Instrument Cluster swap

[beenjammin]

Thanks for the description ati190! That should come in handy for switching the odometer numbers over too?

oldjohnny: I paid $50 at a local yard for the one I installed. Its a pretty easy swap. Make sure all the bulbs work before you go and finish up the installation. Oh, and watch out when you pull the plastic trim parts off, I managed to break off one of the stupid snap fittings. Heres what I went off of to do the work (only needed the first half): http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=46290&highlight=indiglo+install

Here's what I've managed to figure out: I downloaded a manual for a 2000 explorer to compare what the instrument clusters should look like. Compare it to the upgraded Ranger cluster, and its exactly the same thing except the Explorer has an extra light that says "Check Susp". The 95 cluster I pulled just has the same lights, but they are rearranged (like FUEL RESET being where DOOR AJAR is in the newer ones, stuff that doesn't really bother me). I checked the Atlanta Craigslist and searched auto parts for explorers and and just gonna grab another cluster for $30 from someone off a 2000 Explorer. I'm thinking that this should be a perfect swap because I believe it was in 1998 that they changed how the speedo worked (from a cable to electrical? I am probably mistaken...). I'm hoping this does it, especially since its coming off the same year vehicle. I think I'm in the clear. Oh well, I'm learning!

 

[ati190]

beenjammin, the speedometer/odometer is part of a head, there is no reason to seperate the two, just swap the enitre speedometer head unit (which includes the odometer) over to the new cluster. So you will have the old speedometer and odometer on the new cluster, with your exact mileage ect.

ati190

 

[beenjammin]

Oh, gotcha! That makes more sense lol. I'll probably do all this in the next day or two and let you guys know how it goes.

 

[beenjammin]

Ok, so I did the swap stuff. I got a cluster from a 98 Explorer for $35 with the V8 and swapped my speedometer/odometer stuff over like ati190 said. And like he said, its super simple, the stuff just pops out. And its all plug and play. Everything reads correctly and it fixed the issue I had with the temperature gauge reading too low, its back up to normal now. So pretty easy.

The tricky part was getting the needle off so that the odometer stuff and the little shaft that turns the needle could come out for me to place it in my new one. This is where I think I messed up because I need to readjust the position of the needle as its reading about 12 MPH slow, but the odometer is accurate. Maybe I shouldn't have messed with it lol. The needle by default turns counterclockwise and rests on the stop, well when the needle is removed it allows the shaft to continue spinning. So I've got to set it back to where it was, I think I've got the tension too high so it needs a higher speed to move the needle? Suggestions would be awesome....I just wanted to transfer my miles over and not the ones that were on the new cluster (it would have added some 25k) otherwise I think everything would have worked perfectly.

 

[ati190]

Glad to see it works for you. As for the speedometer being slow I will let mjonesjr respond to this.
B.t.w mjones I knew there was a change somewhere in the clusters, and for rangers 98 is the year! They changed some of the circuits around from what I'm reading. Causing incorrect guage readings/speedometer problems. Also, beenjammin save the old clusters, especially the little motor with the worm gears on it. they come in very useful with this clusters

ati190

 

[oldjohnny]

So, did my swap today. I tried it once, from a 95 Ford Explorer, everything worked fine, except that the odometer did not work, so I returned it.
Then I got another one from another 95 Explorer. On this one, Pressure reads a bit higher than the other one. Also, tach reads a little bit higher (a tiny bit below 1000 RPM instead of the usual 750-850). Got to check speed and temp tommorrow since I only installed today and turned it on to see if I plugged in right. Check Engine Light seems to be burned out since it didn't come on at all, so I'll check all that sweet stuff tommorrow. Other than that, swap works great. So for some doubters out there, Swappable gauges are 95-97 and 98+.

 

[irishblessing]

so 95 and 97 explorer/ranger clusters will plug and play into my truck?
and curious im looking for a cluster with a tach does anyone know how many bulbs there are for those ones?

 

[oldjohnny]

Just to be safe, stick to a 95-96 Ranger, Explorer, Mountaneer because I believe 97 changed the position of the Check Engine Light. Not shure what type of trouble that will give you, but just stick with 95-96.

Two Extra Lights (For a Manual Trans) are the "Check Gauge" and "Door Ajar" idiot lights. There are more lights in the cluster I had that my truck does not use ("Theft" "4 Low" "4 High" "O/D"")

 

[irishblessing]

alright thanks ill be looking i cant find any on craiglist and i dont want to buy one on ebay cause i need to know if everything works and i dont trust this type of piece so if anybody knows where i can buy one for cheap let me know ill check some yards some time this week for one

 

[beenjammin]

I got my speedometer corrected today. Its just a matter of rotating the shaft that the needle sits on and testing it out. So now everything is tip top. I'm pretty sure the tach is spot on too.

irishblessing: Actually, a 97 might work too? I did a lot of cluster comparison by downloading vehicle manuals from Ford's website....just compared where lights on it were (door ajar, fuel reset, etc). I have one from a 95 Explorer if you really can't find one, but the speedometer+odometer didn't work for me, maybe they will work in yours because this is still before they changed the way the speedometer read in 1998(wire to electrical signal)? Don't hold me to it though.....

oldjohnny: All your stuff work out ok? I wouldn't be too worried about the oil pressure gauge, its just a switch and doesn't show you anything other than the fact that you have pressure.

