twistedsymphony

Sorry, I never did get around to making a write-up for it. I did complete the conversion and my truck has been running with an electronic speedo for quite some time now. There's no noise the needle movement is super smooth and it's quite stable with no bouncing.... I've been very happy with the decision to convert to electronic.

Here's a brief summary. of what I did
1. source an electronic cluster that fits your truck. on the 89-95 pickups the later year they came from the factory with electronic speedos so I just picked up a cluster from a 93... all the plugs were the same as my 89 except for the absence of the cable hookup. I'm not sure if your 88 will have a compatible electronic cluster, or if you'll have to figure out some other solution.

2. source an electronic VSS from transfer case similar to yours. I discovered (the hard way) that there are two types of VSSs one for chain-driven t-cases and one for gear driven t-cases... you also need to make sure it comes with the connector and a few inches of wire because sourcing a connector can be even more difficult than finding a VSS. FWIW the connectors are identical between the two VSSs (I have a spare gear-driven VSS with connector pig-tail if you want to buy it).

another alternative is the Marlin Crawler adapter which screws on to the t-case in place of your old mechanical cable http://www.marlincrawler.com/transfe...eed-sensor-mci

In worst cases they make universal sensors that place a magnet on the output flange with a small sensor to count rotations.

3. remove your old cluster, cable, and speed wheel (or whatever you want to call that gear-thing.

4. solder up 10ft or so (measure your old cable and add a ft for the best idea) of properly colored wire to each of the three wires on the connector. I wrapped them together with electrical tape every few inches and put some wire loom over the whole bundle, put electrical tape over the end of the wire loom near the connector to keep it from shifting around, and wrap electrical tape over the loom every few inches to help keep it closeed with the wires inside.

5. install the VSS into the t-case, plug in the new half-harness you made and run it the same route as the old mechanical cable , you can even steal the firewall grommet off of the old cable

6. Now you have to hook up the three wires to the cluster. the three wires are for 12V, ground, and signal output from the VSS. Here is the pinout from the VSS:



If you look at the back of the cluster the speedo is held in place by 4 screws, these screws not only hold the speedo in the cluster but it's also how the speedo get's it's electrical signals, the screws are used for: 12V, ground, input signal from the VSS and output signal to the ECU, you can follow the traces on the back of the cluster to figure out which pins go with which screws. For 12V and Ground I just spliced the VSS wires into the existing wires there (you can solder or use a vampire clip). For the VSS input I stole a pin out of the connector from another cluster and installed it in the empty slot where the VSS pin should go (since my truck harness wasn't wired for it). If you dont have that, you could install a ring terminal and screw it under the appropriate speedo bolt.

FWIW the colors between the VSS and the cluster DO NOT match (at least they didn't on mine). As for the connections on the cluster the speedo screws should be labeled.

7. on mine I also added a 3-pin connector between the cluster and my VSS harness so that the VSS harness could be easily disconnected and removed down the road. Obviously not necessary but could be handy if it ever gets damaged and needs to be repaired.

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I hope that helps...

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Also I should note that not all electronic speedos are the same, I've been working on a converter circuit for my car (a 1995 Nissan 240sx with a Chevy V8)... with electronic speedo there are AC signal types and DC signal types, also different signal rates measured in PPM (pluses per mile), The Chevy PCM outputs a DC speed signal of about 2000 PPM, where as my cluster expects an AC speed signal of about 8000 PPM. I figured out a circuit for converting a DC signal to AC, as for the rate I'm going to try to get my PCM reprogrammed for a higher output speed.

There are devices that do this, the best I've found is the Dakota Digital box: http://www.dakotadigital.com/index.c...rod/prd126.htm

Utah4Runner86

iTrader: (1)

I just did the same swap on my 86 - a snag I ran into is I don't see the pot to adjust the tach? I don't know what the cluster came from and won't know for sure that I'll need to adjust it until I find somebody with a standalone tach, but I'd like to know how just in case...

twistedsymphony

the pics I posted with the tach adjustment were from an 89+ cluster.

it shouldn't be hard to find though, you'll need to pop the clips around the parameter to remove the glass and the shroud. if you want to get a good look at the tach electronics there should be 3 or 4 screws directly behind that tach, these screws not only hold it in but it's also how the signal is transferred from the electronic membrane to the gauge. Once those are removed the tach should just fall out.

it's delicate so be careful but you should be able to see the whole tach circuit once it's out and that will make finding the pot very easy.

Aus_Lux

Hey guys.

I've got a 1995 4x4 Single cab hilux with just the tacho, speedo, fuel and temp gauges. I'm wanting to put the cluster from a Surf SSR into mine.

Will this work?

Cheers.

twistedsymphony

I don't know anything about the Surf SSR cluster but if the clusters are the same shape then I don't see any reason you couldn't make it work.

You'll need to check 3 things
1. are the clusters the same shape
2. do the clusters both use the same type of speedo (eg: electrical or mechanical)
3. do the clusters both use the same shape and layout connectors in the back

for #3 you'll want to find copies of the factory service manuals (or detailed pictures of the back of the clusters) and compare to see if the connectors are the same, worst case you'll want to source a section of the harness from the new cluster and you'll have to do a lot of cutting and splicing to make it work.

combatcarl

Did it today, was a cluster from a 91 3.0 auto. Ohmed at about 64 to start with, but read off. Set it running, at 1000, 2000, and 3000 rpm, against a tach/dwell/voltmeter. Turned the pot about 1/8 turn clockwise, and its really close, if not dead nuts. Used a piece of solder wire, hammered flat on one end, bent at 90*, and shaped like a screwdriver on the end to make adjustments. Didn't check ohms after adjustment, too hard to reach. (will do if I pull it out for any reason) Found it easier to put my odometer in with the speedo still mounted, just pulled the face off. Need to turn the speedo hand counterclockwise a little more, its about 5mph fast at all speeds. Easy enough. Thanks to superbleeder and twistedsymphony for all their attention to detail and pioneering spirit.

