Trance's Cluster swap cluster ----
12-27-2004, 10:40 PM
#1
3.0 BAR
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 5,282
Trance's Cluster swap cluster ----
Well guy's I finally got to do a little bit of "HMT" work on my Ef this weekend. It's the STD "El-cheapo" version with absolutely no nut and absolutely nothing else 
I needed a tach so I decided to pick up a guage cluster from an Si. Little did I know that it was an 89 and they aren't quite just a quick plug in and go deal. So, I'm going to try my best to show how I got the older style to work in the 90-91 year.
We start out with the origional guage cluster. Notice there is no tach? I got so annoyed driving a manual tranny with no tach.
[IMG width=550 height=425]http://img76.exs.cx/img76/2135/010100033kj.jpg[/IMG]
Oh yeah, Incase you can't see the mileage on this puppy... Hahaha, over 200K and still going.
[img width=550 height=425]http://img148.exs.cx/img148/1716/010100076rr.jpg[/img]
What am I putting in place of this? Here's the replacement 89 Cluster.
[IMG width=550 height=425]http://img138.exs.cx/img138/3561/010100048hh.jpg[/IMG]
Oh yeah, gotta show you the mileage on this one. Read it and weap 
[img width=550 height=425]http://img153.exs.cx/img153/7158/010100085ns.jpg[/img]
Now, whats so different about them? Just about everything
The shape is more square, the guage placement is different which also means wiring is different. The cluster cover is also different.
[IMG width=550 height=425]http://img138.exs.cx/img138/1710/010100057om.jpg[/IMG]
Ok, first off heres what you've got to work with if your going to do this swap. Basically 2 main plugs and a speedometer cable.
[IMG width=550 height=425]http://img138.exs.cx/img138/1939/010100176zp.jpg[/IMG]
Here's a quick shot of Plug "A". It's got 7 wires on it.
[img width=550 height=425]http://img156.exs.cx/img156/5681/010100216pw.jpg[/img]
Heres a quick shot of Plug "B". It's got 12 wires running to it. These are the plugs we'll be working with.
[IMG width=550 height=425]http://img138.exs.cx/img138/6695/010100203zv.jpg[/IMG]
Now, at the bottom of this page I'll post the pinouts, but your going to need to swap quite a few wires to get this bad boy to work. De pining the wires from the plug is the easiest, quickest, and cleanest way to do this.
[IMG width=550 height=425]http://img138.exs.cx/img138/148/010100226xu.jpg[/IMG]
If you've never de pinned anything before it's really easy. Just a basic sewing pin or needle will work great. Theres a little tab inside the slot of the plug the wire fits in. You just push that up with your needle, and use slight force with the other hand to pull the wire out of it's socket. There will be a few wires that the new "older" style Si cluster does not use so don't panic. Just put some electrical tape over the ends so you don't get confused and to prevent any shorting.
[IMG width=550 height=425]http://img59.exs.cx/img59/2880/010100234rq.jpg[/IMG]
Theres also going to be 2 wires needing to be extended to reach the cluster. But when your done, and you know it all works, tape it all up and keep everything as neat as you can. This will save any headaches in the future if a wire comes loose or you need to take the dash appart again.
[IMG width=550 height=425]http://img51.exs.cx/img51/8416/010100194hd.jpg[/IMG]
Plug it in and turn on the ignition. "All systems go!". It's good to check this and make sure you've got all your functions before you finish taping etc.
[IMG width=550 height=425]http://img143.exs.cx/img143/2646/010100240kn.jpg[/IMG]
Alright, now if everything works your ready to put it back together. The cluster fits fine in the 90-91 brackets using 2 screws to hold it in. It's not going anywhere
Also, alot of people say to use the 88-89 style Cluster cover too. I found that the 90-91's fit just fine. There is a slight gap at the top, but you don't even notice it. Heres the final product.
[img width=550 height=425]http://img138.exs.cx/img138/5328/010100269fc.jpg[/img]
Another shot of the 91 cluster cover from the side. I know, I need to clean my dusty *** car :P
[IMG width=550 height=425]http://img143.exs.cx/img143/3366/010100273kt.jpg[/img]
Here I am testing out that new 7000 RPM goodness.
[IMG width=550 height=425]http://img91.exs.cx/img91/4158/010100288tf.jpg[/IMG]
I also took a few shots of the Ef so you guy's can see the other "little beast" I've got. This is my everyday car, but it's slowly becoming a daily driver project car too
[IMG width=550 height=425]http://img92.exs.cx/img92/4927/010100294le.jpg[/IMG]
This was the first "full" car I've ever painted myself. It didn't come out half bad. Before the bumpers were black the mirror was black the handles I beleuve were black. I tried to give it that Si look My favorite pic of the car.
