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Topic: Base Instrument cluster swap to. Turbo cluster (Read 3518 times) previous topic - next topic

Base Instrument cluster swap to. Turbo cluster

Any help with wireing and or videos?

Base Instrument cluster swap to. Turbo cluster

Reply #1 –
http://www.coolcats.net/

That page should have the info you need. You'll have to change some sending units, and more, also, not sure if the tach is set up for anything other than a 4 cyl. engine. I really can't say one way or another on that.
'88 Sport--T-5,MGW shifter,Trick Flow R intake,Ed Curtis cam,Trick Flow heads,Scorpion rockers,75mm Accufab t-body,3G,mini starter,Taurus fan,BBK long tube headers,O/R H-Pipe, Flowamaster Super 44's, deep and deeper Cobra R wheels, Mass Air and 24's,8.8 with 3.73's,140 mph speedo,Mach 1 chin spoiler,SN-95 springs,CHE control arms,aluminum drive shaft and a lot more..

Base Instrument cluster swap to. Turbo cluster

Reply #2 –
Yup, specifically this link
http://www.coolcats.net/general/cluster.html

From what I remember, I beleive the base to buttstuffog is the easiest swap. Let us know how it goes. If you have any questions or hit a snag let us know. Lots of people way smarter then me on here.
Quote from: jcassity
I honestly dont think you could exceed the cost of a new car buy installing new *stock* parts everywhere in your coug our tbird. Its just plain impossible. You could revamp the entire drivetrain/engine/suspenstion and still come out ahead.
Hooligans! 
1988 Crown Vic wagon. 120K California car. Wifes grocery getter. (junked)
1987 Ford Thunderbird LX. 5.0. s.o., sn-95 t-5 and an f-150 clutch. Driven daily and going strong.
1986 cougar.
lilsammywasapunkrocker@yahoo.com

Base Instrument cluster swap to. Turbo cluster

Reply #3 –
I'm still waiting for a base to full electronic swap with milage change... ;)
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***** Project "EVOLUTION" 1987 Cougar LS  & 1985 Cougar Convertible *****
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5.0 HO 306 roller block, machined GT-40P heads, Wiseco dished forged pistons, Eagle forged floating I-beam connecting rods, Lunati pushrods, ARP bolts, Scorpion aluminum 1.6 rockers, Comp Cams Magnum 266HR, Explorer intake, 65mm TB, MAF Conversion, 19# injectors, Ford Racing stainless P-headers, 2-1/2" cat-less exhaust w/ Flowtech Afterburner lers , SC AOD with 2800 BDR torque converter, 3.73 T-Lok rear, CHE rear control arms, full 2-1/2" frame w/1" jacking rails & seat supports, Rear disk brakes, Turbine wheels, All original interior w/ floor shift upgrade .......
Pretty much every panel on my 87 is new, rebuilt, or re constructed. :D
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Base Instrument cluster swap to. Turbo cluster

Reply #4 –
The tachs are engine specific but It's only necessary to change one resistor to re-cal the half motor tach for V8 usage...

Note this applies to '87(maybe)& '88, AFAIK earlier units cannot be recalibrated...

Base Instrument cluster swap to. Turbo cluster

Reply #5 –
Quote from: daminc;453935
I'm still waiting for a base to full electronic swap with milage change... ;)

That would be nice!, I've been avoiding doing mine.
Old Grey Cat to this.88 Cat, 5.0 HO, CW mounts, mass air, CI custom cam, afr165's, Tmoss worked cobra intake, BBK shorty's,off road h pipe, magnaflow ex. T-5,spec stage 2 clutch, 8.8 373 TC trac loc, che ajustables with bullits on the rear. 11" brakes up front. +

Base Instrument cluster swap to. Turbo cluster

Reply #6 –
Thanks guys I will let you know how it goes.

Base Instrument cluster swap to. Turbo cluster

Reply #7 –
What part of Washington you from??


86' T/C 4.6L DOHC
16' Chebby Cruze 1.4L Turbo
17’ Peterbilt 389 600hp 1850ftlb Trq 18spd

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“Heavy Metal Mistress”
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Hey guys update on instrument cluster wiring.

Reply #8 –
I got all the wires lengthened and match. Everything seems to work except for the alternator gauge and the tach the alternator signal wire seems different on the base that  the turbo cluster . I'm stuck.

Base Instrument cluster swap to. Turbo cluster

Reply #9 –
The alt meter is actually a pretty useless amp guage. Essentially a shunt which all the current for the entire car has to run through in order to get a not very accurate reading

Jcassity I believe has a write up on how to modify it into a much more use able volts guage.

The tach wire will have to be spliced into the coil wire, shouldn't take much to figure out there. It will read too high if it is a 4 hanger cluster, but adding a resistor or two should also straighten that out pretty easily.
Quote from: jcassity
I honestly dont think you could exceed the cost of a new car buy installing new *stock* parts everywhere in your coug our tbird. Its just plain impossible. You could revamp the entire drivetrain/engine/suspenstion and still come out ahead.
Hooligans! 
1988 Crown Vic wagon. 120K California car. Wifes grocery getter. (junked)
1987 Ford Thunderbird LX. 5.0. s.o., sn-95 t-5 and an f-150 clutch. Driven daily and going strong.
1986 cougar.
lilsammywasapunkrocker@yahoo.com

Base Instrument cluster swap to. Turbo cluster

Reply #10 –
The alt meter is actually a pretty useless amp guage. Essentially a shunt which all the current for the entire car has to run through in order to get a not very accurate reading

Jcassity I believe has a write up on how to modify it into a much more use able volts guage.

The tach wire will have to be spliced into the coil wire, shouldn't take much to figure out there. It will read too high if it is a 4 hanger cluster, but adding a resistor or two should also straighten that out pretty easily.

Here is the tach "conversion"http://www.coolcats.net/modifying/4to8tach.html

Run the wire for the coil first and see if it moves before worrying any about calibration.
Quote from: jcassity
I honestly dont think you could exceed the cost of a new car buy installing new *stock* parts everywhere in your coug our tbird. Its just plain impossible. You could revamp the entire drivetrain/engine/suspenstion and still come out ahead.
Hooligans! 
1988 Crown Vic wagon. 120K California car. Wifes grocery getter. (junked)
1987 Ford Thunderbird LX. 5.0. s.o., sn-95 t-5 and an f-150 clutch. Driven daily and going strong.
1986 cougar.
lilsammywasapunkrocker@yahoo.com

Base Instrument cluster swap to. Turbo cluster

Reply #11 –
Quote from: Haystack;454120
The alt meter is actually a pretty useless amp guage. Essentially a shunt which all the current for the entire car has to run through in order to get a not very accurate reading
.
Yeah you can forget the ammeter, they won't work anyway because the internal magnet around the movement has been dead in all but one I've seen... I did "recharge" the magnet on one and it worked, for about a week, POS gauge...