Gauge Cluster question?
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 57
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From: Katy/Cypress, TX
Year: 1986
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 2.Slow
In quite a pickle, didn't realize that my XJ was canadian, eh. Really want to find an overlay or swap the guages entirely.... any help?
CF Veteran
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 7,387
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From: City of Trees, CA
Year: 93 2 door
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
look like my coolant temp? if so, the needles point to the same numbers, just switch to imperical faces. $3 at pick-n-pull.
I'm having this same issue.
if by some chance that info is not true^^ because I havent checked for sure yet
gauges are $8 a piece. whole cluster is $45. easy swaps
I'm having this same issue.
if by some chance that info is not true^^ because I havent checked for sure yet
gauges are $8 a piece. whole cluster is $45. easy swaps
Last edited by Atmos; May 4, 2012 at 12:17 AM.
CF Veteran
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 10,489
Likes: 24
From: Nor-Cal Coast
Year: 90,84
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0,2.5
That's something I need to search out myself. I just have the temp light, and no tack on my 90. I guess the cluster comes right out, (with the dash apart), then you just stick the new one in. Maybe what I need to do is hit the JY, then sort out the details while I pull the new one. Myself, I'd need the temp "sender" to go with a gauge as well. I have had it apart a few times, not so tough. I do seem to remember something was a tight fit. Seems to be common, it nearly clears.
CF Veteran
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 7,387
Likes: 10
From: City of Trees, CA
Year: 93 2 door
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
That's something I need to search out myself. I just have the temp light, and no tack on my 90. I guess the cluster comes right out, (with the dash apart), then you just stick the new one in. Maybe what I need to do is hit the JY, then sort out the details while I pull the new one. Myself, I'd need the temp "sender" to go with a gauge as well. I have had it apart a few times, not so tough. I do seem to remember something was a tight fit. Seems to be common, it nearly clears.
just did the dummy light swap myself. you're already wired up for the tach so it works right away. I swapped over the cluster, kept my original speedo/odo.
drops right in and works. you need an oil pressure sender and a temp sender also. $30 for oil $20 for temp (new)
IIRC, the temp and oil pressure are direct swaps. The speedos appear to be, acc'd to this:
http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=100485
http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=100485
Last edited by Radi; May 4, 2012 at 12:31 AM. Reason: fixed bad information
CF Veteran
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 10,489
Likes: 24
From: Nor-Cal Coast
Year: 90,84
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0,2.5
Nah, I don't need to worry about oil pressure, I don't have any! 
Actually, thanks, I didn't think of that. I know mu JY guy! He will want to have something else to plug the hole.

Actually, thanks, I didn't think of that. I know mu JY guy! He will want to have something else to plug the hole.
CF Veteran
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 10,489
Likes: 24
From: Nor-Cal Coast
Year: 90,84
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0,2.5
I'm sure my renix sensors should be pretty straight forward. What did supprise me a litle was that the wiring, I guess just swaps easy to add the tack and switch over to gauges. Hard for me to word that...it goes into the dash easy.
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Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 57
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From: Katy/Cypress, TX
Year: 1986
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 2.Slow
welp, I have the dreaded idiot lights, so what would I need to do? I found a full cluster and have an offer on it, hoping the seller will accept
It is plug and play, mine will play without the senders for two or three weeks though
assuming I get the one I offered on that is.
It is plug and play, mine will play without the senders for two or three weeks though
assuming I get the one I offered on that is.
FWIW, I edited my post because it appears my memory was wrong. (the fun of getting older, lol) The speedos do appear to be interchangeable, provided you swap the entire unit and not just the faceplate.
CF Veteran
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 10,489
Likes: 24
From: Nor-Cal Coast
Year: 90,84
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0,2.5
Wowa...86?.....I'll bow out here....Cruiser often shows up really early in the AM. I do know the sensors, or senders, are different between a light or a gauge. Cruiser worked at the dealer then, you might want to bounce it off him. (cruiser54, 4-5 AM PST)
Last edited by DFlintstone; May 4, 2012 at 12:49 AM.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 57
Likes: 0
From: Katy/Cypress, TX
Year: 1986
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 2.Slow
Hmmmm, I've read that you need to snag some cable to use an 87-90 cluster. Could that be what your referring to? and I know I need to replace two senders also.
