Alright, So I've bought a 2000 TA Ebony dash, no cluster for my 86 Iroc.
305 TPI Auto 700r4
Ok. So I believe I have a 85 MPH MECH speedo. <--- Correct me if I'm wrong

I know I need to buy a 93 - 96 Firebird/TA/Formy cluster OR 97 Camaro Cluster.
However, seeing as my 700r4 is cable driven (Right?)
I need a VSS. (Dakota Digital?)

For the VSS what all do I need? Any help is appreciated.. And before you say use Search... I have.. I just haven't found a post that has really said what to buy. Part#'s ect.

 

The cheapest and easiest route to take for the VSS is to use factory parts from either a TBI car or a Bird with the full gauge cluster (pre-90 and TBI after). You would need the VSS out of the transmission, and the yellow box off of the ECM bracket with its connectors, and then wire to wire up the VSS and the box. The VSS is already set at the factory and SHOULD use the gears already in the transmission (provided you don't have the driven gear for the cable that has the nylon shaft attached for the cable drive, but the gear that slides onto a metal shaft for the cable drive). That's what the 88 is getting since I already have the parts off of my Bird.

 

I really don't feel like find another transmission to tear apart for a single piece.. Do you know which parts I would need for the Dakota Digital way?

 

You don't need another transmission... It's one piece, one bolt. Pull off the retainer and pull out the VSS. Cut the connector for the VSS off of the wire harness while you're down there and leave. And it's about $200 less than the Dakota Digital stuff.

 

Alright... I guess i'll try going to the local junkyards or something.. I just have a busy schedule .. online = my lover haha.

 

Is there a reason something like this http://www.dakotadigital.com/index.c...rod/prd109.htm

wouldn't work? specifically #SEN-01-4160

it seems to be the same thing as this http://www.hawksthirdgenparts.com/pr...nsmission.html

?

 

Stock VSS is 4000 pulses per mile... Would still require the converter box for another $200 for the 4000 PPM input to the dash cluster and whatever the ECM needs, which is generally 2000 PPM if the ECM being used isn't a 730...

 

Fuuuuuuuuu... Alright.

Do you have any pictures of what the VSS looks like, and the yellow box? (stupid mech speedo )



Back to this again.. Would this be the part? http://www.dakotadigital.com/index.c...rod/prd109.htm

SEN-01-700 - VSS speed leads for GM electric speed sensor in most 700R4 transmissions

 

Let me dig out my old VSS and get it together with the yellow box for a pic...

What I can say right now is that the Dakota part replaces the cable adapter with another one with the VSS attached (it's essentially the thing on the back of the speedometer designed to mount to the transmission), so you still have a cable adapter you don't need.

 

Yeah please do get a picture of it... Or sell it to me ..

 

I hope you're gonna keep that car until it goes to the dump, because nobody else will ever want to touch it.

 

I was unaware that I asked for your opinion on the car.

 

You did that by posting on a forum.

 

Yeah... I realize that posting it in the public I will get some unwanted things.. But I posted a question, he said nothing to do with it, and only critisized.. It wasn't needed.

OT: yeah..

 

Ahh, a Puritan. Do you have pimp shoes to wear when driving your factory stock as God built it car too?

There are many members on these boards who have done things to their cars that I can't for the life of me figure out just WHY they'd want to do that? But I generally just let them do what they want to their own car.

The OP is looking for technical help with a mod. Not a should he / should he not answer. If you've nothing to add thats constructive then you should go back under your bridge.


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To the OP, the only way to make the newer clusters work with your cable driven speedo is to use a Cable Driven VSS such as Dakota Digital makes. I have however read of several users having issues with this method, mostly in relation to reliability.

It may be possible to swap your cable driven unit with a thirdgen VSS, I can't remember if its just a plug and play operation there. But if you do, you will still need a Dakota Digital SGI-5 to alter the signal to something the 4th gen dash can understand.

 

Thank you very much. I think I have linked to the VSS from Dakota Digital that I need and I have seen the SGI-5.. Know any specific part #'s?

 

OK, I'm kinda confused here. I have an '86 bird V-6, mech speedo and idiot lights. I bought a gauge cluster from , I think, an'89. The speedo isn't mechanical. Do I have to go thru all this trouble to swap the cluster? I think I might just replace the mech speedo into the '89 cluster which to me isn't really desirable since the background and print are slightly different. Does anyone know if I have to replace sending units for the gauges to work, or can I just plug the new cluster into the car? I already have 2 oil pressure sending units on the engine, and I'm guessing the gas gauge isn't a problem. But what about temp, and amps? What, if any, special wiring hookups do I need to do to get the tach to work?

 

Actually I don't have anything constructive to add other than I would like to see some before and after photos of the dash as I find these swaps very interesting.

 

I'm debating swapping a 94 dash into my sons 82 carbed car. Is there anything crazi I should know about before attempting this?