Congrats turbo.... did you have a tach before?

Also... scully, what about if I get a cluster w/ a tach, swap out that board... would I be able to hook up the tach like a normal tach (run the wiring to the ignition)? Thanks for the great information
-Doug

 

Doug0716,

The part that runs the gauge is in the HEC, at least that is what Jeff posted some time back. Check his posting under the screen name kid trition

 

I want to hear an answer to the question doug asked.

Did turbo's truck have a tach before or not?

 

my truck already had a tach. I do have my old cluster lying in my garage. If anyone lives around atlantic city I would lend it out so they can try a swap out with the non tach model. Mike

 

So it's still not so clear then if a truck like my '99 that has a digital odometer, originally without a tach, will work with a cluster that does have one.

The brain is there to make the digital tach work with my '99, but I haven't heard -for sure- that a cluster swap will work with the later, digital odo type trucks.

 

i'm late..but care to elaborate..i was going to try the pcb swap from XL truck to an XLT cluster...

 

I asked the ford guys when i went to get my oil changed. They told me the best thing to do is take everything off as if i were going to swap it. Then bring it in and let them take it out and put the new one in and program it. It'll cost me 75 bux. But then when i got to thinking that a lot of money just for a tach. With the cost of the cluster then 75 bux.

 

I've been wanting to do this to my '99 XL for a while, but being the cautious type, I don't really want to buy the tach cluster until I know the swap will work without a bunch of unseen issues (PATS, Odo reading). If anyone has done the non-tach to tach switch sucessfully, please post.

I looked a long time to find a XL 4X4 in good shape. IMO, XL's are the best as you get a quality Ford truck w/o all the troublesome, expensive, heavy, etc. electronic accesories. I wish they came w/ tach's however, as my old ears sometimes have problems hearing the motor when offroad.

 

I have a 98 F-150 w/o PATS and an analog readout and I found a cluster from an 98 XLT with a tach and plan to do a simple swapout this weekend once my replacement 194 bulbs come in.

 

I've done this swap but on the older 97-98 analog odometer gauges. I've got a complete how-to with pics on doing this so if anyone wants it just PM me.

 

Just want to throw in that you cannot use a digital ODO cluster (99 up)in place of the analog cluster (97-98). The digital ODO clusters do not signal each cluster function with an individual "dedicated" wire...they use an SCP data bus that carries info such as Tach, MIL light, coolant temp, oil pres, 4x4 low etc. Dont even try...unless you want to change your PCM which drives the SCP databus