Questions about things mounted to the firewall.

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

DeCaff2007

I'm Awesome
Joined
Sep 25, 2021
Messages
1,120
Reaction score
1,268
Location
PA
Small update on this: I tried finding another inline fuse holder at the parts chain stores around here. Those stores are as useless as a 2wd truck in the rust belt. Soooo I'll be perusing the junkyard on Friday. I just need a few electrical things and well, I found NICE front wheel wells, but they were for a 2WD. Dunno if they'll fit a 4WD.

Grrrrrrr.
 

DeCaff2007

I'm Awesome
Joined
Sep 25, 2021
Messages
1,120
Reaction score
1,268
Location
PA
I went to the yard immediately after work today. I got there with just enough time to power walk through the truck/SUV section and wow... so many 95+ ECSB's with the Vortec engine. Every one of them rotted right through. Very depressing.

Found a 93 ECSB with the damn fuse holder I needed, so I traced the wire to where the connects... it seems that that wire goes to the under hood retractable light on the passenger fender well. My 400 does not have such an option, which is strange because I still have that same fuse holder on the same lug in the box, so I took the fuse holder anyway.

This particular ECSB was nicely optioned but it was an automatic. I remember someone saying that the HVAC control panel is different between early and late years, even though it's all electronic. This being a 93, I pulled the HVAC controls in hopes that someone here can use them. I have the sliders, so I won't be needing them.

It also had the needle gauges, as opposed to those ridiculous half moon things. Again, I'm pretty sure I read somewhere on here that the early gauge cluster will work w/out modification on the pre-90 400's. Even if not, I really like how this new cluster looks. I'll make it work.

Also, the 93 in the yard, despite being an automatic, has a beautiful tilt steering column... and the key in the ignition! PLEASE tell me I can easily change out my non-tilt column for the tilt?? If so, I'll have to go back with my steering wheel puller and get there early Friday morning.

Lastly, I went around back of the bed and checked out the tail gate hinges. Mine have seen better days. The ones bolted to the bed were in pretty decent shape and came off super easy, so I snagged them. The hinges on the actual tail gate, however, do not seem to unbolt?? Shame, as they were in good shape.

So, off to the pay window I went. I about had a coronary when they told me the total. You all may think that $64 is cheap for a gauge cluster, but right now that amount of money won't even fill my tank. My stomach is still in knots from paying that much and that was 3 hours ago....
 

someotherguy

I'm Awesome
Joined
Sep 28, 2013
Messages
9,784
Reaction score
14,138
Location
Houston TX
It also had the needle gauges, as opposed to those ridiculous half moon things. Again, I'm pretty sure I read somewhere on here that the early gauge cluster will work w/out modification on the pre-90 400's. Even if not, I really like how this new cluster looks. I'll make it work.

Also, the 93 in the yard, despite being an automatic, has a beautiful tilt steering column... and the key in the ignition! PLEASE tell me I can easily change out my non-tilt column for the tilt?? If so, I'll have to go back with my steering wheel puller and get there early Friday morning.
Gauge clusters don't swap across all the years without some modification. 88-90 swap with each other, 91 swaps into 88-90 with minor re-arranging of wiring in the connector. 92-94 swap with each other. You can use 92-94 gauges in your earlier truck but it's a job. You should go back and get the cluster connector as well as the DRAC module (enclosed in white plastic underneath glove box compartment) and its connector, too. Takes some wiring work to make this swap happen.

Steering column swaps directly out. Why do you need a steering wheel puller, other than if they want to charge you extra for the wheel?

Richard
 

DeCaff2007

I'm Awesome
Joined
Sep 25, 2021
Messages
1,120
Reaction score
1,268
Location
PA
Gauge clusters don't swap across all the years without some modification. 88-90 swap with each other, 91 swaps into 88-90 with minor re-arranging of wiring in the connector. 92-94 swap with each other. You can use 92-94 gauges in your earlier truck but it's a job. You should go back and get the cluster connector as well as the DRAC module (enclosed in white plastic underneath glove box compartment) and its connector, too. Takes some wiring work to make this swap happen.

Steering column swaps directly out. Why do you need a steering wheel puller, other than if they want to charge you extra for the wheel?

Richard

That's exactly why.

Only thing that sucks is that I won't get the little button on the side by the ignition lock to release the key. IMO, that's a big sacrifice just to have tilt steering.
 

GoToGuy

I'm Awesome
Joined
Sep 16, 2020
Messages
2,934
Reaction score
3,409
Location
CAL
Remember not all trucks have all things, diff' years diff' standard equipment. Diff' options, is it a Sierra, Silverado, Blazer, Tahoe, Yukon. If you want your project to go a little smoother, you could get the factory Service Manuals here, for free. Has views of what items are mounted and what they are, wiring diagrams, photos of where the wires run in the truck. It would help you a lot rather than guessing and engineering it backwards. Well good luck.
 

94K3500PROJECT

I'm Awesome
Joined
Aug 29, 2020
Messages
216
Reaction score
246
Location
NE IN
I went to the yard immediately after work today. I got there with just enough time to power walk through the truck/SUV section and wow... so many 95+ ECSB's with the Vortec engine. Every one of them rotted right through. Very depressing.

Found a 93 ECSB with the damn fuse holder I needed, so I traced the wire to where the connects... it seems that that wire goes to the under hood retractable light on the passenger fender well. My 400 does not have such an option, which is strange because I still have that same fuse holder on the same lug in the box, so I took the fuse holder anyway.

This particular ECSB was nicely optioned but it was an automatic. I remember someone saying that the HVAC control panel is different between early and late years, even though it's all electronic. This being a 93, I pulled the HVAC controls in hopes that someone here can use them. I have the sliders, so I won't be needing them.

It also had the needle gauges, as opposed to those ridiculous half moon things. Again, I'm pretty sure I read somewhere on here that the early gauge cluster will work w/out modification on the pre-90 400's. Even if not, I really like how this new cluster looks. I'll make it work.

Also, the 93 in the yard, despite being an automatic, has a beautiful tilt steering column... and the key in the ignition! PLEASE tell me I can easily change out my non-tilt column for the tilt?? If so, I'll have to go back with my steering wheel puller and get there early Friday morning.

Lastly, I went around back of the bed and checked out the tail gate hinges. Mine have seen better days. The ones bolted to the bed were in pretty decent shape and came off super easy, so I snagged them. The hinges on the actual tail gate, however, do not seem to unbolt?? Shame, as they were in good shape.

So, off to the pay window I went. I about had a coronary when they told me the total. You all may think that $64 is cheap for a gauge cluster, but right now that amount of money won't even fill my tank. My stomach is still in knots from paying that much and that was 3 hours ago....

Column is a pretty strait forward swap but IDK about a manual/auto column swap
 

DeCaff2007

I'm Awesome
Joined
Sep 25, 2021
Messages
1,120
Reaction score
1,268
Location
PA
Yeah lol I never got to the junkyard on Friday anyway. Too much to do lately. I did, however, take care of all that wiring and have started the semi-daunting task of fixing the exhaust. I need to start another thread for that because, ya know, I have questions.
 
Top