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92 Cutlass Supreme S digital instrument cluster malfunctioning.


snippits
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I have a 1992 Cutlass Supreme S with the base model digital instrument cluster without the tachometer. It is flickering on and off, and some times just stays off and some times it works fine. It's going to need repair or replaced since these clusters are known to have problems.

 

Can anybody recommend a repair facility that is able to repair the cluster? I will be able to remove the cluster myself and install it.

 

When I bought the Cutlass , the owner told me that the cluster needed repair, and that he had bought a cluster, and tried to fix it, but it did not work. He gave me the spare cluster when I purchased the car. I just took a good look at it, and I know why it did not work. It is the international version cluster with tachometer made in Japan by Denso. I guess I can try to sell the international cluster to somebody that needs one because I don't want to go through all the hassle of rewiring and adapters.

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it's too bad.... the Denso unit is actually nearly bulletproof in addition to being one of the best looking VFD clusters I'm aware of.

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How much would you want for that cluster?

 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-T989 using Tapatalk

 

Don't know right yet, but I will decide on a price by late this evening. Got to take some pictures of it first. Will post it in the for sale/wanted section, but you can have first crack at it if the price suits you.

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Don't know right yet, but I will decide on a price by late this evening. Got to take some pictures of it first. Will post it in the for sale/wanted section, but you can have first crack at it if the price suits you.

 

Sounds cool.

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@Nas Escobar,

 

Sorry for the delay about getting the instrument cluster in the for sale section.

 

I had to fix the distributor o-ring because it was starting to leak bad, and make a mess on my drive way. Got the o-ring fixed, and it does not leak now.

 

When I had the throttle body off, I cleaned it up too, but I did not disconnect any cables from it. During the process of cleaning it, the T.V. cable(detent, Kick down) broke from the top of the transmission, and I found out right fast it was broke because the trans would not shift correctly. Got the detent cable fixed with a new one made by Pioneer which is working right so far.

 

Anyway, one problem bloomed into another problem, so I have been very busy, but I will get the pictures of the cluster up by this weekend.

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Its OK, I know that feeling too well

 

Post pics when you have time...

 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-T989 using Tapatalk

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Why not just repin the plug for the new cluster? If you can tear down to fix an o ring you can easily get that cluster in. The hardest part is figuring how the pins come out but once you figure that out its a piece of cake. On mine I just shaved off the guide tabs on the plug, repinned it, and enjoyed the nicer cluster until I sold it

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If you can use a soldering iron and flux, resoldering the joints on your old cluster is probably all it'd take to fix it. Solder joints going bad is common with GM Delco electronics of that vintage.

If the car is a keeper, I'd probably repin for the better cluster as well. It's so much nicer looking. If it's just basic transportation to you, then I probably wouldn't bother either.

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Yeah, I'm with Shawn on this one. I personally would upgrade the cluster, repinning it isn't hard, however I would recommend making an adapter if you don't want to hack up the original wiring.

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Thanks for the ideas. The reason I am still holding onto it for now is because yes it's a lot nicer cluster, and the lens for the cluster is hard to get.

 

I do plan on keeping my 92 Cutlass Supreme S around for a while as long as the 125/C trans keeps on ticking. The motor is a rebuilt job from Jasper, and the previous owner said it had less than 100K on it.

 

I do have the 92 Cutlass Supreme GM service manual full volume, and it should have the cluster pin outs in it I would think. I am still thinking real hard to go ahead and use the Denso cluster because it does look better, and the Ebay guy that sells and repair clusters said the Denso was bullet proof.

 

Have not pulled out the cluster yet, and taken a look at how the pins are assembled. I could possibly make a big mess trying to release them. Read on on previous thread about these clusters, and there was a somebody making an adapter, but I don't think he is making them now.

 

About soldering the board myself to fix cold solder joints. There was a post on the web, and the tear down with pictures on what to solder, and how to check the main capacitor, but that is all lost now because the hosting website is long gone. I do think I could solder it myself if I knew exactly what I was looking for. Having some way to power the cluster up on a test bench would be ideal, but I am not sure how to do that.

