I came across a used IS250 for a very good price this week and decided to take on this project.

I only know two people that had swapped it successfully but it was to an IS300.

The cluster fits into the cluster with minimum cutting, I also had a spare cluster and am reusing the bezel for mounting.

Now the hardest part is the wiring. Toyota started using the Multiplex communication circuit in or around 2001. In fact, the IS300 was one of the first one (correct me if I'm wrong). Multiple signals are transmitted to the instrumental cluster using just one wire through the Control Area Network (CAN). In this instance, I believe that the gear indicator, oil pressure, coolant temp etc are transmitted using the MPX+/- pin IS250, also the IS300. This is where I am guessing it would difficult to make the coolant temp gauge works. I dont know if I am crazy enough to buy a IS250 MPX ECU and try to wire it...

Anyhow, I will post my progress here. I have also attached the pins I think that would work with my 97 sc300.







IS250 J34/J35 pins Instrumental Cluster

J34-1: GROUND
J34-2: GROUND
J34-6: MPX+ (SEE ABOVE)
J34-8: LIGHT CTRL RHEOSTAT
IJ34-9: LIGHT CTRL RHEOSTAT
J34-11: LEFT BLINKER
J34-12: IGN SWITCH SIGNAL

J34-13: SIGNAL GROUND
J34-14: RHEOSTAT GROUND
J34-16: TACH SIGNAL
J34-17: SPEED SIGNAL (INPUT)
J34-18: MPX-
J34-19: FUEL SIGNAL
J34-21: LIGHT CTRL REHOSTAT

J34-23: 12V
J34-24: 12V

J34-9: ILLUMINATION SIGNAL ILL-
J35-11: CEL
J35-15: BRAKE FLUID

J35-10: RIGHT BLINKER

 

Dang its shape is that similar? can't wait to see the results.

 

thank you for sharing. I am anxious to see the results as well and may now consider this in the future!

 

this would be a lot better than replacing the burnt out led needles since they always seem to burn out after a few months
it looks way cleaner as well

 

Another member started the same a while back around the same time I started working on the paddle shift IS250 steering wheel and controls in my 95 SC4. I stopped that a long time ago and just stuck with the factory wiring and controls. But lets see some progress with this would love to do this swap.

 

I really like the way this looks. I've been looking to update the sc. So i might try this since we have a CNC machine in my backyard, i could get a nice plate cut out to take up the extra space.

 

i love stuff like this, subbed for progress.

 

Suscribed! I hope you can pull this off, and props for even attempting to do this! Keep us posted.

steve

 

I am trying to get some more things working like door open, air bag and tanks gauge.

 

This is a general answer to anyone who finds this post while searching:

If you want to control the SC3/400 transmission with paddleshifters, either aftermarket or with a newer Toyota/Lexus steering wheel, you will need a Suprastick auto trans controller, or one of the newer standalone ecus that have inputs for paddleshifters. It's been done before in here and in SupraForums before a bunch of times but I don't know how people ran the wiring from the paddles to the controllers. Here is an install thread
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/per...nto-sc400.html

SupraStick is extinct but units do come up for sale every so often. Especially in the past few years, because a lot of guys are switching to the new standalones that can do E85 AND control auto transmissions.

 

Getting an ISx50 gauge cluster to work in a SC is a lot harder than just wiring. I imagine that's why it's almost 5 years later and there's been no updates.
These clusters are CANBUS clusters that link directly to the engine and body ecus. What that means in laymans terms is, they are digital. SC3/400 clusters are fully analog in comparison, which means every gauge and warning light in our clusters are run off individual sensors instead of a digital signal from the ECUs.
The reason these newer clusters work in 1st gen IS300s is because the 2002+ cars are CANBUS / multiplex. Those cars have 2 ecus like the later IS's.

The reason I bring that up is that "I am trying to get some more things working like door open, air bag and tanks gauge." are all controlled by the body ecu. At least, that's how it appears to be in my 03 IS300. You might be able to rewire the door light tho.

 

Just a few weeks ago someone tried to wire up an IS300 cluster into a SC. He managed to get the tach and speedo to work. And a few of the cluster lights. Coolant gauge, MPG didn't work at all (but the voltage gauge did). As for the gas gauge, it requires the IS fuel sender HOWEVER we don't know for sure if that would have solved that issue

 

Since this is back up, It’s the case of a square peg in a round hole. Too much for too little. You can fire the cathode lighting with a universal ballast for the backlight, you can control the warning lights with the sc main board and you can use the sc motors for the gauges to obtain correct readings for mph, tach, etc. use what you already have and “skin” the face off the IS cluster. It’s less work, its the correct electrical, and it’s plug and play into any SC should you sell it later or switch cars. I made a speedo face from lexan and used vinyl for a cover which allowed me to make the face anything I wanted. Here you would do the same thing but use the IS faceplate...... Likely using glue to hold the sc motors to the IS face. It’s no different from my project 15 years ago other than a different faceplate. It’s still easier than making an IS cluster work and you can put it in any SC.

 

what about an aftermarket ecu with can capabilities?

 

This is a project I intend to take on one day with an ISF gauge cluster. To my mind, it’s never been easier, so long as you’re using a modern standalone.

All the big boys like Haltech, MoTec and AEM, to name a few, have the capability run CAN BUS systems. All of the sensors mentioned such as coolant temperature or oil pressure can all be wired to the ECU and then the cluster receives the CAN signal from that ECU. It’s probably not as simple as I’ve just described but in concept, it is.

I want to use the ISF cluster and the ISF transmission (AA80E) with my build, so I am of the opinion I will need an ISF transmission control module as well, to bring it all together. I’m hoping this will also help me avoid complex transmission programming.

The great thing is, the cluster fits in the hole! Just by eyeballing it I was sure I could make it work but I suspected that I may have to modify the dash much more than that photo suggests. Very pleased to see that.

Nick