did cluster (w/tach) swap and temp gauge not working

[RaVEWHQ]

http://www.the-jersey-devil.com/shop/html/p209.htm show that part number for a YJ. Hmmm...

I just did the gauge swap on my 96 XJ to a gauged cluster from 93 or 94 and I -too- am trying to get the right part numbers for switching my temperature sender and my oil sender. This is turning out to be a pain!
Im afraid to head down to AutoZone (20 min ride each way) and have to make several trips. Hoping someone found the right place to order from online?

 

[RaVEWHQ]

Sorry for the double post! I did go down to Autozone and pickup the temp and oil senders that their computer specifys for being "with gauge" whereas the others in his system are "with light". Bum part is, I installed the temp one (closest one to firewall, driver's side, right up against the valve cover area) and still getting nothing outta it onto my gauge. Looks exactly like the one I pulled

Oil pressure one is pretty much rusted/heated shut. Got to find someway of getting that puppy out. Im afraid the $25 I spent on the oil sender and the $14 on the temp sender was a complete waste of money. And AutoZone told me I couldnt bring them back because they are electrical components. Balls!

 

[rianardo]

Just gotta find the right sender... jeep was kinda tricky with the whole gauge set ups and changes and stuff over the years... i have 99 XJ gauges in my 97XJ... after 97 all the swaps should be even, just plug and play - it's that easy. anything below 97, there might be issues, but don't worry! it's just another project !!!

This is how I'm treating it....another project...when there's a will there's a way!

I'm going to keep the 96 cluster and try one of two things...1) get a coolant sensor and use brass adaptors to fit it into the the temp sender hole near the firewall and hook it up or 2) get a cheap aftermarket gauge from Princess Auto, get it working, then fit it into the place where the current gauge is.

I like this cluster...low kilometres, clean and new looking so I'll figure it out. Something will work eventually because I did get a reading as I mentioned above.

P.S. I did notice that the change to OBD II may have been one of those mid-way through the model year things in 1996 (i.e. up to 6/96 the part I have would have worked).

Cheers,
R.

 

[SteveT]

Finally got the temp gauge to work. The part came from Checkers (same as Kragen or Schucks?). It's a Niehoff #TS25451.

My XJ is a '96, w/ gauges from a '91. I did have to splice in the proper fitting into my harness to match the threaded post on the new sender. I got the fitting from the wrecking yard off a "clustered" XJ.

Steve

This is the type of fitting I had with the idiot light.
http://www.opiebennett.com/images/Jeep/Guage swap/Temp Sender Outline IMG_9297.JPG

The one that works is just a straight up threaded post. The part that threads into the block looks identical to my old sender.

 

[rianardo]

Well, I figured it out. I had a bad connector. The temp sender for a 96 worked. I jumpered from the top of the connector (the wire end) to the temp sender and I got a reading in the temp gauge. Turns out that in pulling the connector off when making the switch from the dummy light, I had inadvertently pulled the metal pin up inside the connector. Get to keep the good cluster but still ticked that I missed that...oh well. Now onto a new bumper...

Cheers,
Rian

This is how I'm treating it....another project...when there's a will there's a way!

I'm going to keep the 96 cluster and try one of two things...1) get a coolant sensor and use brass adaptors to fit it into the the temp sender hole near the firewall and hook it up or 2) get a cheap aftermarket gauge from Princess Auto, get it working, then fit it into the place where the current gauge is.

I like this cluster...low kilometres, clean and new looking so I'll figure it out. Something will work eventually because I did get a reading as I mentioned above.

P.S. I did notice that the change to OBD II may have been one of those mid-way through the model year things in 1996 (i.e. up to 6/96 the part I have would have worked).

Cheers,
R.

 

[caspergotaz28]

Just for the benefit of people that read this thread after searching.

A '96 cluster WILL swap into a '94 without any problem.

I did the same swap as rianardo, had the same problem with no reading on the temp gauge. I had to do the same explanation at the jeep parts counter for 20 minutes about idiot lights and gauges and different year model clusters.

My problem was differed in that I was given the wrong temp sender. Here is the thread I started with jeep part #'s for the senders.

http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=54889

 

[Eagle]

Thanks for posting the follow-up.

All too often people post these off-the-wall problems, generating lots of discussion and suggestions ... then they disappear and never post the outcome. Knowing how this workd out may help someone else in the future.

 

[montanaman]

Hi:

I saw this subject in a search, and I was hoping you could help me.

I have a '91 cherokee sport with the 4.0 L motor. It has the idiot light cluster.

I just bought a '95 gauge cluster with tach, etc.

Now ... I have to buy new senders for oil pressure and water temp.

Question is, do I buy senders for the '95 replacement cluster, or for the '91 computer in the jeep? The senders are different for those different years.

Thanks!!


