Loved this video, Todd! This sort of thing is right up my alley. To avoid the hazards of a car battery, you could simply use a desktop power supply or even some standard batteries in series to get your 12 volts.
Thanks for sharing this! I already have a couple Arduinos here, and was planning to try my hand at a tester but hadn't gotten there yet. For whatever it's worth, I found that your code will run on an Arduino Nano with no issues, so I didn't even have to dig up my old Uno.
@@MrToddgibbs Nano programmed, now I just have to pull the gauges again... Mine had a failed Zener diode and some questionable capacitors when I received the car, so this is definitely going to help prove things out before I try it in the car.
Yeah, to be honest neither did I. I knew I wanted to test them, knew I needed a square wave and was searching on Ebay for a signal generator... then I glanced at an Arduino on my desk.... :)
2:37 That is an Atmel ATMEGA328P which is an 8-bit microprocessor. Not that for what your doing it needs to be 32-bit (It doesn't) I have a lot of plans in store for some of these in a Mercedes in the near future.
@@MrToddgibbs According to Microchip on the product page it says it's 8-bit. 8-bit is still really powerful for this sort of thing though. You could easily use that chip to replace the Control box in the cars that have the KA-jet system possibly even the KE-jet system. Fortunately for you, you have the plain ole K-jet no computer required for the FI system.
Great video. Thank you Todd for your teaching. That's quite skillful - how you make it both complete and accessible. Not to mention it works! But how did you know your speedo and tacho needed calibration? Again thanks for your hard work - you've helped my resto project immensely...
Hi Kevin, i've had the speedo/tacho needles off so I knew I had to do something to ensure their zero-point was correct. The calibration came as a side-product.
Hi Todd - I am having issues with my 79 speedo and wanted to test as per this great video. Can you tell me where you connected the wires to on the speedo - are they direct onto the VDO board? I cant quite see the connection on the video - Thanks in advance
Hi Matt, I realised after releasing this video that I didnt detail how to connect to the gauges! I have updated the description to include that info. Thanks for pointing it out and good luck testing :)
so after purchasing everything I was able to get the speedo to work. I could not get the tach to respond. I couldn't find anywhere to adjust an 84 speedometer. There was no screw to adjust as shown in the video. After thing was working and then I heard a pop and it all stopped working. I'd make sure you make a fused connection because I think i toasted the speedo at this point and I was using a 12v bench tester.
Please explain how this helps the average person that is looking to calibrate their needles? So guess unless someone is an electrical engineer, this method is useless! 🙄
Well. I’m not an electrical engineer. It’s pretty straight forward really. You just need to try. As far as I know there are no easier ways to calibrate… I managed to do it (and come up with the equipment/software) with zero prior knowledge …
That was amazing. I have never heard of Arduinos, nor have I seen anyone building and programming their own calibration tools before. Very cool.
Thanks Tony, glad you enjoyed it :)
best episode ever !
Thanks Martin :)
Loved this video, Todd! This sort of thing is right up my alley. To avoid the hazards of a car battery, you could simply use a desktop power supply or even some standard batteries in series to get your 12 volts.
Hi Andy. Glad you enjoyed it. Great idea re: battery!
Todd - super cool video!
Thanks!
Just ordered everything . Looking forward to this project.
Let me know how you get on... please be super careful with the battery and what you connect it to.... double check everything before connecting +12v
Amazing as always.
Thanks for sharing this!
I already have a couple Arduinos here, and was planning to try my hand at a tester but hadn't gotten there yet.
For whatever it's worth, I found that your code will run on an Arduino Nano with no issues, so I didn't even have to dig up my old Uno.
Ah nice!
@@MrToddgibbs Nano programmed, now I just have to pull the gauges again...
Mine had a failed Zener diode and some questionable capacitors when I received the car, so this is definitely going to help prove things out before I try it in the car.
Nice one :)
This is some great information and a great project. Thank you.
Thanks Mowdra - I love these little Arduinos. I have done a few non-car projects with them and may creative a video when I get chance
This is very cool, I had no idea that this is possible.
Yeah, to be honest neither did I. I knew I wanted to test them, knew I needed a square wave and was searching on Ebay for a signal generator... then I glanced at an Arduino on my desk.... :)
2:37 That is an Atmel ATMEGA328P which is an 8-bit microprocessor. Not that for what your doing it needs to be 32-bit (It doesn't) I have a lot of plans in store for some of these in a Mercedes in the near future.
I used an Arduino R3, which has a ATmega328P 16bit processor. What are you planning ?
@@MrToddgibbs You had mentioned at that timestamp that it was a 32-bit processor. I was just saying it was 8-bit instead of 32 thats it.
Ah I see... I didn't listen to the audio :) I just typed the processor an Arduino uses. Its 16bit rather than 8 isnt it
@@MrToddgibbs According to Microchip on the product page it says it's 8-bit. 8-bit is still really powerful for this sort of thing though. You could easily use that chip to replace the Control box in the cars that have the KA-jet system possibly even the KE-jet system. Fortunately for you, you have the plain ole K-jet no computer required for the FI system.
Great video. Thank you Todd for your teaching. That's quite skillful - how you make it both complete and accessible. Not to mention it works! But how did you know your speedo and tacho needed calibration? Again thanks for your hard work - you've helped my resto project immensely...
Hi Kevin, i've had the speedo/tacho needles off so I knew I had to do something to ensure their zero-point was correct. The calibration came as a side-product.
tachoindex += tachodirection, one line instead of 8
Lol yes true
Hi Todd - I am having issues with my 79 speedo and wanted to test as per this great video. Can you tell me where you connected the wires to on the speedo - are they direct onto the VDO board? I cant quite see the connection on the video - Thanks in advance
Hi Matt, I realised after releasing this video that I didnt detail how to connect to the gauges! I have updated the description to include that info. Thanks for pointing it out and good luck testing :)
so after purchasing everything I was able to get the speedo to work. I could not get the tach to respond. I couldn't find anywhere to adjust an 84 speedometer. There was no screw to adjust as shown in the video. After thing was working and then I heard a pop and it all stopped working. I'd make sure you make a fused connection because I think i toasted the speedo at this point and I was using a 12v bench tester.
Oh no, yes fused is a must. I think the speedo is quite robust so you probably killed the arduino.
ok - i just pulled a model year 84 speedo and there is no adjustment screw. Not sure what to do know..
Hi checkmate, yes o just discovered the same….. hmmm
Will this work with the 986 models?
Hi Kenneth, it should work, yes
Please explain how this helps the average person that is looking to calibrate their needles? So guess unless someone is an electrical engineer, this method is useless! 🙄
Well. I’m not an electrical engineer. It’s pretty straight forward really. You just need to try. As far as I know there are no easier ways to calibrate… I managed to do it (and come up with the equipment/software) with zero prior knowledge …