VH dash cluster question

[weston]

Hey guys and gals, Im in the middle of building a VH with VN V6 and auto as well as the full VN looms in her, I was going to mix in to the dash the VN cluster but now have thought of making it look like the original dash cluster only change it to be all electrical guages. My question is i take it that the VH cluster with speedo, tacho, temp, fuel, oil and volts and the speedo is the only guage in it that needs cable to drive it.
Now if this is correct i was thinking to get a 90mm electric speedo to mate with the VN auto and leave the othe guages in and just wire to the VN stuff, then remove the VH lights from the centre of the cluster and add the VN ones to have the right warings then it should look stock.
Any help with this guys and is there any reason this may not work cheers

[Darren_L]

I installed a VDO electronic speedo in my VH cluster.
Works great. Really no need to use the VN warning lights. Only extra light you need is the check engine light. I just hooked up a red LED next to the speedo for a check engine light. Keeps it all looking close to stock

[weston]

Cheers mate might just be the answer, what set up are you running?

[SLE-883]

I'm doing the same as Darren. I'm also going to try get a VDO tachometer so they look the same. I'm also thinking of putting the a globe for the check engine light behind the Holden badge on the cluster


Daniel
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[weston]

Sorry mate just noticed on the bottom of your thread youre driving a EFI 5L cheers,
Has anyone got pics of the loom plug that go in the back of the VH dash cluster when i took mine out i must of thrown the looms i had so no not sure how it was before hand, i know i need the electiric loom from the VN box to feed new speedo but the other five guages i think it was a round plug as the back of my cluster has eleven pins in a circle so i guess this is the plug for all the other guages is this correct?????
Also there are two pins next to the oil light socket, one next to the rhs turn signal and one by the volt light are these ment to be connected anyone able to help cheers
Oh sorry also one other thing is there a way to make the holden logo in the middle of the lights panel light up as i would like to make this the engine check light if possible other wise ill just go a LED set up like Darren-L cheers guys.

[markovr]

those extra pins are for the oil pressure and tacho. i think the next spade terminal close to the centre of the cluster is for low fuel light and there is one spade terminal above the multipin plug for the instrument lights for the grey wire in the picture too


Im going to do the same thing to my cluster and am keen to see how yours turns out...Im a electrician by trade and have all the factory books if you need some help.
You can wire a check engine light into that spot.

[weston]

Hey thanks for helping Markovr, i found out i did throw out that round loom plug so ill track down another. I was looking last night at the wiring diagram in my VH gregorys book and looking at the wiring diagram to the VN dash cluster connectors that plug into the VN cluster and seeing as i have replaced the complete VH loom bar the few wires from the heater switch to be VN loom i need to work out what dash plug wires i need to join into the round VH plug.
So far i think im on the right track looking at both drawings but im not sure on some of the wiring and maybe they wont need to be connected, anyway ill post up what i have so far.

VH round plug Black to VN black Conector 3 direct earth(or con 1 main earth harness)
VH round plug Pink to VN Tan Connector 2 fuel (or con 3 to fuse 9)
VH round plug Violet to VN Blue/Red con 2 oil pressure switch
VH round plug Dark green to VN Green con 2 coolant temp
VH round plug brown to VN brown con 3 alt
VH round plug Tan/Black to VN brown/ white con 1 Brake fail (the book has the vh wire as tan/black where your diagram is tan should be same?)
VH round plug Tan to VN ????? not sure with this one Could be to VN fuel
VH round plug Yellow to VN Yellow con 2 park brake warning ???? i think
VH round plug Dark blue to VN Dark Blue con 2 RH turn signal
VH round plug Light Green to VN Blue/ Yellow con 2 high beam relay
VH round plug Light Blue to VN Light Blue con 1 LH turn signal

