Gauge cluster swap and now not charging

[Crankybait]

I'm sure this has been covered before ,but think I have a new twist on the subject. I purchased 1993 f250 4WD IDI turbo, 5 spd manual tranny. When I bought the truck the tach was not working, replaced the tach sensor and then I noticed that someone put a gasser cluster in it, everything worked fine except no tach. A couple of weeks ago I lucked into a cluster from a 1994 F250 IDI turbo with an E4OD. The 1994 cluster had 90K more miles so I switched the speedo and put in the truck. I forgot to check to make sure all the lights( high beam, batt light etc) were working before I put everything back together. Fired the beast up and I had a working tach !!! I was estatic. Then I saw the volt gauge was reading very low and thought that it may not be calibrated same as the other gasser meter. Well tonight I noticed the batts were not cranking the engine over like it should since the batts are 2 months old. Took the alt off and went to Autozone and it's fine. I did some reading eariler tonight that some year clusters are pinned different dues to changes and won't interchange. I was confident that putting a diesel cluster back that all would be fine.. What needs changed ??

 

[Matt_INW]

In non technical terms from what I've read, and observed on my truck, it could be the squarish plastic connection on the top of the alternator. It both feeds into the instrument cluster, and completes some type of circuit. Be sure it's in good (pull out and put back in), and check all the wires between it and the cluster. And that said if the circuit isn't complete due to a problem with the cluster that could be the problem. On my truck anyways if I pull off the connector on the top of the alternator it no longer shows a charge. Or maybe I'm all wet and it's actually charging but not reflected in the dash volt meter.

Others smarter than me will have other/better thoughts.

 

[Crankybait]

I pulled the '94 diesel cluster back out last night and will put the '93 gasser cluster back in so the batteries will charge. I am used to not having a tach but I now know what the engine is turning at highways speeds. Hopefully I can locate a "92-93 diesel cluster soon.

 

[riotwarrior]

Try removing tach from diesel cluster...swap it into gasser...may...or..maynot work

 

[Matt_INW]

There is a company that will rebuild your cluster. I almost had them do mine, but I'm waiting till more parts of it die since I have so many aftermarket gauges.

The company is southernelectronics.com, and they would charge $225 to rebuild, including shipping both ways. There could be others out there, but when I did some searching I was more comfortable with what I saw from them, excluding the cost, ouch.

 

[cpdenton]

Let me do some checking in my evtm. The pin out on the cluster harness might be different. The exciter circuit for the alternator runs through the charge light in the gauge cluster. I will do some looking when I get home. Was your truck originally and diesel? Or was the engine swapped without changing the gauges?

 

[jwalterus]

For 87-91 the E40D and C6/manual clusters have a different printed circuit, E40D has resistors and capacitors soldered in place, but gauges can be swapped between them, idi/gasser have the same backing circuit.
I would assume the 92+ clusters would be the same way.
As Al said, put the gauges you want into the cluster that was originally in your truck and see what happens.

 

[franklin2]

Here's the 93 diagram. You can see how the cluster plays a part in the charging system. It's where the charging system gets the signal to bring it "online" to charge when you turn the key.

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[Crankybait]

The truck is originally a diesel, for what ever reason someone put a gasser cluster in it. I put the gasser cluster back in the other day to make sure it would charge again, it appears to be. I believe the gasser cluster is from auto trans truck because there is no plate covering the gear shift indicator, you cab see the circuit board thru it. I am hesitant to put the diesel tach in it for fear of shorting it out. I'll keeping looking for a 92-93 cluster. Meanwhile I have the rear brakes to finish.. Thanks

 

[rustygold]

You can use the 94 cluster just have to repin some wires I did. Let me find my post on it

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[rustygold]

Ok well I did post about it before but her is the wiring diagram for a 94 all you have to fo is move the light green/red over to the new pin and I thing the vss as well double check your pins to this wiring diagram. I do know if battery light don't come on before start up she will not charge.

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