Anyone know much about gauge clusters?

todd4566 · May 5, 2004

I'm thinking about swapping an 03 Cobra gauge cluster into my GT. I'm wondering if I can simply put my stock circuit board into the Cobra cluster and be rolling again. Assuming the swap works, I'm thinking the stock circuit board will make my speedo off since the Cobra cluster goes up to 160mph. However, if I were to have Ford reprogram my PATS system with the new circuit board, would the speedo then be accurate to 160? Anybody done this??

WaltA · May 6, 2004

Don't 2003 Cobra's have a boost guage???

merc123 · May 6, 2004

Why swap? It'd be cheaper just to do a conversion.

GinoGT · May 6, 2004

Boost gauge, different speedometer, higher redline represented on the tach........PITA. Plus with the GT hardware behind it, you would have a gauge labeled "boost" being your voltmeter.

Just get some white face gauges and be done with it.

merc123 · May 6, 2004

GinoGT said:
Boost gauge, different speedometer, higher redline represented on the tach........PITA. Plus with the GT hardware behind it, you would have a gauge labeled "boost" being your voltmeter.

Just get some white face gauges and be done with it.

Yeah, that's all you would need is a Honduh owner thinking you're boost is as 15 PSI ALL the time. Must be that new JDM turbochasuperger I heard about!

YotaMaster · May 6, 2004

WAAAAAAIIIITTT!!!!!!

I am in the middle of something like this. In all PATS equiped mustangs (that is the anti theft system, I think 96 on; but definatly all the new stangs) the chip in the keys, and ignition are also tied to the instrument clusters. Basicly if you buy a used cluster you have to get the keys reprogramed to match. Ford is going to charge me $100 to redo my 2 keys and the new cluster and I have to drop it off at thier place. If you write airun30@aol.com he sells clusters that have been blanked out (something I found out when he wrote me after I won a new one) or he will reset your new one for like $60, nut I need to get one more key programed anyway so the dealer is best for me. Good luck on your new wonderfull adventure learning about PATS.

Solid Snake · May 6, 2004

It wouldn't work without some major work. Like someone mentioned: higher speedo, higher tach, boost gauge, etc. All that would have to be calibrated and reprogrammed. It would be much easier to just do a white face gauge swap.

UPR has an awesome El-Glow white face gauge set for about $80 (much much less than the Cobra gauge swap) Here's a pic:

Heres the webapage: http://www.uprproducts.com/shopping/shopexd.asp?id=380

todd4566 · May 6, 2004

So nobody has knows much about the circuit board thus far..

I see no reason why this wouldn't work. The speedo would be off a bit no doubt; I plan on fixing that by placing the needle right around 82mph when I hit 80mph on the highway. That will spread the inaccuracy equally amongst the entire speedo band. My speedo is already off that much from the Mac gauge's I put in ages ago.
As far as the boost gauge, it will likely do nothing. From what I hear, there is a vacuum line attachment that must be connected for that gauge to work. I don't mind sacrificing the volt gauge since it is worthless anyway.. how often do you guys even look there?
The 04 Cobra redline is closer to the GT than the 01 Cobra was (shows red at 6500 for 04). I have driven my car enough times to know the true redline, so no worries there. Some guys here have those ebay indiglo gauges that have a jacked up redline too.. I even had them once.
I suppose I'm just sick of the aftermarket gauges I've seen, and want to try something different. I really like the titanium faces and large font on the new Cobra gauges. If anyone knows much about the circuit boards, I'd appreciate any info. Otherwise, I'll keep you guys posted on my success

4.6modular · May 6, 2004

When I bought my GT in 2001 I asked my salesman if they could swap in a 01' Cobra cluster and they said it wouldn't work because the cluster in the Cobra was bigger in size then the GT and the electronics where different.

Solid Snake · May 6, 2004

todd4566 said:
So nobody has knows much about the circuit board thus far..

I see no reason why this wouldn't work. The speedo would be off a bit no doubt; I plan on fixing that by placing the needle right around 82mph when I hit 80mph on the highway. That will spread the inaccuracy equally amongst the entire speedo band. My speedo is already off that much from the Mac gauge's I put in ages ago.
As far as the boost gauge, it will likely do nothing. From what I hear, there is a vacuum line attachment that must be connected for that gauge to work. I don't mind sacrificing the volt gauge since it is worthless anyway.. how often do you guys even look there?
The 04 Cobra redline is closer to the GT than the 01 Cobra was (shows red at 6500 for 04). I have driven my car enough times to know the true redline, so no worries there. Some guys here have those ebay indiglo gauges that have a jacked up redline too.. I even had them once.
I suppose I'm just sick of the aftermarket gauges I've seen, and want to try something different. I really like the titanium faces and large font on the new Cobra gauges. If anyone knows much about the circuit boards, I'd appreciate any info. Otherwise, I'll keep you guys posted on my success

I'm not trying to sound like an ass, but dude, this topic has been discussed many many times here. You are way off on your "thinking". If you go out and buy a Cobra gauge cluster and try and intall it based on the above quote, you are going to run into some major problems. It sounds as if you already had your mind made up before even posting so take the info in this thread as you like, but let it be known that you were warned.

Good luck

GinoGT · May 6, 2004

Yeah, that installing the needle off the mark idea does sound pretty stupid.

