454 SS pickup questions

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someotherguy

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I'm a little lost on what year you swapped to what here, but comments like that towards some of our senior members are really not appropriate. Richard is a very respectable knowledgeable person and someone I respect highly within the GMT400 community. There have been many like him who have left over time due to the overall lack of respect for eachother.
It's OK. He really thought he had something there. It's funnier than it is offensive.

Richard
 

Blackwater

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Holy christ, genius. Everyone knows 92-94 are direct swappable. We're talking about OP looking at a 1990 model truck. 88-91 take considerable work to swap a 92-94 cluster into.

But you're the guy that thinks 454SS trucks came with a 12 bolt axle, so maybe you need to go google some more.

Richard

It CAN be done.
 

someotherguy

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This is correct. Some in the same year model had tachs and others haven't.

FYI, this was started when there was question on the ss454 and instrument clusters. I mentioned that they could be swapped. I know this cause I have done this to others. Schematics are all the same, pin layout and connectors differ.

Lastly, Just because someone has been on a forum for a long time doesn't mean he is right about everything and has to be a Equus africanus asinus about it. You don't know me, my experience, nor my technological background. Next thing I'm going to hear, you cant put two transmissions together in a truck. Yeah, I did that. I also get 19 MPG with it empty. Towed 14,000lbs with it and got 7 to 9 MPG with that load.
You are utterly clueless. You cannot put a 1992-1994 cluster (the typically available "tach" cluster) into a 1988-1991 truck (454SS's being available in 1990 and 1991, and 1990 being the truck OP is discussing) by simply changing the connector.

YES, it can be done. It has been done. But it is not simply a connector change.

Richard
 

Blackwater

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It's OK. He really thought he had something there. It's funnier than it is offensive.

Richard

What is really funny is you been here on this forum this whole time and never thought there is a possibility that someone has done things you never heard of. All things are possible. Question is it practical?
 

Blackwater

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You are utterly clueless. You cannot put a 1992-1994 cluster (the typically available "tach" cluster) into a 1988-1991 truck (454SS's being available in 1990 and 1991, and 1990 being the truck OP is discussing) by simply changing the connector.

YES, it can be done. It has been done. But it is not simply a connector change.

Richard

I suppose you cant put a 2006 cluster in a 1995? And yet I seen it. He also swapped the dashes as well but he did it. It actually looked decent.
 

someotherguy

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Yes, I've never heard of someone installing a 1992-1994 cluster into a 1988-1991 truck without adding the DRAC module. I'd like to know how you're handling the speed sensor buffer, since the 1992-1994 cluster does not have this, and the 1988-1991 cluster does.

It's no big secret that this kind of swap has been done. Again, it is not a simple connector change as you would like to have others believe.

So again, educate us.

Richard
 

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EDIT: This took awhile to type so I see you answered. Swapping anything 92-94 is direct plug and play, 88-90 is as well while 91 is an oddball year. Maybe you should calm down some before spouting off that someone is wrong.

Original post before the edit:
I'm a little lost on what year you swapped to what here, but comments like that towards some of our senior members are really not appropriate. Richard is a very respectable knowledgeable person and someone I respect highly within the GMT400 community. There have been many like him who have left over time due to the overall lack of respect for eachother.

Now.

Clusters don't make any difference if they are 1500/2500/3500 in these trucks. Here is everything I've learned over the years about these clusters.

Clusters worked like this:
88-90:
- All trucks had moonie clusters.
- Offered in dummy light and full gauge version. Gas and Diesel Variants (A/T vs M/T was just a block out plate).
- DRAC integrated within the cluster.
- 85 MPH with no tach, except the 90 454SS which was 110 MPH with no tach.

91:
- Gauges offered in moonie or needle style gauges with tach.
- Gas and Diesel Variants (A/T vs M/T was just a block out plate).
- DRAC integrated within the cluster. Tach cluster with needles was a 1-year only cluster
- 85 MPH, except the 91 454SS which was 110 MPH with tach.

92-94:
- All trucks had needle style gauges.
- Both non Tach and Tach clusters offered. Gas and Diesel Variants (A/T vs M/T was just a block out plate).
- DRAC external from cluster. The cluster plug within the dash changed significantly. within the cluster.
- 85 MPH, except the 92-93 454SS which was 110 MPH with tach. 454SS cluster has warning light "Traction Active".

95:
- 1 year only cluster. All clusters have tachs. All clusters go to 5k RPM.
- Gas, Diesel, Auto, Manual variants.

96-end of GMT400 production:
- All clusters have tachs, Gas motors go to 6k RPM, diesel stays at 5k.
- Gas cluster tachs - Some show a redline, some do not. Unsure of rhyme or reason as I've seen both variants in big and smallblock trucks.
- A/T and M/T clusters differ in print due to "PRND321" and "shift from park"
- Most clusters go to 100 MPH, with some exceptions below
- Some later clusters were 110 MPH (Have yet to find rhyme/reason behind this). Somewhat uncommon. A/T only.
- 99-00 Escalade, Yukon Denali and Limited Tahoe were 120 MPH with teal backlighting and white needles. A/T only.
- Police Tahoe Packages: Both 100MPH certified and 130MPH certified clusters. Both uncommon. A/T only.​
- Later clusters have "Service 4wd" dummy light for Autotrac T-Case.

I also want to add that the same should be for the "senior members" as well. Shouldn't matter how long you been on a forum, Respect is respect.
 
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