Project Festiva : Tachometer installation

Project Festiva : How-To's

Installing Tach w/Trip Odometer Cluster

Model Years: 1988-1993

Estimated Time: 45 mins

One huge annoyance in a 5-speed car is not having a tachometer. My car was running rough with the a/c on and sometimes cut out. The only way to adjust the idle is to hook up a tachometer. After realizing an external tachometer will cost me $30-100 I figured I'd just get a gauge cluster from a 1988-1990 junked festiva that had one. I also found that these clusters have a trip odometer which is a handy thing to have if you like to keep track of your mileage like I do. The clusters are also backlit much better than the stock ones.

I paid $45 for the cluster from a junkyard including the speedometer cable. The 1990 Festiva's have white lettering which IMO looks better than the orange.

Tools you will need:

Stubby #1 or #2 philps screwdriver
Standard #1 or #2 philips screwdriver
Tube of grease
Adjustable wrench

Installation Instructions:
	1: unscrew the 5 screw's holding the trim bezel in place (arrows) You will need to use the stubby screwdriver for the middle top screw.
	2: Remove the trim bezel. If you have a rear defroster or rear wiper or both, remove the plugs from the switches.
	3: Remove the 4 screws holding the cluster to the dash. You will probably need to use the long screwdriver to reach them.
	4: The cluster won't come forward very much without removing the speedometer cable. You can unclip it from the cluster, or unscrew it from the transmission. Unclipping it from the cluster isn't too hard, as long as your don't have fat hands. Reach up from the right side of the steering wheel and feel around for a cable, push in the plastic clip and pull and the speedometer cable should come off. If this doesn't work, unscrew the speedometer cable from the transmission (look at picture for the location of it). You might need to use the adjustable wrench to loosen it if it hasn't been off in awhile. Turn it counter-clockwise to loosen it.
	6: If you had to remove the cable from the transmission, push the cable through the grommet on the firewall to give enough room to pull the cluster out. (picture illustrates location of grommet)
	7: Pull the cluster out from the dashboard and remove the two electrical plugs from the cluster. YOu need to push upward on the tabs and wiggle the plugs to remove them. Be careful not to bend any of the prongs from the cluster while doing this.
	The stock speedometer cable location won't reach the new cluster's speedometer plug. You will have to reroute the cable to get it to reach it
	8: Pull the speedometer cable through the firewall (from under the hood) and then push it back in. It should reroute it towards the right-hand side of the car. It should look like the picture when completed
	9: Since the speedomter cable is out, it is a good idea to grease it up. Use the tube of grease and grease both ends of the speedometer cable (optional, but recommended if you don't want a jumpy speedometer needle). You can yank the whole cable out from the sleeve if you took the transmission side out. Be sure to put it back the way it was when done, with the plastic peice and all.
	10: Screw the speedometer cable back into the transmission if you took it out
	11: Plug both electrical connectors into the back of the cluster and push it back. Reach up on the right of the steering wheel and feel around for the speedometer cable. With it in your hand, push the cluster forward while guiding the plug with your finger into the speedometer cable. You should hear a click.
	12: Screw in the 4 screws to secure the cluster to the dash
	13: Plug your defroster and rear wiper (if equipped) switches back in and screw in the instrument cluster bezel.
	Here is a pic of the cluster illuminated