Gauge Cluster Teardown and Rebuild - Beware, Pic Heavy!

[HotRodPC]

I like to have BOTH gauges and idiot lights. Gauges for those who KNOW what they mean, and idiot lights for the idiots who DON'T PAY ATTENTION and for me when I'm driving tired and not paying attention tentatively. I think I pay attention anyway and don't even realize it. Last time my truck overheated just a little, it actually just got hot to like 240 and I was pulled over to figure out why. A heater hose got a leak right at the clamp. Added 1/2 gallon of 50/50 I had behind the seat, dropped the temp to 200ish and I made it home.

 

[Green79Scottsdale]

My plan is after I get taxes filed to get back on this and finish it this spring/summer. I am getting one of the new re-pro tachs for it's upgraded electronics and a harness. This is all I need besides re-pinning the main gauge harness for the new gauge locations. I want to get this done so I feel like this thread is actually "wrapped up" as far as I am concerned. Of course pics and write-ups for the finishing steps.

 

[Green79Scottsdale]

Another thing I want to add in here, I am playing around with ideas to convert to through the gauge lighting as all new cars have today. I will have extra gauges laying around, so I figure it would be a good time to play around. This will get it's own new thread when and if it happens. The only thing I am not sure on how to do is light up the needles. Still scratching my head on that.

 

[John81287]

Another thing I want to add in here, I am playing around with ideas to convert to through the gauge lighting as all new cars have today. I will have extra gauges laying around, so I figure it would be a good time to play around. This will get it's own new thread when and if it happens. The only thing I am not sure on how to do is light up the needles. Still scratching my head on that.

Can you pull needles off newer gauges and use the fiber optic wire to light it?


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[Green79Scottsdale]

So... a long over-do update.

Got this in recently...

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Came from Classic, along with their wire harness, which is from American Autowire, and a new gas gauge, just in case the older one I have doesn't work.

Closer look at new vs. old...

New is on the right. This picture makes the old one look really good. Don't fret, it did not work when I tested it.

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Back side. Again, new on the right. I definitely believe them when they say "upgraded electronics".

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As you can see in these next close ups, they re-arranged stuff on the circuit board and added a 4th post. The 3 harness connections are in the factory original position, and also the overall height and depth of the assembly matches the original factory assembly.

New one first...

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I tried to get pics of the topside of the circuit boards too. New one first again...

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I am no electronics expert, but the new seems to be of superior quality, which is expected for a 30+ year leap in technology.

That's all I have for tonight. The gloss white paint is drying on the case. Hoping to make good progress and get it wrapped up this weekend.

 

[84k20]

I really like that gauge how much $ did it run you?


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[Green79Scottsdale]

$130. http://www.classicindustries.com/1979/truck/parts/5659232.html

I got the tach, harness, and gas gauge with a 20% off coupon code, which they seem to run very frequently. I saved about $65 total IIRC.

edit: They have one with the correct font for your 84.

 

[Green79Scottsdale]

Can you pull needles off newer gauges and use the fiber optic wire to light it?

Haven't been able to get a hold of a needle from a newer truck to see if it would work. I need to get my hands on some...

 

[HotRodPC]

Don't toss that old one away. I'd almost be willing to bet the capicator blew or leaked and can replaced, or a diode died. Someone here can probably fix it. I could test it and tell which one went bad, but never been good enough to solder on those e boards. Someone like Foamy or Retro could prolly repair the old one.

 

[MadOgre]

HOLY $$(%(&%(%&) were there any animals living in that cluster LOL

local performance parts stores should sell replacement LED bulbs for the cluster. you can get in white, blue, green and red. im gonna try the red as I think it will go better with the orange needles.

You can retro almost any lamp now with LED

 

[Stewzer55]

Looks good!

 

[Green79Scottsdale]

HOLY $$(%(&%(%&) were there any animals living in that cluster LOL

local performance parts stores should sell replacement LED bulbs for the cluster. you can get in white, blue, green and red. im gonna try the red as I think it will go better with the orange needles.

You can retro almost any lamp now with LED

Nope, just dead animals!! Insects at least.

Right now I am sticking with good old incandescent bulbs until I can personally verify that LED's are dimmable to my liking. I hate having super bright gauges in my face at night. On all the "modern" vehicles I have had, I have run the interior illumination at half or even a little below. LED's are not for me at this moment in time. That and i have plenty of bulbs to use, so there is no cash outlay!

 

[Green79Scottsdale]

Looks good!

Thank you!

 

[Green79Scottsdale]

Some beach.... project on hold...

Was working on putting the cluster back together and got to the point of putting the tach in. The four holes in the tach that correspond to the four studs of the housing do not line up. After looking at it closer, the face plate looks to be of a very poor stamping job. The two feet on it are not nice sharp bends, which in turn means they didn't get drawn down to the proper depth and it places the holes way out further than they need to be. I can't even fake it to get it to work without risking messing something up. Not impressed at all. I am a die maker by trade and can build tools to do this exact thing, so I know without a doubt it was poor stamping. Nobody dropped it to cause this and I did nothing to cause it. Sent an e-mail to Classic to see what they will do for me.

 

[Green79Scottsdale]

After several e-mails with Keith at Classic, the tach was returned for a refund. He was extremely helpful and offered several possible solutions, but I felt returning it was the best case for me. They are looking into the problem. Overall a good experience with them, just not a desirable result.

Don't toss that old one away. I'd almost be willing to bet the capicator blew or leaked and can replaced, or a diode died. Someone here can probably fix it. I could test it and tell which one went bad, but never been good enough to solder on those e boards. Someone like Foamy or Retro could prolly repair the old one.

So with that said, I am looking at fixing the old one. I have found a couple of places online that somewhat cover things, but I was hoping maybe HR, or anyone for that matter, could expand upon how to test the components to see what went bad. I do not have the skills to solder new stuff, but I do have a guy at work that will do it for me.

edit: I see Dakota Digital now has there VHX series of truck gauges with white backlighting. Before they only had red or blue. With the white, that is what I want for mt truck. I told my wife I am starting to save for it. And am still going to work on this stock cluster however, so if I get this going to my liking, the DD cluster may not have to happen.