OEM Dash Gauge Swap

Have 1996 XJ "Sport" with only idiot lights. The instrument cluster unit just plugs into a harness. The question is, if I can find a set of the OEM "real" gauges from another 96 (i.e. junk yard), has anyone had experience with such a swap. Could I be so lucky that the gauges would simply plug in and work? Any experience appreciated. Captain Easy.

I don't mean to jump on you instead of welcoming you to , but I would like to mention that it's generally considered a bit rude to come onto a forum and immediately ask for information that can easily be found:

http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=6660&highlight=cluster+swap

http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=10064&highlight=cluster+swap

http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=4395&highlight=cluster+swap

http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=5842&highlight=cluster+swap

Your temp sender and oil pressure sender are on/off switches. You will need to buy replacements that are variable resistors, for use with the gauges.

[Edit] Your '96 should be OBD-II and the temp gauge may get data from the ECU. You may only need to change the oil pressure sender. Look for a temp sender on the left rear corner of the head. If there isn't one there, you should not need to change the one in the thermostat housing.

Sorry to offend. The instrument cluster chain you reference was found, but was all about odometer issues; not my question. Maybe at the registration page, you may want to let folks know what is a respectable period to wait until posting a tech question. Thanks for the response.

Taken together, those threads answer your question. You can swap to a full instrument cluster just by bolting it in and changing the temperature sender and the oil pressure sender.

My XJs are old enough to have mechanical speedometers, so I am not certain what you would need to do to retain your current odometer reading. The new speedometer will read okay, but I don't know if the odometer reading is stored in the instrument itself, or in the ECU. Your '96 is the first year Chrysler used OBD-II on the XJ, by the way, so that might make a difference. For that reason, I would try to go with a '96 cluster even though 91 thru 95 also used an electronic speedometer. I don't know if the 91 thru 95 will be compatible with the '96 electronics.

In a worst case, if the odometer is way off after the swap, just swap your old speedo/odo head into the new cluster.

Greeter

Hey Eagle you ever thought of working at Walmart as the people greeter?

Re: Greeter

digger4u said:

Hey Eagle you ever thought of working at Walmart as the people greeter?

Click to expand...

No, but they should pay me for restocking shelves. Every time I go in I find so much stuff in the wrong places I have to move it around to find what I'm looking for. I figure if I have to move it anyway, I might as well put it where it belongs.

It's a wonder their employees haven't figured this out