Putting stock gauges in from an SS when you have just lights

[Anonymous]

Ok, I'm sure it was covered before, but I couldn't find it in a search.

I have idiot lights in my 83 Malibu and I want to get some Monte SS gauges... but my girlfriend's dad has an 82 El Camino he did the same to... and he can't get them to work.

Do I just need to change the sending units on the motor? Or is it more than that?

 

[ready961]

You will have to pop the contactors out of the connector and rearrange them.

 

[Anonymous]

Any more info on this?

 

[Anonymous]

Check out the "Tech" links.

http://www.maliburacing.com/gauge_conversion.html

 

[wiseman79]

http://tech.oldsgmail.com/eint_rallye_swap.html

 

[Anonymous]

Great thanks! Now long as I can figure out what they are talking about in the first link... :lol:

 

[Anonymous]

Ok, got some gauges from an El Camino at the junk yard... but they are wicked gross. I cleaned them up, but the gauge faces have some rust. I think I can get the white gauge stickers for them, so that should be fine.

Now... since I have a maroon interior, and this cluster is grey, can I just take the gauges themselves out and snap them in my cluster? Or do I need the surround too due to the different connections??

 

[ready961]

Do you have the idiot lights where the gauge are on the new cluster? If so the pods themselfs are actually different, so you will not be able to use the old pod with the new gauges. Just use some of the interior spray paint on the new pod. It works real well.

 

[Anonymous]

Yah, I have the lights. Kinda figured that.

The contacts on these gauges are sorta rusty... not sure if I trust them.

And I still am not sure what wires to switch and where!

If you're bored some time... and want to show me that sweet ride... and come help with some gauges... let me know

 

[wiseman79]

You can bench test alot of the funstions of the circuits. I did it with a multimeter. I also swapped all the dash bulbs with new, brighter ones since it was easy while it was out. Don't go too high on the bulbs or the heat will burn em out. Worth the effort before you get it all back together and something doesn't work.