2004 IH Gauge Cluster Question

[jjaj823]

So, I'm getting ready to redo the driver's area and the first order of business is to get gauges that...well, work. Consistently. I know that this model range has some known issues with the gauge cluster...has anyone broken out the harness and used aftermarket gauges to replace the single cluster?

I have a BlueFire, and it works most of the time, but it would be nice to get away from that crappy and ugly looking cluster if at all possible.

Any thoughts appreciated!

- Jeremy

[Miles O Roads]

I'm in the same boat. Mine actually works but wanna glass a new dash with a table in it. I think Cadillackid has a fancy setup and will prob chime in.

[jjaj823]

I am working on a glass dash as well. I'm going to be using eInk screens to reduce glare. I just haven't decided how to make it all fit...I'd love to just ditch the whole setup entirely. Worst case, I might have to mount the screens over the existing cluster and hide any remaining screen with a bezel...

Jeremy

[skoontz]

I've got the same cluster, but mine occasionally freezes up. I want to do the glass cockpit as well. I've seen that Power Hungary's Orion reflash system is able to have live gauges on a computer, but I'd like to see other options on this as well.

[jjaj823]

Originally Posted by skoontz

I've got the same cluster, but mine occasionally freezes up. I want to do the glass cockpit as well. I've seen that Power Hungary's Orion reflash system is able to have live gauges on a computer, but I'd like to see other options on this as well.

I have the Orion reflags system, but haven’t used the gauges yet. The only other system I’ve used is the BlueFire, but is seems kind of flakey. Could be my tablet though. Maybe I’ll commandeer the wife’s iPad and see how that works instead.

I’m also toying with the idea of using an Arduino or Raspberry Pi here as well. I happen to have a pile of them sitting around collecting dust at the moment.

I thing the hardest part is making sure the warning lights still work, but it shouldn’t be too hard to program something with the appropriate set points to light up an led or other bulb instead of the dash light.

Thanks,

Jeremy

[jjaj823]

Now that I've reread what's been already written, I might take a bit of time and, using both the Orion adapter and the Bluefire, see what I can sniff in terms of traffic. If I can receive the packets and decode them, there should be no issue using either of those to feed a digital dashboard.

Hmm...time to drag out the electronics tools and start playing!

[Miles O Roads]

I was hoping to be able to keep factory under it. Don't know if an aftermarket setup would keep mileage and hrs. For warning I'm sure the can be tapped into.

[Dbacks2k4]

Originally Posted by Miles O Roads

I'm in the same boat. Mine actually works but wanna glass a new dash with a table in it. I think Cadillackid has a fancy setup and will prob chime in.

He has two. One is Bluefire that has speed, tach, temps, etc. The other is slightly different but I think that's mostly customized transmission stuff.

[Dbacks2k4]

Originally Posted by jjaj823

So, I'm getting ready to redo the driver's area and the first order of business is to get gauges that...well, work. Consistently. I know that this model range has some known issues with the gauge cluster...has anyone broken out the harness and used aftermarket gauges to replace the single cluster?

I have a BlueFire, and it works most of the time, but it would be nice to get away from that crappy and ugly looking cluster if at all possible.

Any thoughts appreciated!

- Jeremy

Those OEM dashboards definitely suck! I've never tried replacing an individual gauge but most of the time its wiring and grounding issues. The best way would probably be to re-terminate each of the wires in there to get a solid connection.

[jjaj823]

Originally Posted by Miles O Roads

I was hoping to be able to keep factory under it. Don't know if an aftermarket setup would keep mileage and hrs. For warning I'm sure the can be tapped into.

IIRC, the ECU keeps the milage and hours...any programmable or digital dash should be able to get the actual miles and hours for you no problem. The existing gauges may be incorrect anyway. Mine was off by about 3,000 miles and 250 hours.

[musigenesis]

Originally Posted by jjaj823

Mine was off by about 3,000 miles and 250 hours.

Mine is off by 4500 miles and that's growing, since my physical dash doesn't work half the time. I'm totally accustomed to looking just at my Bluefire gauges even though they're all on a really tiny iPod touch.