First Gen Instrument Cluster Conversion

This was originally posted as a link by s10blazerman4x4, but the author's site was flaky and the link rarely worked. With the permission granted by the author on the orginal site, I have copied all the content to post here and have gotten the images hosted on what I hope to be more reliable servers.

Analog to Digital Instrument Cluster Conversion

The following is an instructional document on converting
a Blazer/Jimmy/Bravada/s10 pickup/etc. analog instrument cluster to
the digital instrument cluster.

WARNING:

THIS DOCUMENT IS TO BE USED AS A GUIDELINE AND THE AUTHOR
IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE READERS ACTIONS BASED OFF OF
THIS INFORMATION. Use at your own risk.

GENERAL INFORMATION

Written by Michael Akey - Copyright 2004. Revision 5.

This document can be reproduced freely as long as it is kept intact and proper recoginition is given to the original author.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Some useful information...

This vehicle used in this document is a 1991 Chevrolet Blazer S-10/Tahoe edition with 4 wheel drive and an automatic transmission.

This guide WILL ONLY WORK FOR 1989-1994 MODELS!* If you have an S-10 Blazer that does not fit into that time period, or is a 1994 S-10 pickup, stop reading now. All S-10 Blazers made in 1988 and earlier use a cable driven speedometer, whereas the newer models receive an electronic signal from a Vehicle Speed Sensor (VSS). Also, installing a VSS on an older model S-10 Blazer is quite hard, and would require quite a bit of extra wiring, and a small computer unit that interprets the VSS signal called a Digital Ratio Adapter Control (DRAC) which is located next to your ECM/PCM.

ALL analog instrument clusters use an 18-pin connector that is located in the lower left (looking from the front) of the cluster. Likewise, all digital instrument clusters use the 34-pin connector in the middle of the back of the cluster. GMC Typhoon/syclone instrument clusters are completely different and are not compatible with any other clusters.

* Not all 1994 S-10 Pickups are compatible with 1994 Blazer/Jimmy/Bravada clusters. Some are considered "second generation." Also, certain 87-88 model S-10s used a electronic speedometer and you should check your vehicle to see if it is. If it is, you can perform this swap.

MATERIALS

These are some of the required materials and tools. You may use others at your discresion.

* Digital Inustrument Cluster from a comparable vehicle (preferably the same year, and transmission)
* 10mm nut driver and extension rod (extension optional, depending on the type of tool used)
* 9/32inch nut driver
* Phillips head screw driver
* 34-pin connector (don't forget to get as much wire as possible when removing it from another vehicle)
* 34-pin connector holder
* Wire cutters
* Needle nose pliers (optional)
* Flat head screw driver (optional)

THE CONNECTORS

The 18-pin connector:

http://www.myfilehut.com/userfiles/13931/Cluster/images/18pin.png

The Pinout:
http://www.myfilehut.com/userfiles/13931/Cluster/images/18_pinout.JPG

The 34-pin connector:

http://www.myfilehut.com/userfiles/13931/Cluster/images/digitalconfig.jpg

CLUSTER REMOVAL

The following are the instructions on how to remove the Instrument Cluster. Remember to store screws in a safe place.

Step 1:
Remove the fuse cover panel under the steering column.

http://www.myfilehut.com/userfiles/13931/Cluster/images/fuse_panel.jpg

Step 2:
Remove the bottom plate by taking out the bolt above the gas pedal and the 3 screws holding it on. The 3 screws can be removed by a flat head screw driver or a 9/32in. nut driver.

http://www.myfilehut.com/userfiles/13931/Cluster/images/bottom_panel.jpg

Step 3:
Remove the 2 screws that hold on the AL/DL connector to the bottom plate.



Step 4:
Remove all screws holding on the under steering column trim plate. Don't forget to remove the Parking Brake screw. Also, to fully remove the trim, one must remove the ventilation tube and Parking Brake cable. To remove the Parking Break cable, use a flat head screw driver to compress the spring on the end of the cable and push the lever it is connected to towards the rear of the vehicle.

