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Instrument cluster swap TOO EASY!!!

98GhostXJ

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Redwood City, CA
OMG!!! I just swapped my idiot light cluster on my '98 out for a '98 gauge cluster I got from dagr8tim (Thanks bro!!) and WOW, a couple of screws for the panel under the steering wheel, a couple more for the metal plate under that, then I just pulled the radio and gauge bezel, literally pulled them out without any screws, four screws for the cluster, unplugged it, plugged in the new one and it works!!! Now I have a tach, and I verified the gas gauge was reading the same as the old one (it was) and the volt gauge was working, oil pressure, etc. THAT ROCKS!!!!!! But it is true that the mileage is saved in the cluster, so I found a place in Palo Alto that will set it to the proper mileage, Which just happens to be EXACTLY 133,000 miles right now, seriously, exactly 133,000. I bet they'll think I'm lying, if they even care. Anyway, I'm super happy about this because I HATED that old cluster. Everthing else in this Jeep is great, that old cluster made it seem cheap to me.

98GhostXJ v1.11
 
yep, super easy. It was so easy that i even took the extra time to drill my hole out for th driving lights and put a switch in it.

ry%3D400

Half an hour total and done!!!!!!!!!
 
OMG!!! I just swapped my idiot light cluster on my '98 out for a '98 gauge cluster I got from dagr8tim (Thanks bro!!) and WOW, a couple of screws for the panel under the steering wheel, a couple more for the metal plate under that, then I just pulled the radio and gauge bezel, literally pulled them out without any screws, four screws for the cluster, unplugged it, plugged in the new one and it works!!! Now I have a tach, and I verified the gas gauge was reading the same as the old one (it was) and the volt gauge was working, oil pressure, etc. THAT ROCKS!!!!!! But it is true that the mileage is saved in the cluster, so I found a place in Palo Alto that will set it to the proper mileage, Which just happens to be EXACTLY 133,000 miles right now, seriously, exactly 133,000. I bet they'll think I'm lying, if they even care. Anyway, I'm super happy about this because I HATED that old cluster. Everthing else in this Jeep is great, that old cluster made it seem cheap to me.

98GhostXJ v1.11

Glad to hear everything worked out and you are happy.
 
I just snagged one from a u-pull it yard for 10 bucks! I lowered my milage by 50k!!!!!(I will disclose, if I sell...I'm too honest) Super quick, to swap. This should be the first thing to upgrade when you get a bare bones XJ.
 
I just snagged one from a u-pull it yard for 10 bucks! I lowered my milage by 50k!!!!!(I will disclose, if I sell...I'm too honest) Super quick, to swap. This should be the first thing to upgrade when you get a bare bones XJ.
It is and it was
 
I did the swap last weekend and couldn't find the button either. I just used some of the dialectric grease I had for the contacts on the pull knob and that helped it slide through the hole.......boy, that sounds bad. :)
 
I did't know there was a release knob well cut my legs off and call me shorty!! :NAXJA:
 
I've still not managed to find the release button while it was on the jeep. So I pulled the switch and the mounting bracket for the cluster, and found the switch. This is off of a 98 XJ.

IMG00322_20090920_1552.jpg


The button looks like a rivet, and can be easily missed. As stated above, you have to depress the button, then twist & pull and it will pop out. The button is on the side of the switch that faces the steering column.

On reinstallation, make sure it is fully seated in the switch so the knob doesn't come back off when you go to use the lights the first time.
 
i tried this with my 95 but it was a no go

i bought a cluster off of a 94, and it wouldn't work. the plug wasn't the same. any ideas, because id really like to have real guages
 
96 and older require swapping some senders. I think the Temp sender & the Oil Pressure Sender. Search around and you'll find all the information.
 
Also IIRC... between 90 and 91 there was a change between cable driven speedometer and electronic transmitter.....
Make sure you get the proper year for your vehicle....

YES.... The Oil Pressure and Coolant Temperature sensors require changing when going from Idiot Lights to Gauges....to provide a variable voltage vs an on/off voltage.
 
You can switch over the whole speedo assy from one cluster to another - at least on the old style (1988) models.
 
just did last year on my 98 xj from 2001 that only had 57k on it .my xj had 133k,now reads 76k. just love seeing that there,i will never sell my xj,
its my baby!son build just for my disability,bad back has 4.5 inch lift i just slid in.cant get in and out of car to low,but it was just plug and play .
 
Could you give me the name of the place that did the "recal" of the mileage on the cluster. I have a 98 sport that has 26K on it and want the full gauge set to read actual miles so my wife is happy. I'll send it to them asap.
 
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