Cluster Swap

[79loserbluebu]

Hey all, picked up an 87' Monte LS cluster with speedo, fuel gauge, three dummy lights and the MC logo in the tach's spot. I switched all the pins around for the connector on the back side, but I'm only getting the seatbelt light and the turn signals, but I'm not getting the choke, voltmeter, oil pressure, or coolant temp lights to come on. I followed the pin layouts listed in the tech section here and everything's right. It said to leave the brown wire out and that one is listed as "ALT LIGHT." So I'm assuming that with the cluster I have, you will need the two wires that the how-to said to take out? I'm supposed to be getting a speedo cluster with gauges soon but I'd at least like to figure this out in the meantime so I can drive the car.

Thanks

 

[79loserbluebu]

And I did forget to say, I DO have a set of aftermarket mechanical gauges for volts, oil pressure, and coolant temperature. But I do realize that since the two sending units are gone that's probably why the two lights don't come on. But I'm still stuck on the alternator and choke lights.

 

[O. D. Showtime]

It sounds to me like you went from idiot lights to idiot lights?...not sure you had to change anything right now. I think I would have waited until you do the gauge swap to switch the pin outs around. Just my thoughts.

 

[79loserbluebu]

Yeah went from 79 Malibu to 87 Monte idiot lights, the printout on the back of the clusters didn't match up so I assumed I had to switch them. Was I even supposed to? Maybe that could be my whole problem.

 

[Doober]

Are both clusters the same layout? Or was one a wide speedo and the other a round gauge-type setup? The pinout is different between those two, but I also believe it would be the same if it was just idiot lights. If you have mechanical gauges I wouldn't be concerned about it, because there shouldn't be a connection. Another option would be to pick up just the center 4 gauges and a tach for the cluster housing you already have, and put in the correct sending units. Do be sure you're getting a switched 12v at the alternator though, I wasn't getting it because the circuit going through the 'alt/choke' light wasn't complete, so I hooked up a separate wire I knew would work, haven't had a problem since.

 

[79loserbluebu]

Awesome that did help out. Yes I went from a long speedo to the circle one. I just wanted to toss the cluster in there because to me it would make sense that the round speedo clusters regardless of the accessory gauges or idiot lights would be the same. When we got the car the alternator wouldn't charge because the voltage regulator wire at the alt was broken at some spot. So I think I'm definately going to check out the wiring for the choke light and voltmeter. I'm suspposed to be picking up an MCSS cluster soon but just in case the deal fell through I wanted to drive the car. Speedo should work though so honestly there's no real huge loss.

Thanks again for all the help.

 

[O. D. Showtime]

The round speedo clusters are not the same for idiot lights and guages...

Here's a pic of one with idiot lights...note the lack of connections for the gauges..the only ones there are for the gas gauge

Here's a cluster housing from a full guage car..you can see all the connections required for the 4 center gauges

 

[Doober]

I didn't realize they had lights there, I thought they were all off to the side. The printed circuit I got for my cluster was off of a cluster with the round gauge-type setup, but it just had fillers/blanks where the oil/water/volt gauges would be :-k

Now I see how those are though.

The ones I saw didn't have lights in them.

 

[79loserbluebu]

Oh wow the center 3 blank gauges don't even light up then? Hmm this is a little more tricky than I thought. We did start the car and one light went on and then off, assuming it's the seat belt light but we didn't have the outer bezel for the cluster on so maybe I'll have to hold it up in the light to take another look. I really wish I took a picture of the cluster connector on the Monte dash and compared it to the Malibu one before I took both of them apart ](*,)

 

[Doober]

I don't know about yours, take a closer look at them. Looks like you will need a different housing for the actual gauges though, unless you go aftermarket and wire everything separate.