converting speedo from kmh to mph - then back again!

[Jezza82]

I've purchased a Nissan Skyline V35.

Was imported from Japan to UK in 2006 (2 years old at the time).

Presumably converted from kmh to mph at the time.

The speedo cluster has not been changed - just a piece of black tape placed over the 'k' so now it says mh!

That's OK, my question is this;

• As I have bought the car, and am using it where kmh measurement is required, I need to retrofit it back to its previous state. However, I am not sure what method was used to convert the signal from kmh to mph, so that this can be 'extracted or reversed'. My mechanic has done a bit of digging around, and cannot find the convertor.

Any idea how people were converting private imports, several years back, presumably in an amateur fashion, so as to convert from kmh to mph?

Cheers,

Jezza

[Andy616]

As far as I know the V35 isn't a simple case of fitting a converter. I think you need to have the speedometer unit recalibrated electronically.

[Red Devil]

Jezza82 said:

Any idea how people were converting private imports, several years back, presumably in an amateur fashion, so as to convert from kmh to mph?

Cheers,

Jezza

There are several ways of doing this.

- The existing (digital) speedometer is, permanently, re-programmed through a standard feature of the vehicle, to display the vehicle speed in mph.
- A miles per hour speedometer is fitted in-place of the factory fitted unit.
- A professional, single, miles per hour, overlay is applied directly to the speedometer face plate, not the glass front plate (the overlay must be durable and accurate, with markings visible in both day and night driving conditions).
- A dual marked dial / facia has been added as a replacement to the factory fitted one.

http://www.lockwoodinternational.co.uk/dials-for-i...

I have owned 3 JDM MR2s each of which has used a different method
a) instrument cluster taken from a UK car
b) dial face overlay
c) electronic convertor/delimiter

You need to know which one has been used on your Skyline in order to change it back again. The black tape suggests to me that it's not an overlay. Maybe your mechanic hasn't looked hard enough for a convertor? In one of my MR2s it's a bespoke switched circuit board which clamps to the back of the instrument cluster rather than a 'black box' with wires attached. Whichever method has been used with your car it's not difficult to change back again. An overlay is just more fiddly.

[liner33]

A quick google suggests they stick a new face on the speedo/dash

Problem is that the odometer will still record km's

To be certain drive for one minute at about 60mph if the odometer rises by 1 its in miles if it rises by 1.6 its in km

If the odometer has changed to miles it will be a black box somewhere altering the speed signal if not you have a overlay to peel off