Gauge.S fitment guide
Gauge.S comes in two families — Gauge.S Classic (OLED, cluster and vent mounts) and Gauge.S POD (52 mm AMOLED). This guide shows what fits which BMW, what engines are supported, and what to add at checkout.
Chassis matrix
| Chassis | Classic options | POD 52mm | Stock engine support | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| E30 (3 Series, 1982–1994) | Cluster kit · vent mount case + standalone | Works via wiring (no chassis adapter) | Stock E30 engines not supported — 1995+ swaps or aftermarket ECU only | Cluster kit replaces the economizer |
| E34 (5 Series, 1988–1996) | Vent mount case + standalone | Works via wiring (no chassis adapter) | Stock E34 engines not supported — swaps or aftermarket ECU only | E30 mount is a bit wider than E34 |
| E36 (3 Series, 1990–2000) | Cluster kit (economizer or clock tray) | Free E36 adapter in the box | 1995–1999 petrol (ME5.2, MS41.0/41.1/41.2), M3 US, 3.2 Evo + swaps | Clock tray not supplied; K-line and switched 12 V at the EWS module |
| E38 (7 Series, 1994–2001) | OBC mount case + standalone · gearbox cluster mod | Works via wiring (no chassis adapter) | 1995+ petrol | MQS harness fits this era |
| E39 / E46 (5/3 Series, 1995–2004) | Centre-vent kit · gearbox cluster mod | Free E36/E46/E39 adapters | 6- and 8-cylinder petrol, E46 M3, E39 M5 + swaps | MQS adapter included; cruise-control buttons usable on 2000+ (cruise off) |
| E53 (X5, 1999–2006) | Gearbox cluster mod | Works, no specific adapter listed | Follows E39 support | Gearbox wiring matches the E39/E46 vent kit |
| E8X (1 Series, 2004–2013) | Vent mount case + standalone | Works via wiring | All E8X; most parameters on 03/2007+ 1M, 130i, 135i | Other engines — contact us before ordering |
| E9X (3 Series, 2005–2013) | Centre-vent kit (left or right) | Works via wiring | E90–E93 incl. M3; most parameters on 335i and 335d | Connect at junction box, or OBD2 on 2007+; never heater air, cold air is fine |
Engine and ECU support (all Classic kits share the same electronics)
- K-line: BMW E36 (MS41 / ME5.2), petrol E46 / E39 / E38.
- CAN: OBD2 CAN 2007+ cars, and aftermarket ECUs — Megasquirt, Speeduino, ECUMaster, kdata, others.
- Swaps: 1995+ petrol engines from E36/E38/E39/E46 (incl. E46 M3, E39 M5), M57 diesel, Z3 drivetrains — into any chassis above.
- Other cars: Mazda MX-5 NC/ND via CAN. MX-5 and other CAN builds usually use Classic standalone or Gauge.S POD.
- POD 52mm: BMW petrol from about 1995, BMW diesel from about 2000, plus generic OBD2 / CAN. GPS via the add-on module.
Connector era (MQS harness)
The plug-and-play MQS harness fits the E38 / E39 / E46-and-later connector era: E38, E39, E46, E8X, E9X. It does not fit E30 or E36 — those need wired connections (posi-taps help). One MQS harness is already included free with E46, E39, E9X and E8X kits.
Addons that appear on every build
- GPS module — works with Classic and POD.
- Bosch PST-F1 kit — dual oil temperature and pressure; M50/M52/M54 vanos banjo adapter (M14x1.5 to M10x1.0, rear of the filter housing).
- OBD2 cable — 1.4 m, 12 V / GND / K-line / CAN, works with Classic and POD.
- Posi-tap connectors — reversible taps, no cutting or soldering.
- ZH 1.5mm 5-pin connector — spare loom plugs for Classic (two included with every unit).
Gearbox cluster mod (E38 / E39 / E46 / E53)
Fits Gauge.S Classic into the cluster gearbox-display window, including E46 M3 and E39 M5. MQS adapter, ribbon extensions and a 1.54" red-tinted screen are included. Opening the cluster is heavy and not reversible — wiring matches the E39/E46 vent kit, and cluster-opening steps are on Discord until the wiki page is ready. A cheaper DIY path is the development board + yellow screen + ribbons + red foil.
Install videos
- E30 cluster: Install video by Pazi88
- E36: Install video by sorek
- E39 / E46: Install video by M539 Restorations
- Chassis wiki pages (pinouts, connectors): E30 · E36 · E39/E46 · E9X/E8X/E6X/E70 · Plug-in devices & sensors
Classic vs POD in one line
Classic = OLED in a chassis-specific mount (cluster, vent, OBC), K-line or CAN, up to 7 analog inputs, 2× N-channel MOSFET PWM drivers for outputs, GPS optional. POD = 52 mm AMOLED with the accelerometer built in (GPS module optional), drops into any 52 mm pod or a stock E36/E46/E39 gauge hole, 4 analog inputs.
Pinouts and configuration: wiki.sorek.uk.
Disclaimer: all Gauge.S models are intended for off-road use only and need to be installed and configured by a professional.