[img]http://www.myfilehut.com/userfiles/13931/Cluster/images/steering_trim.jpg

http://www.myfilehut.com/userfiles/13931/Cluster/images/ebrake.jpg

http://www.myfilehut.com/userfiles/13931/Cluster/images/vent.jpg

http://www.myfilehut.com/userfiles/13931/Cluster/images/ebrake_arm.jpg

Step 5:
Remove the lighting controls plate. Be careful when removing the connectors from the switches -- they may break easily. WARNING: light switches ALWAYS have power running to them.

http://www.myfilehut.com/userfiles/13931/Cluster/images/light_panel.jpg

http://www.myfilehut.com/userfiles/13931/Cluster/images/light_wires.jpg

Step 6:
Loosen the Air conditioning vacuum hoses.

http://www.myfilehut.com/userfiles/13931/Cluster/images/vacuum_hoses.jpg

Step 7:
Remove A/C control plate screws.

http://www.myfilehut.com/userfiles/13931/Cluster/images/ac_panel.jpg

Step 8:
Disconnect the blower switch cable, and grey wires. Then gently pull on the entire assembly until it is about 6 inches out. This should allow plently of space for the next step. If you feel the need to remove the assembly completely, just pop off the clamps holding the temperature selector switch and vacuum hoses. Be careful! Removing the clamps may break the plastic, making it impossible to reassemble.

http://www.myfilehut.com/userfiles/13931/Cluster/images/ac_wires.jpg

Step 9:
Remove the 4 bolts that hold on the bezel. (two more nuts on the opposite side; use 10mm nut driver) You may want a "magnetic wand" or some kind to hold on/fetch the bolt so you don't lose it (don't worry, it won't go far anyway.)

http://www.myfilehut.com/userfiles/13931/Cluster/images/bezel.jpg

Step 10:
Pull out bezel and flip to it's side so it is out of the way.
http://www.myfilehut.com/userfiles/13931/Cluster/images/bezel_side.jpg

Step 11:
Remove the 4 fake nuts that are holding the cluster in.

http://www.myfilehut.com/userfiles/13931/Cluster/images/cluster.jpg

Step 12:
Gently pull cluster out. Remember: Some person down at GM designed the analog guages badly, making it hard to remove them. On the other hand, the digital clusters address the issue of the hard removal, and leave lots of space to deal with. Don't forget to detach the shifter cable from the steering column if you have an automatic transmission!

http://www.myfilehut.com/userfiles/13931/Cluster/images/cluster_place.jpg

Hi-res picture of the analog cluster from the back:
http://www.myfilehut.com/userfiles/13931/Cluster/images/cluster_back.jpg

OK! You're done. If you want to put it back together, just perform the removal steps in reverse order!

CONVERSION

NOW WOULD BE A GOOD TIME TO DISCONNECT THE NEGATIVE TERMINAL OF THE BATTERY!

Since most people do not have computers with internet access in their garages, printing out the wiring charts out might be a wise idea.

Step 1:
After the old cluster is removed and out of the way, unclip the 18-pin connector by pressing in on the 2 tabs (see below)

http://www.myfilehut.com/userfiles/13931/Cluster/images/conn_remove.jpg

Step 2a:
There are many ways to do this step. This is also the longest and most crucial step, so take your time. Attach the new 34-pin connector to the old 18-pin connector using the wiring chart below. The method shown in the following pictures is jsut one way to do this. You can just connect all the wires up after clipping off the old 18-pin connector, make a connector (like shown) so you can revert back to the analog cluster, or how ever you choose. DO NOT REASSEMBLE DASH IMMEDIATLY AFTER COMPLETING THIS PROCESS.
This table shows where the pins on the 34-pin connector connect to the 18-pin connector.
http://www.myfilehut.com/userfiles/13931/Cluster/images/34-18_table.JPG

INFO: wire number 21 from the digtal cluster does not need to be hooked up to a constant power source on 91-94 models. 89-90 are required to have this hooked up to an always hot source such as the cig outlet. This is to keep the trip data while your car is off.
MORE INFO: Pin 6 is for the dimming of the gauges while your headlights are on. If you don't want them to dim, just ground the wire. If you do want them to dim, wire it into the dark brown wire that goes to your dimmer switch on your lights panel on the left of the bezel.


