PhilipMidd

Hi Guys. I finally got around to checking my central cluster control.
I found that it was literally all unplugged! Plugged it in and it lit up. Most of the back light globes were blown so at night you could see the main button on lights come on, you just couldn't see what the light was for.
Replaced all the blown ones with LED's as I've done in another thread.
The after market stereo fitting was a mess and unplugged. My guess is that the conversion wound up being too much for someone and they just gave up. Unfortunately they butchered the stereo connectors but I should be able to sort that out.
Now for my question. I remember seeing here talk of where to get a new replacement LCD display, but I've searched and searched and cant find that thread now. The LCD is
completely blank and I just realised that its looks like it may be age/heat damaged EVERYWHERE except in the top left and right hand corners, and a thin strip along the top.

Sorry about the glare. I fail as a photographer.
What do you guys think? Heat or age damaged and all black or is it just not working and the LCD could be fine? I think the LCD is stuffed.
Man, that needs a clean!!! You don't realise how dirty things are till you've seen them enlarged! Makes me want to run out there right now (in the rain) and wipe it down with a Microfiber.
Can anyone tell me where I can get a new LCD, or point me at the thread I cant seem to find? It may have just been a link here that I followed.
I'm OK with soldering one in.

Thanks.

PhilipMidd

Found it.
Posting for other who may go searching.
http://www.lextreme.com/lcdtech.html
$160-$170 LHD and RHD LS400 plus postage. (at time of writing this).
Just purchased. 1990 RHD Celsior for $170 plus $20 delivery to Australia. Paid via paypal.
He does not list the 89 Celsior but I'm pretty sure the 1989 and the 1990 will be the same.
$265 AUD. Ouch - but thats much better than buying a replacement from Toyota.

PhilipMidd

While I'm waiting for the new LCD to arrive can someone tell me what the lowest temp is, what the highest temp is, and what the 28 increments between are? I can adjust the temp but I dont know what its getting set to.

Thanks

PhilipMidd

Hello Guys.
OK, I have not heard a word from him (Lextreme) and as his site is now somewhat unkept (like the forum is now a for sale parked domain) I'm starting to get a little worried I have sent my money ($190 USD) into the either never to be seen again.
I purchased a RHD Time/Temp LCD panel for a 90 LS400. This should (I hope) fit my RHD JDM 89 Celsior.

Does anyone have any contact info for Lextreme? PM me if you dont want to put his information online, or you could just send it to philip.middleton.nd@gmail.com

Thanks

PhilipMidd

No word, just received a full refund from paypal today. I guess he is no longer doing this stuff any more. He really should take that side of his site down and explain that he is no longer supplying this stuff.

oldskewel

iTrader: (1)

Here in the land of Fahrenheit, my '91 goes from 65 to 85 with no skips. So that's 21 increments. Obviously yours is different, but this might help you guess what Celsius numbers they would have chosen.

On the part, I bought mine off eBay for about $40 almost 10 years ago and soldered it in myself. I'd definitely do it again if needed.

You mentioned, as a comparison, vs. getting the part from Toyota. My understanding is that the original/Toyota/Lexus genuine ones all fail due to what can be considered a defect. So a replacement would have the same defect, and probably be new old stock. In my experience with mine, I think failure is a combination of time as well as UV exposure. Mine died pretty quickly after I got it, parking on the street here in sunny NorCal, vs. it lived for 16 good years tucked away in my in-laws' garage in sunny SoCal.

With you being in Australia, I would not be surprised if the entire panel is dead except for that little corner you showed.

Good luck.

PhilipMidd

Damn, $40 was a good deal.
I would be willing to switch to a LHS display and simply wire it up to wires and translate them across from the panel to the PCB for that!
Yes, in Oz we get lots of sun. We usually get a few days a year around 45c (113f). The average summers day where I am (WA, just south of Perth) are around 35c (95f). I dont think the old LCD's have much of a chance here!
The LCD was faulty when I purchased the car in Feb this year.
Currently my car is parked in the driveway, not under cover. I plan to change that, but cant yet.
65f to 85f (21 steps), let see, thats 18c to 30c Thats 13 steps. I have 28 steps. Maybe they are in 1/2 increments? Interesting. time will tell. thanks for the info.

