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thaddeusss · 01-17-2007, 04:49 PM

help!
I just swapped an sr5 guage cluster into my 86 4runner. I don't know what it came out of, but it seems to match. the tach works correctly, idiot lights, etc.
I modified the cluster by cutting out the black where the oil pressure dummy light goes and gluing in the 'oil' indicator - that works fine.

I know you need to add an oil pressure sender to make the guage work, but where does it plug in? my manual says there is a yellow/black wire that goes to the dummy sensor, and a yellow/red wire that goes to the guage sensor. but the only yellow/red wire I can find is on the driver side, right by the ignition coil, and it's plugged into a tiny black box screwed to the inner fender. what is this thing? is there another wire I need to find? did the guage sender originally screw into the driver's side of the block, or the pass. side?

thanks
thaddeus

KLF · 01-17-2007, 05:10 PM

The sender for the gauge or idiot light is on the pass side of the engine, right below the oil filter. You'll find the wire you're looking for there.

eightyfive · 01-17-2007, 05:24 PM

look on the engine block...not the body panels.

dcg9381 · 01-17-2007, 05:29 PM

It the one above the oil filter in this photo (note, the block is upside down)

Sure hope you unplugged the switched sender before installing the gauge..

thaddeusss · 01-17-2007, 05:36 PM

hmm... maybe that's why it didn't work

I tried installing the guage sender where the idiot light sender was, but it just made my idiot light glow funny instead of making the guage work. I guess you can't have both at the same time? my wiring diagram shows two different wires, one for the guage, one for the idiot light. I did NOT unplug the idiot sender before turning on the truck with the new guages. did I burn out my oil guage?

dcg9381 · 01-18-2007, 10:39 AM

I know the trucks up to 88.5... After that I'm not sure on what the gauge setup looks like, so YMMV:
I didn't think you could have an idiot light and a oil pressure gauge.. I thought you had one or the other (SR5 / non-SR5).

If you plugged your gauge into the wiring harness with the oil pressure switch installed, you would have seen a very high oil pressure. You may or may not have burnt out the gauge.. I've heard that it's gone either way. To test it, pull the wire off that sender, connect a test light, and ground it with the ignition on. Make *sure* you ground throught the test light. You should see the test light go on and you should see a high oil pressure.

There's also a resistance measurement for the gauge (with the cluster out) in the FSM.

Yotatech.com is usually a little more condusive to questions like these... Or buy a red star and search pirate.. Personally, that red star is worth more than a manual to me!

thaddeusss · 01-18-2007, 10:58 AM

thanks.

when I first turned on the ignition after hooking everything up, the oil guage never moved - maybe it was burned out before I got it. who knows... I understand that the factory guages aren't very accurate anyhow, so maybe I'll just stick with the idiot light for now and see if there's some way I can install an aftermarket guage where the factory one is.

thanks
thaddeus

thaddeusss · 01-18-2007, 10:59 AM

BTW, is there any source for those plastic clips that hold the light bulbs, besides the wrecking yard? the sr5 guages use some tiny bulbs and I don't have enough, and I could only find the bulbs themselves and not the clips at the parts store.

dcg9381 · 01-18-2007, 01:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thaddeusss

BTW, is there any source for those plastic clips that hold the light bulbs, besides the wrecking yard? the sr5 guages use some tiny bulbs and I don't have enough, and I could only find the bulbs themselves and not the clips at the parts store.

The SR5 cluster doens't have *all* the bulbs installed, you shouldn't be filling up all the holes. Between your old cluster and your new one, you should have more than enough.

Outside of that, just ping someone who has done the swap - I'm sure there are spares.

FANG6 · 01-18-2007, 03:47 PM

The idiot light uses a pressure switch that either opens or closes when meeting its set point. It sounds as though yours is normally open and closes when it meets its set point so your gauge is most likely ok. The gauge sender is a variable resisitor that changes resistance as pressure is applied. If you are concerned about the gauge take it to Speedometer Service on Front ave. in Portland and have them check it out. Their PH# 503-227-5567.