[IMG width=550 height=425]http://img95.exs.cx/img95/2217/010100325xl.jpg[/IMG]
Now for the pinouts... This was the bitch part for me because I origionally was using this sites pinouts to compare. http://www.angelfire.com/ca/DrOhm/SiRcluster.html
I wired this up twice and went through everything I could think of. But none of their pinouts worked. So I had to do it the hard way and trace the circuit board on the back of the cluster to find where every pin/function went.
[IMG width=550 height=425]http://img94.exs.cx/img94/4912/010100023dj.jpg[/IMG]
Here's what I came up with and everything works great for me. Only thing I havn't been able to trace yet was the high beam indicator light. I found the power source and ground wires but it's still not working. The bulb was replaced with a new one also, so I guess it's just something I'll have to live with. Also, I'll try and draw up a diagram to show the plugs and pinouts, sort of like an AFC manual does. It might be easier for some people.
Plug A: 8 Wires Plug B 12 wires
1. Grn/Yel- R turn sig. 1.Yel/grn- Coolant temp.
2 Grn/Blk- Open hatch 2 Blue- Tach signal
3 Red/blu- High beam 3 Wht/Blu- Batt. light
4 Blue/Red- Seat belt light 4 EMPTY
5 Grn/Red- Ebrake 5 EMPTY
6 EMPTY 6 Red-Guage lights
7 Yel/red- VSP (not used) 7 Red/Blk-Dimmer switch
8 Blk- Ground 8 Grn/Org-CEL
9 Yel/Red- Oil light
10 Yel/Wht- Fuel
11 Blk/Yel-+12v. switched
12 Grn/Blu- L-turn signal
If your holding the plug with the wires facing away from you and the little clip tab at the top, Pin 1 is on your left and pin 8 or 12 is on your right.
I needed a tach so I decided to pick up a guage cluster from an Si. Little did I know that it was an 89 and they aren't quite just a quick plug in and go deal. So, I'm going to try my best to show how I got the older style to work in the 90-91 year. We start out with the origional guage cluster. Notice there is no tach? I got so annoyed driving a manual tranny with no tach.
[IMG width=550 height=425]http://img76.exs.cx/img76/2135/010100033kj.jpg[/IMG]
Oh yeah, Incase you can't see the mileage on this puppy... Hahaha, over 200K and still going.
[img width=550 height=425]http://img148.exs.cx/img148/1716/010100076rr.jpg[/img]
What am I putting in place of this? Here's the replacement 89 Cluster.
[IMG width=550 height=425]http://img138.exs.cx/img138/3561/010100048hh.jpg[/IMG]
Oh yeah, gotta show you the mileage on this one.
Read it and weap [img width=550 height=425]http://img153.exs.cx/img153/7158/010100085ns.jpg[/img]
Now, whats so different about them? Just about everything
The shape is more square, the guage placement is different which also means wiring is different. The cluster cover is also different.[IMG width=550 height=425]http://img138.exs.cx/img138/1710/010100057om.jpg[/IMG]
Ok, first off heres what you've got to work with if your going to do this swap. Basically 2 main plugs and a speedometer cable.
[IMG width=550 height=425]http://img138.exs.cx/img138/1939/010100176zp.jpg[/IMG]
Here's a quick shot of Plug "A". It's got 7 wires on it.
[img width=550 height=425]http://img156.exs.cx/img156/5681/010100216pw.jpg[/img]
Heres a quick shot of Plug "B". It's got 12 wires running to it. These are the plugs we'll be working with.
[IMG width=550 height=425]http://img138.exs.cx/img138/6695/010100203zv.jpg[/IMG]
Now, at the bottom of this page I'll post the pinouts, but your going to need to swap quite a few wires to get this bad boy to work. De pining the wires from the plug is the easiest, quickest, and cleanest way to do this.
[IMG width=550 height=425]http://img138.exs.cx/img138/148/010100226xu.jpg[/IMG]
If you've never de pinned anything before it's really easy. Just a basic sewing pin or needle will work great. Theres a little tab inside the slot of the plug the wire fits in. You just push that up with your needle, and use slight force with the other hand to pull the wire out of it's socket. There will be a few wires that the new "older" style Si cluster does not use so don't panic. Just put some electrical tape over the ends so you don't get confused and to prevent any shorting.