I swapped mine out a couple weeks ago. Found one at the JY for $10 (gotta love 1/2 off day at Pick-n-Pull). The swap (on my '89) was pretty straight forward, I'd pulled the cluster before to replace a couple bulbs so I had some experience with that. The big dash bezel was kind of a pain to get past the column but it will come off. Everything else was plug and play, I swapped the switches for senders and everything worked perfectly. The whole thing took about an hour and a half.
I found that it was easier to reach up under the dash, near the base of the steering column, and remove the nut on the speedo cable rather than trying to reach behind the cluster to unclip it. I could not get my hand back there but with the speedo cable disconnected near the firewall it lets the cluster come out further which makes it easier to get the two harness plugs out. I suggest plugging it in and testing the bulbs before buttoning everything up.
The gauge needles point the same whether they are metric or imperial. The only difference is the gauge faces with different numbers (Cē for temp and BAR for pressure). If it's important to you to have imperial numbers then I guess swap out the individual gauges or gauge faces but it's not necessary. Your oil pressure and temp gauges should be in the middle-ish. If they're in the red you should be alarmed. Red is red whether it's in metric units or imperial units.
I found that it was easier to reach up under the dash, near the base of the steering column, and remove the nut on the speedo cable rather than trying to reach behind the cluster to unclip it. I could not get my hand back there but with the speedo cable disconnected near the firewall it lets the cluster come out further which makes it easier to get the two harness plugs out. I suggest plugging it in and testing the bulbs before buttoning everything up.
The gauge needles point the same whether they are metric or imperial. The only difference is the gauge faces with different numbers (Cē for temp and BAR for pressure). If it's important to you to have imperial numbers then I guess swap out the individual gauges or gauge faces but it's not necessary. Your oil pressure and temp gauges should be in the middle-ish. If they're in the red you should be alarmed. Red is red whether it's in metric units or imperial units.
Last edited by F1Addict; May 4, 2012 at 01:16 PM.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 57
Likes: 0
From: Katy/Cypress, TX
Year: 1986
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 2.Slow
I swapped mine out a couple weeks ago. Found one at the JY for $10 (gotta love 1/2 off day at Pick-n-Pull). The swap (on my '89) was pretty straight forward, I'd pulled the cluster before to replace a couple bulbs so I had some experience with that. The big dash bezel was kind of a pain to get past the column but it will come off. Everything else was plug and play, I swapped the switches for senders and everything worked perfectly. The whole thing took about an hour and a half.
I found that it was easier to reach up under the dash, near the base of the steering column, and remove the nut on the speedo cable rather than trying to reach behind the cluster to unclip it. I could not get my hand back there but with the speedo cable disconnected near the firewall it lets the cluster come out further which makes it easier to get the two harness plugs out. I suggest plugging it in and testing the bulbs before buttoning everything up.
The gauge needles point the same whether they are metric or imperial. The only difference is the gauge faces with different numbers (Cē for temp and BAR for pressure). If it's important to you to have imperial numbers then I guess swap out the individual gauges or gauge faces but it's not necessary. Your oil pressure and temp gauges should be in the middle-ish. If there in the red you should be alarmed. Red is red whether it's in metric units or imperial units.
I found that it was easier to reach up under the dash, near the base of the steering column, and remove the nut on the speedo cable rather than trying to reach behind the cluster to unclip it. I could not get my hand back there but with the speedo cable disconnected near the firewall it lets the cluster come out further which makes it easier to get the two harness plugs out. I suggest plugging it in and testing the bulbs before buttoning everything up.
The gauge needles point the same whether they are metric or imperial. The only difference is the gauge faces with different numbers (Cē for temp and BAR for pressure). If it's important to you to have imperial numbers then I guess swap out the individual gauges or gauge faces but it's not necessary. Your oil pressure and temp gauges should be in the middle-ish. If there in the red you should be alarmed. Red is red whether it's in metric units or imperial units.
CF Veteran
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 10,489
Likes: 24
From: Nor-Cal Coast
Year: 90,84
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0,2.5
When I put. "86 Cherokee instrument cluster" in Ebay there is one that looks right for $50 US.


