CUTLASS Dash Cluster swap - WTF?

[WanaBa442]

So, I bought a used Rally dash a while back to swap into the '78 Cutlass. Have the standard granny dash with I-dot lamps and my kids been hammering me to get it done.
It cools down below 100 deg tonight so I dive in.
Fairly easy to access it all and pull the cluster out. Looks like I'm missing something?

According to this site, there should be TWO CONNECTORS???

Reference Manual: Chapter 6: Electrical/Interior: Rallye Pac Conversion

Looking at the back of the cluster it doesnt look like there was ever one there by the way the tabs on the circuit strip have not been moved (port on the left)


Now what? Is this even going to be possible to swap a rally cluster in?
I cannot see/feel any pigtail or harness with another connector on it anywhere under the dash.
This is the original p/n on the granny dash.


On further looking, connector # 1 doesn't really have much applicable to the rally dash.
Anyone done this swap with just the single connector?

 

[pagrunt]

Need something like these but looks like you'll really need another 14 pin plug like what you already have from another Cutlass.

PC-12 Printed Circuit Connector & Terminals 12 Way

Printed Circuit Connector & Terminals 12 Way. Replacement for 67-68 Camaro, 70-81 Camaro, 67-72 Chevy Truck, 70-81 Firebird, 70-72 Chevelle. (All models regardless of gauges or idiot lights). And various Fords as well.

www.ronfrancis.com

PC-18 Printed Circuit Connector & Terminals 18 Way

Printed Circuit Connector & Terminals 18 Way Replacement for 73-87 Chevy Truck (all models regardless of gauges or idiot lights) and 71-79 Ford Truck depending on gauge package. And various Fords as well.

www.ronfrancis.com

Some wires will need to be repinned with others needed to be added. Those terminal ends for the plug are pretty uncommon & won't just be out there to find other than what Ron Francis has. A Olds wire manual will be usfull to know what goes where & proper colors of wires. Now you might get lucky to find a car that already gave up it's cluster but still have the plugs, take them both with as much wire as possible. The white wire for the tach might be seperate from the main harness like the Monte/Malibu/Elky so grab that with the firewall boot it goes through.

 

[WanaBa442]

Looking at the list of terminal 1 it looks to be mainly for a diesel application.
I know I need to add the white tach wire.
Looking closer at the donor rally dash it looks to not have had the additional plug either.
Gonna repin the wires, add the white one and send it!

 

[oldsmobile joe]

Try this link.

Reference Manual: Chapter 6: Electrical/Interior: Rallye Pac Conversion

Note, its for a cutlass with a check engine light. 78 doesn't use a check engine light , so ignore connector 1. Focus on connector 2.

 

[scarborough]

i have a rally gauge cluster also i would like to install. i found and old 87 cutlass in a salvage yard with the plug still in it i cut the plug out to practice rearrange the wires. i found it hard to take the pins out and to get them to lock back in the same spot. i printed a copy of chapter 6 that was posted by oldmobile joe to keep as future reference. sooo has anyone ever tried switching the pins around in plug and have them snap back into place and it worked

 

[oldsmobile joe]

Yes, i have, on many occasions. Follow these procedures outlined in the above link.

• Each terminal is secured in the connector shell by a locking tang. To remove a terminal you must insert a small pick, awl, jewelers screwdriver or similar tool between the terminal and the connector shell to depress the tang, releasing the terminal. With the tang depressed, the terminal will pass through the shell by pulling on the wire. Do not use force! When the tang has been sufficiently depressed the terminal will pull out easily with little to no effort.
  • When reinserting the terminals into the connector shell, it is very important that the tang be bent away from the terminal so that it will be able to properly secure the terminal in the shell. If this is not done, or done improperly, it's likely that the terminal will slip out of position in the connector shell and make poor, or no, contact with the cluster. Resulting in inaccurate, or non-functional gauges or functions. An easy way to check each terminal is to push on them as if removing them from the housing, if the tang is holding the terminal in the housing, the terminal will only move a short distance in the connector housing.
• 

 

[oldsmobile joe]

For those looking for the metal wire terminals, i google searched 1978 gm instrument panel terminals and came up with many hits. Here is an example from ron francis wiring kit thru jegs. I'm not stating the white shell connector will work, i don't know. But the metal terminals will work in our cars.

 

[scarborough]

it would be nice if someone could come up with a female to male terminal connector with the wires reconfigured and you could just plug your male connector from your dash into the female end and plug the other end into your gauge cluster. I have searched the internet trying to find a female and male connector that would fit a g body and except the male terminal from the dash. I think that would be a money maker.

 

[WanaBa442]

So, found a new issue I haven't heard of before.
Got the wiring all re-pinned, secured the two unused wires and went to set the cluster in the hole.
Turns out the speedo drive does NOT line up when swapping in the rally dash.
It looks as if there is a different retainer in the dash that holds the cable coming from the trans to the cluster.
There is NO WAY the rally dash speedo head will line up with the existing drive end in the dash due to where the white bracket locates it.
All I can think of is there is a different cable retainer for the rally dash application.
Rally dash I bought from a member here is from a 78 or 79 Cutlass.
Anyone have a speedo cable retainer bracket from a rally dash car they wanna part with?
Its the white piece in this pic...

 

[oldsmobile joe]

That white bracket you speak of is, i believe, 78 only. I have only found it on the sweep style clusters. You should be able to remove it, thats what i did on my 78. You will then need to pull your speedo cable assembly in towards the steering wheel so you can get a hand behind it to guide it onto the cluster. Then push the whole assembly forward into the dash. To get enough slack in the cable, you will have to disconnect it from the trans or the cruise transducer.