Anatomy of a gauge cluster with some pointers.
-
- 2GN Member
- Posts: 1075
- Joined: Sun Oct 01, 2006 7:36 pm
- Location: Crestview, FL
Anatomy of a gauge cluster with some pointers.
Well I took apart my stock r/t cluster just to see the components of it. I have taken a few first gen clusters apart, and they are extremely similar. One big thing I noticed, is that DC got cheap on these clusters, and did not use screws in all the motor assemblies. Main reason I wanted to get down to the motors, is to see if they are interchangable with different clusters, and from what I can tell, they are. The motor only has four electrical connectors which is driven by the circuit board. I read in the FSM if one motor fails, you would have to replace the entire cluster, but I see otherwise as long as your willing to remove the needle on the motor your replacing. I would be changing the MPH motor to my SRT cluster because its a little "loose" and is wobbly when I do the self test (which I will post a video), but I don't want to throw the MPH off. (I do know its 3500 rpms and 75 MPH in 5th gear, but I dont want to fumble with the needle at that speed trying to stick it on.) Well here are the pics of me taking it apart.
Everything together, with the paper
Paper cover taken off, using a T15 bit for all of these screws.
Where the odo hooks up
Odo clip removed. Two very small pins up have to push in. I used a toothpick.
After that, I gently removed the circuit board. You must be careful not to crack the board and pull evenly everywhere.
Backside where the LEDs and lights are
After removing the front clear panel, you are left with this
Which can be taken out of the white part
The backside, once you turn it around
Some shots of the motors. As you can see in these pics, there are a lot of screws not in the yellow part. Trying to save screws, DC huh?
The odometer, which I removed using a T10 bit.
Part # that was on the front
Here is the motor assembly. They are interchangeble, so if one of yours is all bouncy, you can swap it out from one with another cluster. Just keep in mind, you need to pull the needle off, and calibrating it can be a pain.
Video showing needle bouncy (on MPH gauge)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8PwwdukMnlw
Swaped the motor assemble, much better results
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lVydF5SklWc
Hopefully someone can make good use of this information and anatomy of a cluster.
Here is a single pic of my srt board
As you can see, the board itself is a different color.
Everything together, with the paper
Paper cover taken off, using a T15 bit for all of these screws.
Where the odo hooks up
Odo clip removed. Two very small pins up have to push in. I used a toothpick.
After that, I gently removed the circuit board. You must be careful not to crack the board and pull evenly everywhere.
Backside where the LEDs and lights are
After removing the front clear panel, you are left with this
Which can be taken out of the white part
The backside, once you turn it around
Some shots of the motors. As you can see in these pics, there are a lot of screws not in the yellow part. Trying to save screws, DC huh?
The odometer, which I removed using a T10 bit.
Part # that was on the front
Here is the motor assembly. They are interchangeble, so if one of yours is all bouncy, you can swap it out from one with another cluster. Just keep in mind, you need to pull the needle off, and calibrating it can be a pain.
Video showing needle bouncy (on MPH gauge)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8PwwdukMnlw
Swaped the motor assemble, much better results
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lVydF5SklWc
Hopefully someone can make good use of this information and anatomy of a cluster.
Here is a single pic of my srt board
As you can see, the board itself is a different color.
Last edited by danman132x on Wed Apr 30, 2008 12:07 pm, edited 1 time in total.
- 2k1MotorSport
- 2011 Gold Contributor
- Posts: 2560
- Joined: Mon Aug 14, 2006 6:15 pm
- Location: Lansdale, PA
Nice. Just out of curiousity, is the mileage of the vehicle stored on the odomoter circuit board? If so, then theoritically another cluster can be purchased, then taken apart and put back together with the old odometer to keep the same exact mileage versus finding a cluster with close mileage?
Just a random thought.
Thanks for sharing.
Just a random thought.
Thanks for sharing.
-
- 2GN Member
- Posts: 1075
- Joined: Sun Oct 01, 2006 7:36 pm
- Location: Crestview, FL
- fixitmattman
- 2GN Member
- Posts: 1930
- Joined: Sun Jul 24, 2005 10:05 pm
- Location: North York
No. I swapped odo boards when I did my cluster swap years ago and no change, it's stored on the main cluster board.magnus wrote:Nice. Just out of curiousity, is the mileage of the vehicle stored on the odomoter circuit board? If so, then theoritically another cluster can be purchased, then taken apart and put back together with the old odometer to keep the same exact mileage versus finding a cluster with close mileage?
Just a random thought.
Thanks for sharing.
