Tach in a non-tach vehicle

[dalek]

Let's say I want to put an instrument cluster that has a tach in a car that came without a tach (vehicle in point is a 92 caravan). Do the dash/engine harness come with the tach signal wires, so once you put the right cluster and provide a tach signal it will work? Or, you have to run the wire yourself (i.e. there are different harnesses)?

[85lebaront2]

92 Caravan, the instruments are run by the BCM. I believe (may be wrong) the only difference in the BCMs is analog vs. digital instruments. At worst case, you may need a BCM from a 92-93 with tach. I may have some parts soon, I am acquiring a 93 parts van from a friend.

[xtrempickup]

if if has no tach as long as the car has a distributor you can run the tach singal off the coil

[dalek]

Yeah, that is what I meant by having to run the wire yourself. I was just thinking: if the harness can handle it, I might as well use it, right?

[charger R/T]

I agree with 85lebaront2 that the BCM drives the dash and it should work by just by swapping the dash. I would guess you don't have a digital dash since you don't have a tach. I think all digital dashes in that year van would have the tach. I have a junk 92 mini van I will somewhere down the road strip. It was loaded with full gauges.
Tim

[86LaserXE-XT]

I'm not sure about a 92 caravan but on the older models you can just plug the tach dash right in and it will work, only thing you need to swap is the temperature sensor
as your old dash has a tempature switch for the idiot light instead of a sender for the gauge that the tach dash has.
good luck. Let us all know how it turns out.

[turbo minivan]

as far as i know, all harnesses are wired for all gauges, but the dashes were just difforent. some had tachs, some didnt. i think you can just get a dash with a tach and it should plug in to a plug in the dash just waiting for a tach. ??

[jory]

I agree with turbo_minivan. I've put tach clusters in 3 vehicles that didn't have them from the factory and it was plug and play. I spend the extra time to swap the original odometers in to keep the mileage accurate.

[kermit]

Yeah, it also works that way on newer dodges as well. We had a first gen neon and just swapping in gauges worked.