95 Ranger instrument cluster backlight question.

[Powder2015]

So I found the now mine 95 Ranger xl ext cab 4x4 5 speed truck in a garage that had been there 10 years. I got it running and found the coolant gauge is kinda sticky and if slap the dash it will kind of work, and the tach will drop to 0 at idle but will pick up and read when giving some throttle. I went online and got a replacement cluster that said would fit a 95 ranger. Out of the box it looked exactly the same, however when installed found that some of the warning lights are in the wrong location and the backlight is green. The one that came out of it has a blue backlight. Is there a different cluster like maybe an early cluster that was dropped and possibly hard to find? Should I send my cluster to be rebuilt especially since the bulb around the 50 mph will not light up even after changing the bulb and the socket even installing in every way and direction possible. Thanks in advance for any advice.

 

[rumblecloud]

An image of the cluster would help a bit -lit or unlit or both. Also an image of the truck just because we like to see old Rangers that have been sitting for awhile
Could just be cobwebs from sitting so long. Have you used any electronics spray on the original?

Oh, Welcome to TRS.

 

[Powder2015]

I have seen it self heal after driving, did a small repair to the air bag diag module due to component having a dead short but was still flashing code for the clock spring. As of Monday the airbag light went off after its check. It has codes for purge valve and the distributor gear, I’m hoping the tach issue is caused by that. I had removed all the gauges and cleaned the contact pins when I upgraded to led lights and changed worm gear for odometer, other than that I have not done anything further.

 

[rumblecloud]

I see you are a Ford Tech, so anything I offer is prolly below your pay grade, but it's all I got. 283 on the od and idling at 900. Nice find btw.

 

[Powder2015]

No advice is below my pay grade, I accept all knowledge, help and advice. I was a ford heavy line tech in my dealer life with expertise in 15+ f series, car and suv gas engines as well as trans. I’ve put about 1k miles on it since I acquired it. So far it took a new fuel pump to get running, full brake system replacement due to taking no chances, 4” rough country lift that included springs front and back to replace the wasted suspension with new shackles, brand new 31x10.50r15 Toyo r/t. Behind the seat I have new clock spring, multifunction switch, intake and valve cover gaskets and a new distributor to install when I get time. Probably will put in new exhaust manifolds when I’m doing all that since the flange is leaking and cannot tighten it up due to rusty bolts. Driver side floor pan has couple rust holes in it that previous owner repaired. Other than that it’s super solid and runs flawlessly. Even the a/c works.

 

[lowspeedpursuit]

Is the picture the original or "new" cluster?

The '95 cluster is unique by year, but some sellers group '95-97 as a generation, or even '95-'02 or whenever the next major cluster overhaul was.
"<Unleaded Fuel Only" above the tach is a '95 thing, and by '98 "RPMx1000" had moved up to that position. Quick image search looks like maybe the early text format persisted through '96? Not sure what other variations might exist besides tach/no tach, explorer/mazda.

 

[Powder2015]

The picture is of the original cluster to the truck it has a green circuit board. The replacement that I have that was said to work looks identical but has a brown circuit board, green backlighting and until just now realized that it does not have the unleaded fuel only above the tach needle. Looks exactly the same otherwise with the exception of warning lights not in the same place. Pictured is one of my replacements. It was purchased off eBay stating it fit 95+. Maybe I should have paid more attention to what mine really looked like.

 

[bobbywalter]

the problem with replacing old worn out stuff...with old worn out stuff....


though oddly enough.....can still be better than new chinesium junk.

 

[lowspeedpursuit]

Yeah, so that's the difference. The "new" cluster isn't a '95 specifically, based on missing the "Unleaded" text. Check the part number on one of the component pieces like the printed circuit board, and it will probably start with something higher than F5.

I can't remember from last time this came up if they're plug-and-play but with noticeable differences, or if you really want to repin your connectors. I have the '95 EVTM, if somebody else has '96 or '97 we can check for sure.

 

[Powder2015]

the problem with replacing old worn out stuff...with old worn out stuff....


though oddly enough.....can still be better than new chinesium junk.

Not wrong, recently I have had super bad luck with bad new parts out of the box or becoming bad weeks after replacement.

 

[bobbywalter]

Yeah, so that's the difference. The "new" cluster isn't a '95 specifically, based on missing the "Unleaded" text. Check the part number on one of the component pieces like the printed circuit board, and it will probably start with something higher than F5.

I can't remember from last time this came up if they're plug-and-play but with noticeable differences, or if you really want to repin your connectors. I have the '95 EVTM, if somebody else has '96 or '97 we can check for sure.

there are many changes from 95-2004 and it gets worse from there.

i think 94 is the base for keeping it simple.

 

[Powder2015]

Yeah, so that's the difference. The "new" cluster isn't a '95 specifically, based on missing the "Unleaded" text. Check the part number on one of the component pieces like the printed circuit board, and it will probably start with something higher than F5.

I can't remember from last time this came up if they're plug-and-play but with noticeable differences, or if you really want to repin your connectors. I have the '95 EVTM, if somebody else has '96 or '97 we can check for sure.

I want to say I have seen a post somewhere about moving pins in the connector around to make the newer cluster work. I found a lower mileage cluster that looks exactly like the one I have with the red 6k rpm and the unleaded fuel only including the green print board. I may try it.

 

[Powder2015]

there are many changes from 95-2004 and it gets worse from there.

i think 94 is the base for keeping it simple.

I had and sold my 93 Ranger so I could fix this one up and make it reliable. I still think it was a good move. Especially since this truck was going to get flattened

 

[lowspeedpursuit]

I think what matters most is which years are plug-and-play, and I wish there was more centralized info on which ones aren't. Sometimes it lines up with "enthusiast" generations, but breakers and parts sellers will still group things by "book" generations.

Like '92-'93 is the big one I know looks the same but requires a repin. There's a major breakpoint where Ford redesigned a bunch of shit there anyway, but somebody who isn't into Rangers doesn't know about it.

 

[bobbywalter]

I had and sold my 93 Ranger so I could fix this one up and make it reliable. I still think it was a good move. Especially since this truck was going to get flattened

aye... but when powertrain swapping the later units and wanting to keep an oem style cluster, swapping to the early cluster simplifies things.

generally i just work with what is there, though things like the later hec systems and pats are garbage waiting to fail anyway and a unneeded easily avoided hassle in my eyes.

in this case i may have went through all of the harness grounds in the cab first and traced back the idm and coolant signal.