FYI/N.B.: Non tach and tach boards are non interchangable.
http://www.cardomain.com/profile/fixitmattman
How to fix your car:
1. Buy a Haynes manual
2. Read Haynes maual
3. Read and search appropriate threads, trust us, it's been covered before
4. Fix car
5. Consume beer of job well done
How to fix your car:
1. Buy a Haynes manual
2. Read Haynes maual
3. Read and search appropriate threads, trust us, it's been covered before
4. Fix car
5. Consume beer of job well done
-
- 2GN Member
- Posts: 1075
- Joined: Sun Oct 01, 2006 7:36 pm
- Location: Crestview, FL
In these videos, I do the cluster self test. As you can see, the MPH needle is very bouncy, which is why I might attempt to switch out the motors. I'll let ya'll know how it goes if I attempt it. Crosses fingers
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDUweDg0Mbc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8PwwdukMnlw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDUweDg0Mbc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8PwwdukMnlw
Did it look like the ODO chip had a memory chip installed on it to store the ODO reading? Wonder if it would be easy enough to remove the ODO chip from one cluster to another and get the correct ODO reading. I will have to give it a try and if all else fails oh well.
David Williams
2014 Dart SXT 2.4L - Current Daily Driver
2001 SE Sedan MTX – Future Autocross Car
2002 Base Sedan (R.I.P. 1-28-2012)
1999 Sport Coupe (GT Neon) - Sold
1997 ACR Coupe - 2.4L Turbo - Sold
Website - http://www.gtneon.com
“Old Neon guys never die. They just move on to more expensive toys with bigger engines.”
2014 Dart SXT 2.4L - Current Daily Driver
2001 SE Sedan MTX – Future Autocross Car
2002 Base Sedan (R.I.P. 1-28-2012)
1999 Sport Coupe (GT Neon) - Sold
1997 ACR Coupe - 2.4L Turbo - Sold
Website - http://www.gtneon.com
“Old Neon guys never die. They just move on to more expensive toys with bigger engines.”
Doh
David Williams
2014 Dart SXT 2.4L - Current Daily Driver
2001 SE Sedan MTX – Future Autocross Car
2002 Base Sedan (R.I.P. 1-28-2012)
1999 Sport Coupe (GT Neon) - Sold
1997 ACR Coupe - 2.4L Turbo - Sold
Website - http://www.gtneon.com
“Old Neon guys never die. They just move on to more expensive toys with bigger engines.”
2014 Dart SXT 2.4L - Current Daily Driver
2001 SE Sedan MTX – Future Autocross Car
2002 Base Sedan (R.I.P. 1-28-2012)
1999 Sport Coupe (GT Neon) - Sold
1997 ACR Coupe - 2.4L Turbo - Sold
Website - http://www.gtneon.com
“Old Neon guys never die. They just move on to more expensive toys with bigger engines.”
-
- 2GN Member
- Posts: 682
- Joined: Fri Nov 16, 2007 10:34 pm
- Location: Wisconsin
-
- 2GN Member
- Posts: 1075
- Joined: Sun Oct 01, 2006 7:36 pm
- Location: Crestview, FL
- TheRandom1
- 2GN Veteran
- Posts: 9938
- Joined: Mon Jan 02, 2006 11:17 pm
- Location: Chicagoland
So, what part actually controls the signal for the MPH? I’m thinking about doing an SRT swap, but would really like to keep my odometer accurate. Could I swap the face to an SRT face, the MPH motor to an SRT one, and keep my stock board so my odometer stays perfect?
Danteneon wrote:You doing this swap with your tech level is like asking a squirrel to land a 747.
-
- 2GN Member
- Posts: 1075
- Joined: Sun Oct 01, 2006 7:36 pm
- Location: Crestview, FL
All of the needle motors are the same. The only reason I swapped one of mine out was because it was bad, and bounced the needle very bad. ( but I also got my srt cluster for 40 bucks ) If you have a 120 or 140 cluster, and just swap the face, it will be off on the MPH reading. You must swap the entire cluster, including the board to make sure the MPH reading is correct. I accepted the fact that my SRT cluster is 36033 miles higher than what I atually have, but I documented it, and also recorded and took pics of me doing the gauge swap.TheRandom1 wrote:So, what part actually controls the signal for the MPH? I’m thinking about doing an SRT swap, but would really like to keep my odometer accurate. Could I swap the face to an SRT face, the MPH motor to an SRT one, and keep my stock board so my odometer stays perfect?
Last edited by danman132x on Thu Oct 16, 2008 2:02 pm, edited 2 times in total.
- TheRandom1
- 2GN Veteran
- Posts: 9938
- Joined: Mon Jan 02, 2006 11:17 pm
- Location: Chicagoland
-
- 2GN Member
- Posts: 682
- Joined: Fri Nov 16, 2007 10:34 pm
- Location: Wisconsin
has anyone figured out how to change the miles so that it is correct when you swap clusters?
Feedback: viewtopic.php?t=48146
^^Click to see all of the offered products^^
Amsoil dealer. I can get you great prices on all amsoil products! send me a pm
^^Click to see all of the offered products^^
Amsoil dealer. I can get you great prices on all amsoil products! send me a pm
-
- 2GN Member
- Posts: 89
- Joined: Wed May 20, 2009 3:19 pm
- Location: Virginia Beach, VA.
