Cluster swap from idiot lights to gauges - Few wiring questions
 

I'm working through the butchered wiring in my truck and doing some other repairs/upgrades along the way. I've had a gauge cluster in the parts pile for a while and figured now would be the time to get it installed.

I've been digging through old posts and looking at wiring diagrams and I think I've got most of it but there were a few questions that stuck out.

The Generator Lamp (20 Br) wire which goes to the bulkhead and splits off to a Br/W that heads to the ignition switch. Can the Brown wire just be cut at the bulkhead and removed from the harness? Am I correct in seeing that it is not going to be needed?

Seems like the Oil Pressure idiot light wiring can also be removed from the interior harness and the engine bay harness, correct?

Does anyone have and good shots of the under the hood wire routing and specifically the junction block(s)? The harness in my truck has been hacked up by PO's when they installed HEI and a 10/12SI alternator. I no longer have a(ny) junction block(s) under the hood and the wiring is pretty messy. I do have a remote starter solenoid on my passenger fender that I installed to alleviate heat soak issues with the OE starter but I've since upgraded to a mini high torque starter so I may be removing the remote starter solenoid and trying to return to a more stock wiring.

That's all I can think of for now, gonna get back to surgery on the interior harness.

Thanks in advance.

Re: Cluster swap from idiot lights to gauges - Few wiring questions
 

Re: Cluster swap from idiot lights to gauges - Few wiring questions
 

Thanks, haven't seen that one. Search seems adamant on displaying threads 15+ years old. It still didn't mention the generator lamp wire or have any pictures of engine bay routing.

Re: Cluster swap from idiot lights to gauges - Few wiring questions
 

That was a quick one I picked from the "electrical" forum as I was on my way out. We have some real sharp electrical guys on here and will most likely pop in and help out. Vettevette and TBone1964 are real good on the wiring questions. Meanwhile you can scroll in that forum to pick up more helpful info.

Re: Cluster swap from idiot lights to gauges - Few wiring questions
 

Does your gauge cluster have a Amp gauge or a volt gauge. If a Amp gauge you will need to add all of the new wiring so it will work right.

Re: Cluster swap from idiot lights to gauges - Few wiring questions
 

If you are converting from a warning light cluster to a full gauge cluster you will have no "gen" warning light any longer. It is replaced with an amp gauge.

To wire the amp gauge to the truck correctly requires a little homework. You have (2) 4 amp fuses, one near the voltage reg and one near the battery junction.

The easiest way is to order a front light harness from a truck with gauges. The wiring is done, just plug it in or copy from one to make yours correct.

Or you can buy the volt gauge conversion kit I sell and have a volt gauge instead of amp gauge.

Volt gauge was not an option on these trucks before 1976.

Re: Cluster swap from idiot lights to gauges - Few wiring questions
 

That's what I was figuring but wanted to get some verification before gutting the dash harness.

The easy way costs too much money so I'd rather do the wiring myself and save $100+.

The biggest issue I'm having now is finding the 12-pin Dash Connector terminals. I've found most other connectors on the truck are "Packard 56" style terminals but cannot find those dash connector ones.

Also still hoping someone can share some quality pics of stock wire routing so I have an idea of where things are supposed to lie.

Re: Cluster swap from idiot lights to gauges - Few wiring questions
 

Maybe these photos will help.

The wire from #1 position runs to the light harness near the voltage regulator. It is black with white stripe.

The #12 wire is all black and runs to the junction block near the battery.

Send me your address and I can send you a used connector with the correct terminals. I have looked for years for new ones. They do not exist. As soon as I say that, someone will hopefully prove me wrong.

These two wires will run through the bulkhead connector to the inside of the cab. You don't need to run them through bulkhead but it will make for a more professional job.

Hope this helps.

Re: Cluster swap from idiot lights to gauges - Few wiring questions
 

Thanks for the photos!

I appreciate the offer but I ordered a new one already. It was tough to find and I still don't know what they're called but the two places I found that actually sell them are:

Connector and terminals from Kwik Wire - $15 for the connector and new terminals but the shipping was damn near the same. Didn't buy from them.

Connector and new terminals from Classic Industries - $16 but shipping "only" around $10.

I bet those would fit in the $8 USPS Flat Rate boxes...

Re: Cluster swap from idiot lights to gauges - Few wiring questions
 

Thank you for this information. Very helpful on my end.