Tach swap, again.
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Elder User
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 509
Likes: 4
From: Casper, Wyoming
Tach swap, again.
I know this has been beaten to death, and I've looked at all the tach swap threads I could find, including the stickies, but I can't find the answer.
I'm going to swap a tach into my 84 F150 4X4 with an I-6. I've bought two clusters, both with gauges, out of an 80 and and 81.
The 80's circuit paper number is E0TF-10C956, and is green.
The 81's circuit paper number is E1TF-10C956-B and is red.
Both are from V8 trucks
I'll probably use the 81's entire unit.
My question is, will this unit work? I don't remember if the donor truck was 4X4; does it matter in order that the 4X4 dash light work?
Will the turn signal/brake light/etc. work right?
Will I need to unground the "8" bolt of the tach, or is the I-6 wiring already prepared for that?
Thanks for the help.
I'm going to swap a tach into my 84 F150 4X4 with an I-6. I've bought two clusters, both with gauges, out of an 80 and and 81.
The 80's circuit paper number is E0TF-10C956, and is green.
The 81's circuit paper number is E1TF-10C956-B and is red.
Both are from V8 trucks
I'll probably use the 81's entire unit.
My question is, will this unit work? I don't remember if the donor truck was 4X4; does it matter in order that the 4X4 dash light work?
Will the turn signal/brake light/etc. work right?
Will I need to unground the "8" bolt of the tach, or is the I-6 wiring already prepared for that?
Thanks for the help.
Post Fiend
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 8,521
Likes: 16
From: Lost
Use the 81 cluster. The 80 printed circuit is different.
All lights should work fine, including the 4x4 light. That light is a seperate socket from the rest of the cluster.
You will not need to touch the "8" terminal, that wire is only connected at the engine on V8's, with an I6 it's deadended.
All lights should work fine, including the 4x4 light. That light is a seperate socket from the rest of the cluster.
You will not need to touch the "8" terminal, that wire is only connected at the engine on V8's, with an I6 it's deadended.
Thread Starter
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Elder User
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 509
Likes: 4
From: Casper, Wyoming
Just finished adding a tach and tripmeter last night, it was just as easy as described. Thanks for your help.
I bought the truck in 91, and asked the parts counter at the dealer about adding a tach. Lady told me that I'd have to replace all the wiring to do it. I sure wish I hadn't asked her. I'd have owned a tach years ago.
I bought the truck in 91, and asked the parts counter at the dealer about adding a tach. Lady told me that I'd have to replace all the wiring to do it. I sure wish I hadn't asked her. I'd have owned a tach years ago.
Senior User
Joined: Sep 2009
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Just finished adding a tach and tripmeter last night, it was just as easy as described. Thanks for your help.
I bought the truck in 91, and asked the parts counter at the dealer about adding a tach. Lady told me that I'd have to replace all the wiring to do it. I sure wish I hadn't asked her. I'd have owned a tach years ago.
I bought the truck in 91, and asked the parts counter at the dealer about adding a tach. Lady told me that I'd have to replace all the wiring to do it. I sure wish I hadn't asked her. I'd have owned a tach years ago.
It's not difficult at all. Fuse-tapped a hot-on power fuse and jumped a light circuit, then ran the signal wire to the coil and wrapped it around the post.
...I spent as much as I woulda spent buying a cluster with a built-in tach, though. I will probably still do that as it looks a lot nicer.
Post Fiend
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 8,521
Likes: 16
From: Lost
Dealer added A/C complicated the dash bezel fitting the non-stock ducts, but I adapted and overcame.
With factory guages, this swap is so easy, it's unreal. Even using a newer cluster and bezel in the "one year wonder" 1980 model only adds ~30 seconds to the swap.
Junior User
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 55
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did you swap to a manual? or you just dont like the gearshift indicator?
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Logistics Pro
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 4,990
Likes: 6
From: Florida
I just got sick of fixing the indicator and figured if I picked one up from the junkyard it would do the same eventually.My new cluster was from a manual truck,so I just left the manual plate on the cluster and put it in the truck.
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Logistics Pro
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 4,990
Likes: 6
From: Florida
It's actually a common problem.The plastic lining for the cable breaks,so the cable can move freely and bunch up,and the indicator gets stuck since there's no tension on the cable to move it.I tried gluing the lining back together,taping it back together,and a few other things.The tape worked the best.But it still eventually broke.Mine broke right where cable bolts to the steering column,and also where the cable hooks to the indicator,so it was near impossible to fix anyway.
Logistics Pro
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 4,990
Likes: 6
From: Florida
It's pretty easy,remove the steering column shroud,remove the headlight/windshield wiper *****,remove the cluster bezel(3 screws),remove the screw that retains the indicator cable from the steering column remove the cluster(4 screws),unplug the cluster(Be very Careful) and disconnect the speedometer cable(push the tab and pull).Pull the cluster out and you'll have plenty of room to figure out the problem and hopefully fix it.
Here's a pic of the indicator by itself.You can see the cable that comes off of it.You can also see the tape that I used to try and fix it.Before you wonder why it's white,I painted my original gauges,but I wasn't happy with the look of painted gauges,so that's why I swapped the entire cluster.
Here's a pic of the indicator by itself.You can see the cable that comes off of it.You can also see the tape that I used to try and fix it.Before you wonder why it's white,I painted my original gauges,but I wasn't happy with the look of painted gauges,so that's why I swapped the entire cluster.
Junior User
Joined: Jul 2010
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alright, I still gotta do the test to see if the odo is right and just the speedo is off so I either need a new speedo or change the drive gear because my speedo reads real slow, 65 reads about 52, and 45 reads about 35. but I also want to install a tach so I will probably wait til I get all 3 projects ready to go before I tear into the dash. Ill wait and ask about those until I get closer to the projects so that I am not stealing this guys thread.
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