oldtoyboyd
1/2 ton status
Has anyone made a 91 speedometer with vss signal work in one of the older tach instrument cluster? I want a tach cluster but it is almost impossible to find a 1991 tach cluster.
CK5
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tach instrument cluster
- Thread starter oldtoyboyd
- Start date
I'm not entirely sure that a tach cluster exists for a 91...
I bought a tach cluster to put in my '91. The tach cluster I bought was from an older model. I looked at trying to put it in & figured the only way to make it work was to butcher my '91 cluster. I didn't want a tach that bad, so I sold the cluster. It would be a major pain in the ass to make it work IMO.
Dabba
1/2 ton status
junkyards, ebay, people parting out their last gens on here, not much to ship a cluster so yuo can look anywhere
There are no '91 tach clusters. There aren't any past 1981 that I've been able to confirm, it's certainly not in the '85-88 parts manuals.
In any case, the cluster redesign that is reflected in 1991 (and probably earlier) shows that GM had no intention of using a tach in it. The spot for the clock (lower left corner) which is where the fuel gauge goes with a tach, is completely blocked off by plastic. The gauge housing is cast differently. There is nothing there to attach wiring to a fuel gauge, and there is no way to mount it.
It can be done, I guarantee it, but it's going to take a lot of work. You'd have to modify an electric speedo cluster, since the cluster is totally different to make the speedometer work as well. You could convert to the older speedometer, of course you'd have to swap the speedometer drive stuff out of the case, rewire some stuff, etc.
I just shelved the idea, the electric speedo is a better setup, I'll live without the tach eye candy.
In any case, the cluster redesign that is reflected in 1991 (and probably earlier) shows that GM had no intention of using a tach in it. The spot for the clock (lower left corner) which is where the fuel gauge goes with a tach, is completely blocked off by plastic. The gauge housing is cast differently. There is nothing there to attach wiring to a fuel gauge, and there is no way to mount it.
It can be done, I guarantee it, but it's going to take a lot of work. You'd have to modify an electric speedo cluster, since the cluster is totally different to make the speedometer work as well. You could convert to the older speedometer, of course you'd have to swap the speedometer drive stuff out of the case, rewire some stuff, etc.
I just shelved the idea, the electric speedo is a better setup, I'll live without the tach eye candy.
theres a technical article written a couple years ago here in ck5 about putting autometer gauges in a chevy dash. it looked super trick and got the tach. prolly less of a p.i.t.a. then making the stock tach work. the "box" that the factory gauges go in are wired differently with a printed cuircut for each setup. i tried putting factory gauges in place of the idiot lights on my old 81 k5 and ended up scrapping the idea and put some on top of the dash. i had to rewire the plug in the dash and add new wires and allsorts of stuff. not fun
89yimmiJ
1/2 ton status
How much different is the '91 Electronic Speedo housing than the eighties?
Entirely?
The cluster plug, (not wiring) the temp fuel volt fuel gauges, and how it mounts are about all that are the same as previous.
Housing, printed circuit board, speedometer, bulbs, and wiring all changed. I think some of the changes accumulated over the years, but comparing a 1981 cluster to a 1991 there are at least as many differences as similarities.
Entirely?
The cluster plug, (not wiring) the temp fuel volt fuel gauges, and how it mounts are about all that are the same as previous.
Housing, printed circuit board, speedometer, bulbs, and wiring all changed. I think some of the changes accumulated over the years, but comparing a 1981 cluster to a 1991 there are at least as many differences as similarities.
the basic shape of the box is the same... otherwise, youll be a couple hours tracing the back of the housings seeing which printed circuit goes where and all, then moving those wires in the plug to where they need to be, and finally hoping it all works. youd also lose your electronic speedo and would have to figure out some way for the check engine light to work. send pictures of the finished project.
oldtoyboyd
1/2 ton status
I believe there was a 1991 tack cluster. I missed one on ebay that I swore had a vss speedometer. I can be wrong of coarse but I am almost certain of it. If I rememnber it sold for something like $300 about a year ago.
sandawgk5
3/4 ton status
sandawgk5
3/4 ton status
Entirely?
The cluster plug, (not wiring) the temp fuel volt fuel gauges, and how it mounts are about all that are the same as previous.
Housing, printed circuit board, speedometer, bulbs, and wiring all changed. I think some of the changes accumulated over the years, but comparing a 1981 cluster to a 1991 there are at least as many differences as similarities.
I know the pinouts for my 87 was the same as the 78 printed circuit that I put in mine. I took my speedo and put it in the 78 housing (I had to do some "massaging" on the back of the housing with a dremel to use my speedo. It had the VSS in the speedo so I could not use the 100MPH speedo in the 79 cluster. I did not have to change any pins on the connector all of gauges work flawlessly.
I do not know how the electric speedo mounts, if it has its own pins on the printed circuit or if it has a stand-alone pigtail like a tach does.
So after all that I do not have an answer for you just my experience using a 79 tach cluster in a 87 K5
Dik
