86 Cluster to Renix Gauge Cluster

[Isaiah Hahn]

I currently have a 2.8 in my Comanche with the older cluster, I would like to switch to the renix cluster; I have found one with the similar plugs as mine. Would anyone be able to tell me what sending units I would need? Also i’m Lost on the tachometer. Since it’s 6cyl, would I still need to mess with the tach or could I leave it how it is? I’m hoping I can just splice the two harnesses with little problem and just change sending units. I have the old ones from another 2.8 that came with a different cluster that just had the lights.

[eaglescout526]

You actually would not need to splice anything to make the new cluster work. All the clusters from 84-90 use the same style plug to plug into the harness. 

For the sending units you will need the ones for gauges, oil pressure and temp. Unless your old one is idiot lights, you should not have to swap sending units.

For the tach, as long as the Renix cluster came out of a 4.0L it should see the 2.8L pulses just fine and won't have to make any adjustments to the tach.

One problem: If your truck is an 86 you will need to swap the speedometer cable to the newer 87-90 style.

 

 

[Green Mesa XJ]

Eaglescout is correct. Although you might get away with plunging the original speedometer cable in the cluster. It’s not going to clip in and lock correctly but I seem to remember just putting my original cable in place until I had time to source a 87-90 cable.

If your 86 cluster is full package with all the gauges it’s plug and play, if you had idiot lights it’s a matter of swapping those out for the gauge sender. Tach is going to work with no extra effort on your part, amc had the wiring already done.
Only trouble I’ve had is the 2.8 gm temp sender doesn’t seem to be calibrated for the renix 4.0 gauge reading, although I’ve never checked the temp with a laser scanner to see if it’s correct. Might just be the 2.8 or my 2.8 runs so much cooler (probably at 180)than a 4.0 crammed in to that engine bay.


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[Green Mesa XJ]

PS the 2.8 temp sensor is a PITA to find since almost all the parts catalogues will have it wrong for all 84-85-86 2.8 Jeeps, look for s10 or camaro 2.8 parts (for just about anything that bolts on the engine)

I believe the Gm temp sender you should look for is ACDelco 213-80 GM, or anything aftermarket that interchanges with that.

For oil pressure sender I’ve used gm s10 and the Jeep part # which I believe was the same 1987 until 1992-92.

Tach is good to go,

Fuel is good to go,

Alt should good to go,

Speedo would be best to get the correct cable, but it might work rigged with the old one.maybe.

I think that’s it.

 

 

 

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[Isaiah Hahn]

Everything was plug and play, I was able to put the speedometer cable temporarily in there and it has a correct reading