1994 Ford Ranger Cluster Swap

[wsanfor]

Hello all,
Was looking to swap out my cluster for one with a tach but are running into some issues. I have a 94 ranger 2.3 manual trans and found a donar cluster out of a 92 explorer 3.0. After taking the cluster apart and cleaning everything I trired to install it but the truck runs rough after install and none of the gauges work. I think there may need to be some wire changes on the harness that plugs into the cluster but im not sure where to go about finding that out. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[rumblecloud]

I don't know how to fix your cluster, but I do have one from a 94 ranger that I got from the pull a part yard.
I'll post some pics of it tomorrow if you're interested.

 

[wsanfor]

I don't know how to fix your cluster, but I do have one from a 94 ranger that I got from the pull a part yard.
I'll post some pics of it tomorrow if you're interested.

Sure that would be helpful. Thanks

 

[tinman_72]

From what I recall when researching to do a gauge swap in my '93 ranger, the pinout is not the same from Explorer to Ranger, especially mixing '92 and '94.

 

[mtnrgr]

Instrument cluster from 89-92 is completely different from 93-94. The yellow gauges in your picture are from 89-92, the green one like in your 94 is the one you need. Look for one from a 93-94 explorer or ranger. It will be a direct swap. No explorer had a 3.0, only a 4.0.

Here is the cluster from my 94 3.0 5spd ranger. This is what you need.

 

[wsanfor]

From what I recall when researching to do a gauge swap in my '93 ranger, the pinout is not the same from Explorer to Ranger, especially mixing '92 and '94.

Yea I figured that they are not the same given that the clusters have a different layout.

 

[wsanfor]

Instrument cluster from 89-92 is completely different from 93-94. The yellow gauges in your picture are from 89-92, the green one like in your 94 is the one you need. Look for one from a 93-94 explorer or ranger. It will be a direct swap. No explorer had a 3.0, only a 4.0.

Here is the cluster from my 94 3.0 5spd ranger. This is what you need.

Yea I was aware of what was needed to make it more of a direct swap would have to be 93/94 year model, but whats availible at the local yard is a different story. Wasnt aware of the explorer not having a 3.0, thats just what it was listed on the upullit website v6. I figured they could be interchangeable just with some wire swapping, but couldnt find a good example of the 92 explorer pinout for the cluster.

Then after I posted everything I found out that I was being too smart for my own good, overcomplicating things and realized that I could just compare the traces for all the pins on each one and had the 94 cluster pin diagram.
A full day later was able to get everything laid out un pinned the connections and repinned them to match up from function to layout and extend 1 wire from each side to swap the side they plug into and got it all working. Als
Also had to resolder all the connections on the tach and slosh mod.
Heres some photos

 

[Shran]

I am curious, does your tach read correctly?

 

[Curious Hound]

Yea I was aware of what was needed to make it more of a direct swap would have to be 93/94 year model, but whats availible at the local yard is a different story. Wasnt aware of the explorer not having a 3.0, thats just what it was listed on the upullit website v6. I figured they could be interchangeable just with some wire swapping, but couldnt find a good example of the 92 explorer pinout for the cluster.

Then after I posted everything I found out that I was being too smart for my own good, overcomplicating things and realized that I could just compare the traces for all the pins on each one and had the 94 cluster pin diagram.
A full day later was able to get everything laid out un pinned the connections and repinned them to match up from function to layout and extend 1 wire from each side to swap the side they plug into and got it all working. Als
Also had to resolder all the connections on the tach and slosh mod.
Heres some photos

Glad you worked it out.

Like Shran, I’m curious about the tach reading. The cluster from the 6cylinder vehicle is now only seeing pulses from a 4cylinder engine.

 

[Shran]

I don't recall ever seeing a 4 cylinder truck that had a tach but I haven't seen everything. Curiosity more than anything on my part. I have a 6 cylinder gauge cluster in my V8 swapped truck and it's way off but that is all 1st gen parts.

 

[wsanfor]

I don't recall ever seeing a 4 cylinder truck that had a tach but I haven't seen everything. Curiosity more than anything on my part. I have a 6 cylinder gauge cluster in my V8 swapped truck and it's way off but that is all 1st gen parts.

I do believe the sport versions came with a tach. Since there were so many variations you could most likely get whatever as an option. The wiring is all there just not in use.

Well since all the pieces of the cluster are modular, you can pull the tach out and on the side of the tach are two pots, red one is to adjust the set rpm, and the white adjusts the sensitivity. You can pull the face of your cluster off and pull the tach on the fly, adjust and readjust until you have it set. Ive been working on cars and bikes all sorts of motorized things for forever and a day and you just kinda know around what rpm something is running at by sound. Im sure you could hook up something to tell you the exact and you could set it off of that. Heres a side pic of the tach. You have to be real careful and turn it gently not to break it.

 

[wsanfor]

I don't recall ever seeing a 4 cylinder truck that had a tach but I haven't seen everything. Curiosity more than anything on my part. I have a 6 cylinder gauge cluster in my V8 swapped truck and it's way off but that is all 1st gen parts.

Also on the back of the cluster from the one I installed there is a specific spot on there to select the 8cyl, I think you would use the tach ground wire there or the tach signal wire. Im really not sure. But for the 6cyl you add the other ground on another pin location

 

[wsanfor]

Was going to post a video of it running but guess the files to large

 

[DRanger024]

Mazda cluster also works if you want a little bit different look.

 

[Curious Hound]

Was going to post a video of it running but guess the files to large

Can't post videos here. Put them on YouTube or some other host. Then put the link here.