Using dash cluster with Tach in "regular" DX?

[wittsend]

Hello,

I'm curious if a dash cluster with a Tach will work in my (non-Tach) 2000 Protege DX? Actually I'm a bit late in asking. I bought one at the U-Pick Parts today. However being the "human crash test dummy for disasters" I did the following:

1. I assumed the odometer part was transferable (I wanted to retain my actual mileage).

2. In an attempt to remove the speedometer portion (Thinking the odometer was attached) I needed to pull the needle to remove the faceplate. That only pulled the pin out of the armature (with the needle attached) and basically destroyed the speedometer portion.

3. In an attempt to removed the destroyed speedometer (I was going to install the one from my DX cluster) I also accidentally broke off the Temp. needle (snapped about 1/4" down). I hate when this stuff happens. It must have barely caught on something.

So, before I spend another $9 in gas, $2 in admission fee, $16 for the cluster - plus about $3 for "environmental fees" and tax, I figured I'd do what I should have done and ask first. Will it "Plug and Play?"

Also, to pour salt into my wounds is the mileage stored in the cars computer or the cluster (2000 Protege). Because if it is stored in the computer then I'll really kick myself ouch, Ouch, OUCH!!!

BTW, I did this swap with my old '91, 323 and it was a no problem. Of course it didn't have a digital odometer either... .

Thanks, Tom

[wittsend]

Ok, I'll answer my own post to warn others:

NO! - it won't work. At least not with a DX wire harness. I went back to U-Pick Parts this morning and bought another instrument cluster (Speedo-Tach-Gauges).

When I applied power I was thrilled to find the "new" odometer read only 2k more that my old cluster (95k vs 97k). That excitement was quickly quenched when upon starting the car the Tach did not function - and worst yet it brought up a check engine code!!! The code was for the engine temperature. And, when I reinstalled the old cluster it didn't go away!!! Man, when I put a "Tach" cluster in my 323 it just worked. Thankfully I had a scanner and erased it and all "seems" good.

Well..., Crappy Father's Day to me. $18 for the first instrument cluster I broke, $10 for gas and admission for the second trip to U-Pick Parts, and $18 for the second cluster.

I'm not a swearing man, but I guess this is a "Cluster F*ck." Pun intended. I'm sure the Tach could be "wired in", but that was not my intention. Also, the code for the temperature is something I don't want to deal with.

You have been warned!

Tom

[smokstac]

I have a 2003 DX and a cluster with a tach worked in mine without issue.

Mileage on digital clusters is almost always stored in the cluster in permanent memory.

IIRC, however, there are differences between the 99-00 and 01-03 models in terms of clusters and their harnesses/wiring. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

[wittsend]

Thank you for the reply. At the "Mazda Forum" I found someone who was asking the same question. His tach didn't work with his DX wiring either. He drives a DX, but has a LX parts car. He said there were three extra wires going to the instrument cluster on the LX car. Since he also had a CEL for a bad CAT he wasn't sure if the temperature sender was throwing a code like mine did.

I checked the Napa Auto site and it seems whether one has a '99-'00, DX/LX, 1.6/1.8 the gauge sender is the same. So, I'm still baffled as to why when I installed the "tach gauge cluster" I got a CEL.

My our assumption is that the tach needs just a pulse we to be made functional. But not having a schematic that is an unknown. Anyone know of any wiring schematic links?

Tom

[smokstac]

I believe that instrument clusters in Proteges that had keyless entry will not work in DXs.

I'm still wondering how a cluster would effect the ECU in such a way as to trigger a CEL aside from the keyless entry circuit.