hey guys im picking up a 85 trans am and its gorgeous and i love it and everything, but im kinda finicky on little things, and the the original RPM meter is busted and so he has another ad on that sorta hooks up right in front it of it. it isn't that ugly but id prefer to use the original one, is there any way to cheaply fix it. or replace it or are we looking at something not worth it?

 

the RPM guage in an 85 comes out easely once you get the plastic panel off the front and the clear plastic off the guages. the RPM guauge will pull right out. and a new one can be inserted. that is of course the guage is the problem and not the sending unit/wiring. probably will take 8-16 screws to get to it while you sit in the drivers seat.

 

would fixing the sender unit be much more expensive if that was the case? as well how much would it be you think for an RPM gauge from an 85..

 

never had to deal with that part. usually the resisters go bad on the back of the RPM guage that makes them read really high and then not at all.

I picked up a RPM guage from the boneyard for less then a dollar.

get a scantool to see if your computer sees the right RPM. that should help track down the problem.

 

Please call it by it's real name; tachometer. The instrument cluster is very easy to remove and to open up if you wish to replace just the tach instead of the entire cluster. As 85droptopTA said, you want to find out if the guage is really the problem before replacing it.

 

and the best way to do that would be to use the scan tool or whatever?

 

are you sure an older car is right for you? and that you're ready to learn a lot about cars? I'm not being an ***, it's just obvious that you're starting with very little knowledge of cars and you would be working with a 23 year old car that WILL have problems. A scan tool will do nothing to tell you what's wrong with your tachometer. I suggest that you make good friends with someone that has some car experience and/or really start reading up. Most of all, if you decide to go through with it, don't be affraid to try and make mistakes. No one here can really tell you how to fix it without seeing what you're working with. The previous owner could've done a lot of things that we and you are clueless about until you get in there and look around.

 

um yes im sure...85dropTA suggested using a scan tool check with computer problems...i was merely seeing if that was a good place to start..