Blank panel in dash

[DrCharles]

This looks like the perfect spot (far right of the pic, to the right of the warning light panel) for a 2-1/16" gauge (pyro or boost). Does anyone know how to remove it without breaking anything? Or, if it doesn't come off, can I carefully use a hole saw in that area? Is there a couple inches depth available?

I'd rather not have to pull the cluster to work behind there, if I don't have to. Thanks.

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[79jasper]

If you search around. I think someone put their double stack auber gauge there.

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[DrCharles]

Yes, I saw that, thanks... I don't want digital gauges though.
Just wondering how exactly he mounted it

 

[DrCharles]

I carefully drilled a 1/4" pilot hole in the center of it, nothing obviously running through that area, then the hole saw to make the gauge opening. Nothing behind there at all. It also feels like it's part of the dash (not a snap-in piece), although maybe it's just been in there forever. Now to run a line from the turbo hat location.

 

[Golden Helmet]

The black bezel comes right off. Pry the silver trim off with a screwdriver and it'll reveal the screws that hold the bezel in. Then the headlight knob needs to come off, you'll see a little opening on the knob big enough for a flathead screwdriver. Once all that's dealt with the only things left are the WTS / fuel filter / etc lights and the fuel tank switch, that stuff is just held in with some clips that are easy enough to remove.

 

[DrCharles]

The headlight knob's on the left... so the entire bezel (both sides of the steering column) comes off in one piece? I hate working with trim.
Thanks for the info.

 

[Golden Helmet]

Yup, the whole bezel is one big piece.

 

[DrCharles]

At some point I will need to remove the cluster to jumper the 20-ohm resistor on the fake oil pressure gauge. Is that a lot of additional work, or will it be obvious once the bezel is off?

 

[79jasper]

It's not much more work to pop out the cluster. 4 more screws.

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[Golden Helmet]

It's been a long time since I've pulled the cluster. IIRC, it's just some screws on the front and some electrical connectors on the back. If you're good with using your hands in small spaces it shouldn't be too hard, just be careful with it.

 

[austin92]

I put a water temp gauge there for a buddy in his 95. Hate working with trim too but it was very easy and self explanatory. I used a 1 1/8 hole saw. You might consider the steering column pod if you don’t wanna cut up the dash or take it apart. It’s for the 97+ trucks but works on the obs. Auto shifters hit it when you put it in park but I’m sure that could be fixed with a dremmel. I haven’t installed mine yet but I can take a pic of it empty on my 96 if you want


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[DrCharles]

Must have been a really small gauge... the body of my (0-15 psi) gauge is 1.600" so I used a 1-1/2" saw and my trusty Shaviv deburring tool to carefully enlarge the hole until it was a press fit. I'm thinking of using a big O-ring to make sure it stays put, so that will require removing the bezel anyway.

I also have a 2-1/16" pyrometer that needs to be mounted somewhere. My truck's a 5-speed so no auto shifter. Would appreciate a picture of the pod. Thanks!

 

[mblaney]

If you search around. I think someone put their double stack auber gauge there.

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That was me! Check out my TURBO TALE thread in my sig.

 

[DrCharles]

I made a bracket and mounted the 2" pyro on the lower right of the dash.. it's not perfect since sometimes the steering wheel blocks it, but I won't be watching it constantly and there are few other possible locations where it won't block something. I might raise it up a bit.
The 1-1/2" pressure gauge is in the blank area, as noted. It doesn't have illumination so I figured it should be higher up where it can be seen more readily.

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While I had the bezel off, I pulled the cluster (easy), jumped the 20 ohm idiot-gauge resistor and cleaned 26 years of farm dirt out of the cluster. Put it all back together and found the speedo was pinned on the high end ***.

So I took the cluster out again, checked connections, fuses in the panel... everything fine. Today I learned: the speedo needle has to be on the left half of the scale when you put the cluster in, or it won't zero with power on. Stupid design.


Oh, when I put the bezel on for the last time I forgot to hook up the tank selector switch. So it came off one MORE time.

 

[Thewespaul]

To reset the speedo just get above 75 mph