***EDIT*** I had my years off about how the speedometer gathers its info. I found this article in the Technical Library that sums it all up quite well: http://www.therangerstation.com/tech_library/speedometer.htm

 

[oldjohnny]

The Oil Gauge is Good. It actually shows just a bit higher than before, but nothing to worry about. One thing that it does that is an eye raiser is the temperature. The needle sometimes moves up, then down while idling, but then again, it used to do the same thing on the old one.

The reason I think 97 may not work on a 95 is because I looked at an on-line Manual from Ford, and the position of the "Check Engine" Light was located on the far left instead of it being in the right. I don't know if this will cause problems or not, so I stayed away from it.

The Tach seems dead on, It seems that 15 MPH on First gear is 2500 RPM, which seems to be correct. When I shift to Second at that point, the tach goes down to 1500 RPM. I find the truck idles a bit high, but after running it and letting the engine heat up, it will idle at around 850 RPM (which is what my old 91 Explorer used to do)

Overall, I'm extremely happy with the Gauge Cluster. The odometer doesn't work, but my old one didn't spin either, so eh. Now, if I can grow some COJONES and remove the gear indicator, my Gauge Cluster will be complete. I'll try and get a pic of the truck on the ON POSITION and while it idles and post them later.

 

[beenjammin]

By gear indicator are you talking about the "P R N D 2 1" thing? It should just pop out if you push the tabs on the sides. I popped that out and stuck my blank one in. That's my bad if we're talking about different stuff...

Now that my speedo works I'll be able to compare speed to RPM and see whats up. Hopefully it will be similar to yours lol cause you were wise and didn't mess with the speedo

 

[oldjohnny]

yup, I'm talking about that. It doesn't bother me, but maybe I should take it out. I don't have the basketBALLS to remove the needles. I feel like breaking the orange needle off and putting a piece of tape over the gears.

My timing is a bit advanced (long story), so your RPM's can be off a bit from my observations(Expect a bit lower speed or same at 2500 RPM in 1st gear). Also, you have a 2.5, I have a 2.3, so it should be a bit different, but not by much I believe.

But as promised, here are the pics. One one pic, I have the key on the ON position. As you can see, the only thing that is not on is the airbag light because it comes on and turns off fast (and the Door Ajar is outside the pic, but it turns on). The other one shows the truck on Idle (Damn you Check Engine code P1443).

 

[irishblessing]

I got my speedometer corrected today. Its just a matter of rotating the shaft that the needle sits on and testing it out. So now everything is tip top. I'm pretty sure the tach is spot on too.

irishblessing: Actually, a 97 might work too? I did a lot of cluster comparison by downloading vehicle manuals from Ford's website....just compared where lights on it were (door ajar, fuel reset, etc). I have one from a 95 Explorer if you really can't find one, but the speedometer+odometer didn't work for me, maybe they will work in yours because this is still before they changed the way the speedometer read in 1998(wire to electrical signal)? Don't hold me to it though.....

oldjohnny: All your stuff work out ok? I wouldn't be too worried about the oil pressure gauge, its just a switch and doesn't show you anything other than the fact that you have pressure.

***EDIT*** I had my years off about how the speedometer gathers its info. I found this article in the Technical Library that sums it all up quite well: http://www.therangerstation.com/tech_library/speedometer.htm

i would like to find an instrument cluster with a tach but i dont want to pay for one pn eabt and it not work so im looking all over craiglist

 

[irishblessing]

yup, I'm talking about that. It doesn't bother me, but maybe I should take it out. I don't have the basketBALLS to remove the needles. I feel like breaking the orange needle off and putting a piece of tape over the gears.

My timing is a bit advanced (long story), so your RPM's can be off a bit from my observations(Expect a bit lower speed or same at 2500 RPM in 1st gear). Also, you have a 2.5, I have a 2.3, so it should be a bit different, but not by much I believe.

But as promised, here are the pics. One one pic, I have the key on the ON position. As you can see, the only thing that is not on is the airbag light because it comes on and turns off fast (and the Door Ajar is outside the pic, but it turns on). The other one shows the truck on Idle (Damn you Check Engine code P1443).

its kind of wierd taking it out you have to pull on one side and push on the other and jigglr it out but it comes out why do you want to take it out do you have a manual transmisson?
and the code does it have anything to do with the instrument cluster