monte dash cluster ..gages and tach

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cherokeechief79

Greasemonkey
Jul 21, 2008
102
15
18
nj
found out something very interesting while tryin to do this swap last nite.I have 2 complete clusters both different colors.the good one from the 84 car im trying to convert from idiot lites and no tach,is in perfect condition and the right color.the doner cluster is kinda ratty and the lense is not as perfect.i thought I could just swap in the tach ,speedo and gages from the ratty one to the new one.well half way through I noticed that the tach has a special plastic mounting plate.no problem it just unscrews from the old to the new.then I though I could just swap the printed circuit sheet from one to another because the tach has extra connections on it.again I figured no prob and started taking it from the old one.(not very easy)then I noticed that the good cluster would not even accept the circuit sheet because it is molded completely different!
there must have been 2 different molds for the clusters ,one with gages and a tach and one without.
so now im putting the old cluster back together and ill just have to live with it.at least I can use the good lense from the non tach pod.....NOT! that wont work either because there is no hole for the odometer reset and there is a hole to set a clock if it had one.
I thought this would be easy but as usual it tuned into a nitemare.
 

Turbo Zach

Comic Book Super Hero
Sep 8, 2015
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Switching stuff like that can get a little complicated. Beings you have the old style gauges. Don't buy the add on gauges from the vendors! They are poor quality and take a lot of trimming to make fit. Here is a picture of them.
2017-04-08 19.52.14.jpg
I would stick to factory stuff and do what you were doing. I did buy a tach from Mikes Monte's that was a very nice piece. You don't need the printed circuit for the add gauges. You can wire them in your self.
 
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cherokeechief79

Greasemonkey
Jul 21, 2008
102
15
18
nj
i put it in last night.all seems good even the tach worked after putting a wire at pin 17(thanks guys).
it was too light out to see if all of the new brighter bulbs were working and I didn't want to pull the face off again so ill check that tonite.
the dimmer switch is funky because its not smooth with the light brightness and it hits a point where they go off altogether.i wonder if I could just clean and wirebrush it?
also there is a wire that goes into the back of the speedo.its held in with a small screw.it has 2 terminals in the plug but they don't seem to connect to anthing in the speedo.
 

Ribbedroof

Comic Book Super Hero
Supporting Member
Jan 4, 2009
4,864
6,892
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Wellston, OK
also there is a wire that goes into the back of the speedo.its held in with a small screw.it has 2 terminals in the plug but they don't seem to connect to anthing in the speedo.

It's the optical sensor for cruise and TCC It reads a small reflective spot on the backside of the speedo to create and send a signal to the ECM.

There are 2 different round gauge dash buckets, one for gauges, and one for warning lamps, the lamp version does not have the holes for the clips that make contact for the additional center gauges....for others that may find this thread later in a search
 

cherokeechief79

Greasemonkey
Jul 21, 2008
102
15
18
nj
now ive just got to get a tach wire through the firewall.should I poke a hole thru anywhere?
any good ideas as to how I should route it?
 

cherokeechief79

Greasemonkey
Jul 21, 2008
102
15
18
nj
checked it out tonite in the dark.looks like only one or 2 bulbs are lit.
can I power the cluster somehow without installing it to make thigs easier?
 

cherokeechief79

Greasemonkey
Jul 21, 2008
102
15
18
nj
arggggg took the face off tonite.only the one lower right bulb lights. even wiggling the plug around didn't do anything.its all out on the bench now.one thing I noticed though is that mine has no stud at all like the one in this pic I found elsewhere.it has the others but not the bottom one on the left.could this possibly be the problem?i guess its not the ground because the one light does lite and the blinkers seem to work.
8.jpg
 

cherokeechief79

Greasemonkey
Jul 21, 2008
102
15
18
nj
arggggg took the face off tonite.only the one lower right bulb lights. even wiggling the plug around didn't do anything.its all out on the bench now.one thing I noticed though is that mine has no stud at all like the one in this pic I found elsewhere.it has the others but not the bottom one on the left.could this possibly be the problem?i guess its not the ground because the one light does lite and the blinkers seem to work.
8.jpg
 
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