Cupra R Gauges In a Non-R

andy_tratter

Active Member
Sep 17, 2008
161
0
Near JabbaSport ;)
Hi all,

I've got a set of original Cupra R gauges (volts and oil temp) that I want to put in my Cupra but I cant find any wiring diagrams for them. Can anyone pass on any info please?

I need either which pin is live/ground/signal on the back of the gauges or how the chassis side connector is wired on the R's so I can work back from that.

It's confusing me that oil has 4 wires and volts has 3 when I was expecting 3 and 2!

Thanks, Andrew
 

bete noir

Green Meanie
Dec 11, 2008
353
10
Last Resort
Presumably the numbers of connections you mention include the illumination? If so, that would be:
ignition 12v
earth
illumination​
for the voltmeter, and
sensor signal
sensor earth
illumination
earth​
for the oil temp gauge, I imagine.

Are there no markings on the back of the gauges? It has been a while since I have seen some of the original Cupra R gauges, but I think they are VDO and likely to use the same connections as other VDO gauges. If you post a photo of the rear of the gauges it may jog my memory.
 

andy_tratter

Active Member
Sep 17, 2008
161
0
Near JabbaSport ;)
I didnt think they are illuminating? If so then the extra pin makes sense.

Yes they are VDO, no markings on the back other than 1,2,3,4 for the pins.

I did research other VDO gauges thinking they would be similar but nothing I found matches the setup of the Cupra R ones.

 

bete noir

Green Meanie
Dec 11, 2008
353
10
Last Resort
Do you have the loom that plugs-in to the gauges and connects them to the car loom? I am asking because you say in your first post you can work back from the chassis side connector if required.
 

andy_tratter

Active Member
Sep 17, 2008
161
0
Near JabbaSport ;)
Yes I do have that loom, I intend on removing the connector that would plug into the chassis loom of the R’s and connect it to the relevant places (positive, ground, signal) hence why I need to know the pinouts of the gauges.

All I know is pin 1 on the oil temp is signal (as that pin is vacant on the volt gauge).
 

bete noir

Green Meanie
Dec 11, 2008
353
10
Last Resort
Knowing you have the loom makes it a different, and potentially much more straightforward, question. I was working from memory for my previous posts, but having checked, the gauge ends of the loom should be:

Voltmeter
ignition 12v, probably black or black/blue
earth, brown
illumination, grey/blue or grey/red

Oil temp.
ignition 12v, probably black or black/blue
earth, brown
illumination, grey/blue or grey/red
sensor signal, possibly green/black
(no separate sensor earth, as I suggested previously)

Each of the ignition 12v, earth, and illumination will be a common connection to both gauges. That should give you the pin-out on the chassis end of the gauge loom, if you just buzz it through.

Hope this helps.
 

bete noir

Green Meanie
Dec 11, 2008
353
10
Last Resort
No problem. Even if some of the colours differ from those I suggest above, I am sure the earth wire will be brown, and you can work out the rest from there by putting 12v on the other connections to the voltmeter one at a time and seeing whether it causes the gauge to read 12v or to illuminate.

Please let us know how you get on.
 

andy_tratter

Active Member
Sep 17, 2008
161
0
Near JabbaSport ;)
Did a quick bench test this morning and all good - the wire colours were correct.

For reference, if anyone has just the gauges and not the loom then the pinout for both gauges is as follows:

Pin 1 - signal (oil temp only)
Pin 2 - earth
Pin 3 - illumination
Pin 4 - switched live
 
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