98-99 Digital Climate Control conversion

[smoking rr]

i so cant wait to see how this comes out. i hope you get it all figured out and written down so this 1st gen guy can copy you. i love the blue. great work so far!!

[Nihil]

Any update on this? Is enough of this mapped out for someone (like myself) who has absolutely all A/C deleted to install and be happy?

[DrGonzo]

Project is just on pause right now for me. I have some other things I need to take care of on the car first before I start doing the conversion. I don't get a lot of time to work on the car so no telling when I will get around to it.

[Nihil]

So, I've got some questions about this, guys!

First, any new progress?

Second, with as much as has been mapped out and figured out, is all the functionality there to work JUST the heat side of things, I've got anything and EVERYTHING A/C wise totally removed.

Thirdly, I'm currently doing an alarm install and I'm wondering about my aux channel outputs from the alarm being able to power my DCC, I believe they're 200ma outputs for triggering relays, but I'm wondering if it's possible to trigger the wires, using factory relay/wiring, enabling essentially full function of the DCC? They're momentary (validity) meaning as long as I'm sending signal, it'll power, so I could wire an aux to the fan to turn up with each press, if possible and same with heat.

I've got a lot of aux channels so I'm just curious.

[Shooter83]

Pulled this out. Let me know if you guys need to know anything wiring related.

[DrGonzo]

So, I've got some questions about this, guys!

First, any new progress?

Second, with as much as has been mapped out and figured out, is all the functionality there to work JUST the heat side of things, I've got anything and EVERYTHING A/C wise totally removed.

Thirdly, I'm currently doing an alarm install and I'm wondering about my aux channel outputs from the alarm being able to power my DCC, I believe they're 200ma outputs for triggering relays, but I'm wondering if it's possible to trigger the wires, using factory relay/wiring, enabling essentially full function of the DCC? They're momentary (validity) meaning as long as I'm sending signal, it'll power, so I could wire an aux to the fan to turn up with each press, if possible and same with heat.

I've got a lot of aux channels so I'm just curious.

No new progress. I have my house packed up right now as it's on the market, so I won't pick the project back up until the current house sells and I'm in a new one.


I have things mapped out to the stock 3S wiring so you just need to tap into the wiring harness for the black box behind the DCC. I'm hoping to find some male connector ends so I can just make a harness out of it. That's down the road though.

Pulled this out. Let me know if you guys need to know anything wiring related.

Can you check the wiring sheet we have and let me know how things look compared to your setup: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/...kE&usp=sharing

[DocHoliday]

Any updates to this? Just got a 1G VR4 with a blown DCC display so I'm looking around to do this myself!

[DrGonzo]

Soooo......




My wiring diagram is accurate. I still need to finish off the bezel piece so I can mount it. I should have that completed in the next couple weeks

The only thing is I can't check the A/C operation right now as I need to change out my compressor. I don't see a reason for it to now work as everything else is working as it should.

I couldn't track down female plugs for the 3S AC computer so I just T'd into the main lines and soldered the connections. So I have both the stock and Diamante plugs installed. I only had to make one extension wire "The blue wires" to run up to the plug for the AC display. Those wires are for the illumination and dimmer controls.

[DocHoliday]

Nice, thank you for your contribution. Would you be willing to write a guide once complete so we could put this in the wiki and solve all DCC problems with this cheap replacement?

[DrGonzo]

Nice, thank you for your contribution. Would you be willing to write a guide once complete so we could put this in the wiki and solve all DCC problems with this cheap replacement?

Technically this entire thread is the Guide...


I was able to get the car started today after fixing my ECU wiring issue. I did conform that the AC compressor does come on as it should. So it looks like the Diamante unit uses separate wires for the Tamp sensor and the High/Low pressure switches as where the 3S one uses a single wire and the sensors are in tandem.

I'm working on the face plate now. Earlier you saw how I used a manaul A/C plate, gutted it and mounted the diamante plate with epoxy. well I needed to fill it all in and make it smooth. Epoxy putty works great for this! Pull off a piece, roll it up into a log and apply. Once dried I sanded and shaped it.




One coat of primer, then sand and repeat until I get a nice smooth surface. I'll then hit it with a low gloss black paint and satin clear.




I should have it all complete by the end of the week....