Ok so, my 1988 Dakota has one of the most horrible gauge clusters they offered; instead of a tach I have this huge gas gauge constantly reminding me how expensive gas is, the speed numbers are spaced horribly, the odometer shows the 1/10 mile...I don't want to watch the seconds on the clock if you know what I mean, I don't have a trip counter, I don't have a fuel door light, I have no variation in oil pressure just a light when it drops, I also have no variation in temperature again just a light when it goes up. Who knows how many other lights underneath are absent, when I turn on the ignition or start I only get an oil pressure light, brake and check engine...other vehicles use this as a bulb check and all lights turn on for a second like a pinball machine. My grandfather did swap the entire cluster from a junkyard and rolled it back to the correct mileage because the gas gauge stopped working so maybe some of the bulbs are blown.



Now I'm not sure, but this is the newest style cluster I have found in a junkyard (93') but does anyone know if there was anything added for the 95/96 years? I plan on doing white gauges with red illumination somehow, also replacing all the bulbs in the cluster with LEDs. I'll be changing the needles out to transparent red as well:



Here is the big question, will my harness accept it? Even if the pin-out is not the same are the terminals the same? I realize right now the tach won't work but what about the oil and temp gauges? Right now I would assume it is an on/off signal for a light bulb but a gauge runs on what a variable voltage?

 

Not sure about the hook ups, but if your tossing those stock needles could I buy those off you? They look almost new and mine are..well...aged.

 

This cluster is long gone I took this picture at a junkyard, sorry.

 

I am pretty sure all ya have to do is put in bulbs that are red in color and keep the cover of the bulbs off so it shows red and that would look sweet with the white gauges. I want too do that with mine yet.

 

ahhh thats a shame thanks anyway though

 

Mine illuminates green and I was told that was tint on the face itself.

Do the turn signals on the dash HAVE to be green? I think yellow/amber would look better.

 

[QUOTE=Do the turn signals on the dash HAVE to be green? I think yellow/amber would look better.[/QUOTE]

on your dash no they can be any color you want. but outside your car yes by law they have to be amber. check your local laws.

 

There are mixed feelings on the subject, but I installed a tach cluster, replacing a non-tach cluster, and everything is working except the ABS lights stayed on. I installed a new engine though, but traced the wires and routed them accordingly.

 

Great question for me too, pink! The odometer on my '93 3.9L went out about 7 years ago at 120,640 miles. I have to change oil/filter by time, not miles now. Here is what mine looks like - 1993 Dakota, 3.9L V6, 2WD:

 

I would assume all terminals 87-96 look the same, this was the harness at the junkyard for that cluster pictured above (electric speedometer):



Thanks! Yours has a variation, yours does not say "< Fuel Door" and it also uses the odd numbers like mine however yours goes to 125mph (better then 110mph) and mine only goes to 85mph.