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88 Cluster Swap


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You can use one out of an MJ or an XJ pre-1990. Junkyard item...easier to find an XJ.

 

The tach, when you plug the new cluster in, should work right off.

 

If you have idiot lights instead of gauges on the old cluster, you'll need to also get new senders for the oil pressure and coolant temp (the one at the back of the head).

 

If you already have gauges instead of lights, you're good to go...plug n' play.

 

Tip: When you're trying to disengage the speedo cable, climb under the truck and push the cable UP a little to give you more slack. Pull out the elctrical connectors (2). Then reach behind the old cluster, squeeze and pull the clip off. Installaton is reverse of removal. While you're back there it wouldn't hurt to check all the bulbs and clean and grease the connectors for the new cluster

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  On 2/15/2013 at 5:51 PM, ParadiseMJ said:

You can use one out of an MJ or an XJ pre-1990. Junkyard item...easier to find an XJ.

 

The tach, when you plug the new cluster in, should work right off.

 

If you have idiot lights instead of gauges on the old cluster, you'll need to also get new senders for the oil pressure and coolant temp (the one at the back of the head).

 

If you already have gauges instead of lights, you're good to go...plug n' play.

 

Tip: When you're trying to disengage the speedo cable, climb under the truck and push the cable UP a little to give you more slack. Pull out the elctrical connectors (2). Then reach behind the old cluster, squeeze and pull the clip off. Installaton is reverse of removal. While you're back there it wouldn't hurt to check all the bulbs and clean and grease the connectors for the new cluster

 

So pre 1990 xj (the 4.0 not the high output one) is what i am looking for then

 

thanks

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  On 2/15/2013 at 6:27 PM, hitman72 said:

So pre 1990 xj (the 4.0 not the high output one) is what i am looking for then

 

No.

 

To be safe, 1988 through 1990, not "pre" 90.

 

The earlier XJs and MJs used a different speedo cable attachment. Unless you want to also change the speedo cable, you can't use the cluster from an 84-86 in a 1988 vehicle. Also, the 88 and up have a potentiometer that allows setting the tachometer for 6-cylinders or 4 cylinders, so it doesn't matter what engine was in the donor vehicle. The early tachometers don't have this adjustment.

 

You'll notice that I have carefully avoided mention of 1987. That's because, even though I have both an 87 MJ and an 87 XJ, I have never pulled the cluster out of either one and I don't know if the 87 used the arly style speedo and tach, or the late style speedo and tach.

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  On 2/16/2013 at 4:54 AM, jimoshel said:

For what it's worth, my '87 uses the plastic attachment, with both ears broke off. It's only being held in place by the friction of the firewall grommet.

 

Same on my '90, Jim.

 

Every once in a while I have to push the cable toward the dash to stop the needle from wobbling.

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The reason I have reservations about the 87s is that the dial faces in my '87 MJ Pioneers are the old style markings, with ticks for every one MPH, not like the '88 XJ Pioneer that only has ticks at the 2.5 and 5 MPH intervals. It has been my guess that the old-style face probably has the old style cluster behind it, but I've never bothered to crawl under the dash and look.

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Also, my gauges now are not working quite right. They all read low, 5 mph, temp half of what it would be, and volts around 10-12. I know that there is a ground upgrade you can do that i have not yet. But is there something i can do or check when i am in there doing the swap

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  On 2/16/2013 at 2:37 AM, Eagle said:

To be safe, 1988 through 1990, not "pre" 90.

 

That's right Eagle...I have a 90 and an 88. My knowledge base is mostly limited to those years.

 

The speedo and electric gauges do not work off the same system. The speedo is operated by a cable, not electric.

 

Connctor integrity and/or cleaning in order. Speedo cable firmly engaged in T-case AND at back of cluster.

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  • 3 weeks later...

For what it's worth my '87 2.5 had 3 different clusters in it:  Base (out of a '90 4.0, speedo cable fit),  3/4 cluster (came with the '87), full cluster (out of either an '89 or '90). 

Of these clusters two of them were in the '90 4.0: base and full cluster.  I had no issues with speedo cables in either truck.

 

  Also of note I upgraded the cluster in the '92 and found there are 2 different 91-96 H.O. clusters.  '91-'92 with a conventional albeit electronic speedo, and '93+ with an odometer that's sealed in the speedo housing via plastic welds at the front. The '93 + also has a small plastic/lexan window over the odometer and is made by Mitsubishi.  The '91-'92 does not.

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This may come a little late or even if you are intrested but you can also change the background of the gages to white if you want. If you go to http://jeep-xj.info/ and scroll down to White Gauges shows how to change the blacks gauges to white backgrounds for $10. you can order the background and even change the illumination color. I was thinking of doing this to my cluster but I kind of like the original color.

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  • 5 weeks later...
  On 2/16/2013 at 2:37 AM, Eagle said:

 

  On 2/15/2013 at 6:27 PM, 'hitman72' said:

So pre 1990 xj (the 4.0 not the high output one) is what i am looking for then

No.

 

To be safe, 1988 through 1990, not "pre" 90.

 

The earlier XJs and MJs used a different speedo cable attachment. Unless you want to also change the speedo cable, you can't use the cluster from an 84-86 in a 1988 vehicle. Also, the 88 and up have a potentiometer that allows setting the tachometer for 6-cylinders or 4 cylinders, so it doesn't matter what engine was in the donor vehicle. The early tachometers don't have this adjustment.

 

You'll notice that I have carefully avoided mention of 1987. That's because, even though I have both an 87 MJ and an 87 XJ, I have never pulled the cluster out of either one and I don't know if the 87 used the arly style speedo and tach, or the late style speedo and tach.

 

 

  On 4/4/2013 at 5:22 PM, armyofchuckness said:

Hey, 1987 Comanche, did you have any issues with your tach since it came from a 4.0? I'm about to try the same thing with my 2.5.

Does the highlighted part answer your question?

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Derp. Sorry about that. :doh:  I've been reading some other posts since I asked that and I think I know what to look for now. The Cherokee I "sourced" this cluster from was badly disassembled, so my amateur eye doesn't know what year it was. Hopefully I got lucky and it's an 88-90. If not, there were plenty more to snag at the yard. I'll check when I get home. At least I know I've got the right cluster because they're both light blue housings.

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I took mine apart last night and saw the set screw. Thanks to Vaquaro for posting this picture (http://widetrackdrive.com/temp/mj/tach-pot.jpg) in the thread below. I would have never been looking for a nylon screw head on that part of the tach. Here's the post, which has some more great info: http://comancheclub.com/topic/30426-1990-25l-gauge-cluster-swap-options/

 

I also noticed that my new cluster did have a Chysler part decal on it, so it's definitely post 87. Hopefully I'll get lucky like 1987Comanche and the speedo cable will fit. I doubt they'd have changed them between 86 and 87. Then again, this is AMC we're talking about.  :roll:

 

Thanks to everyone for all the cool info on this.

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Ugh. Looks like there was a mid-87 swap on the speedometers, according to Geonovast, so I'll definitely be needing a new cable. No biggie.

 

More good info here:

http://comancheclub.com/topic/17557-switching-odometers-from-cluster-to-cluster/

 

And a really good write up here:

http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=921205

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