Swapping out my cluster...some questions

[shadango]

Well, as some of you know my speedo started hanging up at "10 mph" at rest and reads 10 mph or so over....the odometer is fine.

Last spring I bought a really nice cluster at a swap meet.....complete with a (non-working) clock.

Today I decided to try and add a ground wire to the switch bezel to see if that would help my wipers park as it did someone else here.  Well, one thing led to another and I pulled my whole cluster. LOL





The original is on the top.....the "new" one on the bottom.  As you can see, the bottom one has unfaded needles, and a nicer clear plastic cover, etc.   So I am gonna swap.

A few questions:

- Is there a good way to test the gas and temp gauges while out of the vehicle or is it a "gotta reassemble and try" sort of thing?

- From this forum, I know that disconnecting the ammeter and joining the two wires together is recomended, which I am going to do....any hot tips on doing that the best way?

- Do we know anyone yet who will convert the ammeter to voltmeter in a NON RALLY dash?? I was chatting with Brads70 last night and the topic has come up but not sure if there is actually a solution yet. I assume the ammeter will continue to read center as it does now as long as I leave it disconnected...so it will look OK. But would prefer to have a functioning SOMETHING in that hole.

- Also from this forum, I know that it has been suggested to replace the clusters voltage regulator with a new solid state type one.....best place to get one of those? How can I tell what type I have now? My guess is its original...it looks just like the ones that advance auto sells online though. If my old one is working, is it safe to reuse it?  The "new" cluster doesnt have one on it.

- Where can I send the clock to be fixed? Right now my aftermarket tach is mounted over that space, but would like to look into what the clock would cost to be fixed......

-- and lastly, I am wondering if swapping in a different fuel gauge is going to be asking for trouble given the ridiculous amount of time it took to finally get my sender set up to read correctly....how likely is it that the gauge will read different do you think? LOL

Thanks guys......funny how just "tinkering" turns into a longer project....LOL  Hoping to get the dash reasembled to be able test before the really bad weather hits.

[Topcat]

I hear this place is good. Haven't used them though.
http://www.instrument-specialties.com/radio.htm

Might want to re set Odo to where you left off too.

This was sent to me a few years ago:
 I'll try to tell you how it's done but it may take you a little time messing with the odometer to figure out how to get them all lined up to zeros.  First the odometer is just held in place on one end with a push on lock clip. I would either study or take a picture of how it sits in and lines up with the metal lock tabs that keep the numbers lined up before I took it out as if not you may never figure out how to get the numbers lined up even when you look at them. If you decide to take it out you will have to start at one end and work to the other end to line up the lock tabs that must all be held together when you sit it back in the speedometer. What I did was I held it with one hand and looked where the lock tab had to end up when I was putting it back in and starting at the 100,000 end I started to turn the odometer till the first zero lined up with my other hand. Then holding it so the first number wheel I had lined up could not move I tuned the next number wheel around and around till the lock tab lines up with the first one I had already lined up. This may take alot of revolutions to line the tab up with the other one which they both must line up when they are on zero. Once it lines up you have to now hold both the first and second number wheel together so they will stay lined up and beging tuning the next wheel till it lines up with the first 2 and so on till they all are on zero and lock tabs line up. If the lock tabs that have to fit and lock in on the speedometer are all lined up in their place you can now sit the odometer back in the speedometer and place the lock clip on one side and your done long as they never moved when you sit it back in. I wish I knew how to explain this a little clearer but I've only did it once and the guy was their to tell me how to do it and it was pretty easy once I got going. The lock tabs that I'm talking about are notched where they set on the speedometer which hold them in place and keeps everything lined up. Remember you have to work from one end to the other or they will never line up. I'm pretty sure I started with the largest number 999,999 wheel and worked my way down to 1 mile wheel last. Hope you can figure this out.

[shadango]

Thanks Mike

I actually had planned on doing this.....played with a second speedo that had a broken speedo part.....tried resetting the odo on it.....I got it set to 00000 with a lot of cussing....but things werent lining up very straight....I wasnt even trying to get it to "match" my old mileage at that point.....cant imagine thats any easier.

Frankly, its awefully scary...LOL.....I think I may just leave well enough alone and record the difference...the new one is higher by 3k or so....not a big deal for me...especially considering I can and probably will hose it up...LOL

[Skunkworks Challenger]

Mike, I was gonna offer encouragement and a few additioinal tips but won't bother unless you plan to reset your odo.  PK

[brads70]

 A few links from my favourites......


http://rt-eng.com/mediawiki/index.php/Dash-Worx_E_Body_Parts
http://rt-eng.com/mediawiki/index.php/RTE:About
http://www.redlinegaugeworks.com/prodebody.asp

[Chryco Psycho]

swapping guages will not affect the reading of the fuel guage
 I would use a small bolt to hold th eammeter wires together & heat shrink over it or better yet attach it to the guage & just install a jumper across the terminals

[shadango]

swapping guages will not affect the reading of the fuel guage
 I would use a small bolt to hold th eammeter wires together & heat shrink over it or better yet attach it to the guage & just install a jumper across the terminals

Thanks CP.

