Getting ready to put in my 4thgen dash. I will need to cut my old guage cluster connector off to install the 4thgen cluster connector. I really have very little experience with connecting wires and that was with soldering.

1) What would be the best way to connect the new guage cluster connector onto my harness?? Connectors or soldering the wires??

2) I also need to install an electric VSS and buffer and need to run a few sections of wire about 4-5 feet. What Guage should I use? I always heard it was better to use a bigger guage than the wires I am connecting to. That True?? So then if the buffer box and VSS wires are 18g I would connect the two with a section of 16g wire????

1 I solder and heatshrink every electrical repair/joint I do, I makes a solid connection that is waterproof and wont come apart

2 for the VSS, 18 would work, so would 16, I would use 16, so any that is left over is more useable

when connecting wires always use one gauge larger than what you are connecting. so say the stock dash is 18 gauge use 16.

as far connecting them, the best way to do it, is to crimp the connection, then solder where you crimped it, then heat srink it.

but you can skip the soldering step if you take your time, and do a good job crimping. and if you get the waterproof-style connectors, you can skip the heat shrink.

I think I am going to crimp the wires. What type of connectors do I use, Butt connectors?

Also does anyone know if its possible to buy some kind of 14 pin male connectors that would plug into my cars factory cluster connector so I wouldn't have to cut apart my harness?


I found these 2 Klein crimpers while searching, people seem to have said good things about both. I can get either for about $20 at Home Depot. Would it matter which style I got? Any negeatives to either style?

The yellow style isn't even a crimper. It's just a pair of cutting pliers that happens to have one crimp spot behind the pivot joint. Pliers that crimp behind the joint suck, because you're forever trying to get the handle around the wire. The red-handled style is a great pair of crimpers. I have a couple pairs of those, along with the Snap On equivalent.

BTW, you may want to read the new electrical wiring tutorial that I just wrote. It's a 2-part post that's at the top of the page.