And if you have a 99+, you can check your speedometer and tach quite easily because of the electric cluster.

http://www.mustangworld.com/ourpics/fcar/dtcodes.htm

My needles are accurate, and the speedometer accuracy is also dead on. (Checked with one of those police radar trailers with the big digital readout that they place on random roads).

Go Heels · May 6, 2004

Solid Snake said:
It wouldn't work without some major work. Like someone mentioned: higher speedo, higher tach, boost gauge, etc. All that would have to be calibrated and reprogrammed. It would be much easier to just do a white face gauge swap.

UPR has an awesome El-Glow white face gauge set for about $80 (much much less than the Cobra gauge swap) Here's a pic:

Heres the webapage: http://www.uprproducts.com/shopping/shopexd.asp?id=380

Solid Snake, that dash cluster look nice. It seems pretty cheap only $89.00, how's the quality of the piece?

todd4566 · May 6, 2004

Solid Snake said:
I'm not trying to sound like an ass, but dude, this topic has been discussed many many times here. You are way off on your "thinking". If you go out and buy a Cobra gauge cluster and try and intall it based on the above quote, you are going to run into some major problems. It sounds as if you already had your mind made up before even posting so take the info in this thread as you like, but let it be known that you were warned.

Good luck

I enjoy taking on projects like this. I don't see why you think it cannot be done. What is it you think has to be reprogrammed? Only the speedo will present any issues.. and even that might not be a problem if I flash the PATS system w/ the new circuit board. I just want info on weither or not the GT circuit board will plug in with the cobra gauges. I'm hoping this swap is similiar to the Autometer or Roush cluster. Have you compared wiring on the GT and cobra clusters?? This is the experience I am looking for. I did run run a search - a white face gauge thread does me no good. People have previously posted about the cobra cluster's wiring, but no informative replies. I really didn't even expect a single reply to this question over on this board, so my thanks to all of you thus far.
Now.. as far as the speedo is concerned, removing the needle may not be the best idea, but the electronic "test mode" GinoGT is refering to is useless if the GT circuit board is used on the cobra cluster. The 80mph mark is not at the top center on the cobra cluster as it is on the GT. If the GT board is used, the car will read 85mph at 80. Assuming that is the case, I will try putting the needle on at the 80mph mark, and see how accurate the rest of the speeds are. The cobra gauges have less space between number markings to allow room for the extra 10mph. However GinoGT, you were right about the boost thing. If I am able to use the GT circuit board, the boost gauge could act like a volt gauge - well see, and again I really don't mind.
Another option would be to take the cluster down to Ford and have the PATS reprogrammed, but I'm trying to avoid that using my existing parts.

BTW- the pic posted of the indiglo gauges is off. The non-lit picture is a 95-98 Cobra cluster. I personally do not like the indiglo gauges from ebay, and from what I have read in the past they have a limited life span.

todd4566 · May 6, 2004

4.6modular said:
When I bought my GT in 2001 I asked my salesman if they could swap in a 01' Cobra cluster and they said it wouldn't work because the cluster in the Cobra was bigger in size then the GT and the electronics where different.

That's total BS. See attached:

http://www.corral.net/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=338315&highlight=cobra+gauges

03poontanggt · May 6, 2004

I did the autometer swap. Everything was a little off so I ended up returning two of them. I don't want my stock gauges or aftermarket one's that are just white and stock looking. I was interested in doing something like you are but I wanted to use the saleen 200 Mph cluster. I really don't see why it would be off using the original circuit board?

todd4566 · May 6, 2004

I just solved my problem! I found a Cobra cluster on ebay that has no PATS memory, so I can use the cluster as is and have an accurate speedo too.

Sounds like you got some homework to do now too poontang , The stock board is calibrated for 150mph. I'm thinking you could pick up the Saleen cluster (good luck, I don't think Saleen sells them) and just get the PATS reprogrammed; maybe they can fix the new odometer too.

Solid Snake · May 6, 2004

Have fun, hope it works

todd4566 · May 7, 2004

Solid Snake said:
Have fun, hope it works

Hope goes down smooth too. I'll post some pics when it gets finished.

KaPPaBaLL · May 7, 2004

www.speedhut.com

WaltA · May 7, 2004

03poontanggt said:
I did the autometer swap. Everything was a little off so I ended up returning two of them. I don't want my stock gauges or aftermarket one's that are just white and stock looking. I was interested in doing something like you are but I wanted to use the saleen 200 Mph cluster. I really don't see why it would be off using the original circuit board?

I did the Autometer swap too, and I must have had better luck than you. Mine works and looks just great. I am quite pleased with it.

The odometer mileage is stored in a separate little circuit board which plugs into the larger instrument cluster circuit board. As long as you keep your original odometer circuit board, you will keep your original mileage. This is very easy to do, and I am confused as to why those over in the referenced thread on Corral.net couldn't do it.

The car's computer has no idea what the numbers are, on the speedometer face. All it knows, is that (for example), it needs to put the needle at the 50% point for 80 MPH. That is correct for a 150MPH speedometer face. If you have, instead, swapped in a 200MPH speedometer face, the 50% point might be for 105MPH. So, you are actually going 80MPH, but your new speedometer will be indicating 105MPH. Of course, as originally pointed out, one could possibly re-program the car's computer but that would be some very involved and presumably expense undertaking.

Anyone know much about gauge clusters?

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