PhilipMidd

OK. So getting an original is not an option. Getting a direct replacement seems also to be not an option any more.
I'm now trying to look at a way of doing this custom style, but as close as I can get to original.
This means finding an LCD display thats about 8-10mm high (about 0.4") with room for a clock and a temp display (or 2 separate displays, I dont mind either way).
Anyone got any information about the electronic interface that the original uses?
I can find Arduino type LCD displays about the right size (very cheap on ebay), but they mainly use a Serial or 8/16 bit Parallel interface. So they have smarts in the LCD display itself. They are not just turn on/off segments.

* The Original LCD has a lot of pins, both for the clock end and for the Temp display. Maybe it uses no chip in the LCD and the connections are just on/off for the individual LCD segments? or they could use a 16 bit Parallel interface? Anyone know?

With the The clock I could just put in an appropriate size LCD clock with a rechargeable battery backup, hook up the control buttons to the HH:MM:00 buttons. Might have to go to an Arduino clock but there are probably stock clock function LCD's out there the size needed.
The Temp display is a different story as I need to get the Data from the console. This is where I'm stumped, and I need help. (yeah, thats been send before... ).

Ideas, suggestions, any info? what have others done in the past??? Is there somewhere else I can get a replacement for the original display?

Thanks
Philip.

CELSI0R

Have you taken apart the climate control unit yet? I wonder if the unit uses the same connectors as the LHD models. If you have the unit with rear AC, it will be hard to find a LHD replacement, but I wonder if you could swap for a LHD unit if you don't.

Here's a video that has photos of the unit, and explains how to remove the unit and replace the screen:

I also found these LCD screens for the Celsior on Ebay. The pictures show the clock and temp display in the correct locations (clock on left for Celsior, instead of right as on LS).
For 1990-1992:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/1990-1991-1...n/253064035218
For 1993-1994 (looks to have the same layout):
https://www.ebay.com/itm/1993-1994-T...n/253064035229

Before buying remove your climate control unit to verify it is the same as the ones in the photos.

The LHD LCDs seem to be much cheaper, but I suspect they may not work, because the display has the readout on opposite sides.

PhilipMidd

Mate! Thanks for the really quick reply! Cant believe I missed that ebay ad.
Really wasn't expecting to find a replacement that easy.
At a glance, yes. That looks right. But to confirm, I'll take it out again tomorrow and double check. $120 USD is definitely doable and saves a lot of hassle.
Yes, I have taken it out in the past. Its what made me thing that the pins directly relate to the LCD segments.. there are sooo many of them, kinda has to be. I can also imaging that early LCD's were like that. Nowadays most are a simple serial interface with 4 pins, and some smarts built into the display.
Heres hoping its the same, but like I said, it looks the same from memory.

Thanks again mate.

Philip.

PhilipMidd

Confirmed. Its the same. Pulled it out over the weekend to double check.
I've purchased. Now waiting for it to arrive.
Funny, the LHD version is only $35 USD where as the RHD one is $100 USD, (plus $25USD postage) form the same seller.
Stings a bit, but them's the breaks I guess. Seems we have to get used to paying more for everything in Australia.
Anyway, looking forward to it arriving.
Thanks for putting me onto this CELSIOR.

YODAONE

Obtain new incandescent bulbs...not sure if yours are replaceable without removing display.. Use OEM if available.
Bulb voltage may not be 12V but 8V.
Someone knows.

Also?

PhilipMidd

Yeah, I was not able to find any OEM and I dont think I'm going to like the price from my local Toyota dealer...
What I've done with mine is get 12V LED's and wire them into the existing holders.
12V LED are standards little LED's but with tiny little resisters. So this required modifying the original holders a little (make room for the resister).
8V? Damn, should have checked that. Will check on the next tear-down, but the LED's are working well and definitely bright enough, so its either 12V or the LEDs are still bright enough when running at 8V
I didnt mind doing a little fiddly work as 10 correctly sized LEDs with resistors (but wired into a slightly different socket) were a whopping $1 delivered on ebay.
I actually got a few packs of 10 and at different sizes so I could so several different bulbs as I encountered them.
So far thats worked well, and the LEDs should remain viable for the remaining life of the vehicle (another 20-30 years I hope)...

spuds

Philip I admire your skill set.