Ok, got the first big step done in getting a factory tach into an idiot light cluster. A word of warning to anyone who wants to try and do this: your going to need alot of time and patience in order to not destroy the tach. Half the total depth of the tach is uneccessary plastic, intended to make it reach the back of the appropriate cluster. By removing this and shortening the connection studs, I should have clearance to mount it into the idiot light cluster. I'm planning to mount the circuit board orginally attatched to the back of the tach into a small project box, and mount it somewhere behind the cluster. I'm going to keep the wiring between the two as short as possible in order to avoid raising the resistance too much, and possibly affecting the tach's accuracy. By shorting the electrical studs (3) I should have a little more resistance to play with. Here's some pics of what I did, and how much depth I was able to remove.

Excess plastic removed, studs still at original hieght:


Side view of the same thing:


Modded:


Modded:


Modded:


Here's the little circuit card to be remote-mounted. Shouldn't be hard to find a place to stash it.

 

can anyone help me i have a 83 f100 that i am replacing the dash on it looks like someone has already "played" with the dash as all the wires have line splices in the and wires are crossed up color wise the one i am taking out is an idoit lite one and the new one has gauges in it the loom before the splices has most of the wires needed i think but i am not sure any help would be apreciated

 

You picked a good place to ask your questions, lots of good people & info out here.

If I'm reading you correctly, are you saying you're trying to replace a cluster with idiot
lights with one with gauges? If so, this can't be done easily, others will probably chime
in to explain.

 

just an update the dash is in the only problem i have is the oil pressure reading looks odd starts high then goes low when the engine starts. I am sorry if i didnt make it clear that it looks like someone had down graded the turk to an idiot light dash all the wires where there and it had been stuffed around to work when i respliced in the correct plug and hooked up the tach wire to the coil all seams to work except the oil gauge

 

Make sure you didn't get the wires for the oil pressure and water temp gauges crossed. Water is red with a white stripe, oil is white with a red stripe. Not sure if that could cause your problem, but it'd be worth a look.