Idiot Lites to Factory Gauges

I did a search of the Forum but only found info on the analog to digital conversions. So if this is buried under some other topic, accept my most humblest of apologies and point me in the right direction..........

I have an '85 S10, 2.8L V-6 and auto trans, with the base dash setup (idiot lights, speedo and large gas gauge). I would like to convert this to a factory, analog gauge setup. I've gotten hold of a full gauge instrument cluster with a V-6 tach :

Is this a "plug and play" modification or are there wiring changes that need to be done? If so, what are they?

The tach leads are cut short but my Chiltons manual indicates where they are to go. The Chiltons wiring diagram is pretty basic and only shows the gauge cluster; there is no comparison to the non-gauge setup. There is also no breakdown of the main dash plug and what each numbered feed is for.

I will no doubt need to replace the oil and water sending units but my thoughts are that the Volts and Fuel meters should work without any problem. In comparing the etched wiring "film" on the back of each cluster, I can see they are obviously different. I can also see there are connections on the main dash plug that are used in the basic cluster but aren't on the gauge cluster (and vice versa). I'm hoping any needed wiring changes have been done through the wiring film.

Has anyone done this conversion? What did you have to do to make it work? Is this feasable or do I need to create a new eBay listing?


Thanks to all for your help....

mike

i tried to find out the same thing and no luck, going to the junk yard with paper and pen to take notes

i tried to find out the same thing and no luck, going to the junk yard with paper and pen to take notes


Well, I went and got a copy of the factory service manual for my '85. A swap from a basic gauge setup (idiot lights) is *not* a "plug and play" operation. However, the changeover does not seem all that difficult; it appears you have to rearrange the connector pins on the main dash gauge cluster connector. After initially studying the complete wiring schematic in the factory manual, it looks like wiring from the various sensors (Oil Water and Fuel) is the same (same color-coding and routing). All that is different is how the dash cluster connector is set up.

Besides a complete wiring schemeatic, the other items you will need are oil and water sending units for use with the guages.....

Will begin rearranging the connector.....

mike