140mph gauge cluster install/circuit repair

Makdaddymac · Feb 12, 2010

ok i picked up a 140mph gauge today, its either from a 87-89 or something...the idea is replace my faulty oil pressure and water temp gauge and go for the upgrade on my current 85mph cluster, plus i got a good deal on it,thanks to cragislist
it has the 4 white pod things on the rihgt just like my 88's....now these are a direct swap right??my only reason for doubt is that wtf prompted ford to make 85mph and 140mph for the same year,i know about the ssp stuff but these 87-89 140's cant all be old ssp parts right??

it looks like this: only pic i could find...
http://base0.googlehosted.com/base_...?set_id=8800005007&size=19&dhm=bf0f240a&hl=en

my other question is the plastic cover/shield has some fog/haze on it.. how to go about cleaning this properly and make it look brand new.......

thanks

MAC'n89Blckstng · Feb 12, 2010

Yes you can bolt it right in no problems. Who knows why they put 85's in them. And the lense to clear it up needs to be polished like you do on headlights and stuff. You can get them new for relatively cheap I think.,

ReefBlueHatch · Feb 12, 2010

I just put a new lense on mine from LRS for $30. The new lense is great to look through; I think a previous owner used acid and sandpaper on the old lense.

It took three times to get a lense that wasn't broken, the first two had the left tab broken off. But LRS's awsome customer service took care of it for free with no hassle.

cjrpony · Feb 12, 2010

The speedo should be a direct swap. The 85MPH speedo was somekind of mandate by the government I believe.

Jaym14 · Feb 12, 2010

cjrpony said:
The speedo should be a direct swap. The 85MPH speedo was somekind of mandate by the government I believe.

I think the idea was to encourage people to drive slower and use less gas.

As far as the cluster plastic lens goes, I'd just order a new one. They are cheap enough to not justify restoring an old beat up one, IMO.

7upstang91 · Feb 12, 2010

Jaym14 said:
I think the idea was to encourage people to drive slower and use less gas.

As far as the cluster plastic lens goes, I'd just order a new one. They are cheap enough to not justify restoring an old beat up one, IMO.

Ah, we see how well that worked.

cjrpony · Feb 12, 2010

Jaym14 said:
I think the idea was to encourage people to drive slower and use less gas.

As far as the cluster plastic lens goes, I'd just order a new one. They are cheap enough to not justify restoring an old beat up one, IMO.

Yes, I think that was the reason, plus the national speed limit was 55MPH so why need a speed much higher than that?

Mustang5L5 · Feb 12, 2010

IIRC, there was a speedo upgrade for the pre-87 that featured a 140MPH speedo, but only numbers up to 85. After 89 or so they could sell them numbered to 140

cjrpony · Feb 12, 2010

Mustang5L5 said:
IIRC, there was a speedo upgrade for the pre-87 that featured a 140MPH speedo, but only numbers up to 85. After 89 or so they could sell them numbered to 140

I think you are right, I believe I saw one of those once, very odd! Thankfully, the Guvment only owns part of GM and not Ford

Mustang5L5 · Feb 12, 2010

I saw a pic of it. I'm trying to find more info now. It only had the tick marks after 85MPH all the way to 140

Mustang5L5 · Feb 12, 2010

Found it!!

From what i just read, this is the 84-86 SVO speedometer. Only numbered to 85!

cjrpony · Feb 12, 2010

I guess you have to tip your hat to Ford for finding away around the mandate. It's like "85 MPH speedo, ,"

Makdaddymac · Feb 12, 2010

well replacing the plastic defeats the cost, i only paid 60.00 for the cluster, and anew lense is 30.00 not worth it imo,but we will see would rather try and ruin this one before ordering a new one......

i examined the cluster closer tonight and noticed something where one of the electrical connection goes in the back.....is this going to be a problem for those that really know a cluster
; any repair ideas if neccesary or did i get scammed...

By makdaddymac, shot with DSC-W50 at 2010-02-12

cjrpony · Feb 12, 2010

That looks like probably the electrical feed for the temp gauge, so it probably isn't going to work right or at all. If the printed circuit on your 85MPH speed is still good, I would just swap them. Since you say some of the gauge don't work, I would bet it is bad also. The cheap way out would be to find another 85 speedo on Ebay with a good circuit. 85's are usually dirt cheap on ebay. Or maybe go to Radio shack and see if they have something to repair the broken area. I know they make repair pens with conductive ink to repair circuit board, you need something like that. Take the cluster with you and maybe the guy can point you in the right direction. Good luck on that. For the lense, is the one on your 85 any good, just swap it over too, or pick up another 85 cluster with a good lense. Or, get a plastic polishing kit like they make for headlights.

Makdaddymac · Feb 13, 2010

very interesting, are the 85 and 140 circuit board swapable.would i swap the hwhole thing or what? is this circuit material copper or something that could be sodered(howeer its spelled) toghehter......i cannot find anything about a circuit pen...

also..is it possibel the gauge could function properly with this piece messed up..

ps...ill try the headligh polish both lenses are the same...

cjrpony · Feb 13, 2010

The circuit material should be very thin copper. I don't know if you could solder it or not. I don't think it would hurt to try. As far as swapping the printed circuit, just compare them and see if they are the same. I think it should be as it only provides power for the lights and gauges. The difference should be in the gauges themselves. And, no, something is not going to work right on that cluster with that broke circuit, it is just the same as a wire. Looks like it goes to the temp gauge if you follow it around. Again, check with Radio shack and see what they may have to repair it.

Makdaddymac · Feb 14, 2010

noted, i will do that, i know it wont work 100% but i meant that it prob might be a source for light to that gauge??? either way im going to radioshack to see if they have what i need.... although the radio shack guys might not be to helpful, this is what i think i could try if swapping the circuit boards wil not work...
CAIG CircuitWriter™ Pen - RadioShack.com

cjrpony · Feb 14, 2010

That pen is kind of what I was talking about. I don't know if it will work or not, but it might be worth a try if the circuit swap does't work. Here is a link to the schematic for the cluster

http://www.veryuseful.com/mustang/tech/engine/images/mustang-87-93_Instrument-Cluster.gif

It looks like to me that is circuit A3 which is the signal from the coolant temp sender.

Makdaddymac · Feb 14, 2010

ok thanks for your help i see why you think its the a3, but to be 100% honest idk how to read that chart.....

looking at it more seems that swapping the 85 circuit board is possible but i think i would mess something up and never get the circuit to lay up good on the other cluster...

my next idea would be to swap out the actual 140mph gauge(which should work cause its not a digital gauge) into the 85's cluster???ive never taken one apart that much, but i figure i can swap the oil pressure(which i know is one piece connected to the fuel gauge) which is dead on my 85. sort of take two and make one good one....

my current 85mph guage temp and volt side works but i dont think the temp is right. possible from a similar circuit board problem cause it just acts funny(aka my stragne overheating issues))...

i just need to know where to go from here....i appreciate the answers,but im hoping someone will chime in soon that has been down this road or knows a exact repair technique/material...im thinking its copper and a lil soder will do the trick, but i want to make sure so i dont make two bad cluster

ps. thanks cjr pony for the responses
:SNSign:

pss. do i have to worry about the fuel guage level or will it automatically adjust electronically when installed?

cjrpony · Feb 15, 2010

You should be able to swap the 140 speedo into the 85 cluster, I have done it before. It is not that hard to take the whole thing apart. Just take your time so you don't break anything. The fuel gauge should be fine as it gets it signal from a sender in the tank.

140mph gauge cluster install/circuit repair

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