I got the 145mph se gauges but the speedometer doesn't seem right. since the numbers don't line up with the 125mph speedometer it reads faster than i am actually going. is this supposed to happen? has anyone ever replaced their gauges this way?
thanks,
ken

did ya just replace the face or did you replace the whole speedo unit? you need to replace the whole speedo unit.

as in just the speedo part or the entire gauge cluster. cause i just swapped out the gauge cluster.

you have a defective speedometer then because it doesnt matter if you replace just the head or the whole cluster...it should read right.

We had a big discussion about this (but you cant search right now) and a few people confirmed that nothing needs to be changed for the speedometer to work correctly. I have done this swap and a few others have also.

yep its messed up. the next time i tried to drive it the speedometer didn't even move. any easy way to fix this or should i just send it back?

put your old gauges back in
if they work, then the new gauges are probably the problem
if they dont work, then the problem is probably your speed sensor

your profile says 94 gxe. your stock gauges will only read upto 125mph. the cluster you have is for a ve engine. the ve speedo reads upto 145mph. the gauges are the same size(diameter) but the number printing is smaller too accomodate for higher speed readings on the dial. thats the main reason your speedo is messed up. but if your needle isn't moving, do what craig suggested.
you should find your self a gauge cluster from a 89-91 se maxima. they read upto 125mph like your stock cluster does. i assume you're doing this swap because you want white face gauges right?

try this out.

ryan

I have the 145 gauges already, but I have a question out of curiosity.

Are the gauges "plug and play?"

I had a Mustang GT (comes stock with an 85 mph speedo) but you can buy a 140 mph speedo and when you plug it in, it automatically runs correctly. The dial is different, too.

Are the Max's like this, or is it a totally different set up?

Shock, that is incorrect infomation. It has nothing to do with where the needle is pointing on the gauges.

Here's a layman's explanation of how the speedo works in our cars:

The speed sensor sends an electronic signal to the gauge cluster, telling the cluster how fast the car is going. most likely, it just sends pulses based on an optical or magnetic pickup very similar to the ABS wheel sensors.. so for every revolution of the wheel, it sends a signal of 20 pulses or so (more likely it's about 100 pulses, but you get the point)..
the faster you go, the faster it sends the pulses.

so at 20 pulses per second, that's 1 wheel revolution per second.. which is (insert number here) 10mph.

the cluster then translates that 20 pulses per second into 10mph.. and the cluster sends the speedo gauge a signal that says "Hey! you! show 10mph on the gauge!" and 10mph is indicated on the gauge.

You can switch the 145 mph gauges/speedo into the car just fine because of this process.

They aren't like the old cable & magnetic pickup speedos from back in the day that actually had a tiny gear in the tranny and sent a cable to the gauge cluster.. at the end of it was a magnetic pickup w/ a spring return on it... so the faster the car went, the faster the pickup would spin by the magnet, pushing the speedo needle around... on THOSE, you couldn't change the speedo very easily, but on a Maxima you san because it's all electronic once it gets past the tranny.

so, it is "plug and play"

thanks for the insight, Matt.

That's what I've heard from the handfull of people that have done it.
there's a few indicator lights you have to move/rewire, but that's easy. the tach/speedo works, and that's the main thing.

mine work fine and i had them for about a year

so did you not see my post about this or do you just not believe me and need a second opinion J/K

and like Matt said there are a few warning lights that need to be moved unless you put it in a 92 UP GXE...such as the OD off light...I cant remember the others though.

I put my old VE speedometer (thats 145mph, white face) into AntonTheGrey's VG. It works perfectly.

We could have put the whole gauge cluster in with out a problem, but he wanted to keep his odometer and his tachometer.

It does work, LittlePiggie, awsm66, and I have all done it, along with others. Can a mod or someone add this to the FAQ's? then we can say read the stickies more often again

oh yeah, I was thinking about putting my O/D temp/gas gauge in my 5spd, but then decided not to.

Do you guys think I should put my O/D gauge in? would that be cool? It would be another part from my old car living on

Only if you hook it up to switch for 5th gear!

I can confirm that it is plug and play. Simple as that.

me looks for a pic of antons.
I miss my carbon fiber

Anyone know where I could find a VE speedometer(the 145mph)? I searched ebay but came up unsuccessful. Would a junk yard be the best bet? Anyone have a working one layin around?

read the FAQs...in there is a link to car-part.com. That is a listing of several junk yards from close to you or around the US.

Matt stop giving away all our best secrets

I thought Matt was the secret?

(if that makes sense)

i put a 93 se 145mph white guages in my 90 gxe with 125 stock old engine. and it works fine, just take out the bulbs like the air bag, and thats about all, the spedometer reads right and same with rpms, the only difference is between cold and hot on engine tempature it looks like your car runs hotter because the needle can travel farther.

No. Get out of here. And take your carbon fubar gauge cluster with you too.

what about his fiber glass hood?
oops did I say that

Ohhh... that explains why my car's temp guage reads hotter after I did the guage swap .

oh...well i can't argue with that. i always thought it was configured much different than that.
thanks for the info matt.

No.. I'm the problem.. The solution is giving this place over to all the Canucks who think they know everything.

c'mon matt, you're holding a grudge? i thought this issue was cleared up?
besides we don't think we know everything. we know, we know everything.

Dam ferners!

mommy told me not to make fun of the Canucks....


...that it's not their fault they say aboot and eh.

it's because we're always tanked from our outstanding beer.

*edit please don't litter the forum with obscene pictures* Thanks

Nah.. no grudges.. but I AM apprehensive when I have to correct people or I'm publicly blasted by one of you freaks. make one mention of anything that you don't like, and it's like a pack of hungry wolves suddenly whoring up the thread.. Not cool, and VERY immature, IMO.

honestly man,
i know that moderators take a lot **** from everyone and i know how that is because i'm constantly defending myself here too.
if i've misinformed someone here, i hope that someone will speak up and correct my mistake. that way i'm learning something new aswell. the only time i get offended is when someone feels the need to make someone else look stupid for their mistakes. i'm not saying that you're doing this. but there's more than a few users on these forums who really like to talk out of their **** and insult people.
we're all hear to learn and chat about cars. no one should be insulted for not knowing as much as the next person.
and i'm definately not saying that i'm not guilty of doing some mean things here as well. but i think i've matured a hell of a lot since i first joined the org. in one way or another we all need each other to keep this place interesting and helpful.

Good thoughts, shock. You too, Matt.

Didn't this thread start out about gauges and end up being an episode of "Sally Jesse Raphael"??

no it was more like springer or geraldo imo