The cluster as an assembly swaps over, at least from 83 through 87. Individual parts are much tougher to mix-&-match, like John says, although some of the individual gauges may.

If it has an aftermarket tach hooked up and working, then it's plugged into the place on the distributor (right next to the pink wire) that a factory tach wire would plug into. That's a one or the other type deal; can't usually have both.

For the temp & oil pressure gauges you're gonna HAVE TO get the right sending units, and of course, plug the factory wires back onto them. Look there first. Also, as John notes, some of the gauges themselves are different; notably the tach & OP. If the cluster you have is from a 6-cyl car those won't read right with V8 stuff.

 

Hi all, back again. Thank you for the information and yeah I realized I messed up buying that cluster with the tach. Well I bought kne just like mine so it should work.

It came in and I installed it but unless I damn near hydraulic press the cluster into the dash when I drive they constantly cut out. This was an issue on the old cluster too. Also the battery voltage guage cale to life on the new one but it just has a battery symbol and says "volts". Im assuming the sensor isnt working?

Thanks for all your help

 

This cluster is known as a 'dummy light' cluster. The 3 indicators in the middle of the cluster are just that - indicators.



If you disconnect it from the dash housing and install a 'gauges' cluster the RPM gauge and the Volt gauge should work - plug and play. I don't remember ever having to add / modify anything to get them to work when swapping a gauges cluster. In order for the oil pressure gauge and the temp gauge to work you will need to remove the "switches" on your engine and install "sending units". Then those 2 gauges will also work as they should. The oil pressure gauge sending unit you will need will be a V8 30/60 sending unit. ( there is also a 40/80 sending unit for V6 cars. ) The oil pressure gauge is often mounted on a brass post at the top-rear of the engine block "china wall" and looks like this:



Since you've had a problem with both clusters ("I damn near hydraulic press the cluster into the dash when I drive they constantly cut out" ) there's a high probability that a dash cluster terminal on 1 (or both) of the dash cluster plugs are bent or perhaps the plug(s) are not properly seated/retained on the dash housing. You can bend the dash plug terminals to expand/open them ( make them "larger" ) so that there is better contact with the cluster printed circuit when the cluster is re-installed. If the dash plugs are the problem, then find a way to better secure them to the housing so they "mate" with the cluster properly when the cluster gets re-installed.

The gauges cluster you have should be basically plug-&-play. Sure; the oil pressure gauge and the temp gauge wouldn't work until the proper sending units were in place on the engine,... but installing a gauges cluster should not cause any weird problems. It seems as if the printed circuit ( and/or probably the terminals on the dash cluster plugs ) are defective (terminals bent ?) and that's why you had issues.