Isnt the reason people bypass the guage is because the connection(s) at the gauge fail and short??

[shadango]

A few links from my favourites......


http://rt-eng.com/mediawiki/index.php/Dash-Worx_E_Body_Parts
http://rt-eng.com/mediawiki/index.php/RTE:About
http://www.redlinegaugeworks.com/prodebody.asp

Thanks!  That RTE regulator looks like the ticket. Just ordered one. Hope it gets here fast.

I love the tach at RTE and redline that fit where the clock is, but $200.....ouch.....Half that I would bite. 

And actually, I like the tach I have...some sentimental value, plus its angled to me for better siteline and its lit white verus the pale blue of the dash.....

I cant think of a better spot for the tach I have (or any other tach) so may just leave the non working clock installed for now behind the tach...I dont have the adjustment cable/knob anyways.

So I guess its just a matter of waiting for the limiter now and sticking those two wires together.

Was also considering trying to add some LEDs to light up the dash better....anyone do that?

[Giveitawack]

I have run the DashWorx voltage regulator this summer. A really cool, hightech piece!
I also did a LED conversion for the Rallye panel lights. I converted a Standard light panel. I kept the blue lenses. Ultra white LEDs. Now there is a crisp blue light on the panel.

[shadango]

I have run the DashWorx voltage regulator this summer. A really cool, hightech piece!
I also did a LED conversion for the Rallye panel lights. I converted a Standard light panel. I kept the blue lenses. Ultra white LEDs. Now there is a crisp blue light on the panel.

Do you have pics of what you did for the conversion?  How do you keep the LEDs in the stock sockets?

[Giveitawack]

Sorry, no pics taken.
I cut away the sockets and the rivets holding the cups. I filled the holes for the sockets. Drilled holes in the cups and soldered 2 LEDs and a resistor in each cup.
I then bolted the cups to the panel. After a repaint.
The resistor should be 200 - 400 ohms depending on what LEDs are used.
LEDs need almost zero power so I wired them to light with the ignition key.
Not sure if it will work with the panel dimmer.
If you want to dim the LEDs you will need a special LED dimmer.

[Chryco Psycho]

the connection at the posts for the guage are no issue just install a jumper across the guage

[shadango]

Hey guys

Well, hee's where I am:

- Installed a bolt / nut thru the two wires that go to the ammeter.   Shrinkwrapped, etc and tied back so it wouldnt move around.   I was afraid of all the ammeter stories.....plus, I took a look at an old ammeter I bought and I looked inside the cluster and found that the one metal strip that connects form the ammeter to the post was burnt up!  So I felt better bypassing the one in my car altogether.

- Bought a 10" long white LED strip...self-adhered to one of the angles on the lightbar that are out of the line of sight......put the "new" cluster temporarily and fired it up...>WOW! What a difference.  It is also dimmable using the stock dimmer!   

- the gas gauge is working   

So, now just waiting for the electronic limiter to arrive.......I may have to hook the speedo up and put the steering wheel back on/raise up the column so I can go for a cruise in the meantime.  trying to resist since it means redoing everything again when the part comes....LOL...

[shadango]

Well....got it all back together again.....some cussing was involved....LOL

....the dang electrical connector for the dash light fader kept coming off.....

Anways, back together and took a test ride. The fuel and temp gauges work fine so far... the new led strip works great.....and the unfaded dash faces look so much nicer.

All good.

But since its me, there has to be some bad.

The speedo works, but above 20 mph it has that crazy noise that I had when I first got my car on the road.....Back then I lubed the cable and squirted some lube into the speedo connector at the back and that cured that for a long time.....

So now I gotta try that again I guess?

Wondering if messing with my speedo cable is what caused it or if the speedo in THIS cluster is screwed up......

 

[shadango]

Well, followed Chryco's sage advice elsewhere saying that the speedo cable could be lubed without pulling the thing from the car...... ....used white lithium......same as before...........also used one squirt of BelRay 3in1 thin film lube in the speedo's port where the cable goes.

took it out for a ride.... and smooth as silk, no noise, no bounce. Could only get up to 60 or 65 as indicated on speedo.....but good til then at least.

It does read 5mph off at 50 and about 7 off at 60......I had switched the speedo gear way back to adjust....will have to go back in my posts and see if I was spot on or off a bit back then....the odo is slightly off, per the gps by about .7 miles indicated higher in 10 traveled.

Gonna wait til I change the rear gears to worry about that at this pointsince the speedo gear will have to change again anyways.