Guage Cluster Issue

[thumping_accord]

Hi all,

So for the past I don't know how long, my temp gauge has not worked in my CB. In the past I tried to replace the gauge with one I pulled from the junk yard and it didn't work. I did more researching and found that two different manufacturers made these clusters. So I basically said oh well I guess I don't need it that bad.... even though I hated the thought of not know the temp of my motor (false sense of security I had from knowing what all I have replaced on the car I guess). Long story short, now that I have swapped an h22a in that I don't know much about the condition of I really need my gauge to work again. Now here is the kicker, I have been to every junk yard around here and finding a manual transmission accord with the cluster is about impossible. I finally found one a couple of weeks ago, with the same name brand cluster as mine and pulled it. When I went to install it in my car the dang top plug is different, so I thought ill just pull the gauge from the junk yard cluster and put in mine, well nope the distance between the screws is different between the two. So now I am back at square one, and need to know what my best option would be.

A. Get a aftermarket gauge until I stumble across a factory 92 accord ND manual trans gauge

B. Cut the old connector at the top and put the other sized one on.

C. Hope for a miracle. lol

[Jarrett]

There were connector differences between '90-'91 and '92-'93 clusters, but this is the first I'm hearing about a difference in distance between screws.

The most common problem with the fuel/temp gauge has to do with screw length. The screws that hold that gauge in are slightly shorter than the screws that hold the speedometer and tachometer in. Enough so that if you screw down a longer screw into the fuel/temp gauge you will damage that gauge. It used to happen all the time with people who were converting to LEDs and that was primarily what the issue was.

[thumping_accord]

There were connector differences between '90-'91 and '92-'93 clusters, but this is the first I'm hearing about a difference in distance between screws.

The most common problem with the fuel/temp gauge has to do with screw length. The screws that hold that gauge in are slightly shorter than the screws that hold the speedometer and tachometer in. Enough so that if you screw down a longer screw into the fuel/temp gauge you will damage that gauge. It used to happen all the time with people who were converting to LEDs and that was primarily what the issue was.

I did notice the screws were different too, not only the length but the threads were different. I was planning on using the screws that went with the correct gauge but could not get the holes to line up, maybe this is another difference between the 90-91 and 92-93 clusters?

[thumping_accord]

has anyone put an aftermarket temp gauge in? Whats the best place to splice in for the gauge?

[Raf99]

has anyone put an aftermarket temp gauge in? Whats the best place to splice in for the gauge?

Temp gauge is the coolant temp sensor. You could splice into the wire at the engine side.

But don't cut the wires on the top of the cluster, that would be bad. I would just figure out why the gauge stopped working. Maybe the wire side at the engine?

[Losiracer2]

Also, if your car is an LX/DX make sure to get a cluster out of an LX/DX. The EX/SE had different transmissions and as a result your speedometer will read differently, if you swap over the entire cluster.

Chances are, the 1 wire sensor going into the cyl. head just under the distributor is broken, causing no temperature reading to display on the cluster. Make sure the wiring is also flexible and not super brittle as that is probably the hottest part of the engine where the wiring can't get much cooling. If it is brittle, the connection might not be there so check the wire carefully for any breaks.

[thumping_accord]

Temp gauge is the coolant temp sensor. You could splice into the wire at the engine side.

But don't cut the wires on the top of the cluster, that would be bad. I would just figure out why the gauge stopped working. Maybe the wire side at the engine?

Thanks! I didn't know if it would affect anything in the ECU if I spliced off of that wire, like if the resistance changed or something like that (I know only enough electrical stuff to do simple things like running the extra wires for the H22A lol).

Also, if your car is an LX/DX make sure to get a cluster out of an LX/DX. The EX/SE had different transmissions and as a result your speedometer will read differently, if you swap over the entire cluster.

Chances are, the 1 wire sensor going into the cyl. head just under the distributor is broken, causing no temperature reading to display on the cluster. Make sure the wiring is also flexible and not super brittle as that is probably the hottest part of the engine where the wiring can't get much cooling. If it is brittle, the connection might not be there so check the wire carefully for any breaks.

