Digital gauges in 86 Vic.

[DrHax]

Road to madness here.

I just purchased a set of build a dash digital gauges from intellitronix. They pricey shiny and precious

Um moving on.

I have some major questions here. The original cluster works great the only issue is the information that could have saved my last engine sure as hell wasn't avaliable to me from the idiot lights. When the "you're fucked!" Engine light comes on it's too late. No temp gauge no oil pressure. You guys know the deal.

So this is what I got with the gauges

https://intellitronix.com/skin/frontend/intx/intx-theme/pdf/install/DP10002_6-Gauge-Universal_INST.pdf

That is the instructions my first question is how much of the printed circuit board could I tap off of when I replace the corresponding sensors?

The gauges I got are

Speedometer with built in turn signals and high beam light. Pretty sure I can just tap into the printed board for those guys.
Tachometer, temp, fuel, volts and oil pressure.


Never done this before familiar with electronics just not familiar with the outputs of the printed circuit board.

Also how do you remove the speedometer from the face plate. I am going to only be using the shift selector. So everything else I do not need

Any input or advise.


Does anybody have a messed up face or a cluster with a broken needle or such. I would really hate to start cutting up my face plate. Sucker is clean and the odometer works even after 203406 miles!

[sly]

Take the lens off first... then the speedo removes by removing the two screws in back on either side of the speedo cable connection and it should just lift out. The fuel gauge should just be a friction fit on the pins that it connects to.

As for mounting the new gauges... just a sheet of metal that mounts in the same location painted color of choice would probably work fine.

[Hearsesrock427]

Will have quick tutorial video up on YT later tonight, will link it here. It's for an '89 Grand Marquis but it should be pretty similar to your '86 LTD CV.

Quick and dirty text based description: You will need a 7/32 socket and 1/4 socket/head, preferably on a screwdriver. 7/32 bolts hold the outer piece to the inner piece, there are seven of them. Outer panel piece should lift off. There are two 7/23 bolts that hold the gear indicator in place, take those out.

Now flip the cluster over and grab your 1/4 head. Three bolts, those come off. Then just spin the speedometer needle off its mounting thing from the frount, and you should be set.


And in case you wanted to do the other side.... fuel gauge/idiot light side has 7/23 bolts and 1/4 bolts. You will also need a 9mm socket to remove the weird brass finshed bolt thingies on the back. You'll know what I mean when you see them.

[Hearsesrock427]

https://youtu.be/GxDjiRvkSU0

[DrHax]

What I am wondering is can I remove the speedo mechanism and need from the face plate without destroying them in the process. I need the face plate with the shift selector intact.

My plans are to sodder the new wires (if applicable) to the printed circuit. I also plan on installing a plug for the wires that can't be soldered on to allow for ease of removal in the future. Or if gods forbid the car gets totaled.

[sly]

The gear indicator should actually be a separate piece IIRC.

[DrHax]

Actually got the needle off the spinning thing helped. Sweet now I can start figuring out where to mount the digital gauges!

[87gtVIC]

The shift indicator is a completely separate deal.

The fuel gauge on the CV is bolted in the cluster and the nuts sandwich down the printed circuit.

To remove the speedometer entirely just unbolt the two screws in the back around the speedo cable entry.


If you want you can cheat quite a bit by taping into the printed circuit directly for things. JUST BE CAREFUL. Temp idiot light and oil PSI idiot light are tied together RIGHT at the printed circuit connector to car harness. You will need to cut the two contacts and separate them, then it can be used as two different lines. In stock form the oil psi idiot light and temp light are one in the same.

[VicCrownVic]

I posted in the other thread but here's the pinout I slapped together for the '89 CV/MGM cluster which should be the same as your '86.