Tach swap question: Pathfinder to HB

[Rev_D21]

Question:

I installed an OEM clock in my 95 today that I yanked from a 95 Pathfinder V6. The clock is plug and play but requires a tach face with a clock cutout to work. Well I took that from the 95 Pathfinder as well. Everything bolts right in and works except the tach is different. Instead of having a 5750rpm redline is has a 6000rpm redline. Could this mean the calibration of the entire sweep of the tach is different? The tach does read rpm changes slower, or at least to me it's slower.

Overall this is an easy swap and I like having the clock. My mistake is I didn't take the entire cluster from the Pathfinder with me, only the clock and the tach so I don't have the proper clear plastic cover with the clock adjustment stick hole drilled out. Got to get me one.

Since I have to take the cluster apart one more time to install the correct cover I am going to check the needle motor part numbers to see if they are the same. If they aren't I might transplant the HB needle motor behind the Pathfinder tach face. Doesn't look hard but I'd like to see if someone has been through this before and if they recommend swapping the needle motors to correct what I think in my head is a calibration problem. Anyone?

[dvdswan]

IIRC there might be a small resistance value difference between the 4 cyl and 6 cyl.

[Rev_D21]

I opened the cluster back up, removed the tach and swapped the needle motors over. The Pathfinder tach uses all the same mounting points just a different gauge face and needle motor. Everything will swap. The difference is now I have a 6000rpm redline marker.

[RT22]

Do you remember the rpm at 70 in top gear? or other points? That may help tell you if the calibration is right or close. I would think it may be off if it came from 6 cyl compared to a four. I know in my 91 4cyl 5 speed I am at almost 3 grand at 70 right about 3750-3800 at 70

[Rev_D21]

Well now that I have the original HB needle motor swapped in everything should calibrate good now. The gauge face is the same except for the redline indicator which doesn't matter to me since my truck never goes near redline anyhow.

[RT22]

Good to know they are swappable. I need to get the resettable odometer as mine broke. i think the odometer and reset one is all one part, so not sure how legal it is to swap it out from a junker. That would alter the mileage reading for sure.

[Rev_D21]

Not sure, You may be able to gut a speedohead w/ odo to use for parts on your original unit. I ended up swapping the Pathfinder gauge face on to my original tach unit. And as of today I now have 194 LED bulbs lighting the cluster, it's like night and day when it comes to lighting now.

[zack.]

I ended up swapping the Pathfinder gauge face on to my original tach unit.

Sorry to necropost, but did you pull the needle off the front or is there a way to do this without having to remove the needle/worry about getting it back on in the right spot?

[Rev_D21]

It's been a while but IIRC I did pull the needle off.

[zack.]

Do you remember if you had to re-calibrate it afterwards?

[Rev_D21]

There is no way to re-calibrate per se. Before removing the needle lift it over the rest pin and let it droop down. Make a note of where it points while it hangs down. You are now ready to remove the needle. When you go to re-install the needle let it droop down again, set it so it matches where it pointed to before. Once you do that you can slip it back over the needle rest. You should be good to go after that.

[zack.]

Okay, thanks Rev.

[Rev_D21]

Good luck, let us know how it works out.

[zack.]

Went in fairly easily, but doesn't work. Luckily I took a picture of the back of the cluster at the JY and have that for comparison.

Mine:



The one it came from:





Am I correct that I could solder jumper wires on my cluster where the JY one has the solder lumps to get this working?

[Rev_D21]

You could swap printed circuit boards which is something I had to do to get the clock to light up.

[zack.]

How hard was that to do?

[Rev_D21]

You just have to switch the white halves of the case around. It's not bad, just lots of little parts you have to keep track of.

[akurtzer57]

I have actually done this. I have a 95 Ka24e used a V6 pathy tach. All I did is swaped over. Popped the needle off the tach and moved it a bit. Took quite a few times to get it to read correct but works perfect.

[dooley19]

How do you get the needle off the tach. I have been trying and it just won't budge. I have a 1993 cluster.

[akurtzer57]

How do you get the needle off the tach. I have been trying and it just won't budge. I have a 1993 cluster.

Just pull on it evenly. Be very careful not to bend the pin on backside. When reinstall you do have to push in fairly hard and hear a click almost. I never swapped motor over mine is fairly accurate.

[dooley19]

How do you get the needle off the tach. I have been trying and it just won't budge. I have a 1993 cluster.

Just pull on it evenly. Be very careful not to bend the pin on backside. When reinstall you do have to push in fairly hard and hear a click almost. I never swapped motor over mine is fairly accurate.

ok thanks, I will try that. Did you pull it with your fingers?

[akurtzer57]

Yes I did I believe there special tool but I did with fingers. I did not change the back so my clock don't light up. Maybe someday I will.

[dooley19]

The finger trick worked. I got it off. Right after I took the tach needle off, a guy told me that its an adjustment on the back to switch from 4 cylinder to 6 cylinder to get the tach to read correctly. I wish I knew about that earlier.