ago, MBS206 said:

Haltech are releasing Haltech Connect.

Their Nexxus ECUs have WiFi, and the Headunit can connect over WiFi direct to the ECU.

Also allows full access to every parameter in the ECU, so you can tune from the Headunit.

Took those guys a very long time to catch up with PowerFC!

[MBS206]

23 hours ago, Duncan said:

Took those guys a very long time to catch up with PowerFC!

No no, PowerFC comes with its own HeadUnit! Haltech you need to use someone else's Headunit! 

 

Plus, the PowerFC hand controller, you can play Tetris on it too!