I have an 88 BII automatic 4x4 in great condition and she’s my pride and joy. I drive her every week, but recently the RPM/fuel side of the cluster is no longer lighted. The speedo lights just fine. Is this a simple burned out bulb on the tach side, or does it have a fiber optic cable or something pulled loose.

I don’t know the configuration of the IP instrumentation. I have been following the forums for several years and know I am very blessed to have such a dependable vehicle, so I wanted to ask here first before finding a suitable repair shop. Thanks!

 

That does sound like a burned out bulb! I've had mine apart a couple dozen times over the years. If i were you i'd take out the cluster and replace all bulbs with white LED's. So much better. I'm attaching some photo's.

This first photo is OEM incandescent bulbs.



Second photo is White LED's. The blueness is because of the OEM blue filters already in place. The OEM photo does not really get across on how hard it was to see at night!






The backside of the cluster showing all the bulb sockets. There's 2 different sizes. 6 small and 8 large. You can buy the sockets at Advanced Auto if you should need to.

Here's my notes because i replaced every bulb on the vehicle with LED's except the headlights are now Halogen IIAshtray was a 194 not an 1892 and is replaced by LED

194’s (2 for tach, 2 for speedo) in the instrument cluster have been replaced with Heavy duty Sylvania LED.

License Plate lights have been replaced by LED, I don’t think they were 194’s.

Both dome lights (courtesy and cargo) replaced by 912 LED’s

Shifter replaced by a #37 LED, that is same size as all the warning lights in the cluster.

HVAC control panel light replaced by a 194 LED.

 

Thank you very much for the detailed reply, Sir! The photos are quite helpful and your explanations very clear. I have not pulled the instrument panel off myself, so are there any caveats to doing this?
Replacing a bulb is usually stratightforward, however, my experience has been every job turns into a second and third when servicing a vehicle of this age. I take very good care of her, but something always seems brittle or proves difficult to remove.

Thanks! .

[QUOTE=Fingerstyler;21520334]That does sound like a burned out bulb! I've had mine apart a couple dozen times over the years. If i were you i'd take out the cluster and replace all bulbs with white LED's. So much better. I'm attaching some photo's.

 

I'm glad you asked about caveats and I hope this info helps you or someone! The biggest issue is like you said brittle and difficult to remove with age. The danger may or may not be the delamination of the cooper wire traces on the printed circuit board where the 2 main plugs plug into. If they delaminate then that's another thread of info. If you look close you can see at least 2 copper traces on the PCB delaminating that caused a short that did not do damage but caused my battery to drain. Anyhow....i can not remember the "detail about each step" unfortunately, even though i have done this a dozen times since about 1996! Ha one time i did it just to take the complete speedo all the way apart because of a sqeaking noise. Another time i took it apart to move to the next brighter incandescent bulbs which was hardly any difference. Another time to replace all bulbs with LED's. Yet another times to replace the complete PCB.

1. Pop off light switch ****. (i never did but should have but i could not figure out how to do that. I read somewhere how to do that altely...did not look hard.
2. The mid dash trim left and righ of the steering wheel has to pop off. can't remember how but not hard.
3. There are about 4-6 screws holding the cluster in
4. Reach behind the cluster under the dash and squezze that white ring that locks the speedo cable on
5. Reach behind the cluster from left side and squezze each plug and gently wiggle/pull out. easy sometimes other times not so easy. This is the part where hopefully delamination does not occur to the PCB.

See pics.
[img alt="
See the light switch know is still on but trim is popped, this barely suffices."]https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.ford-trucks.com-vbulletin/2000x1504/20211112_181837_686286c6250f517193249246f1e4ade1fe 5d5075.jpg[/img]
See the light switch know is still on but trim is popped, this barely suffices.
[img alt="
See the white ring that has to be squezzed to release the speedo cable. I think i had to reach from underneath the dash."]https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.ford-trucks.com-vbulletin/2000x1504/20211112_181924_f63abe1eb3580607c164d56f8534ba382d 553d93.jpg[/img]
See the white ring that has to be squezzed to release the speedo cable. I think i had to reach from underneath the dash.