In the book ive got the VH Tan / Black wire travels from the cluster to brake fail switch and the Tan wire runs from the cluster to rear loom conector also joining off to connector that joins to the detent solinoid, spark control switch, cold feet switch, vac advance, anti diesiling, electric choke and also runs to the distributor, so im a little stuck there.
Also the other wires from the VN loom
Conector one - Brown/red for tacho [Circut 121]
Pink/black ???????[Circut 39 to fuse 9]
Black/ red for rear demist ( i think this is just a light to say its on so i could run wire back to the stock VH dimsiter light?) [Circut 292]
Brown/ white for Check engine (how can i make the lion badge light up, is it the pin on the back for low fuel on the vh cluster?[Circut 419]
Black X2 earths [Circut 150]

Conector two - Purple / white for new after market speedo [Circut 123]
Orange / white ?????????? [Circut 840 to fuse 1]
Grey for lighting i think to join illumination pin on vh cluster???? [Circut s62 to dimmer]
Brown / white X2 ???????? [Circut 19 to fuse 7]

Conector three - Brown / yellow [Circut 437 to EFI mod]

With my cluster it has the lion logo and the fasten seat belts so i guess one of these on other clusters are the low fuel light and if possible would like to make it light up so is this just as easy as connecting the pin on the back of the cluster for low fuel, hope so, so this is where i am at the moment and once again any help will be much appriciated cheers mate
If you need i have a diagram of the plug wires for the VN cheers again

[markovr]

pink black(switched 12v) used for tacho feed and positive feed for idiot lights
orange white (constant 12v) is used to feed positive for high beam idiot light
brown/white is check engine light from ecm(ecm suppies a negative to make it light up)
other brown/white is brake fail lamp negative from switch on brake master cylinder and also from check lamp relay
by the way how did the heater fan motor and switch wiring work out?

[weston]

Hey thanks mate, the heater fan switch idea didnt go ahaed as it was when i was going to have the VR dash in the car but i decided to go back to having the full VH dash in place but thanks heaps for that bit of help.
The wiring for this VH cluster with the VN wiring into it is it possible to draw a diagram of what wires go to what from VH cluster to VN dash loom plugs as looking at a drawing makes more sence to me if that makes sence cheers no rush but.
From your last note then the two pink/ black wires on conector 3 one is to tacho feed and the other to lights or is it the one on con 1,
If i use the orange / white to the pos on the head light light i dont need the blue/ yellow wire and i take it the two brown/ white wires you spoke of is on con 1 cheers again mate

[markovr]

looks like the high beam light on a vh has a constant negative fed to it and it is sent a positive 12v by the high beam switch to light it up so it works opposite to the vn that has a permanent positive (on orange/white wire) and is sent a negative from the headlamp relay..makes it a bit tricky.

pink/black on conn 3 terminal 11 is idiot light 12v feed and conn 1 terminal 5 feeds the tacho and also the speedo a switched 12v
brown/white wires are from conn 1 with term 8 for the check eng and term 9 for brake fail.
Also noticed there is a lights on feed on a brown/white wire on conn 2 terminal 6 but you probably wouldnt use that on a vh cluster.

[weston]

Sorry to be a pain in the arse mate but now im getting a bit confused, would be easier for me if you could make up a diagram with the wires from the VN 3 plug drawing to state where they go on the VH cluster like you did for the VR and VH heater switch a while ago it will make more sence to me that way i think, hope this is posible as i said no rush still have to get another VH cluster round loom as i must of thrown mine out.
Also a quick diagram to make the lion logo light up for engine check please, i think with this i only need to join the engine check light wire (Brown / white) from con 1 to the low fuel pin on the back of the VH cluster?? cheers mate

