Swapping in an IROC Gauge Cluster for a Base Model Cluster

These are pretty detailed instructions to swap a 145 MPH Speedometer and Tachometer Cluster into your Base model Third Generation Camaro. Basically I kept rewriting these instructions until my girlfriend could look at my car and understand them. And she couldn’t pick a Camaro out of a Line up next to Corvette or a AcKura Integra, CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT?

First Pull the Old Cluster

Instructions:
Just remove the T-10 Torx Bits from the front of the instrument panel.
Then, pull the two 10mm nuts (use a 1/4" 10mm thinwall socket and extension) located next to Service Engine Soon bulb and Fasten Seatbelts bulb.
Next, drop the panel directly under steering wheel that should hold your two Vent Controls.
Now the FUN PART
Jam your hand up behind your speedometer. Yeah, this hurts if you have really long arms and big hands. Take my advice, since you will be down there for a few:
Lay your drivers seat all the way back and throw your ankles right on the rear seats and lay backwards under the dash, the only real way to do it.
Take a light. Now you have to disconnect the Two Wiring Connectors on each side on the back of the cluster. Pretty easy to figure out.
Next, There is a black retaining clip holding the speedo cable to the cluster. It is diamond shaped. Just push that clip towards the cluster and hold it. The speedo cable should pull right out the back. If you dissconnected the plugs, it will come straight out.

Now Install the new Cluster

Instructions:
Make sure the wiring clips are attached to the panel behind the cluster.
Just push the new cluster until it gets to those clips, but don’t push all the way yet.
Connect the speedo cable. Just slide it in the back.
After it clicks into place, just push the cluster back until it hits the wall, it plugs itself in.
Now put those 10mm nuts back in, and throw the front panel on.

IMPORTANT: You have to follow directions below. If you don’t replace your sending units, bad things could happen.
I don’t know what because I did my swap the right way. Maybe nothing, maybe something.
Do you love your camaro? Don’t risk it, read on.

You will need to replace the oil pressure Sending unit and the water temperature sending Unit.
A Haynes Manual Can help you finding and replacing them. Just get them from the auto Parts store and make sure they are made for GAUGES, NOT DUMMY LIGHTS. Yeah, those cool red ones at the top you hope you never see again. Done?

Ok, now here is the fun part: wiring for the tach is already there, like the IROC cluster belongs there.
Turn the key on and see if everything lights up properly.
If you did everything right the voltage gauge will come on and read something right around 13 Volts.
The gas gauge Will read where it is supposed to. Works?
Good, now the real test… crank that bad boy over.

Assuming you have a good running engine: check your Gauges.. is the tach idling at about 500-1000 RPM?
Does the oil pressure gauge read normal?
If so, take your car for a spin. Drive until the water temp gauge comes up to normal ranges.

If it worked, you are done. Congratulations. Welcome to the Modern World of 145 MPH speedos and a land where you can see your temp rising, not see a dummy light when your car hits 250 degrees.

If it didn’t work, then read on and don’t kick your Camaro yet.

Something is not working properly. The only thing that could be wrong here is your tach didn’t work the way it is supposed to.
First, go to your coil packs. There should be 2 to 5 Wires going into it. This depends on the engine and ignition system you have.
Look for the plain white wire, no stripes on it.
See if it is plugged in.
If not, it should be attached to the terminal on the coil that says TACH.
Once you have all this done, test the gauges again.
If something still isn’t working, check the wiring to the sensors that control it. Make sure that they are plugged in.
Maybe you didn’t get that cluster SNUG into the wiring clips.
You may have a bad sending unit or some bad wiring.
Just treat the problem as an Iroc owner would whose gauges went out, because the cluster should be in right.

Good Luck.