Yesterday, in a local wrecking yard, I literally ripped a 1984 Speedo/Tach cluster from a car. The dash pad was off this car & I cracked the plastic like a Ritz cracker, it was so sun damaged. I cut the wire harness with a piece of glass I found on the ground.
On the way out, I found, loose, in the back hatch of another Firebird, the perfect 4 hole dash cover.
I didn't even have to use the two tools I brought into the yard. Which were only a phillips head & regular screwdriver.

Paid $20 for both!

NOW...the problem. My 1985 dash is the V-8 one, but the gauge face type font (type style) is better looking than the 1984 one.
I can swap the tach circuit boards, easy, three 1/4" nuts.
BUT, the V-8 oil gauge only goes to 60 lbs, not 80.
I can swap the back of the oil gauges (must drill thru rivets), but, do I need to?
Will I have a problem with the proper sending unit (that is a 0-80 oil pressure sensor for our 2.8/3.1/3.4) sending information to a 0-60 pressure gauge?

Thanks!

Oh, I destroyed a Camaro gauge cluster getting the 6 cylinder tach from it. There were over 20 other Camaros in the yard. A couple of t- tops, too!
This yard is having a 1/2 price day sale soon & I want the fender, rear bumper & front bumper cover I saw, too! Should run me about $50 for all stuff I want.

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Chat Soon,
KED85
Karl
1985 Firebird 2.8 to 3.4 swap project for Smog Happy LA, CA

 

I know little to nothing about gauges, but it seems to me that GM, being the cheapest of the big 3 (and possibly why they're the most profitable), I doubt they changed the sending unit at all for the oil pressure gauge, so try just hooking it up and see what happens. as for the font used, can you just switch the faces on those? If not, order MacEwan's so they all match.

-Reno

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'88 Firebird LB8
"Cerberus"
http://www.angelfire.com/il/Firebird28/index.html

 

Hey, thanks Reno
The faces of 3 of the 4 gauges are riveted on. Speedo is not, it's screwed on.
I can break the rivets from behind and not destroy the face of the gauges.
Then screw them back, but that's an awful lot of work.
I'm hoping I should not have a problem, just that the guage may be pegged sometimes and then drop down to 40 range, as it does in my S-10 Blazer engine gauge package oil gauge.
It never hurts to get a second opinion.
I put out alot of work for this engine, don't want to loose it because of a silly oil pressure gauge.

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Chat Soon,
KED85
Karl
1985 Firebird 2.8 to 3.4 swap project for Smog Happy LA, CA

 

I think you're right, the V6 sender would peg the V8 gauge. You have a GM service manual, right? Does it list the differences in resistance ranges between the v8 and v6 sending units?

I checked out carparts.com (on the idea of Reno), no, GM used different part #'s between v6 and v8. This probably means that the "correct" 60 PSI V8 sending unit won't screw into the 3.4 block. However, maybe an adapter could be bought (or made w/taps & dies) to have V6 threads on one side, and a V8 hole on the other??

Ah- hey- you used the original 2.8 oil-pressure idiot-light "switch" on the 3.4 block? What were the part #'s between a '94 3.4 oil pressure "sender" and a '94 5.0 oil pressure sender? Are they the same (same threads)?


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-Tom P (Hot rodded 1986 Firebird 2.8l) from http://www.f-body.net/mailbag/3rd/3rd_mailbag.html message boards
---Think your car could be pic of the week? Visit http://www.f-body.net for details!

 

Tom, YOU ARE ONE SMART FELLA!
I'll check.
I may end up just drilling rivets for this electric receiving unit in back of the 0-60 gauge & swap in the guts for the 0-80. Then, I know it'll be okay.
May be easiest way around this.

THANKS EVERYONE!!

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Chat Soon,
KED85
Karl
1985 Firebird 2.8 to 3.4 swap project for Smog Happy LA, CA

 

hey karl, did you go to the yard in Sunland??? they're having 50% off on march 17th. i'm gonna pick up a tranny for FIFTEEN DOLLARS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WOOOOHOOOOO. (crap, i hope nobody snaggs it before me)



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Dan
1990 3.1L RS
80 Series Flowmaster
It's fast(er than a 3 cyl metro)

 

Yep.
Better not take the stuff I want!!!
I wish I could grab stuff I want now & stash it somewhere & walk back in & just go on that day.
You'll see me with the Flat Black Radio Flyer wagon full of body parts.

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Chat Soon,
KED85
Karl
1985 Firebird 2.8 to 3.4 swap project for Smog Happy LA, CA

 

crap, i just realized the 17th is a saturday.....karl, do you know if the sale is just the 17th or is it the whole weekend???

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Dan
1990 3.1L RS
80 Series Flowmaster
It's fast(er than a 3 cyl metro)

 

I recall reading it only being one day.
Give a call, tho

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Chat Soon,
KED85
Karl
1985 Firebird 2.8 to 3.4 swap project for Smog Happy LA, CA

 

KED, how'd it go? Did you get to it yet?


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-Tom P (Hot rodded 1986 Firebird 2.8l) from http://www.f-body.net/mailbag/3rd/3rd_mailbag.html message boards
---Think your car could be pic of the week? Visit http://www.f-body.net for details!

 

Son on lap
tried to post reply last nite but wouldn't take
1/2 is one day only
3/17
my work on gauge down to just oil gauge drill out rivets & j b weld back together. then doctor up numbers on front.
then rip sensor off my truck swap & do wire swaps on back plug in
but not w/5 month old son on lap

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Chat Soon,
KED85
Karl
1985 Firebird 2.8 to 3.4 swap project for Smog Happy LA, CA

 

The oil pressure sensor on the block on my 1985 S-10 Blazer is identical to what they offer at parts store for $23.
That's what I'm gonna use, my truck one.
Soon to swap guts of oil pressure gauge for the dash package, then fix wiring.
You're right, Tom, it's one wire to oil pressure sensor for the light in the dash (current set up on my Firebird).

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Chat Soon,
KED85
Karl
1985 Firebird 2.8 to 3.4 swap project for Smog Happy LA, CA