DASH GUAGES

[cliff7080]

This one has probably been asked before but I couldn't find it in the search.

I have a 96 GL - 4 cylinder that I inherited from my daughter. Gave her my car when she moved to San Francisco. This model has a basic bare instrument panel, Temp, speed, fuel. I hate it after my fully equipped own car. What I want is to add Tachometer, volts etc.

Is there a way I can get a dash from a similar car (96 Contour) that already has the tach etc. and just swap them over? do they have the same connectors etc.

 

[Lord Stanley]

Yes, same year and same engine should be an easy swap (All Zetec Mystiques had tachs)...

Although, in some cars there is not a wire which runs to the back of the cluster for a tach signal... You can either take your dash apart now and look (see if there is a wire going to the number 8 slot on the side which the tach would be on) or just pick one up at the junk yard when you get your tach...

You can open up the plastic case and place the clip in there so that it makes good contact... Then just run a wire from there to the signal wire, possibly in the wire rope behind the dash... The wire is white with a black stripe, and when I did this on my car I found three that color and none of them worked... If you do not feel like playing a game with them just stick the wire through the firewall into the engine bay... There is a rectangle box in front of the brake fluid container... On my car the white with black wire was on the passenger side of the box on the top closest to you when looking at the engine... I spliced my wire into that and taped it all up and finally got my signal :laugh:

Here is my thread which may have more info...
http://www.contour.org/ceg-vb/showthread.php?t=20856&highlight=Tach

 

[devanmc]

This one has probably been asked before but I couldn't find it in the search.

I have a 96 GL - 4 cylinder that I inherited from my daughter. Gave her my car when she moved to San Francisco. This model has a basic bare instrument panel, Temp, speed, fuel. I hate it after my fully equipped own car. What I want is to add Tachometer, volts etc.

Is there a way I can get a dash from a similar car (96 Contour) that already has the tach etc. and just swap them over? do they have the same connectors etc.

search search search(not the forum) junk yards!
option 1:
if there are junk yards by you. Go to them and look for clusters out of other pre-98 contours with zetecs. if it has a tach, get it and see if it works. ford liked to mess with there wiring so not all years agree with eachother. also note that 95's have a mechanical speedo so it wont be from one of them. Most mystiques have a tach from what i hear.
option2:
also, if you can find a zetec with a tach (any year) buy it. then look for and get a working tach from a v6(one that works in your car. The tach will be wrong but what you do is pop it open. and that the gauges in it out. put in the zetec tach and put it all back together. this works as the zetec tach is calibrated differently.

either of those options work wonderfully. i did option 2and have a "svt" tach in my car.

they are plug and play! no wire splicing or anything

 

[Matt R]

Be sure it's from the same year. Just double check things like a cable-driven speedo. Adding a voltmeter and stuff... best bet is to put in an A-pillar gauge pod.

 

[devanmc]

Be sure it's from the same year. Just double check things like a cable-driven speedo. Adding a voltmeter and stuff... best bet is to put in an A-pillar gauge pod.

doesnt necessarly have to be the same year, just has to work. I have a 98.5(i belive) SVT cluster in my 99, it works perfectly.

 

[BrApple]

doesnt necessarly have to be the same year, just has to work. I have a 98.5(i belive) SVT cluster in my 99, it works perfectly.

that is because all 98.5 plus should be the same. 98s where unique and possible work in pre98s.

best rule of thumb is to get it from the same year and engine to avoid any possible issues

 

[devanmc]

that is because all 98.5 plus should be the same. 98s where unique and possible work in pre98s.

best rule of thumb is to get it from the same year and engine to avoid any possible issues

Yeah thats the easiest way to go. to know it will work.

 

[cliff7080]

Thanks for the advice, so basically go find a dash set with tach preferably from a 96 Mystique and try it. May have to wire in the tach but thats about it?

Can;t be too hard.

I'll let you know how it goes.

 

[Matt R]

Yep. There's a really slim chance you wont have the wire in a 96. If not, wire it from the PCM to the back of the gauge.