[markovr]

ok checked it out and this is what I came up with
total of 15 possible wires feeding vh cluster
on round connector ..........where to connect on vn instrument connectors
1. black...earth..............................conn 1 terminal 4 and 12 black
2.lt blue...left turn indicator +...........conn 1 terminal 10 lt blue
3. lt green...high beam indicator +....conn 2 terminal 12 blue/yellow but disconnect one of blue/yellow wires in terminal 86 of high beam relay base and join to the lt green wire that is in terminal 87( in same base)
4. dk blue....right turn indicator +.....conn2 terminal 8 dk blue
5. violet.....oil pressure idiot light -ve....conn 2 terminal 10 or you could use it as a check engine light (conn 1 terminal 8 brown /white)(on a vh cluster with a oil pressure gauge there is no idiot light just a lion symbol where it would be.
6. dk brown...alternator light +.....conn 3 terminal 7 dk brown
7. yellow.....handbrake warning -ve......conn 2 terminal 9 yellow
8. tan/black...brake fail -ve......conn 1 terminal 9 brown / white
9. pink...switched 12v + ....conn 1 terminal 5 or conn 3 terminal 11 or 12 or 9 pink/black
10. tan...fuel gauge -ve.....conn 2 terminal 6 brown
11. dk green....coolant temp -ve....conn 2 terminal 5 green

separate connectors
12. grey in single spade connector ...cluster illumination +....conn 2 terminal 1 and 2 grey
13. dk blue...oil pressure gauge in 2 pin spade connector -ve ....need to install tee at oil pump and put in gauge sender and run new wire back to cluster
14. dk green in single spade connector....low fuel / fasten seat belts -ve ......could use as check engine light ...conn 1 terminal 8 brown/white but you will have to drill out hole in circuitboard for lampholder and solder a male spade terminal to the circuitboard for a wire to connect to.
15. brown in 2 pin spade connector ......tacho+ve....might be a issue with v6 engine direct fire ign not sure how to get around it but signal is on conn 1 terminal 6 brown /red

[weston]

Hey thanks heaps mate that make a lot more sence to me i am very greatful for you doing this, now ill just pick up a round cluster plug this week then i can make a start on it. With the tacho would it be better using the tacho wire that hangs out of the loom on VN next to fire wall above the comp in the engine bay, i think from memory reading somewhere that this wire can be used for after market tacho, otherwise ill just try the dash loom wire, what could go wrong apart from a fuse popping i think.
Thanks heaps again mate ill let ya know how i go cheers

[markovr]

That brown tacho wire that sits under the bonnet loose is actually teed off that brown/red wire that is on conn 1 term 6 so there is no point running a wire from that single tach wire..just connect the vh brown tacho wire to the brown red vn instrument wire inside and who knows it might work?

[weston]

Hey there mate i finally got the round plug and wired up as per your directions but have a few problems, all four small guages seem fine they move , i think the temp moved didnt have the key turned on long enough.
NOw first is the engine check light i wire to the holden logo, i put a globe in the spot behind the logo and it lights up but never seems to go out. My understanding is it will light up with the key turned on for a few seconds then go out unless a code makes it flash?
second the high beem light does not seem to light could be a globe so over the weekend ill give it a look see what i find.
the cluster light i could only get to work by hooking into the light to the tbar as the way i first had it was the two vn greys to the grey vh wire.
And lastly i have hazards but no indicators, i have wired the hazards in the car a way a guy on the other forum told me and thats is as follows.
earth to 31 on flasher relay
12 volt to 49 on relay
wire from 49a on relay to switch for hazards (aftermarket type switch)
from switch lhs and rhs wires to indicators with a 12 volt diode on each
This makes the hazarrds work but blinkers dont work as normal and im left with
Brown/White = +12V ignition (feed for indicators)
Violet = flasher unit output (connected to both hazard and indicator switches)
Blue/White = flasher input (from hazard switch only
in my loom i dont have the blue white wire it is light green but i guess these two colors are the same wire ?
Could you tell me where i need to wire these three wires to to have it all work.
Thanks once again much appriciated. I posted a pic or four to show ya how im going cheers





Just check the car now its dark and i have a key to shut off the battery in the boot and when i turn the battery back on the head lights are on ( earlier i never checked the head lights them self to see if they were on but yes battery on the headlights are lit and the dash light for high beam works cheers again mate ill leave ya to it thanks

[markovr]

what steering column are you using...the vc/h one ? and how have you wired to your headlights and indicators? Just plugged them up from the vn loom?

