Going Down?

[Ghosthawk]

My fuel gauge hasn't been working for some time despite swapping out the fuel pump module assembly. But today my temp gauge decided to go bonkers and point directly south at the bottom of the instrument panel. Maybe it got tired and just gave up the ghost but I assume its time to start shopping for another instrument cluster.

I remember reading a couple threads "way back when" on the topic of swapping in the white gauge cluster from a GXP. I think the white face gauges would go nicely with the white color scheme of my car but I seem to recall their being a small mod needed or a gauge that didn't work.

At any rate, cost is always a factor especially this time of year (Gee thanks, Bonnie!) so I'll do some web surfing and see what I can turn up.

Open to suggestion as always

[bobgto65]

I was under the belief that the tach would not work because the GXP is an 8 cyl but someone else told me it is a direct swap. And if you do not want to swap, haro can fix your cluster, maybe the stepper motors are bad and yes, the car will drive if it is removed.

[bolsonic]

Theres a u pull it place here that has a few Bonnevilles and the last cluster I bought there was $20-25. If you want to rebuild yours or just fix the guages that are bad you can buy the stepper motors really cheap on Ebay. I changed mine and put all new LED bulbs and stepper motors for all the guages and I think I had maybe $60-65 into it. Just make sure either you are good or know someone who is good at soldering. While you are in there if you find the white guage faces you could easily put those in while you have it apart.

[nos4blood70]

I have a GXP cluster for sale if you want it. It will work perfectly and show engine speed and MPH properly. Only catch is you will have to keep the mileage on the GXP cluster.

[00Beast]

The only thing that doesn't work is that there will be a low coolant warning, and your odometer will be off, as you can't swap the chips around, due to the speedometer being a different range on your car. All the data is handled through the Class 2 system and the chip in the cluster decodes it and tells the stepper motors what to do.

You could have your motors replaced, there are places that will do that for you.

Good timing Carl, was just about to recommend your cluster, lol.

[Ghosthawk]

Ok do we mean a low coolant warning light constantly showing in the cluster or always present in the DIC?

Carl, I'll send you a PM about the GXP cluster.

[nos4blood70]

Thanks Ed!

PM replied. I explained a little bit of the coolant sensor madness in the PM. If I wasn't on my phone, I'd try to find Andrew's thread on how to disable the warning.

[1tinindian]

Just to clarify, the GXP gauges are silver, NOT white.

Leon

[nos4blood70]

Found it!

That did work! Here is what I did. I grounded pin B1 (Low Coolant Level Indicator Control) to A2 (Ground). I chose to do it right at the connector because it was quick and easy. Using a razor blade, I GENTLY scraped the protective overlay on the printed circuit.

B1


A2


Used a wire about 1.5" long


and quickly soldered it on


This fixed the LOW COOLANT warning on the DIC completely.

However, now I have a new problem. After I got this figured out, I decided I would be keeping the cluster in my car, so it was time to install the correct mileage chip. After installation, I noticed some interesting things. It appears that the chip on the back of the cluster isn't just for the odometer, it is the main brain of the IPC. The volt meter turned into a boost gauge (showing 8v at idle and 18v at WOT, if that makes sense), and because the SSEi uses a 140mph speedo, and the GXP a 160mph speedo, the speedo was off quite a bit. So bascially, installing the SSEi chip into the GXP cluster, makes it think its an SSEi, although its using the GXP face.

This is simply not an option. So I'll be installed the GXP chip back into it. Oddly enough, the odometer difference between the two are exactly 100,000 miles. My SSEi has 176k, and the GXP had 76k. So I'll just have to note that the mileage is incorrect if I do ever sell the car (ya right).

I asked my dad about his experience with changing the odometer at work. He said they send them out to a special company and its pretty expensive.

[Ghosthawk]

@1tinindian...thanks for clarifying on the gauge face thing. I looked at some pics online of a GXP cluster for sale on eBay and using the zoom function you could see the metallic-esque silver color. But I have to admit, that's the palest, faintest, silver I've ever seen! LOL

[harofreak00]

How many miles on your SLE? I have several GXP clusters for sale and might be able to match the mileage.

[00Beast]

It is a very pale silver, looks kinda like your pearl white in certain lights. The casual observer calls them "white faced gauges".

[Ghosthawk]

Thanks harofreak, but I already closed the deal with nos4blood.

[Ghosthawk]

Installed the new gauge cluster today and it couldnt have gone smoother...not to mention it looks great!


However, as the sun set and I headed to the gas station, things proved to be bittersweet. At first the fuel gauge was holding steady at just above a quarter tank and I was hoping it was now working. After filling the tank, the gauge only went to three-quarters of a tank so evidently my sending unit on my new fuel pump module must be faulty.

The only other downside is it looks like a few of the cluster lights are out. The two outboard gauges, oil pressure and volts, are almost dark while the center is brightly lit.


Is this an easy fix or is this one of those things I need to send the cluster out to have them replaced? I can live with it for now, but at some point I'd like them all to work. Pointers and recommendations are welcome.

Overall I'm very happy with the new gauges and I love the look. I've wanted a set of these since I first saw them.

[harofreak00]

Try banging on the lens, rather hard, and you might be able to get some of the lights back on.

[SSEiMan01]

Try banging on the lens, rather hard, and you might be able to get some of the lights back on.

Tap on it with your fingertips. Always worked for me.

[Ghosthawk]

knock knock...and all the lights are now on!! LOL! What a highly technical process!

[mrwildroot]

Today, you are lucky!
Be happy!!!
;-)

MW

[Ghosthawk]

had another one go out last night...knock, knock, and its back on! LOL...I hope this doesnt become a regular habit