• Mustang Forums
  • 1979 - 1995 (Fox, SN95.0, & 2.3L) -General/Talk-
  • Fox 5.0 Mustang Tech

just swapped a 140speedo....tach wont move?

  • Thread starter Thread starter smellmygas
  • Start date Start date Jun 13, 2004

smellmygas

Member
Sep 23, 2003
150
0
17
South Florida/Philly
Jun 13, 2004
#1
  • Jun 13, 2004
  • #1
hi guys. i just did the swap from my 85mph to the 140 speedo with white faces. i plugged it all in and some weird things were going on:
instantly the lights on the cluster were all on, no way of turning them off?
then the tach would not move, something wasnt going right....so i played with it a few times which isnt fun because all my damn wires are soooo tight, i finally decided to swap my old tach because i knew that it would work...well i was wrong....doesnt move either.
anyone have this problem and have any answers.....I HAVE TO HAVE A TACH!
please help anyone
 

TIMMY2734

Founding Member
May 17, 2002
1,330
1
36
Queens, NY
Jun 13, 2004
#2
  • Jun 13, 2004
  • #2
what year gugages did you use? the airbag ones need to be rewired to make them work in non airbag cars.
 

smellmygas

Member
Sep 23, 2003
150
0
17
South Florida/Philly
Jun 13, 2004
#3
  • Jun 13, 2004
  • #3
it does have a spot for the airbag light.....how or what do u need to rewire?
everything else looks like it works fine
 

89MustangGX

I have nothing productive to add!
Jul 3, 2001
10,262
1
0
Mill Creek, WA
Jun 13, 2004
#4
  • Jun 13, 2004
  • #4
You need to get an 89 cluster -- I'm not sure that you can rewire (or why you'd want to) to get it to work.
 

TIMMY2734

Founding Member
May 17, 2002
1,330
1
36
Queens, NY
Jun 13, 2004
#5
  • Jun 13, 2004
  • #5
you can rewire it. I dont remember exactly how, but I know its in an older post.
 

smellmygas

Member
Sep 23, 2003
150
0
17
South Florida/Philly
Jun 14, 2004
#6
  • Jun 14, 2004
  • #6
well the cluster says its an 89
so anyone have any other info to help me??
please, i dont feel good about driving without a tach
 

jrichker

StangNet's favorite TOOL
In Remembrance. Thank you for your contributions
Mar 10, 2000
27,512
2,813
234
Dublin GA
Jun 14, 2004
#7
  • Jun 14, 2004
  • #7
See http://www.stangnet.com/tech/cluster87-93.pdf for help.

You will need the Adobe Acrobat viewer which is also a free download – http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html
 

trbkrb

Founding Member
Jun 4, 2001
1,976
4
39
Houston, TX
Jun 15, 2004
#8
  • Jun 15, 2004
  • #8
If the cluster is straight across the bottom, it is a 87-89 cluster. If it is cut out on the bottom where the steering column is, then it is a 90-93 cluster. The 87-89 will all interchange. The tach should work, unless the plastic wiring board in the back was damaged, causing the tach to not work. If they are the same type (87-89), then you might be able to swap the plastic wiring boards on the two, if that is in fact the problem. But if it does have an airbag light, then it must be a 90-93, and you will need to rewire it to use it and have it work.
 

smellmygas

Member
Sep 23, 2003
150
0
17
South Florida/Philly
Jun 16, 2004
#9
  • Jun 16, 2004
  • #9
so i have a 90-93 cluster that sux that this dude didnt really tell me
but oh well...who has done the re-wiring? how hard is it? any tips?
or could i just put my old cluster back in and is it possible to just swap the speedo part? what would i need to do that?
thanks for the help guys, this car has never ending problems
 

smellmygas

Member
Sep 23, 2003
150
0
17
South Florida/Philly
Jun 19, 2004
#10
  • Jun 19, 2004
  • #10
so anyone???can i just drop the speedo into my old cluster? direct fit?
 

trbkrb

Founding Member
Jun 4, 2001
1,976
4
39
Houston, TX
Jun 20, 2004
#11
  • Jun 20, 2004
  • #11
No you can not just "drop" it in, but you can make it work in your 87-89 cluster. The clear, hard plastic backing for the faces are different with different mounting holes and tabs. You have 2 choices.... One is to remove the actual mechinism from the 90 cluster and install it on the 88 clear plastic face, and swap the 90 sticky face to the 88 hard backing. But this is best if you have a new set of gauge faces not installed, since the faces might be damaged if you try to remove them and reuse them. The other option is to cut and file the 90 plastic face and the 88 cluster, drill a new hole in it, and cut off the mounting tab. That way the new speedo will fit into the place of the old 88 one. That is the option I did. But the face colors are a bit different....could be due to fading, and the turn signal arrows are different.

Another option, buy new gauge faces from BBK and send your 88 speedo in and they will apply the face and recalibrate it to the 140 face. Then you can sell the white faces 90 gauges you got.

Good luck!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Electrical Innovate PSB-1 is DOA? Am I an idiot? All plausable. Please Help
  • Dontknowchit
  • Apr 26, 2025
  • Fox 5.0 Mustang Tech
Replies
1
Views
468
Fox 5.0 Mustang Tech Apr 26, 2025
Dontknowchit
E
Drivetrain Odometer quit working
  • El Dee
  • Feb 6, 2025
  • Fox 5.0 Mustang Tech
Replies
2
Views
261
Fox 5.0 Mustang Tech Feb 7, 2025
85GTStangGuy
D
Progress Thread Today in the shed........
  • Don7Up
  • May 5, 2026
  • 1979 - 1995 (Fox, SN95.0, & 2.3L) -General/Talk-
  • 2
Replies
22
Views
931
1979 - 1995 (Fox, SN95.0, & 2.3L) -General/Talk- Jul 18, 2026
Don7Up
D
Drivetrain 83’ Glx convertible C5 Trans help!
  • JacksonJared2113
  • Dec 25, 2025
  • Fox 5.0 Mustang Tech
Replies
2
Views
394
Fox 5.0 Mustang Tech Dec 26, 2025
JacksonJared2113
D
Foxbody Misfire 5.0 Swap
  • DPORTER0729
  • May 2, 2025
  • Fox 5.0 Mustang Tech
Replies
7
Views
624
Fox 5.0 Mustang Tech Jul 13, 2025
90sickfox
Share:
Bluesky Email Share Link
  • Mustang Forums
  • 1979 - 1995 (Fox, SN95.0, & 2.3L) -General/Talk-
  • Fox 5.0 Mustang Tech
Menu
Log in

Register

  • Forums
  • What's new
  • Media
  • Resources
  • Contact
  • Sponsor
X

Privacy & Transparency

We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:

  • Personalized ads and content
  • Content measurement and audience insights

Do you accept cookies and these technologies?

X

Privacy & Transparency

We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:

  • Personalized ads and content
  • Content measurement and audience insights

Do you accept cookies and these technologies?