MikeSammy

I have a 86 Pontiac Firebird that had an original cable driven speedometer and a couple weeks ago I swapped in an electrical one and have no idea how to get the speedometer to work now. I heard that I have to run a computer from the transmission to the speedometor but is there an easier way.

Al Hasse

You can use a universal interface box like the one from Dakota Digital.

http://www.dakotadigital.com/index.c...rod/prd126.htm

MikeSammy

How do i go about hookling the box up. Do i hook the box up to the transmission then run a harness to the guages

Al Hasse

They also have a sender you can use, you can step it down from the 8K pulse per mile it puts out to the 2K or 4K your car requires using the SGI-5 box linked above.

Their sender is here

http://www.dakotadigital.com/index.c...rod/prd109.htm

MikeSammy

SEN-01-1 - 8K pulse generator with adaptor cable for GM transmissions with cable drive speed output

Would this be the only item needed. If so, do i insert the cable and attack the wires into the wiring harness for my car?

69-er

Where did you get the speedometer? I've always wanted to do that for my 83 Camaro. Do they make a bolt-in mechanism? I figured I could swap the face to keep it looking stock.

MikeSammy

I found the speedometer in a junk yark and took a hammer and broke the old one out. I too kept the dash bezel to make it look factory!

69-er

What car did it come out of?

bradley23150

iTrader: (10)

Camaros had cable driven speedometers from 82-89.
Firebird had them from 82-85, I believe.

You wont find one that will fit right into your camaro and look year-specific. The dash design changed in 90.

69-er

I figured when they changed the inst panel that's when they went to the electronic speedo.

I'm hoping there is another make/model out there that has the same sweep angle and where I could possibly use that mechanism with my face.

gilly327

i was wondering which years had cable,thanks.my 86 firebird is electric speedo and i want cable.

MikeSammy

My 86 firebird had a factory cable driven speedo but why do you want one. The electrical is more effiecent

69-er

Now I'm confused! Which kind of speedo should an 86 have?

Anybody know when the Firebirds started using electric? If I could find a pic of an electric speedo, I might be able to see if the guts could be retrofitted to my 83.

Zepher

iTrader: (1)

86 Firebirds had option for Elec and Mech speedos, probably based on the tires and cluster that you got.
all 140MPH clusters are electronic.

69-er

That's interesting! Is that the first year electric's were available?

Anybody have a picture of one?

Zepher

iTrader: (1)

Ya, first year electric was available,
here is my 86 Trans Am with stock 140MPH Electric Cluster,

69-er

The sweep looks the same but it's clocked wrong. Maybe I can turn the needle and get it to turn CW about 45 degrees. Time to hunt on eBay!

Thanks Zepher!

Zepher

iTrader: (1)

what is cool is the cluster I got from my 1990 Formula that I put into my 88 Formula,

Take a good look and tell me what is different,

MikeSammy

Oh I see the difference! The factory 85 had the km/h but the 1990 cluster doesn't. I have that same guague cluster that you have in the 86. The only problem is that I have to go from cable to electric to run it.

Zepher

iTrader: (1)

I had never seen a MPH only cluster before in a 3rd gen. I didn't even realize it was MPH only for a couple of weeks. I was driving and was thinking that the speedo looked a little strange then realized it was missing the KPH scale.

In the History board they mentioned that it might have been an 86 Cluster.

gilly327

i want cable driven cause i figured it would be cheaper and easier to get a speedo,cable,and transmission guts then to buy whats needed to install the electric speedo i have.