2001 Monte SS Pace Car IP Cluster
jshope
08-04-2003, 07:47 AM
Hello, I just installed a new instrument panel cluster for my 2001 Monte Carlo LS. When I put it in, everything worked fine, except for the oil pressure gage. Does anyone know what you have to do to get the oil pressure gage to start working?
Thank you,
Jim
P.S. I also tried it in my 2001 Impala (base model) with the same result.
Thank you,
Jim
P.S. I also tried it in my 2001 Impala (base model) with the same result.
jshope
08-18-2003, 09:15 PM
OK, here is the conclusion. An expert named Doug on another forum and I were hashing ideas back and forth and this is what we came up with...
Step 1, replace the oil pressure switch that comes stock on the 3.4L engine with the stock oil pressure switch that comes on the 3.8L engine. You will need to order the dual leader pigtail for this to make it work (since the one with the 3.4L engine only has one lead). One lead goes to the PCM (brn/blk wire) - this is the same one that already went to the PCM. The other wire (the additional one) goes to an engine ground (pick one, any one).
Now, I thought the oil pressure gage should have worked at this point, but it did not, however, the message center will still report when the brn/blk(between oil pressure switch and the PCM) lead is grounded (good). I took it to the dealer and the service manager had his lead tech guy play around with their tech tools to see if he could get it working, but to no avail. We think that the PCM in the 3.4L car is not set up (hardware-wise) to control an oil pressure gage.
Just when I was about to give up, Doug brought me back in the game and helped me to redirect my thoughts. He thought that if we checked out some of the clearances in the cluster that we may be able to fit a mechanical oil pressure gage in there and avoid sending the signal through the PCM.
Well, since this 2001 Monte Carlo is replacing my 1992 Cavalier (which has an oil pressure gage!), I decided to rip apart the dash and see what I could do with the gage from the Cav. As it turns out, things were much simpler in 1992 (and on a Cav). In order to get this working, all you need is a ground, ignition positive, and signal from the oil pressure sensor (a direct signal!). I tested it on the Monte and everything checked out.
The next step is how do I get this big (tall) sensor in the place where the motor (very compact) for the oil pressure gage needle is. I won't detail this, but it was rather tricky and I have pictures if anyone is interested.
Once I mounted this gage, I ran the ground wire and the ignition-positive wire to the appropriate leads coming off of the connector and the oil pressure sensor lead has its own connector that runs outside of the IP cluster, up to the oil pressure gage. I left the original wiring (that I rand for the two lead oil pressure switch) as it was and just spliced into the main line (brn/blk) from the switch to the PCM.
Once the dash was fully reassembled, it looks just like it was stock. The only difference is that this gage does not reset (when starting the car) like all of the other gages. It does its own thing (as this type of gage would) when starting the car, but works great.
Step 1, replace the oil pressure switch that comes stock on the 3.4L engine with the stock oil pressure switch that comes on the 3.8L engine. You will need to order the dual leader pigtail for this to make it work (since the one with the 3.4L engine only has one lead). One lead goes to the PCM (brn/blk wire) - this is the same one that already went to the PCM. The other wire (the additional one) goes to an engine ground (pick one, any one).
Now, I thought the oil pressure gage should have worked at this point, but it did not, however, the message center will still report when the brn/blk(between oil pressure switch and the PCM) lead is grounded (good). I took it to the dealer and the service manager had his lead tech guy play around with their tech tools to see if he could get it working, but to no avail. We think that the PCM in the 3.4L car is not set up (hardware-wise) to control an oil pressure gage.
Just when I was about to give up, Doug brought me back in the game and helped me to redirect my thoughts. He thought that if we checked out some of the clearances in the cluster that we may be able to fit a mechanical oil pressure gage in there and avoid sending the signal through the PCM.
Well, since this 2001 Monte Carlo is replacing my 1992 Cavalier (which has an oil pressure gage!), I decided to rip apart the dash and see what I could do with the gage from the Cav. As it turns out, things were much simpler in 1992 (and on a Cav). In order to get this working, all you need is a ground, ignition positive, and signal from the oil pressure sensor (a direct signal!). I tested it on the Monte and everything checked out.
The next step is how do I get this big (tall) sensor in the place where the motor (very compact) for the oil pressure gage needle is. I won't detail this, but it was rather tricky and I have pictures if anyone is interested.
Once I mounted this gage, I ran the ground wire and the ignition-positive wire to the appropriate leads coming off of the connector and the oil pressure sensor lead has its own connector that runs outside of the IP cluster, up to the oil pressure gage. I left the original wiring (that I rand for the two lead oil pressure switch) as it was and just spliced into the main line (brn/blk) from the switch to the PCM.
Once the dash was fully reassembled, it looks just like it was stock. The only difference is that this gage does not reset (when starting the car) like all of the other gages. It does its own thing (as this type of gage would) when starting the car, but works great.
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