01-17-2007, 04:49 PM	#1 (permalink)
thaddeusss Registered User Join Date: Feb 2002 Member # 10072 Location: portland, oregon Posts: 6	sr5 guage swap - oil pressure help help! I just swapped an sr5 guage cluster into my 86 4runner. I don't know what it came out of, but it seems to match. the tach works correctly, idiot lights, etc. I modified the cluster by cutting out the black where the oil pressure dummy light goes and gluing in the 'oil' indicator - that works fine. I know you need to add an oil pressure sender to make the guage work, but where does it plug in? my manual says there is a yellow/black wire that goes to the dummy sensor, and a yellow/red wire that goes to the guage sensor. but the only yellow/red wire I can find is on the driver side, right by the ignition coil, and it's plugged into a tiny black box screwed to the inner fender. what is this thing? is there another wire I need to find? did the guage sender originally screw into the driver's side of the block, or the pass. side? thanks thaddeus

01-17-2007, 05:10 PM	#2 (permalink)
KLF Registered User Join Date: Mar 2001 Member # 3910 Location: Southern NH Posts: 1,404	The sender for the gauge or idiot light is on the pass side of the engine, right below the oil filter. You'll find the wire you're looking for there. __________________ '87 Toyota xcab SR5 - SAS'd, stuff '07 Lexus ES350 - babe magnet

01-18-2007, 03:47 PM	#10 (permalink)
FANG6 Registered User Join Date: Aug 2006 Member # 77219 Location: Gresham, OR. Posts: 341	The idiot light uses a pressure switch that either opens or closes when meeting its set point. It sounds as though yours is normally open and closes when it meets its set point so your gauge is most likely ok. The gauge sender is a variable resisitor that changes resistance as pressure is applied. If you are concerned about the gauge take it to Speedometer Service on Front ave. in Portland and have them check it out. Their PH# 503-227-5567. __________________ "The significant problems we have cannot be solved at the same level of thinking with which we created them." Albert Einstein

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01-17-2007, 05:24 PM	#3 (permalink)
eightyfive Banned Join Date: Nov 2005 Member # 56946 Location: south bay, soCAL Posts: 1,790	look on the engine block...not the body panels.

01-17-2007, 05:29 PM	#4 (permalink)
dcg9381 Registered User Join Date: Sep 2000 Member # 1852 Location: Austin, TX USA Posts: 2,143	It the one above the oil filter in this photo (note, the block is upside down) Sure hope you unplugged the switched sender before installing the gauge..

01-17-2007, 05:36 PM	#5 (permalink)
thaddeusss Registered User Join Date: Feb 2002 Member # 10072 Location: portland, oregon Posts: 6	hmm... maybe that's why it didn't work I tried installing the guage sender where the idiot light sender was, but it just made my idiot light glow funny instead of making the guage work. I guess you can't have both at the same time? my wiring diagram shows two different wires, one for the guage, one for the idiot light. I did NOT unplug the idiot sender before turning on the truck with the new guages. did I burn out my oil guage?

01-18-2007, 10:39 AM	#6 (permalink)
dcg9381 Registered User Join Date: Sep 2000 Member # 1852 Location: Austin, TX USA Posts: 2,143	I know the trucks up to 88.5... After that I'm not sure on what the gauge setup looks like, so YMMV: I didn't think you could have an idiot light and a oil pressure gauge.. I thought you had one or the other (SR5 / non-SR5). If you plugged your gauge into the wiring harness with the oil pressure switch installed, you would have seen a very high oil pressure. You may or may not have burnt out the gauge.. I've heard that it's gone either way. To test it, pull the wire off that sender, connect a test light, and ground it with the ignition on. Make sure you ground throught the test light. You should see the test light go on and you should see a high oil pressure. There's also a resistance measurement for the gauge (with the cluster out) in the FSM. Yotatech.com is usually a little more condusive to questions like these... Or buy a red star and search pirate.. Personally, that red star is worth more than a manual to me!

01-18-2007, 10:58 AM	#7 (permalink)
thaddeusss Registered User Join Date: Feb 2002 Member # 10072 Location: portland, oregon Posts: 6	thanks. when I first turned on the ignition after hooking everything up, the oil guage never moved - maybe it was burned out before I got it. who knows... I understand that the factory guages aren't very accurate anyhow, so maybe I'll just stick with the idiot light for now and see if there's some way I can install an aftermarket guage where the factory one is. thanks thaddeus

01-18-2007, 10:59 AM	#8 (permalink)
thaddeusss Registered User Join Date: Feb 2002 Member # 10072 Location: portland, oregon Posts: 6	BTW, is there any source for those plastic clips that hold the light bulbs, besides the wrecking yard? the sr5 guages use some tiny bulbs and I don't have enough, and I could only find the bulbs themselves and not the clips at the parts store.

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