Gauge Cluster issue?

[syn-]

Ok, so I didn't want to pay 30 for a worm gear. So I bought the cluster out of a 02 sport trac. now everything is great and fine as far as working. Except the temp gauge, I reset it down to cool after I let the truck cool down all the way. Yet it climbs right back up toward the top and then pegs (check gauge comes on) and then it will dance between little more than 3 quarters and hot (check gauge light engages). Now I did the swap as careful as I could, and only swapped the outer plastic. What have I overlooked? Please note the truck was running at half to under half at idle with the old cluster.

 

[Dan Whitaker]

Did you replace the '96 Gauge with the '02 gauge?

If you did that is your problem. I know first hand as my speedometer went bad. I put a complete gauge cluster in from a 95 and it stayed on L.

Through out the years Ford changed resistance on the gauges.

 

[syn-]

yep, any way to fix this issue? I have seen the same cluster in a 97 and there were no reports of problems. I really like the display.

 

[Dan Whitaker]

yep, any way to fix this issue? I have seen the same cluster in a 97 and there were no reports of problems. I really like the display.

You will need to remove the '02 temp gauge and replace it with the '96 temp gauge.

Did you use the '02 housing or the '96 housing? If you used the '02 housing you will need to pull the gauges out of the '02 and put them in the '96. The circuit board on the back is different as well.

1996 & 1997 clusters should be a direct swap. 1995 is specific to that year only. As far as 1998-2002 I don't know if they all interchange or not.

You can always do like I did and put in an Autometer temp gauge

 

[syn-]

So, if I got this straight, swap in the temp from the 96 into the 02 housing? Everything else looks to be ok for now, any thing else you think I should address ahead whilst it is out?

 

[Dan Whitaker]

So, if I got this straight, swap in the temp from the 96 into the 02 housing? Everything else looks to be ok for now, any thing else you think I should address ahead whilst it is out?

By the housing I mean the white plastic piece that the gauges go into. There are different amounts of resistors in different locations on different years in the circuit board.

You can also remove & switch the temp gauge from the face plate and it should work.

 

[gijoecam]

Could you swap the sending unit? Not likely, now that I think about it... the '02 Trac would have the SOHC motor in it, which would use a plug-in/o-ring sending unit in a different housing than your OHV motor uses... Nevermind... {lurk}

 

[Dan Whitaker]

Syn

I'll get some pics up tonight of the 1995 & 1997 gauge clusters so you can see the differences I'm talking about.

 

[syn-]

what about swaping the circuit board that is over the temp sensor? I noticed it slides out and the sport trac and the 96 look different, there is a bigger cap on the 96. opposed to no cap on the sport trac

 

[Joe Dirt]

I put the '95 specific gauges into the '02 cluster I installed. Pulled the gauge with resistor on the cap off the '02 and put them into the '95. One gauge (I think the volts) I had to use the '02 gauge, but I had to reset the needle to the middle when I started the truck, as the '95 gauge has a smaller shaft that the needle slides onto so it wouldn't work with the '02 needles, and I didn't want the white needles on the white face.

You will have to relocate some of the idiot light wiring, door ajar on the old one is "check fuel cap" on the new one if it bugs you and stuff like that. Also the check engine light is in a different location, that one's kind of important...

It does work, this is in Snowball: (yes, I need to clean this weekend!)

 

[Dan Whitaker]

On the 1995 & 1996 the check cap is where the check engine light is on my 1997.

You would have thought Ford would have left all the warning lights in the same place instead of playing musical chairs with them.

 

[BrianDye]

That looks good joe...How hard was it to swap? I have a 95 too...

 

[syn-]

alright so I swapped the circuit board that is on the top left behind the temp and it didn't work, I swapped everything into the old 96 cluster housing, voltage went screwy so I took it apart again, took the actual motor and temp electronics and motor out of the 96 and put in the 02. Now it is raining so I ambit stuck, but once it stops I plan to put it back in and hope that this solves the issue. My fuel and oil seem to be working just fine and voltage did read ok before swap into the 96 housing so my hopes are strong after swaping the motor from the back of the 96.

 

[syn-]

... ok not sure what happend here. I swapped in it in, I was careful and the temp gauge seems to not even work now. could it be the orange needle being too heavy or did I push the needle in too far?

 

[syn-]

Ok, so it was the needle causing it to look like it wasn't working. How do I repin the check engine light?

 

[Joe Dirt]

You need to trace the circuit board/ribbon to the new light, trace the one on your CE light, and pop/replace the wires in the harness so they illuminate the new bulb. That's how I did it on my old cluster...

 

[Joe Dirt]

This was the info I put onto the other post...

They will work on a '95, but2isses- the gauges light up green. Didn't matter for me because I already swapped everything to green in my Ex, didn't like the blue. Second, you will have to modify some of your gauges- some of the gauges on your cluster have resistors on the back, and if not swapped, will peg as gmac said. The voltage gauge is totally different, and uses a different needle. The new orange needle will not fit on the '95 gauge, so you'll have to make do. I just recentered mine for when the car is running, I wanted the orange needles, was too hard to see the white on white for my tastes. IIRC I had to swap my fuel and temp gauges with my '95 cluster and use the needles for the '01 on them. I also used the back of my '95 Cluster with the entire pop out gauge clusters so the lighting would work right. Some of the idiot lights will not line up- I had to repin my CEL, and the door ajar has to be done yet- the 'check fuel cap' light illuminates right now with an open door. But- I love it- looks good, and so much easier to read.

then due to dim lighting:

Al (and others) did you use the backing housing from your old cluster or the new one? Mine is very bright- just as it is in the pics... I think the clear plastic that the gauge faces mount on was different on the '95 and the '01- because the clear diffusers have to carry the light differently to the gauges maybe? I used the rear backing housing (casing) from the '95 and the white faces and clear things that they stick onto from the '01. May be something different in how the lights work and carry through.

I found my cluster at the junkyard...

The cluster wiring and light locations are different, you have to repin some of the wires- you'll have to look at the old cluster and see where the wire tape meets the connector, and relocate those wires to the new cluster locations.

Dig in! You'll love it...

 

[syn-]

Joe appreciate the info. Thinking about doing a full write up for those who want to but run into the same problems I did.

 

[syn-]

joe, you wouldn't happen to remember what pin it was? my eyes are starting to hurt tracing the one on the 96 cluster. I think it is 13, but I am unsure. Even if you remember the color? or wouldn't mind taking a look (I know it is a lot to ask to take apart the dash.) I have written down what I think is on each, but 12 - 14 is a guessing game.

 

[syn-]

96 CEL = Pink / Green wire on Black (bottom) connector.
Now all I need to do is figure out where it goes on the 02, tried tracing it on the 96 wiring diagram and couldn't find the one labeled for the fuel cap. Though I did go out start the truck and have the cap out the check engine light didn't go off, so I am beginning to think that may not be the correct connect point to swap. Will continue to press on till I get it, please if you remember where or what you swapped it with let me know! this is driving me mad, I could care less about the rest.. well maybe the fuel reset. but I am working on the repins for that.