Gage Swap
Thread Starter
|
Freshman User
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 29
Likes: 0
Gage Swap
I have found a 90 digital gages setup for my aerostar ford factory gage cluster, Can I swap out my anilog gage cluster for the digital one with on problams, do they use differnt computers or connecter. I would like to know before I jump and buy it.
Postmaster
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 3,818
Likes: 3
Gage Swap
Look before you leap. Although I have not done such a swap, I can't imagine it would be worth the time/effort/expense to convert. It would not be a simple switch over. You would need a new wiring harness, sensors, relays, etc. Be content with the original and spend your time and money on a better radio instead.
Freshman User
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 35
Likes: 0
From: Graham
Gage Swap
[updated:LAST EDITED ON 20-Dec-01 AT 01:43 PM (EST)]Howdy,
Sorry this is so long...
I just did this swap on my 1988 Aerostar. I had a digital dash from a 1987 model, and wanted the tachometer option that the digital dash offered. There may be more differences in a later model, such as AWD... Get a GOOD wiring diagram, such as the factory ones!
REMEMBER TO DISCONNECT THE BATTERY BEFORE STARTING!!! IF YOU DON”T…
The swap is fairly straightforward. Besides the cluster, you will need a dashboard wiring harness from an Aerostar that is (preferably) the same year as yours, with more or less the same options (such as rear A/C heat, Rear window defog and wiper, etc. If you can't find an exact match, that should be OK. Much of the accessories are modular, and the stubs are already part of the basic harness. If you can, get any components (such as the warning chime box and the intermittent wiper box too!). I didn't figure this out until I was actually doing the swap.
I took the entire dashboard out of the car and put it onto my workbench, disconnecting the mail harness at the firewall (unbolt from the engine side, then there are three expanding clips that keep the harness from falling into the car) and the various plugs behind the kick-panels on both sides. It seemed as if all the plugs (besides having a different wiring color scheme) were different in color, and shape so there was little worry about mixing them up upon re-assembly. Disconnect the cover from the steering column and unplug the various electrical connections… Try not to break any or the electrical connections or their retainer devices! If the donor harness has any damaged connectors, you can swap in ones from the original harness. I had the standard radio in my van which had long since been swapped out for a CD Changer, and those wires were the only ones I had to cut to remove. All the factory wiring could be removed without any cutting.
Once the whole dash was on the bench (I unplugged the vacuum controls for the heater/AC at the middle connection and the solid push/pull cable at the heater end) then removed the plugs from the heater control assembly then removed it from the dash and set it aside.)
I compared the plugs and connections for the new dash to the original harness. They were the same (except for the cluster, of course). So I removed the original items and set them aside.
I installed the instrument harness and the dash, and then started plugging in components. The first difference was the dimmer switch. The dimmer wiring was the same, in the same positions, but the plug was different. I simply (carefully) unclipped the wired from the old plug, then the new, and installed the wired into the same positions. I wasn’t sure that this would work, as I thought there might actually be a difference in the dimmers, but it has so far. The second difference was that the new wiring harness had a slightly different plug on the heater control plug in. I thing the van I took the harness out of had the rear controls but I can’t remember. There was not only a different plug, but also more wires to the plug. But the main wired I needed were in the same relative position to the original harness plug. So I simply removed the wired from the plug that I needed, and left the remaining wired in the new harness plug. Then I installed the removed wires in the correct position of the plug taken from the old harness.
The only other issue I had was the plug for the warning chimes. I just used the new harness’s box, which I had managed to get with the harness.
As an addition I also added the ceiling console (with the trip computer) into the van. The new harness had the stub for it, and another van provided the harness from the console to the lower kick panel. Then I went back and got the part from the kick panel to the dash…
Also, get the mounting bracket for the roof console. And if you can, the headliner from the donor van to use as a template for cutting yours (assuming it is in poor condition, they might just toss it in.
To install the roof console (while the dash is out!!!) remove the left pillar cover, and place harness into the proper position relative to the van. (You were careful removing the clips from the donor van, right?) There are two plugs for the ceiling console at the lower end. One goes to the dashboard wiring harness. The other plugs into a pre-existing plug that on my van was hidden behind the other plugs on the sidewall on a mounting plate…
Once everything is set up to your satisfaction, put back as neatly as the factory did, put the entire dash back into the van. I found that it was easier to put it back than to take it out (but unbolting the steering column from the firewall may have had something to do with it). Carefully bolt everything back together (don’t want rattles, do you?).
Plug the main harness into the firewall (remember the clips you had to pinch to get it loose? It should pop into place holding it into the firewall. Then reconnect it from the outside using the bolt to hold it tight (keeps the weather out, makes the connection last...).
Then find and re-connect all the plugs behind the side panels. When you are pretty sure you have them all, look again!
The only thing you MUST buy is a new temperature-sending unit. The engine harness has two plugs built into it. One for analog gauges, using a single wire, and one for digital gauges, using two wires. It was taped into the harness where the original wire came out of it. The other thing you should buy (used should be OK) is the transmission speed sensor. Try to get it from the donor van. The only real difference between the analog and digital speedometer sensor is the speedometer cable… And a plastic cap pressed into the sensor to keep the dirt out. So remove your old one. If you have the new sensor install it. If not, try to devise a cap (or maybe order one from Ford). If you swap units, change the gear using your original gear – or your speedometer will be off!
