Gen. 2 V6 gauge cluster question

[xavior66]

Well, I've always wanted the factory gauge cluster that had the tachometer in it for the 2nd gen. Camry. My 4 cylinder 3S-FE gen. 2 originally just came with the gas, temp. and speedometer. However, I was able to get a gauge cluster from a V6 automatic trans. gen. 2 Camry that had the factory tach in the gauge cluster.

Now then, onto the juicy stuff. I replaced my original gauge cluster with that of the V6 one. It all hooked up and it all lights up and works, but my question is, is it accurate?

I came across a post on the forums of SC3, and on there was a discussion about indiglo gauges fitting onto gen. 2 gauge clusters.

Then there was an interesting post that said this:

"yeah bout would it be easy to just grab a whole gauge assembly from a V6 model then buy indiglo's for it? it shouldnt be to hard to do, everythign should line up, and a tach just hooks up to teh distributer so, that shouldnt matter"
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"Yeah, but it still wouldn't read right. People have tried it before and the speedo and tach were both off. I guess if you were desperate enough and didn't care what speed or rpm you were at, you could still do it. I just don't see why they don't make them for the 4 cyl camry's. All the manual and le 4 cyl camry's had tachs in them."

So with that said, does that mean that the tachometer from the V6 gauge cluster is giving inaccurate readings?

If so, then does anyone know where I can get a gen. 2 Camry gauge cluster for the 4 cylinder auto. that has the tachometer in it?

[88 LE]

Originally posted by xavior66
So with that said, does that mean that the tachometer from the V6 gauge cluster is giving inaccurate readings?

The speedo and tach on the V6 is different.

If so, then does anyone know where I can get a gen. 2 Camry gauge cluster for the 4 cylinder auto. that has the tachometer in it?

Junkyard.

Procarparts has indiglo's for the 4 cyl. with no tach. If you want the tach piece you have to buy the indiglo's for the V6.

So in other words you need to buy 2 sets of indiglo's and mix and match parts.

[FRITO]

i would like to know also because this is a very near in the future mod for me.

everything just plugged right in like the stock one then?
i dont see why it would be accurate...

[88 LE]

Originally posted by FRITO
everything just plugged right in like the stock one then?

Yup it just plugs in.

i dont see why it would be accurate...

The problem is using a V6 guage cluster on a I4. The speedo and tach on the V6 is different.

So if you have a I4 get the guage cluster from a I4 with a tach (LE model).

[xavior66]

Well I know stuff like the top speed and redline is different on the V6, but is the V6 tach. giving me inaccurate readings since it's being used on an I4? Just curious.

[DIRTBIKEZ]

but is the V6 tach. giving me inaccurate readings since it's being used on an I4? Just curious.

Well what does it say when you are at idle?

[toyrolla]

Hi Xavior,

The reason why you're getting inaccurate readings on the speedo is because the V6 has a different tranny compared to the I4. As a result, the calibration between the I4 and V6 is obviously not the same.

Regarding the tach, I don't understand why that would be an issue; although, it is connected differently between the V6 and I4 models. Maybe the pinouts to the instrument panel differ somehow.

According to the wiring diagram, the tach on the V6 connects to the black lead of the igniter, as opposed to being connected off the distributor.

To troubleshoot this a bit further, you could eliminate the pinout connectors entirely by running a direct wire between the tach and the service connector (blue wire, green cap) off the distributor. See if it works from there when wired directly.

Then, try connecting the same direct wire to the black lead for YOUR igniter. See if the readings differ from when it's connected from the service connector of the distributor.

Just my .02, hoping that something helps.....

Good luck Xavior....

[xavior66]

Ok, so here's the deal:

I used to have a Sunpro tachometer that I had hooked up to the Camry, but ever since I replaced the gauge gluster, I saw no more need for the Sunpro tach and just removed it entirely.

Well, earlier today I decided to hook back up the Sunpro tach and then compare readings, and this is what I got (by the way, I hooked one of the wires coming from the Sunpro tach to the distributor, the negative side in particular, or at least I think it was the negative side.)

Now then, I revved the engine, and the tach on the gauge cluster from the V6 read out approximately 2,500 rpm, while the Sunpro tach read out approximately 2,000 rpm. So there seemed to be roughly a 500 rpm difference between the 2. If this helps any, the redline for the I4 is around 6,000 rpm, while the V6 tach's redline is roughly at about 6,700 rpm.

So, anyone know which tachometer is giving me the correct reading?

Thanks so much fellow TNers for your time on helping another fellow TN lover out!

[toyrolla]

Question...

With the connections you stated, what are the readings from the 2 devices when the engine is at regular idle????

[xavior66]

Ok, so here's what I did:

I started the car and then went out for a 5 minute drive in order to get the car to normal operating temperature.

Then I came back home, parked the car, and then let it idle. The Sunpro tach read out approximately 750 rpm, and the V6 tach read out approximately 480 rpm.

But hey, I just thought of something. Dunno if this'll really make any kind of difference, but here goes:

Ok, my 1991 Camry was unfortunately the most absolute base model you can get. I soooooo wanted cruise control, so what I did was go to the local junkyard and got the cruise control computer, servo actuator assemply, wiring, cruise control button, cruise control gas pedal cable (the base model's gas pedal cable was somewhat longer than models equipped with cruise control)and cruise control steering wheel lever, and I hooked it all up.

Now it all works fine and dandy, however, when I went to replace the base model's gas pedal cable and hooked up the one for cruise control, I didn't adjust the slack in them according to factory specs. They're off, cuz the idle now is a little higher compared to when everything was adjusted right.

I thought I'd letcha know that too since that also can alter the rpm, obviously.

Now then, with all that info, is the Sunpro tach giving me correct rpm readings, or is the V6 tach giving me correct rpm readings?

[DIRTBIKEZ]

An idle of 650 +/- 50 rpm is nominal. Ditch the V6 cluster and get one from an I4.