Didn't know that about the differences between the transmissions... just makes finding the correct cluster that much harder! lol.

When the problem first started happening I thought the sensor had gone bad so I replaced that and it didn't help anything. So my next guess was the gauge went bad, when I took apart my cluster (trying to swap the gauge the first time) I noticed that the gauge I got from the junk yard would fall back down to "cold" while my gauge would stick wherever I put it. My assumption is that something inside of the gauge's "motor" (if that's what you would call it) has failed causing it to not move and get stuck.

[thumping_accord]

Ok, so I went around the junk yards one last time just to make sure I didn't overlook any 92-93 CB7 and I still had no luck. I also looked at Ebay, amazon, and a just plain google search and can not find a manual trans gauge cluster for a 92-93 accord. I really don't like the idea of putting in a gauge from an automatic (if that is even possible). So I think I have decided to just get an aftermarket one and put it on my A pillar next to my oil pressure gauge. Has anyone ever use the Autometer Ultra Lite Water Temp gauge, or does anyone know if it will work with the factory sending unit?

[Losiracer2]

Ok, so I went around the junk yards one last time just to make sure I didn't overlook any 92-93 CB7 and I still had no luck. I also looked at Ebay, amazon, and a just plain google search and can not find a manual trans gauge cluster for a 92-93 accord. I really don't like the idea of putting in a gauge from an automatic (if that is even possible). So I think I have decided to just get an aftermarket one and put it on my A pillar next to my oil pressure gauge. Has anyone ever use the Autometer Ultra Lite Water Temp gauge, or does anyone know if it will work with the factory sending unit?

These clusters are able to be taken apart pretty easily and the individual pods can be swapped out.

-Odometer (matters for EX/SE and LX/DX)
-Speedo (matters for EX/SE and LX/DX)
-Tachometer
-Fuel and Coolant together (look for MT one) shouldn't matter for LX/DX/EX/SE

[jhondayaaj]

Why not look into replacing the small sending unit on the head first? That's easier than replacing the gauge cluster in my opinion. It's the one pin plug on the head under the distributor.

[thumping_accord]

These clusters are able to be taken apart pretty easily and the individual pods can be swapped out.

-Odometer (matters for EX/SE and LX/DX)
-Speedo (matters for EX/SE and LX/DX)
-Tachometer
-Fuel and Coolant together (look for MT one) shouldn't matter for LX/DX/EX/SE

Yeah, I've tried replacing just the coolant/fuel gauge but it is hard to find one around here in the junk yard (or ebay for that matter) that is a manual trans. Also to narrow things down 90-91 are interchangeable and 92-93 are as well, but the 90-91 are not able to work with the 92-93.

Why not look into replacing the small sending unit on the head first? That's easier than replacing the gauge cluster in my opinion. It's the one pin plug on the head under the distributor.

I already replaced the sending unit, as I thought that was the issue but it was not. I have had the cluster out and the coolant/fuel gauge specifically, where a working gauge will fall to cold naturally when un-powered mine will stay wherever I let go of it at.

[thumping_accord]

I had quick question if anyone might have the answer. I got my new auto meter temp gauge in the mail the other day but as to installing it I've ran into a hiccup. So I have been doing some research and as to where/ how to install the temp sender unit. Some have said to splice into the stock sender wire, however; I have already discovered that to be false, since the resistance between the two are different by 100 ohms or so (unless I read the voltage meter wrong). The autometer's sender has a 1.538 resistance, and the stock one reads around .521 or so. This alone tells me I cant use the stock sender or I would be getting false readings. My big question is, since my temp gauge in my cluster doesn't work anyways, can I just remove the stock sender and put the autometer one in? or will this cause any issues with the ECU? or does the stock sender even go to the ECU? The thread pitch between the two are the same but the stock one has finer threads, so I should be able to just tap the threads a little larger right?