Before covering anything up, install the battery connection. Turn on the key and smoke test it… No smoke, dash lights up, self-test passes (the one built into the dash). Put everything back together; take it for a test drive.
Sorry this is so long...
I just did this swap on my 1988 Aerostar. I had a digital dash from a 1987 model, and wanted the tachometer option that the digital dash offered. There may be more differences in a later model, such as AWD... Get a GOOD wiring diagram, such as the factory ones!
REMEMBER TO DISCONNECT THE BATTERY BEFORE STARTING!!! IF YOU DON”T…
The swap is fairly straightforward. Besides the cluster, you will need a dashboard wiring harness from an Aerostar that is (preferably) the same year as yours, with more or less the same options (such as rear A/C heat, Rear window defog and wiper, etc. If you can't find an exact match, that should be OK. Much of the accessories are modular, and the stubs are already part of the basic harness. If you can, get any components (such as the warning chime box and the intermittent wiper box too!). I didn't figure this out until I was actually doing the swap.
I took the entire dashboard out of the car and put it onto my workbench, disconnecting the mail harness at the firewall (unbolt from the engine side, then there are three expanding clips that keep the harness from falling into the car) and the various plugs behind the kick-panels on both sides. It seemed as if all the plugs (besides having a different wiring color scheme) were different in color, and shape so there was little worry about mixing them up upon re-assembly. Disconnect the cover from the steering column and unplug the various electrical connections… Try not to break any or the electrical connections or their retainer devices! If the donor harness has any damaged connectors, you can swap in ones from the original harness. I had the standard radio in my van which had long since been swapped out for a CD Changer, and those wires were the only ones I had to cut to remove. All the factory wiring could be removed without any cutting.
Once the whole dash was on the bench (I unplugged the vacuum controls for the heater/AC at the middle connection and the solid push/pull cable at the heater end) then removed the plugs from the heater control assembly then removed it from the dash and set it aside.)
I compared the plugs and connections for the new dash to the original harness. They were the same (except for the cluster, of course). So I removed the original items and set them aside.
I installed the instrument harness and the dash, and then started plugging in components. The first difference was the dimmer switch. The dimmer wiring was the same, in the same positions, but the plug was different. I simply (carefully) unclipped the wired from the old plug, then the new, and installed the wired into the same positions. I wasn’t sure that this would work, as I thought there might actually be a difference in the dimmers, but it has so far. The second difference was that the new wiring harness had a slightly different plug on the heater control plug in. I thing the van I took the harness out of had the rear controls but I can’t remember. There was not only a different plug, but also more wires to the plug. But the main wired I needed were in the same relative position to the original harness plug. So I simply removed the wired from the plug that I needed, and left the remaining wired in the new harness plug. Then I installed the removed wires in the correct position of the plug taken from the old harness.
The only other issue I had was the plug for the warning chimes. I just used the new harness’s box, which I had managed to get with the harness.
As an addition I also added the ceiling console (with the trip computer) into the van. The new harness had the stub for it, and another van provided the harness from the console to the lower kick panel. Then I went back and got the part from the kick panel to the dash…
Also, get the mounting bracket for the roof console. And if you can, the headliner from the donor van to use as a template for cutting yours (assuming it is in poor condition, they might just toss it in.
To install the roof console (while the dash is out!!!) remove the left pillar cover, and place harness into the proper position relative to the van. (You were careful removing the clips from the donor van, right?) There are two plugs for the ceiling console at the lower end. One goes to the dashboard wiring harness. The other plugs into a pre-existing plug that on my van was hidden behind the other plugs on the sidewall on a mounting plate…
Once everything is set up to your satisfaction, put back as neatly as the factory did, put the entire dash back into the van. I found that it was easier to put it back than to take it out (but unbolting the steering column from the firewall may have had something to do with it). Carefully bolt everything back together (don’t want rattles, do you?).
Plug the main harness into the firewall (remember the clips you had to pinch to get it loose? It should pop into place holding it into the firewall. Then reconnect it from the outside using the bolt to hold it tight (keeps the weather out, makes the connection last...).
Then find and re-connect all the plugs behind the side panels. When you are pretty sure you have them all, look again!
The only thing you MUST buy is a new temperature-sending unit. The engine harness has two plugs built into it. One for analog gauges, using a single wire, and one for digital gauges, using two wires. It was taped into the harness where the original wire came out of it. The other thing you should buy (used should be OK) is the transmission speed sensor. Try to get it from the donor van. The only real difference between the analog and digital speedometer sensor is the speedometer cable… And a plastic cap pressed into the sensor to keep the dirt out. So remove your old one. If you have the new sensor install it. If not, try to devise a cap (or maybe order one from Ford). If you swap units, change the gear using your original gear – or your speedometer will be off!
Before covering anything up, install the battery connection. Turn on the key and smoke test it… No smoke, dash lights up, self-test passes (the one built into the dash). Put everything back together; take it for a test drive.
Posting Guru
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 1,041
Likes: 1
From: Orland USA
My question is why would you want to?? All the Service guys at Ford that I talked to said you're in for a lot of problems with the digital dash. That was the first question they asked when I asked about a problem with my gas gage. They said that they run into a lot of problems with the digital dash in the Aerostars. That they can't be fixed so you have to replace and it's not cheap........
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Riderman
1973 - 1979 F-100 & Larger F-Series Trucks
1
Jul 12, 2014 12:34 PM
