Programbo

My Cherokee has the type of warning lights in the instrument panel where nothing lights up until something is wrong..I prefer a little more notice that somethings coming up and be able to monitor my vehicles function better..Every time I go to the junkyard for stuff I see Jeeps with the analog type gauges where you can actually see the engine temp, oil pressure, voltage, etc..My question is; How hard is it to simply switch out my instrument panel for the other type?

nhegel

Very good question. Mine is the same and I have been wondering the same thing.

Programbo

OK I swapped out the instrument cluster in my Jeep today from the standard one in the newer Cherokees which just have lights that come on if there is some sort of problem to an older one that has analong gauges and this is my report:

The newest Cherokee I found with the analog gauges was a 1992..I took the instrument cluster out and then made a diagram of what color wire set up it had..I then went and found a 1995 with the newer instrument cluster (Just the kights that light up when a problem occurs) and checked those wires..The main plug going to all the gauges was identical.. The longer white plug going to the service lights on the side (Check engine, seat belts, low washer fluid, etc) had 2 extra wires...Just to be safe I went out to the lot and checked my '94 Jeep and found it had the same wire set up as the '95 so I figured it was safe to get the instrument cluster from the '92.
Long story short, everything works fine with the following exceptions. The temperature gauge doesn`t seem to work (Although the needle goes up and drops back down when I start the Jeep) and the oil pressure gauge instantly goes to the highest point once I start up. Other than that all other lights and gauges work..So I now have a tachometer which I didn`t before..Now have a trip odometer..As well as a voltmeter..I`ll have to ponder on why the temp gauge and oil pressure gauge aren`t working right..Any ideas on that?