[IMG width=550 height=425]http://img59.exs.cx/img59/2880/010100234rq.jpg[/IMG]
Theres also going to be 2 wires needing to be extended to reach the cluster. But when your done, and you know it all works, tape it all up and keep everything as neat as you can. This will save any headaches in the future if a wire comes loose or you need to take the dash appart again.
[IMG width=550 height=425]http://img51.exs.cx/img51/8416/010100194hd.jpg[/IMG]
Plug it in and turn on the ignition. "All systems go!". It's good to check this and make sure you've got all your functions before you finish taping etc.
[IMG width=550 height=425]http://img143.exs.cx/img143/2646/010100240kn.jpg[/IMG]
Alright, now if everything works your ready to put it back together. The cluster fits fine in the 90-91 brackets using 2 screws to hold it in. It's not going anywhere
Also, alot of people say to use the 88-89 style Cluster cover too. I found that the 90-91's fit just fine. There is a slight gap at the top, but you don't even notice it. Heres the final product.[img width=550 height=425]http://img138.exs.cx/img138/5328/010100269fc.jpg[/img]
Another shot of the 91 cluster cover from the side. I know, I need to clean my dusty *** car :P
[IMG width=550 height=425]http://img143.exs.cx/img143/3366/010100273kt.jpg[/img]
Here I am testing out that new 7000 RPM goodness.
[IMG width=550 height=425]http://img91.exs.cx/img91/4158/010100288tf.jpg[/IMG]
I also took a few shots of the Ef so you guy's can see the other "little beast" I've got. This is my everyday car, but it's slowly becoming a daily driver project car too
[IMG width=550 height=425]http://img92.exs.cx/img92/4927/010100294le.jpg[/IMG]
This was the first "full" car I've ever painted myself. It didn't come out half bad. Before the bumpers were black the mirror was black the handles I beleuve were black. I tried to give it that Si look
My favorite pic of the car.[IMG width=550 height=425]http://img95.exs.cx/img95/2217/010100325xl.jpg[/IMG]
Now for the pinouts... This was the bitch part for me because I origionally was using this sites pinouts to compare. http://www.angelfire.com/ca/DrOhm/SiRcluster.html
I wired this up twice and went through everything I could think of. But none of their pinouts worked. So I had to do it the hard way and trace the circuit board on the back of the cluster to find where every pin/function went.
[IMG width=550 height=425]http://img94.exs.cx/img94/4912/010100023dj.jpg[/IMG]
Here's what I came up with and everything works great for me. Only thing I havn't been able to trace yet was the high beam indicator light. I found the power source and ground wires but it's still not working. The bulb was replaced with a new one also, so I guess it's just something I'll have to live with. Also, I'll try and draw up a diagram to show the plugs and pinouts, sort of like an AFC manual does. It might be easier for some people.
Plug A: 8 Wires Plug B 12 wires
1. Grn/Yel- R turn sig. 1.Yel/grn- Coolant temp.
2 Grn/Blk- Open hatch 2 Blue- Tach signal
3 Red/blu- High beam 3 Wht/Blu- Batt. light
4 Blue/Red- Seat belt light 4 EMPTY
5 Grn/Red- Ebrake 5 EMPTY
6 EMPTY 6 Red-Guage lights
7 Yel/red- VSP (not used) 7 Red/Blk-Dimmer switch
8 Blk- Ground 8 Grn/Org-CEL
9 Yel/Red- Oil light
10 Yel/Wht- Fuel
11 Blk/Yel-+12v. switched
12 Grn/Blu- L-turn signal
If your holding the plug with the wires facing away from you and the little clip tab at the top, Pin 1 is on your left and pin 8 or 12 is on your right.
12-27-2004, 11:08 PM
#2
1.0 BAR
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 326
Re:Trance's Cluster swap cluster ----
I feel your pain. I put a 91 grey/black dash and interior in my 89 STD civic hatch. I couldnt live with the brown vinyl anymore and got the whole interior at the JY for 50$ including seats and cluster. So I had to rewire the cluster, the defroster and the hazard. PAIN in the *** and the pinnout on 4thgenerationcivic was wrong.
Awesome write-up
Awesome write-up
12-28-2004, 04:01 PM
#5
3.0 BAR
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 5,282
Re:Trance's Cluster swap cluster ----
Actually your right, The Si's redline is at 8k right? Hmmm, well anyway thats how I wired it up. I will try and make the pinouts clearer with a diagram as soon as I get a chance.
12-28-2004, 05:06 PM
#8
3.0 BAR
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 5,282
Re:Trance's Cluster swap cluster ----
Originally Posted by Ravage70
who the hell spray painted si in the background?
