SR5 Gauge Cluster - adjusting odometer
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MootsMan
- Top Notch Member
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SR5 Gauge Cluster - adjusting odometer
I have an SR5 gauge cluster that I want to put in the '86 Dlx. that I'm driving now. Can anyone tell me how to set the odometer to the mileage that is showing on the speedometer that I'm taking out so the SR5 cluster will show the correct mileage for the car it's going in ?? Do I understand correctly that it is a direct plug in, and that all the gauges and tachometer will work when it's installed in the Dlx model ??
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Gasoline Fumes
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What brand are the clusters? It should say somewhere on the dials or on the back of the cluster. Usually Nippon Denso or Nippon Seiki. Denso is plastic and easier to deal with, Seiki speedometers are steel. Or possibly Yazaki, which I know nothing about.
Taking out a Denso odometer is easy. You'll see where the plastic has been melted around the shaft to hold it in. You can remelt it to release the odometer shaft, but I just cut some plastic out instead. Cut just enough to barely get the shaft out. If you do it right, the shaft will snap back in and stay put. If not, you might have to melt it back in or use a drop of thick glue.
I've never had to mess with a Seiki cluster, but I guess you'd have to bend the crimped metal to release the shaft. Good luck if you have one of those.
I've adjusted odometers to match a few times. One way is to remove the odometer, pull it apart, and then rotate the numbers to the correct mileage. Takes a lot of patience. You need to hold all the numbers in place as your doing it and it really sucks to put it back in and realize you've gotten them all off by half a number.
The other way, which I just used on my Sister's '93 Tercel when I installed a Paseo cluster, is just swapping the odometer from the old cluster to the new one. So much easier. Of course both clusters have to be the same brand and have matching odometers.
This would also be a good time to install a VSS in case you ever want cruise control or EFI. You can swipe the VSS from any same-brand speedometer. And you can polish the plastic window too. I use ordinary car wax, but there are products made specifically for polishing plastic too. Try not to touch the gauge faces when working on the clusters, it's hard to get fingerprints off of the paint.
Taking out a Denso odometer is easy. You'll see where the plastic has been melted around the shaft to hold it in. You can remelt it to release the odometer shaft, but I just cut some plastic out instead. Cut just enough to barely get the shaft out. If you do it right, the shaft will snap back in and stay put. If not, you might have to melt it back in or use a drop of thick glue.
I've never had to mess with a Seiki cluster, but I guess you'd have to bend the crimped metal to release the shaft. Good luck if you have one of those.
I've adjusted odometers to match a few times. One way is to remove the odometer, pull it apart, and then rotate the numbers to the correct mileage. Takes a lot of patience. You need to hold all the numbers in place as your doing it and it really sucks to put it back in and realize you've gotten them all off by half a number.
The other way, which I just used on my Sister's '93 Tercel when I installed a Paseo cluster, is just swapping the odometer from the old cluster to the new one. So much easier. Of course both clusters have to be the same brand and have matching odometers.
This would also be a good time to install a VSS in case you ever want cruise control or EFI. You can swipe the VSS from any same-brand speedometer. And you can polish the plastic window too. I use ordinary car wax, but there are products made specifically for polishing plastic too. Try not to touch the gauge faces when working on the clusters, it's hard to get fingerprints off of the paint.
Great write up!
Might be good to save that in the how-to's!
Might be good to save that in the how-to's!
-1992 TCR10 Previa LE -Thanks Jetswim-
-1987 AL25 Tercel SR5 -Sold To Jetswim-
-2000 PL2000 Neon LE -Sold to spencersummerfield-
-1999 PL Neon SE -Stolen, recovered cut in half. R.I.P.-
-1987 AE86 Corolla GT-S Coupe - Sold (I want it back!)-
MootsMan, it absolutely IS a direct plug-in, and everything will work perfectly. I know as I did it, with my '87 2WD wagon. See the post here viewtopic.php?p=11758&highlight=#11758Do I understand correctly that it is a direct plug in, and that all the gauges and tachometer will work when it's installed in the Dlx model ??