Gauge Cluster Swap

[1979 K10]

I’m trying to swap my idiot lights to gauges in my 86 k5 Blazer. I tried moving the pins around The big connector but I can only get the volt gauge to work. I used a pin out on another post but some of my wire colors don’t match. Fuel, temp and oil are all pegged and gauge lights won’t illuminate so I must have a few pins in the wrong spot.

I unplugged the original oil pressure sensor and realized that affects the electric choke warming up. Aka high idle when engine is warm. I either need to find a splitter so I can run two oil pressure sensors or abandoned the factory idiot light sensor and just give the choke 12V key on.

 

[1979 K10]

Here’s what my connector looks like. Pic before I moved pins around.

 

[bucket]

Besides moving pins to the correct locations, you will need a temp sender and an oil pressure sender to replace your temp switch and oil pressure switch.

 

[1979 K10]

I replaced the oil pressure switch with the big bell shaped sensor SP174 and the temp sensor with a TS76 temp sensor. I’ll have to get the voltmeter next and ring out the wires from the sensors to the cluster to see if they are in the correct spot.

I had no idea the idiot light oil pressure switch also controlled power to the choke heater on the quadrajet. I was wondering why my idle was high and choke took forever to open once I disconnected the 2 pin oil pressure idiot light switch.

 

[Turbo4whl]

The 2 pin oil pressure switch is just for the choke. The oil pressure sensor or light switch is just one pin. Usually located at the top of the engine block behind the intake manifold.

 

[AuroraGirl]

You must be registered for see images attach

The 2 pin oil pressure switch is just for the choke. The oil pressure sensor or light switch is just one pin. Usually located at the top of the engine block behind the intake manifold.

I replaced the oil pressure switch with the big bell shaped sensor SP174 and the temp sensor with a TS76 temp sensor. I’ll have to get the voltmeter next and ring out the wires from the sensors to the cluster to see if they are in the correct spot.

I had no idea the idiot light oil pressure switch also controlled power to the choke heater on the quadrajet. I was wondering why my idle was high and choke took forever to open once I disconnected the 2 pin oil pressure idiot light switch.

Heres the oil pressure sensor for the gauge, sticking up behind my distributor.

 

[1979 K10]

You must be registered for see images attach

Heres the oil pressure sensor for the gauge, sticking up behind my distributor.

That is exactly where the oil pressure switch was in my k5. Yours is probably mounted in a 45 degree fitting. My switch was straight in with no angle fitting which is required when switching from pressure switch to pressure gauge.

 

[Camar068]

Oil pressure switch is just that....a switch that is either on or off (open or closed).

Oil pressure sender (sensor) is variable and provides your gauge a signal so it will show various pressures.

The "bell", single wire component, back behind your dizzy.....is a Sender (sensor).

 

[bucket]

Oil pressure switch is just that....a switch that is either on or off (open or closed).

Oil pressure sender (sensor) is variable and provides your gauge a signal so it will show various pressures.

The "bell", single wire component, back behind your dizzy.....is a Sender (sensor).

20 plus years ago, I got in an argument with a bozo at the AutoZone counter who insisted that a switch and a sender were the same thing. I explained it to him exactly like you just did, but he refused and told me I was wrong. I told him he was an idiot and I went to the Napa next door and bought my sender there.

 

[1979 K10]

Instrument cluster swap from Idiot lights to full gauges K5 K10 K20 K30 C10 C20 C30

Here's a quick write up while this is still fresh in my mind. I picked up a 1986 K5 Blazer Custom Deluxe that had the basic cluster with only Speedometer, Large Fuel Gauge and 4 idiot lights for Battery, Oil, Temperature, Brake. I picked up another cluster at the junkyard. It was a 80s gauge...

www.gmsquarebody.com

I started a new thread on swapping from idiot lights to gauges. I have all the gauges working, just waiting for my factory tach to show up.

 

[Ricko1966]

Your senders need to match the years of your gauges,not the year of the truck. The values aren't the same for all years and if mismatched you will get incorrect readings.

 

[1979 K10]

Your senders need to match the years of your gauges,not the year of the truck. The values aren't the same for all years and if mismatched you will get incorrect readings.

Correct.

The temp gauge I have reads 210 at the 12 o’clock position. I am using the temp sensor that matches the temp gauge year wise. I verified with the add in temp gauge the PO installed that the factory gauge is reading correctly.

Other years had temp gauges that read 180 at 12 o’clock or just C | H. My 79 k10 takes a different temp sensor than my 86 k5.

The oil pressure sensors are the same part number for both my 79 and 87 maybe they are different for other years. I remember my 76 k10 had a mechanical oil pressure gauge. GM went to electric oil pressure sender and gauge in 77 or 78 at least for c and k 5, 10, 20, 30 series

 

[bucket]

Oil pressure senders differ between 60 psi gauges and 80 psi gauges.