Change non-tach cluster for cluster with tach?

[locovaca]

93 Ranger 2.3L with a manual. I have an instrument cluster without a tach and I found a guy selling one that has the tach built in (his is also from a MT). Is it a simply bolt on replacement, or is there a special sensor needed to drive the tach? I assumed it'd come from the VSS but wanted to make sure first (before I bought it).

Thanks!

Dan

 

[MAKG]

The tach runs off the ignition primary. No sensor required. However, depending on where the tach is tapped in, you may need it to have come from an engine with the same number of cylinders. It's always so for distributor ignition; it need not be for DIS or EDIS, provided the donor also has DIS or EDIS (due to the waste spark -- this changes the reading by a factor of 2). It's always safe to get it off a same-year 2.3L, but that's overkill.

The VSS drives the speedometer, not the tach, on later models. On yours, it just drives the cruise control.

 

[mhughes165]

also, check to be sure, but u may have to rewire your electrical connectors as some of the plugs on the cluster may not be the same with the mt/tach vs auto/no tach. nothing worse then getting the old one out and having to put it back in b/c of issues such as these

 

[locovaca]

Thanks. It's coming from a 94 (so wiring shouldn't be a problem), but I don't know what engine size. I checked around elsewhere and it looks like that, as long as it doesn't say 4.0L only on the cluster, it'll just drop in.

 

[locovaca]

To follow up with my results, it worked beautifully. I even kept the old odometer and put it into the new cluster; everything works and is reading correctly.