Change odometer reading
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Cross-Country
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 79
Likes: 1
From: Knoxville TN
Change odometer reading
I have another gauge cluster to put in my 2000 Excursion and would like to set the odometer to match mine. Is it as simple as removing the front plastic panel and rotating the numbers? Or will I damage it that way?
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Cross-Country
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 79
Likes: 1
From: Knoxville TN
I want to change it to match what the real mileage is. Don't know why that would be illegal. I can buy them and tell them what to set it to, but I already have one. Took out of a wrecked 2000 excursion. I understand that you are supposed to put a sticker on the door column that indicates their was an odometer change.
Lead Driver
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 5,420
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From: Ouray, CO
It is way more likely for a dis-honest person to want to change the odometer, so the resale value would be higher, so, it's been made more difficult. In the old days you could use a drill to spin the square drive cable between cruise control and dash board... and at 100k, it would go back to zero and start over.
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Cross-Country
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 79
Likes: 1
From: Knoxville TN
No Problem
I understand most of the time this was to try and cheat people. So it was made more difficult. I have found instructions on internet that says to swap out the odometers. Just remove the one in the old one and put in the new one.
There must be a way to set it. As I said, if I order a replacement I can specify what to set it at. So they are doing it somehow. Maybe they are disassembling it and setting it. I have the replacement sitting on the table. Just might have to look at taking it apart and seeing how to change the numbers. If it is on a small electric motor, maybe I can reverse polarity and get it to go backwards.
Mine is at 233000 and the replacement is over 300000.
There must be a way to set it. As I said, if I order a replacement I can specify what to set it at. So they are doing it somehow. Maybe they are disassembling it and setting it. I have the replacement sitting on the table. Just might have to look at taking it apart and seeing how to change the numbers. If it is on a small electric motor, maybe I can reverse polarity and get it to go backwards.
Mine is at 233000 and the replacement is over 300000.
Tuned
Joined: Aug 2015
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From: Utah/Montana
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Lead Driver
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 8,259
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From: Northern California
If you have a new instrument cluster a much easier approach would be to remove the entire mechanism from your old cluster and install it in the new instrument cluster.
This isn't the Excursion unit but it is a similar looking part. Just unplug the drive motor, unscrew the unit from the instrument cluster and swap it out.
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Cross-Country
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 79
Likes: 1
From: Knoxville TN
Not a diesel, its another gas. I modified mine to do amber lighting. Decided changing some of the lighting (like window switches) was too much trouble and looking to go back to the factory green. To do the amber I had to modify mine. I replaced all the lights with leds, so if I cannot get another cluster in, can look at buying green leds, but there probably wont match. Plus when doing my mods I seem to have gotten the speed and rpms off some.
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Cross-Country
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 79
Likes: 1
From: Knoxville TN
Well I have the replacement cluster sitting on the table. I can take it apart and see how much trouble to remove odometer. I had seen on the internet that swapping odometers was an option. With your recommendation that is the approach I will look at. Breaking it down into its parts and making sure they are all back together correctly seems like a recipe for trouble.
Lead Driver
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 8,259
Likes: 346
From: Northern California
Hardest part ( other then lining up all the wheels, cogs and followers if you decided to reset yours rather then swap ) is getting the circuit board cable plugged back in.
Fwiw... wear laxtex gloves when you are working on the instrument cluster or your face plate is going to end up with a bunch of smudges on it.
Fwiw... wear laxtex gloves when you are working on the instrument cluster or your face plate is going to end up with a bunch of smudges on it.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 1,483
Likes: 1
From: SE PA
Interesting thread, although my Ex has the digital odometer.
I know it's been a problem to move odometers, but a friend in the wholesale car business has told me more than once that vehicles are exempt from odometer disclosure once they reach 10 years of age...so all our trucks are exempt.
I know it's been a problem to move odometers, but a friend in the wholesale car business has told me more than once that vehicles are exempt from odometer disclosure once they reach 10 years of age...so all our trucks are exempt.
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Cross-Country
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 79
Likes: 1
From: Knoxville TN
Interesting. Since it is exempt I might just try and set mine back to 0. It has new motor (with all new pieces), new suspension, new steering, new tires, new (to it) wheels. And it will be getting new paint and seat covers. It is like it was reborn.
If it ever leaves my hands I will tell them it had 230000 when it went through the revitalization process.
If it ever leaves my hands I will tell them it had 230000 when it went through the revitalization process.