glkiller2 Posted January 3, 2010 Share Posted January 3, 2010 Literally guys... I could not believe what the previous owner told me... And I quote, "My boyfriend told me that the cobwebs in my dash were a fire hazard so I used a GARDEN HOSE to clean them out..." blink blink So this poor little red LOADED 84 GL Wagon sits for months dead. I drive by like 4 times a week drooling... Sunroof, power mirrors, windows, working radio, Cruise, AC blah blah blah I got it for $300, first thing I do is check fusible links, middle ones burnt. Replaced it new battery, car starts and runs like a champ but thats the only good news:) I have a DIGIDASH:( fried as fried can be, and am scared to find out how rare they may be and how much they cost, is it worth the switch to analog, better yet should I pirate some monstrosity racing guages in it:) JK The dash is all apart so the removal is done... I did some searches found old threads where 1 guy found 1 from another member. Many people say the conversion either way is hell... What do you think guys, go analog or beg a good deal off some cool member either way I need parts so if you got the parts,. im interested:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted January 3, 2010 Share Posted January 3, 2010 Your best bet is to just do the analog conversion. It's hell, but finding a good EA81 digi-dash is near impossible and even if you do it's only a matter of time before you blow that one as well. GD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forkspear Posted January 4, 2010 Share Posted January 4, 2010 my first suby was an 84 gl wagon with a digital dash. i drove it for a while and the dash went out. i happened to find another dash and put in it. it burned out too. i dont think the analog swap would be too hard. however i never messed with it. probably just match up the wire colors from the new dash plugs to the harness. you wil probably have to add an oil pressure sending unit to get the oil gauge to work. the digi dash just has an idiot light that uses a simple on off switch. i know its not a sooby but i changed out a bare bones gauge cluster in an 81 camaro for one with a tach and gauges. all i did was cut the plug off and match the wires to the plug that came with the new dash. just make sure you check a wiring diagram for both the digital dash car and the donor car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hatchsub Posted January 4, 2010 Share Posted January 4, 2010 The problem with the swap as far as i heard from everyone trying it was that none of the plugs are the same and NONE of the wiring is the same color either so its not as easy as cutting the plugs off the digi and soldering them on the back of the analog. If it was im sure more people would do it. Shoot carfreak85 a message. I think he is one of the few who has done it. It is worth it in the end since the digi is cool at first but the novelty runs out quick once you realize that there are not good gauges to go on like the analog. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glkiller2 Posted January 4, 2010 Author Share Posted January 4, 2010 Thanks for the replies guys! I'll message carfreak85 and see what he has 2 say. I'm not too thrilled about replacing it knowing problems will arrise again. So Ill probably try to convert to analog. The only reason I would keep the Digi is for the cool trip computer... hmmmmmmm The Headlights don't work but the cluster lamps do, they dim ok and all that. the door switches seem to work to along with the digi readout for them. I also have an 83 GL with analog to compare it too. I bought this car for parts before I found all the cool gadgets in it, now I wanna make it a hunting rig:) so as long as I have oil pressure, heat and rpm Im ok. Thanks again for the replies guys, long live the forum! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bheinen74 Posted January 4, 2010 Share Posted January 4, 2010 (edited) you should just buy the cheap individual gauges from a place like Summit Racing, JC Whitney ( i normally hate that place, but would actually recommend it for the guages). Get Speedo, tach, temp, oil pressure, gas, volts, etc. And screw them right over the top of where the digi cluster is. Use the install instructions for the guages, and some may even come with wiring. Rewire it, however you need. Forgettabout the digi fail, unless you are doing a concourse restoration.. Edited January 4, 2010 by bheinen74 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted January 4, 2010 Share Posted January 4, 2010 I did the conversion - you need both electrical schematics (factory service manual), and a lot of time and patience. The fuel level sender is different as well as the coolant temp sender. Both have to be swapped along with the cluster. I went to an '80 cluster because I like the looks of them and had some issues with diodes that didn't exist in the '80 - I had to add 3 or 4 to my "conversion" harness to make it work. I cut out the wireing harness connectors from the digi-dash's circuit board and made up a special harness using the connectors for the '80 cluster that I cut from the donor car. Thus the car *could* be returned to a digi-dash if I ever wanted to do that as I didn't cut or modify the car's harness in any way to make it work. It probably took me the better part of a week (working on weekends) to get it working. There was a lot of testing involved even with the factory service manuals - I built the harness with bullet connectors in the middle of the wires initially so I could proto-type the thing without it being permanent. Then when I was done I removed them and soldered the wires permenent. I did not bother with making the oil pressure gauge work - the factory one's are garbage anyway and mine is an off-road toy. I installed an autometer 3 gauge panel with volts, temp, and pressure for accurate gauge readings. All the dash does is fuel, tach, speedo, and the tell-tale and clock. The voltage gauge works but I don't use it, and the temp gauge did work but I had to disconnect it as I replaced it's sender with the autometer one. Anyway - I never did a complete write up on it and I've surely lost all the conversion wireing charts I made for the job as I did it 5 or 6 years ago. But it's not impossible if you get the factory diagrams and pin-outs. Just time consuming and annoying. GD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twitch de la Brat Posted January 4, 2010 Share Posted January 4, 2010 I have a digi-dash, don't know if it works but I'll zip it down to you for my cost and shipping. PM me with details if you're interested. Twitch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glkiller2 Posted January 6, 2010 Author Share Posted January 6, 2010 GD! I just realized that was u! Dude u rock! still here... General Disorder has helped me with everything Seems like whenever I post a message on here he's there to help, thanks man. BTW I was just plain glkiller years ago when you helped me with my bad Disty vac advance. Good 2 c u. Thanks for the offer Twitch I have a digi-dash, don't know if it works but I'll zip it down to you for my cost and shipping. PM me with details if you're interested. Since this post I've started going to college and my financial aid is slow to be approved because the college is packed. the paper pushers are pullin their hair out:) So I'vce had to spend a bunch of money on books and my rents now late so IM BROKE:) Maybe later this month though... But then I might go with bheinen74 idea of just stickin some after market guages in it, this car will also be a four wheelin SOB:) I think I'll give my wife's 83 the good motor though, hers sounds like a rod is just clunkin around the crank with no bearing:) bad soundin but just keeps on tickin... unreal:) Thanks for your input guys... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted January 6, 2010 Share Posted January 6, 2010 No problem - always glad to help. Hope you get it all working again or at least save the engine. My experience with EA81 rod bearing failure is that they don't make a lot of noise for long. The one I had blow made a very soft ticking noise under load that turned into a really nasty sounding knock for about half a mile before it threw it out the block under the manifold. Thus I would tend to think that your noise may be valve or exhaust related rather than a true rod knock. They are very rare and seem to be nearly silent right up till they are about to fail. GD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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