rainydays Posted July 22, 2006 Share Posted July 22, 2006 Hello, I have a 1984 Subaru GL with the LCD Instrument Panel. Unfortunately the Instrument Panel died. Specifically the speedometer, tachometer, fuel gauge, temperature gauge, the charging system, and the trip computer don't work. Everything else does. I have a analogue instrument panel from a subaru gl of the same year and am trying to splice it in. Unfortunately the connectors are rather different so I am looking for a pinout so I can splice it in without spending a day or so tracing all of the cables. Also does anyone know why the charging system would fail when the instrument panel died, and/or a diagram of the charging system? Thanks for any help you can give me. I looked around everywhere to get a replacement for the LCD Instrument panel but found nothing, except buying a new replacement for 3 times what the car itself is worth. I love the car, its been good to me, so i want to find some way of still using it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted July 22, 2006 Share Posted July 22, 2006 Yeah - you aren't going to enjoy this swap. I sure didn't - took me a month to get motivated enough to finish it once I started. Hours of testing, and slaving over the soldering iron and diagrams. This is one place that an 83/84 factory manual is almost a nescesity for the job. You're charging system is a standard GM remote sensing alternator. The BIG wire runs to the distribution box (fusible link box), and so does the sensor wire. The other wire is the excitation/charge indicator wire, and that one supplies an ignition switched power source and also runs to the "charge" indicator on the digital dashes and to the charge "light" on the analog voltage guage. If that wire is not connected the alternator will not charge until it hits about 4,000 RPM, and then it should kick itself into gear as it can sense it's own output rising, and will "jump" it's own field. Basically you need to connect the charge indicator wire in the digi harness to the voltmeter charge light in the analog cluster and it should work fine. Now - as for the rest of the circuits, you are probably going to experience a few circuits where you will need to add diodes to the circuit in order for it to work properly with the power feeds for the digital harness. I got most of it working when I did the swap. My indicators and warning lights all work - your dome light is wired into the door indicators so if you want it, you'll pretty much have ot figure it out - that's one of the circuits that needed diodes not present in the analog cluster. I didn't bother with oil pressure, or voltage. I did get the coolant temp working, but I wanted more accurate and better labled guages for those three so I added an AutoMeter 2.25" three guage cluster for those. I didn't bother wireing the clock as I don't need it, and the three guage cluster I installed in front if it anyway. I can probably help you out with the diagrams - I have an 83 FSM, but I need to hook up one of my scanners.... Also - the fuel level sender is different, and you will have to get one for an analog cluster and replace it - it's in the tank under the back of the car. If you want the oil pressure guage then you will also have to add the sender for it - the dig cars only have the switch for the idiot light - no sender for the guage. GD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rainydays Posted July 22, 2006 Author Share Posted July 22, 2006 Thank you! Yea i figured it wasn't going to be easy. Thanks for the info, helps me get a better idea of what i've gotten myself into. Its a labor of love though. If you could help me out with those diagrams that would be a big help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonas Posted July 23, 2006 Share Posted July 23, 2006 really no advice to offer ya but i just did this to my '84 guage cluster. did all the heater controlls too. i've posted this several times, i'm pretty proud of myself on how it came out. either way i suggest changing out all the bulbs, even the good ones, on your replacement cluster while it's out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthWet Posted July 23, 2006 Share Posted July 23, 2006 (Thought that I had replied earlier, but don't see it...) The belief/consensus is that a failing alternator can damage the digi-dash, probably by blowing out the 5-volt regulator in the dash. I have wanted to research/fix this problem, but I don't have a writing diagram for the digi-dash, so have no good way of testing a fix. If you want to be a guinea pig, I can try replacing the voltage regulator (common 7805 IC) and see if things work... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbone Posted July 23, 2006 Share Posted July 23, 2006 Ahem, I still have a few that you can practice on Pat:brow: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthWet Posted July 23, 2006 Share Posted July 23, 2006 Ahem, I still have a few that you can practice on Pat:brow: I can practice to my hearts content, but might blow them up worse trying to test them without a testbed/wiring diagram. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbone Posted July 23, 2006 Share Posted July 23, 2006 We need to get together some day so I can show you what I got:brow: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomRhere Posted July 23, 2006 Share Posted July 23, 2006 (Thought that I had replied earlier, but don't see it...) You did.... http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?p=492791#post492791 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will Smith Posted July 23, 2006 Share Posted July 23, 2006 Some background: this conversion was an 83 4wd GL 10 digital instrument cluster to an 83 4wd GL analog instrument cluster.I never hooked up all the wires. Just enough to get me down the road. You will have lots of wires left over. After you pull the instrument panel you will see three bundles of wires and a green plug all used by the digi dash. My diagram will indicate color and from what bundle the wires come from. The bundles will be numbered from left to right ie: the bundle on the left is number one; center is number two; bundle on right will be number three. The large green flat plug is the furthest on the right. The wires are labeled with the primary(most) color first. Any color after the primary indicates a stripe. As an example a WHT/BLU is a white wire with a blue stripe. I have identified the following wires although I have not figured out where they go into the back of the cluster: 3rd bundle: BLU/BLK LR Door indicator RED/GRN Diode (darned if I remember what this is) GRN Park Brake indicator 2nd Bundle: GRN/BLK RF Door indicator RED Park Lamp There is a white male plug I believe should be pluged into the white female dash light plug. My Brat is currently disassembled so you may have to figure that one out for yourselves or wait until I finish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthWet Posted July 23, 2006 Share Posted July 23, 2006 You did.... http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?p=492791#post492791 Thanks! I thought I was losing it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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