Changing instrument clusters

[Auf los!]

Can you be more specific about why they are not interchangeable, Randall?

In all my searching, I found exactly ONE set of black gauge faces for sale...they are made by FVD Brombacher and Auto Atlanta has them for sale for...$1218! The graphics ARE different, though, they are a more traditional (possibly classic Porsche?) style, which appeals to me, but not for THAT kind of money. Yow!

Since it is relatively easy to replace the gauge faces, maybe that is what I should do...just swap the faces, not the whole clusters?

[RandallNeighbour]

Auf, the clusters can't be freely swapped because some have MOST fiber optics while others do not and then there's the computer box that changes versions with every model year. Then there's calibration. My tach and speedo is calibrated to a 2.5 manual 5 speed, and yours is a 3.2 six speed (you dirty rat).

Swapping the faces is certainly the easiest way to go, but you have already found that there's not too many face sets available for the S model cars. I did see one "budget" shop on eBay but it was still going to be $500.

If I were you, I'd grow accustomed to it and save all the time and energy and money for repairs, which will certainly come along after you've spend a bunch of money on something non-essential like this.

[blue2000s]

Originally Posted by RandallNeighbour

Auf, the clusters can't be freely swapped because some have MOST fiber optics while others do not and then there's the computer box that changes versions with every model year. Then there's calibration. My tach and speedo is calibrated to a 2.5 manual 5 speed, and yours is a 3.2 six speed (you dirty rat).

Swapping the faces is certainly the easiest way to go, but you have already found that there's not too many face sets available for the S model cars. I did see one "budget" shop on eBay but it was still going to be $500.

If I were you, I'd grow accustomed to it and save all the time and energy and money for repairs, which will certainly come along after you've spend a bunch of money on something non-essential like this.

So are you saying that if he finds a cluster from an 01 non-S, it's not a direct swap? I think it probably is.

[JTP]

Wasn't there a thread about swapping a cluster out of a 996 into a 986? It might have been on Renntech. It was a long procedure but this has to be a similar process to what the OP is trying to accomplish.