Robert

 

[bajacalal]

For the 91 so they fit, just that they need to be for gauges not lights and you want the temp sender switch (for gauges) in the back of the block (I think is same on 91) not the one in the thermostat area that is used by the computer. I'm nearly positve that theyre the same and if you want I can give you napa part numbers.

 

[montanaman]

Hi: Thanks for answering. It turns out that the '91 is different. '92 through '96 all use the same senders, but for the '91, the senders are different. I also called the dealership, and they said the temp gauge is different from a '91 to a '95.

So ... I'm not sure if '91 senders for gauges will work with the 95 instrument cluster

 

[summitlt]

A little off topic, but if you want to change the cluster mileage, it is super easy. Theres a C-clip on the shaft the odometer runs on, take that off and you cna move the numberes to your current mileage.

 

[montanaman]

A little off topic, but if you want to change the cluster mileage, it is super easy. Theres a C-clip on the shaft the odometer runs on, take that off and you cna move the numberes to your current mileage.

Oh ... awesome!! Thanks for that info ... it will really come in handy. I was wondering how I could change those miles. I called a shop and they said they would charge $60.00

 

[bajacalal]

What I meant is that electrically they operate in the same way. Previous to 91 my impression is they are electrical opposites. I would go ahead and get senders for 91 and connect your 95 cluster, these 2 senders are not really dealt with by the computer. There is an active identical thread about this btw.

 

[Eagle]

Check the physical connectors for the two you are considering. You want the one that matches the connectors for the senders in your Jeep now.

They all "work" (assuming a connection) ... the issue is how they work. When Chrysler revised the electrics in the XJ between '90 and '91, for some reason they reversed polarity on the gauges. The senders (oil pressure and temp, as well as gas gauge) are all just variable resistors. Get a connection and they'll all make the gauge needle move. But ... put a '90 & down sender into a '91 & up vehicle, and the gauge will operate backwards (pegged to the right when you have zero pressure or temp, and moving down to the left as pressure or temp increases). The ohm range also changed slightly: the old ones were 0-88 ohms, and the new oes were 104-5 ohms or something like that.

So if you have a '91 or newer XJ, find the '91 or newer sender that will mate up to the wire connector in the vehicle and try that first.

 

[montanaman]

Check the physical connectors for the two you are considering. You want the one that matches the connectors for the senders in your Jeep now.

They all "work" (assuming a connection) ... the issue is how they work. When Chrysler revised the electrics in the XJ between '90 and '91, for some reason they reversed polarity on the gauges. The senders (oil pressure and temp, as well as gas gauge) are all just variable resistors. Get a connection and they'll all make the gauge needle move. But ... put a '90 & down sender into a '91 & up vehicle, and the gauge will operate backwards (pegged to the right when you have zero pressure or temp, and moving down to the left as pressure or temp increases). The ohm range also changed slightly: the old ones were 0-88 ohms, and the new oes were 104-5 ohms or something like that.

So if you have a '91 or newer XJ, find the '91 or newer sender that will mate up to the wire connector in the vehicle and try that first.

You are right, but the dividing years are 91 and 92. 87-91 senders are the same, and 92-96 senders are the same. I'm posting another message with all the stuff I've learned today.

 

[montanaman]

Hi Folks:

Thanks for your responses. Here is what I found out:

The Tachometer, Fuel level gauge and voltmeter are the same from '87 thru 96 XJs.

The speedometer is the same for 84-86 (cable), or 87-90 (different cable, but interchangeable with 84-86 speedometer), or 91-96 (no cable).

The Temp. and Oil Pressure gauges are the same for 87-91, or 92-96.

So ... you can see that '91 is a "transitional" year. That is, it has the temp and oil pressure gauges from 87-91. But ... it has the electronic speedometer with no cable like the 91-96.

All the temperature and Oil pressure senders for 92-96 XJs are the same.

All the temperature and oil pressure senders for 87-91 are also the same, and are not compatible with the 92-96 years. The 87-91 senders are electrically "opposite," in terms of their resistance curve.

If you have an 87-90 XJ, you can replace your gauges with any cluster from an 87-90 jeep and order the senders for your vehicle year with no problem.

If you have a 92-96 XJ, you can replace the cluster with any 92-96 cluster, and order the senders for your vehicle year with no problem. Or ... you can get a cluster from a '91 XJ and order the 87-91 oil pressure and temp senders. If you use the 87-91 senders on a 92-96 XJ, you'll need to splice new contact wire ends onto your wiring harness.

If you have a '91 XJ, you can replace the cluster from another '91 XJ, and order the senders for a '91, Or you can get a replacement cluster from a 92-96, and order the 92-96 senders. If you use the 92-96 senders on a '91 XJ, you'll have to splice new contact wires into your wire harness.

So ... swapping out a cluster for a 91 XJ is the most difficult year, but it's still doable.

Hope this helps someone when they do a search in the future.