 

Anyway, thanks for all the suggestions and ideas!

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Ok I decided to just sell the Denso international cluster, and just have my standard three gauge repaired.

 

Nas Escobar does have first dibs on it though.

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Ok I decided to just sell the Denso international cluster, and just have my standard three gauge repaired.

 

Nas Escobar does have first dibs on it though.

 

FYI, the standard cluster only counts to 199,999 miles. The Int'l cluster can count to 999,999. This may be something worth considering if you're keeping this car for a long time.

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FYI, the standard cluster only counts to 199,999 miles. The Int'l cluster can count to 999,999. This may be something worth considering if you're keeping this car for a long time.

 

Yes I read about the 200k mileage limit on the base digital cluster. MrWhizard has a fix for that problem with a chip installation. Will then go to 999,999, but the cluster will not display the decimal so no tenths of a mile.

 

From the MrWhizard website:

 

1988-93 Cutlass Supreme - Symptoms: Dark, Intermittent, Odometer jitters, Odometer displays "Error Repair Cost $189 Note: If there are over 200,000 miles on the odometer it will display "Error". We can install a new "million mile" odometer chip that willdisplay the current mileage over 200,000 up to 999,999 miles.

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Another question.

 

Since the analog gauges came in 1992 too, could I just buy an analog to replace the base digital? Would the pin outs be the same? I have the pin outs for the base digital. If anybody could kindly list the pin outs for the analog, I would really appreciate it.

 

I know the tach would have to be wired if possible. I would have to replace the oil and temperature gauges for them to work right on the analog too I think.

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Yes, pinouts are the same. I believe you'd need to run a tach wire and yes, the switches that activate the warning lights would need to be replaced with senders.

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Yes, pinouts are the same. I believe you'd need to run a tach wire and yes, the switches that activate the warning lights would need to be replaced with senders.

 

OK good to hear the pin outs are the same.

 

My only other concern would be that all the analogs I have seen come with floor shift. My shifter is 3 speed auto on the column. Would my base digital shift be compatible with the analog?

 

The reason I am considering the analog is because I can get them fairly cheap while the base digital is way more expensive.

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You have to look for an analog one with column shift. I've seen em in the sedans before, one time in a 92. Car is long gone now but they do exist.

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1994-Cutlass-Supreme-Instrument-Cluster-Gauges-OEM-P747-/140645089473

 

BTW, I found your eBay posting. I'm surprised you're selling it that cheap.

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You have to look for an analog one with column shift. I've seen em in the sedans before, one time in a 92. Car is long gone now but they do exist.

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1994-Cutlass-Supreme-Instrument-Cluster-Gauges-OEM-P747-/140645089473

 

BTW, I found your eBay posting. I'm surprised you're selling it that cheap.

 

Well dang. Have not come across any analogs with column shift. Really need the shift indicator position to work for the wife cause she can't drive worth a hoot anyway. Without an indicator, she would be going down the interstate wide open in second gear without a clue the engine is going to blow at any moment.

 

Yes just going to get rid of it cause it's going to be a hassle to get it re-pinned, or make an adapter. Going to update my listing here on the forums at a cheaper price too.

Edited by snippits
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Yeah, most stuff comes out of the coupes anyway I think and coupes had a tendency to be floor shift whereas the sedans had a tendency to be column shift.

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Like I said, check into transplanting the shift indicator. Floor shift clusters have a removable blank where the shift indicator goes and it definitely can be transplanted between the same cluster. Wouldn't surprise me if it can be transplanted between base and gauges cluster as well because the window size looks pretty close.

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Like I said, check into transplanting the shift indicator. Floor shift clusters have a removable blank where the shift indicator goes and it definitely can be transplanted between the same cluster. Wouldn't surprise me if it can be transplanted between base and gauges cluster as well because the window size looks pretty close.

 

Ok will do. It makes sense that the shift indicators would fit because there was 3 and 4 speed indicators.

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