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Topic: 83 84 digital cluster members (Read 4557 times) previous topic - next topic

83 84 digital cluster members

last I checked , we all as a team concluded these clusters are as rare as hens teeth.

Does any member here have this cluster other than jayandmmustangs?


here is the last known thread I am aware of who dissected and showed us everything we need to know about this super rare cluster.
http://www.foxtbirdcougarforums.com/showthread.php?21828-83-instrument-cluster&highlight=digital

83 84 digital cluster members

Reply #1
My buddy made that how-to!! Back when he had his 83 T-Bird.
Current: 1986 Thunderbird, 105k 3.8/C5, 2 tone  Midnight Wine/Medium Taupe, wing windows, wire wheel covers.


Former: 1985 Cougar GS 115k Oxford White/Regatta Blue, 5.0, full console, 14" 8 hole aluminum T-Bird rims, Edelbrock valve covers.

83 84 digital cluster members

Reply #2
trying to get an actual count of how many 83/84 cars got this cluster, sounds like an eric job!

83 84 digital cluster members

Reply #3
Probably, Eric is the one  for knowledge. lol
Old Grey Cat to this.88 Cat, 5.0 HO, CW mounts, mass air, CI custom cam, afr165's, Tmoss worked cobra intake, BBK shorty's,off road h pipe, magnaflow ex. T-5,spec stage 2 clutch, 8.8 373 TC trac loc, che ajustables with bullits on the rear. 11" brakes up front. +

 

83 84 digital cluster members

Reply #4
I got one in my 84 Elan. I'm looking for a spare parts unit, let me know if anyone here's selling one. The speedometer module stopped working for some reason, but I was able to replace it with an 80-82 module that "Watchdevil" had. It doesn't line up exactly right, but it works. I'm really not sure how I broke the old one, I removed it to install some gauges and the speedometer was stuck on 0 MPH when I reinstalled it. I powered it up on a bench and tried spinning the input shaft by hand, no response.

Not much I can tell you about it that the cheeseman hasn't already shown. I'd like to do a little fiddling with it, when you turn the car on, there is a 3 digit display, but the speedometer stops at 85. Might be a simple jumper to enable the last digit, like the later units.

Like Cheeseman said, they do make the proper sending units for this combo. I bought a brand new sending unit and my gas gauge works correctly. I've read that the LTD/Fairmont guys don't have access to new sending units.

2002 Honda Civic EX

1984 Ford Thunderbird Elan
5.0 CFI, T5, Dual Exhaust

83 84 digital cluster members

Reply #5
well,, it goes to show,,, good thing I write things down.
dragon~ your confusing me,  you have the sendor that *all* us full digital guys use.  Your saying you purchased a new sendor.
IF so, like you said, then pls share the pn.  Your sender works just like the 87/88 full digital (star wars) cluster senders with respect to resistivity in the correct float direction. empty vs full.

Notice the buttstuffog dash senders 83-88 are  low resistance when full, the digital cluster senders are high resistance when full,  including the 83 evtm page posted on my linky above.


from my diy link notes:

Conventional "buttstuffog cluster"
 87 Evtm page 127 or 129 shows
 Empty - resistance - 60 to 86 ohms
 Full - resistance - 8 to 12 ohms

 Fully Electronic cluster
 87 shop manual 33-05-23 troubleshooting step TJ6 shows
 Empty- resistance-9-12ohms
 Full-high resistance - 154-160ohms

83 84 digital cluster members

Reply #6
Quote from: dragon574444;430666
tuen signal horn, and center mount horn, lol.
Current: 1986 Thunderbird, 105k 3.8/C5, 2 tone  Midnight Wine/Medium Taupe, wing windows, wire wheel covers.


Former: 1985 Cougar GS 115k Oxford White/Regatta Blue, 5.0, full console, 14" 8 hole aluminum T-Bird rims, Edelbrock valve covers.

83 84 digital cluster members

Reply #7
I have one in my parts d. I got it a long time ago (I think I bought it on ebay), and I ran it in my 83 3.8 for a while. If I recall, the gas gage worked backwards or something (when using the factory buttstuffog sending unit). It's been 10+ years since I used it, lol. So you can count another one in existence, although it is not on the road.
CoogarXR : 1985 Cougar XR-7

83 84 digital cluster members

Reply #8
I have this cluster in my 83 Heritage I also have a 80 with this similar cluster and a spare 83 cluster

83 84 digital cluster members

Reply #9
I have this cluster in my 83 Heritage too.
tbirdregistry.com
26480
27373

83 84 digital cluster members

Reply #10
Like Scott said, my 84 élan has one. However,  the car has an 87 tank in it with the buttstuffog sender and the fuel gauge just flashes on and off.
41 Dodge Luxury Liner Sedan
78 F-100 2wd flareside
84Turbo Coupe
84 Thunderbird Élan
85 Thunderbird 3.8
88 Turbo Coupe
88 Mustang GT
90 Stang LX 5.0 5spd
93 F-150 4x4 ext cab
96 Mustang GT
98 Mustang GT
99 SVT Cobra
06 Fusion SEL
14 Fusion Sport

83 84 digital cluster members

Reply #11
My 83 heritage has it also....no idea if it was high enough on the dash to avoid the floodwater or not. I have to pull the dash apart when the weather is good.









1983 FORD THUNDERBIRD HERITAGE 5.0
2008 SAAB 9-7X AERO 6.0 (LS2) 1 0f 554 Made
2011 FORD FLEX SEL Family Hauler

83 84 digital cluster members

Reply #12
Quote from: White85GS;430677
tuen signal horn, and center mount horn, lol.


Yeah, I think Ford was trying to use up all their spare parts. One of those "Hey, check this out" sorta things.

Quote from: jcassity;430670

dragon~ your confusing me,  you have the sendor that *all* us full digital guys use.  Your saying you purchased a new sendor.

I was just mentioning that replacement sending units exist, I wasn't sure if they were hard to find or not. My old sending unit rusted apart and I was able to buy a new one at Advance Auto Parts along with the correct in-tank fuel pump.
2002 Honda Civic EX

1984 Ford Thunderbird Elan
5.0 CFI, T5, Dual Exhaust

83 84 digital cluster members

Reply #13
that's interesting news there ,, everyone with full digital star wars clusters seem to have the opposite problem.


the purpose for this thread was to inventory the members with these clusters,, jandmmustangs has a fuel guage problem and I told him he's probably the last person on earth with a working unit that I can recall since lumpycheeseman was around.

I am attempting to count how many there are on this thread,,  four of you?


by the way dragon,, im still  interested in the illuminated birds.. I seem to recall us discussing your testing some of those out and perhaps learning they have a 5v input,, not 12, because the power wire feed has an in series resistor to step the voltage down.

83 84 digital cluster members

Reply #14
J, my fuel gauge/sender operated flawlessly always.....not sure about now.....


Quote from: jcassity;430929
that's interesting news there ,, everyone with full digital star wars clusters seem to have the opposite problem.


the purpose for this thread was to inventory the members with these clusters,, jandmmustangs has a fuel guage problem and I told him he's probably the last person on earth with a working unit that I can recall since lumpycheeseman was around.

I am attempting to count how many there are on this thread,,  four of you?


by the way dragon,, im still  interested in the illuminated birds.. I seem to recall us discussing your testing some of those out and perhaps learning they have a 5v input,, not 12, because the power wire feed has an in series resistor to step the voltage down.








1983 FORD THUNDERBIRD HERITAGE 5.0
2008 SAAB 9-7X AERO 6.0 (LS2) 1 0f 554 Made
2011 FORD FLEX SEL Family Hauler