If anyone finds this out it'd be great!! I went fron a non-tach to a tach with 55,000 more miles on it then my non-tach had!! Since the boards were non-interchangeable i couldn't just swap the boards over to carry the miliage. It's got to be one of the chips on the boards, i guess it's a matter of finding out which one!relenger wrote:I know the BASICS on how it keeps track. i will be lloking into this and hopefully come up with a solution to this problem. chances are it will cost a little money
2002 Base Neon / Patriot Blue <---GF's car
1998 R/T Neon / Flame Red (R.I.P.)
2001 LS Cavalier / (Beater)
2003 Fairlady Z / Stillen Stage 4 SC, LeMans Sunset (Garage Queen)
1998 R/T Neon / Flame Red (R.I.P.)
2001 LS Cavalier / (Beater)
2003 Fairlady Z / Stillen Stage 4 SC, LeMans Sunset (Garage Queen)
- Swordfish2Cowboy
- 2009 Silver Contributor
- Posts: 2693
- Joined: Sat Aug 25, 2007 7:06 am
- Location: Sandusky, Ohio
i have a question about the odo part you took out
i recently got picked up a new gauge cluster form the pick a part yard from a 2000 neon with a tach
(mine does nto have one) every thing work exept for the odo is wrong
can i swap the odo parts and i would have the right milage on it or not?
i really need an answer before i spend a lot of money to have this done at the dealarship
i recently got picked up a new gauge cluster form the pick a part yard from a 2000 neon with a tach
(mine does nto have one) every thing work exept for the odo is wrong
can i swap the odo parts and i would have the right milage on it or not?
i really need an answer before i spend a lot of money to have this done at the dealarship
Quotes to live by
"Try again, fail again. Fail better." Samuel Beckett
"The farther backward you can look, the farther forward you will see." Winston Churchill
"Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world." Albert Einstein
"Try not. Do or do not." Yoda
"Try again, fail again. Fail better." Samuel Beckett
"The farther backward you can look, the farther forward you will see." Winston Churchill
"Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world." Albert Einstein
"Try not. Do or do not." Yoda
- TheRandom1
- 2GN Veteran
- Posts: 9938
- Joined: Mon Jan 02, 2006 11:17 pm
- Location: Chicagoland
well will that really work? because according to this post it will notTheRandom1 wrote:As long as it's from another Neon (not SRT-4) I believe it will work. Should be 2 screws on the back of the board that hold it in if I'm not mistaken.
and its a 2000 neon se cluster from an automatic
just trying to find out if it works or not
if i do it the worst that will happen is i have to put the gauge back to the way it was orginally
if you know of anybody that has tried this
Quotes to live by
"Try again, fail again. Fail better." Samuel Beckett
"The farther backward you can look, the farther forward you will see." Winston Churchill
"Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world." Albert Einstein
"Try not. Do or do not." Yoda
"Try again, fail again. Fail better." Samuel Beckett
"The farther backward you can look, the farther forward you will see." Winston Churchill
"Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world." Albert Einstein
"Try not. Do or do not." Yoda
- TheRandom1
- 2GN Veteran
- Posts: 9938
- Joined: Mon Jan 02, 2006 11:17 pm
- Location: Chicagoland
Actually, the original post is about swapping motors out, has nothing at all to do with the odometer.
And I'm fairly certain it won't work, as the clips or something is different on the SRT odometer/board versus the regular Neon odometer/board.
And I'm fairly certain it won't work, as the clips or something is different on the SRT odometer/board versus the regular Neon odometer/board.
Danteneon wrote:You doing this swap with your tech level is like asking a squirrel to land a 747.
but i have a non srt board both are stock neon boards
so would it really work or not?
and yes i know but but this is the only post about the odo board in the cluster
so would it really work or not?
and yes i know but but this is the only post about the odo board in the cluster
Quotes to live by
"Try again, fail again. Fail better." Samuel Beckett
"The farther backward you can look, the farther forward you will see." Winston Churchill
"Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world." Albert Einstein
"Try not. Do or do not." Yoda
"Try again, fail again. Fail better." Samuel Beckett
"The farther backward you can look, the farther forward you will see." Winston Churchill
"Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world." Albert Einstein
"Try not. Do or do not." Yoda
- TheRandom1
- 2GN Veteran
- Posts: 9938
- Joined: Mon Jan 02, 2006 11:17 pm
- Location: Chicagoland
ok i will try tomorrowTheRandom1 wrote:If it's a non SRT board it SHOULD work. Best way to find out is to plug it in and see. If it works, great. If not, swap the other one back in, it's easy.
but in other post i have found they say it does not work
but try i will and hey if it works because of the same years that would be awesome
or call the dodge dealer on Monday and see if they can change the mileage on the cluster
well i did try and changing the odo boards and it did not work at all
so now time to call the dodge dealer and see if they can change the milage
Quotes to live by
"Try again, fail again. Fail better." Samuel Beckett
"The farther backward you can look, the farther forward you will see." Winston Churchill
"Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world." Albert Einstein
"Try not. Do or do not." Yoda
"Try again, fail again. Fail better." Samuel Beckett
"The farther backward you can look, the farther forward you will see." Winston Churchill
"Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world." Albert Einstein
"Try not. Do or do not." Yoda