Conversion using a middle connector to allow usage of both analog and digital clusters(more time consuming.)

http://www.myfilehut.com/userfiles/13931/Cluster/images/wires.jpg

http://www.myfilehut.com/userfiles/13931/Cluster/images/18pin_conn.jpg

http://www.myfilehut.com/userfiles/13931/Cluster/images/34pin_conn.jpg

Step 2b:
Before the connector can be fully installed, the tachometer must be wired in. To do this, remove the lower panel under the dash on the passenger side. Removing the floor shifter cover will make removing this panel much easier.

http://www.myfilehut.com/userfiles/13931/Cluster/images/passenger_panel.jpg

Now pull back the carpet as shown, and gently bring down the ECM wiring harness. Look for the white connector taped to the harness. Find the solid white wire going into it. If you had a digital insturment cluster factory installed, this wire would pass through the connector and go to your instrument cluster. Cut into that wire and use some 16 or 18 gauge wire and route it to the instrument cluster connector.

http://www.myfilehut.com/userfiles/13931/Cluster/images/carpet.jpg

http://www.myfilehut.com/userfiles/13931/Cluster/images/white_conn.jpg

http://www.myfilehut.com/userfiles/13931/Cluster/images/tach.jpg

Step 3:
The next thing to do is to plug in your connector to the digital cluster to make sure it works. Start the car and make sure the tach also works. Once you have confirmed that everything is in order, continue on. NOTE: When there is no signal to the oil/fuel gauges, they will read as max/full.
Example photos:
http://www.myfilehut.com/userfiles/13931/Cluster/images/post.jpg
http://www.myfilehut.com/userfiles/13931/Cluster/images/on.jpg
http://www.myfilehut.com/userfiles/13931/Cluster/images/run.jpg

Step 4:
To finalize the process, you how have to slide the connector into the plastic connector holder, shown below. Then carefully push it back into the dash so that the 3 screw holes are behind the plastic of the dash (see below). You may need to remove one of the wiring harness clips that occupy the hole where the bottom screw goes. How you attach the plastic holder is up to you, but remember to watch out for the wiring harness. You do NOT want to accidentally put a screw into that -- this would cause serious damage to your electrical system. I personally when to the hardware store and picked up some new screws and bolts that were about a half inch long, and some washers to hold the screws in on the back side.

http://www.myfilehut.com/userfiles/13931/Cluster/images/plastic_holder.jpg

http://www.myfilehut.com/userfiles/13931/Cluster/images/conn_installed.jpg

Step 5:
Install the cluster making sure to put the shifter cable through the hole (see below). DO NOT FORCE IT. You may need to re-align the connector so that it fits properly.

http://www.myfilehut.com/userfiles/13931/Cluster/images/shifter.jpg

Step 6:
Check and make sure the cluster works once more, and then take the car our for a spin and make sure the speedometer works. Then put everything back together and you're done!

Nice we need this in FAQ. : :)

hello
i got a digital cluster for my blazer from ebay , and i seems that the connectors are different..
but with this detailed tutorial looks easy to make the conversion.
once again thank god to have this kind of tutorials.

may the force be with you..
Nalgman

i was told that you should get the 32 pin connecter from the digital cluster to do this.

Nice we need this in FAQ. : :)

It is... :naughty:

i was told that you should get the 32 pin connecter from the digital cluster to do this.


yes , i 'll get it from a junk yard..
looks easy. just time and more time..

Nalgman

any chance we can get the pics updated so they show up? Most of the details are in the pics. I got a 91 and I'm interested in this upgrade. Thanks ;)

if anyones wondering, this really does work. you need the dash and the wiring/plug for it too. 99% of it is matching up the same colored wires. One execption, the brown line for pin 6,
"Pin 6 is for the dimming of the gauges while your headlights are on. If you don't want them to dim, just ground the wire. If you do want them to dim, wire it into the dark brown wire that goes to your dimmer switch on your lights panel on the left of the bezel."
The only other thing is running the line for the tach, which is really easy. Run a jump line from the solid white wire that goes to the computer. (see the pictures on the website listed below)

http://oregonstate.edu/~akeym/
(same info, but with pictures)

any chance we can get the pics updated on this so they are visible?