Interior Discussion about interior restoration, repairs, and modifications.

Guage swap?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Aug 3, 2009 | 12:33 AM
  #1  
Winidas's Avatar
Thread Starter
Junior Member
 
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
Guage swap?

I have a 90 RS and I absolutely HATE the 90's style guages. I don't like the shapes of the guages or the color used in them. I used to the an 82 belinetta and I loved the gauge style of that dash. Basically what I would like to know is how hard it would be to swap to a pre-yellow style guage cluster or possibly a guage cluster using dakota digital guages. Any help would be very appreciated and thanks in advance.
Reply
Old Aug 3, 2009 | 07:22 AM
  #2  
JamesC's Avatar
Moderator
25 Year Member
Liked
Loved
iTrader: (5)
 
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 19,282
Likes: 103
From: Lawrence, KS
Car: Met. Silver 85 IROC/Sold
Engine: 350 HO Deluxe (350ci/330hp)
Transmission: T-5 (Non-WC)
Axle/Gears: Limited Slip 3.23's
Re: Guage swap?

Originally Posted by Winidas
Basically what I would like to know is how hard it would be to swap to a pre-yellow style guage cluster or possibly a guage cluster using dakota digital guages.
Swapping to the earlier cluster (pre-90) would require major modification since the two clusters are shaped differently, though you could swap dashes. If Dakota makes a panel for your car, swapping it in would probably be much easier than the alternative.

JamesC
Reply
Old Aug 10, 2009 | 11:41 PM
  #3  
mtflyboy's Avatar
Member
 
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 140
Likes: 0
From: Colorado Springs, CO and Billings, MT
Car: 1991 Z28
Engine: 305 TPI
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 2.73
Re: Guage swap?

arent there some sweet glow guages and white ones out there so we dont have to have yellow?
Reply
Old Aug 11, 2009 | 12:41 AM
  #4  
InfernalVortex's Avatar
Supreme Member
20 Year Member
Liked
iTrader: (4)
 
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 6,499
Likes: 31
From: Macon, GA
Car: 1992 Camaro RS
Engine: Vortec headed 355, xe262
Transmission: T56
Axle/Gears: 9-bolt 3.70
Re: Guage swap?

Name:  shifterboot2.jpg
Views: 28
Size:  36.5 KB

I like the 90s gauges a lot better, but I hate the black with yellow on it. But I'm very happy with how mine look. In fact, teh dash and dashpad are about the only parts of my interior Im happy with at all lol.

They're a little harder to see around dusk than stock, but this video is about that time... and you can see em just fine.

http://s232.photobucket.com/albums/e...t=100_9387.flv

(The stock tach is disconnected just because it's so inaccurate, but I think I'm gonna put it back soon)

Last edited by InfernalVortex; Aug 11, 2009 at 01:39 AM.
Reply
Old Aug 23, 2009 | 11:59 AM
  #5  
mtflyboy's Avatar
Member
 
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 140
Likes: 0
From: Colorado Springs, CO and Billings, MT
Car: 1991 Z28
Engine: 305 TPI
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 2.73
Re: Guage swap?

are those like billet ones?
Reply
Old Aug 23, 2009 | 09:50 PM
  #6  
andrewmp6's Avatar
Member
 
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 173
Likes: 0
Re: Guage swap?

Dakota only makes them up to 89 your sol for a 90 unless you change the dash which is fun.
Reply
Old Aug 23, 2009 | 10:31 PM
  #7  
Al Hasse's Avatar
Supreme Member
 
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 1,800
Likes: 2
From: Bremerton, WA
Car: 1992 RS / 1989 RS
Engine: 3.1L MFI / Vortec 383 TBI
Transmission: T5 / LS-T56
Axle/Gears: 3.42 open / 3.73 Eaton posi
Re: Guage swap?

Originally Posted by andrewmp6
Dakota only makes them up to 89 your sol for a 90 unless you change the dash which is fun.
But you can have them made to order. Just send yours in and they retrofit their gauges into it.

Here's a shot of my 92 gauges, cost me about $900 at the time, now over $1000.

Name:  P1010455.jpg
Views: 27
Size:  170.1 KB

It's not a plug and play operation though. You need to find the input to the original gauges on the harness and tap into it, then route that to the Dakota Digital microprocessor.

Last edited by Al Hasse; Dec 15, 2009 at 10:01 PM.
Reply
Old Aug 24, 2009 | 01:30 AM
  #8  
Winidas's Avatar
Thread Starter
Junior Member
 
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
Re: Guage swap?

Those look amazingly better than the ones in there now. Does Dakota Digital provide an accurate wiring diagram depicting what wires I need to splice to the cpu?
Reply
Old Aug 24, 2009 | 02:40 PM
  #9  
Al Hasse's Avatar
Supreme Member
 
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 1,800
Likes: 2
From: Bremerton, WA
Car: 1992 RS / 1989 RS
Engine: 3.1L MFI / Vortec 383 TBI
Transmission: T5 / LS-T56
Axle/Gears: 3.42 open / 3.73 Eaton posi
Re: Guage swap?

The instructions supplied by Dakota Digital are pretty generic. They at least tell you the color the wire "should" be for each make. You'd be better off opening an account with All Data, there you'll be able to find almost every wire and connector in the car for anything you want to do - www.alldata.com
Reply
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Ghettobird52
Tech / General Engine
16
Jul 5, 2024 11:18 PM
E Rod
LTX and LSX
5
Aug 28, 2015 05:17 AM
theshackle
Tech / General Engine
2
Aug 22, 2015 06:52 PM
Hello, Michael
Engine Swap
8
Aug 20, 2015 03:19 PM
355sbcTPI
Electronics
2
Aug 19, 2015 04:38 PM




All times are GMT -5. The time now is 02:12 PM.