Got lucky, mine's all wired for tach, just need the gauge sender for oil pressue, and it'll be complete. So easy.

Edit:I know it probably isn't neccesary, but I thought I would point out that I started with the correct ohm reading for a 4cyl tach. However, I had to adjust opposite, even though it was a 6cyl tach going into my 4cyl truck..word.

'89 22RE 4x4 longbed DLX
Sent from my LG-P505 using YotaTech

critter_catcher74

My gauge cluster has the little extra circuit board that Snowbear was asking about. It is not plug and play!

as soon as I turn the key on my temp reads half way (its -20F in my garage right now), my fuel reads full (I know there was a 1/4 tank when I tore into it) and the tach jumps to 3250 RPM. I am guessing that the oil pressure gauge is not going to work either as others in different threads are having the same problem and are talking about repinning connectors.

any ideas? To my knowledge the cluster came out of a V-6 auto year unk.

combatcarl

I'd try a different cluster. If same results, sell it, not out any money. These things are plug and play. Shifting a bunch of wiring around shouldn't be needed.

Sent from my LG-P505 using YotaTech

critter_catcher74

OK, I just bought another one on Ebay that came out of a '91 V-6 so hopefully that one will work.

FetusGoulash

Thanks for everything in this thread! i successfully used this to swap clusters on my 89 22re 4x4. unfortunately the first time i drove the truck at night i discovered none of the gauge lights illuminate :/ all the idiot lights work just fine. so looks like i will be pulling it back out this weekend to check for shorts in the circuit board.

i used a DMM to check the resistances but for anyone who doesn't have one, i turned the little potentiometer about 1/12th of a turn (ie: make an imaginary 9o-clock position and turn the white piece CLOCKWISE to about the 10o-clock). this is for a v6 cluster into a 4cyl truck.

i also had to remove the center HVAC tubing in the dash in order to have a chance to get the speedo cable removed.

other than that all went smoothly and iam only into it for $40 ($20 for cluster, $20 for pressure sender)

longbow

Did anyone figure out what this is?

The cluster I got at the junkyard has this extra board on it. I was planning on putting it in my 89 pickup. It also came out of a 95 v6 auto 4runner. Hope it will work for me.

longbow

Critter. Did you try unhooking that board from the circuit? The one I found has this also. I am hoping that will make it plug and play again. I know that electronic manufactures will add daughter boards like that instead of redoing the whole circuit board to save money sometimes.

Co_94_PU

iTrader: (-1)

I see you already found it but for anyone else wandering thru and wondering.

There is a bit more of the full story in the other thread but here is the meatty bit.

longbow

Ok I have swapped in the cluster and its working! The speedo is actaully right on the money and the old one was always off. So thats one benefit that I did not expect. Everything is working except the oil pressure gauge and the tach.
I have the sending unit out of the donor 4runner for the oil gauge and I just have to rig up a connector for it and it should work.


My problem is the tach not working. It looks like I will have to manually wire it up but all the write ups I am finding are for older model tachs. Does anyone know how I manually wire in the tach on these newer clusters?

Do I put the wire in the same place as this pic? This is not the same cluster as mine. I dont think mine even has that screw.



I dont have a pic of mine but this one I found here is the same one I believe.

Green93

My truck is a 93 and the tach wouldn't work. My cluster looks like the second pic you posted, minus the metal box on the back. All I had to do was run a wire from the screw labeled "P" on the cluster to the - connector attached to the diagnostic port under the hood. Was the simplest way I could think to do it and I didn't have to tap or cut and wiring.

Co_94_PU

iTrader: (-1)

They all have a P screw, if you're in doubt consult the manual in the combination meter section and it tells you what plug and pin, you should be able to trace the circuit directly to the screw labeled P.

Mine was wired with a donor wire so I just put it into the proper plug hole and ran it to the diagnostic connector under the hood.

Green93

When I said "screw labeled P" I figured it was obvious. If you look at the picture there is one screw on the back of the cluster with a white P beside it. I just loosened that screw and attached my wire to it.

_RaStA_RoCkEt_

Thanks for the advice gents! Got a couple lines on these currently, and whist this project was a 'back burner' for some time, since my DLX stopped reading Odo and Speed just a few days ago, and I have the dash apart, and I have the VSS out.... I might be doing this one tomorrow!

Info to come. Swap is into a 94' 22RE Electronic Dash 5spd (W56).

jester123

Hey Bleeder thanks for a great thread! Ive done the swap and it's all good looks great on my 92 hilux,only one question how high should the oil press needle sit when your driving at road speed????
Mine seems to be sitting very high well up over 3/4 of the gauge!!!!

Co_94_PU

iTrader: (-1)

Anything between the L and H should be fine. They have no adjustment to tweak for calibration. I forget the specs on the electronics it's built of 5-10% tolerence resistors. If you're concerened about the actual PSI you'll need to get to the aux port behind the 22re motor mounts and attach a tube type gauge and have the gauge calibrated.

Presure specs are here, 22re or 3vz, 4.3 at idle and 36-75 at 3000rpm.