[drewVHSS]

I'm doing the same as Darren. I'm also going to try get a VDO tachometer so they look the same. I'm also thinking of putting the a globe for the check engine light behind the Holden badge on the cluster


Daniel
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

That's what i used for my alarm blinking light, took a bit of hunting to find a t10 globe holder that would stay in the socket though, couldn't use a vh cluster globe holder as the electrical contacts for that hole seems to have constant power.

[markovr]

yep thats right it is used in vh sl models for the oil pressure idiot light so it has 12v on one side and the triggered negative from the oil switch....check engine light is a negative feed from the ecu to work too so it should work.

[weston]

Hey markovr the VH has all the VH loom wiring pulled from it and now runs a complete VN loom bar the foot long length off the haeter switch then it VN all the way. The idea was to make it a simple job doing different things.
I have replaced the VH column with a VN one and the wiper and blinker arms are VR/S but i think the wiring for VN to VS blinker arms are the same. Havent had a chance to recheck the wiring but when i do ill get back to ya cheers mate thanks

[weston]

Hey markovr just another few questions about the wiring on the high beam light wire are you meaning the Blue / yellow vn wire loc 12 on con2, and do you mean to remove the relay to the high beam, in my VN diagram the blue/yellow wire is on the 85 pin of the relay so do i remove it and join it into the light green wire to 87 pin to make as one wire?
And the check engine light should i join that to the pin on the back of the cluster instead, or run a new light into that location in the back of the cluster to light up the lion logo.
Do i need the wire to the oil pin at the back of the cluster even thou i dont have the oil light in the middle of the cluster?
And with the other wires from the VN three plugs what should be done with those do i just label them and cover the ends incase for future use oh im thinking to run that Black/ red wire for the demister light over to a light globe next to the clock as i never really trust those old stock demister switches to work to there best. cheers mate.
Oh ill add a diagram i have done up with the round plug to vn looms if youre able to just check it looks correct just so later down the track i have a diagram for any reason.

The brown / white check engine wire runs to either the round plug or the pin on the back of the cluster whitch ever works.

[weston]

Hey was thinking would i need a light wire with the negitive end joined to the check engine light wire on the VN loom and the other end to a positive from somewhere in the car or the pink and black wire from fuse 9 to be with the positive end of the globe?
I also found a small globe holder i can fit into the dash cluster to light the lion badge instead of the cluster itself if this is a better way to work the engine check light?
Cheers

[markovr]

You could use the oil pressure idiot light feed or in your case the lamp behind the lion symbol or you could still keep the oil idiot light and put the check engine behind the fasten seat belts light by doing this

both types already have a positive fed to them and all they need is a negative which they get from the ecm to work.
With the high beam you need to mod it a bit..this is because the vh high beam light has a permanent negative on it and is fed a positive 12v by the high beam switch to light up but the vn has a permanent positive and is fed a negative from the high beam relay so you have to make the feed a positive to make the vh cluster to work by putting a wire on the same wire feeding the headlight high beams.
Sorry mate I think there is only one wire in the blue yellow 86 terminal location in the high beam relay and this comes from the switch and the high beam light feed is teed off it in the loom somewhere...you probably need to run a completely new wire teed off the lt green wire in terminal 87 of the high beam relay base back to join in to the vh cluster high beam light .

[weston]

Just had a look under the hood at the high beam relay, the way mine is from factory has one green wire at pin 30, one green wire running to pin 87 then another that loops from 87 to 86 and the blue/ yellow wire (only has one of) runs to pin 85?. In the diagram from holden the relay shows different as in green wire to 87 from head lights, green on 30 joining to 86 to go to fuse 19 and the blue/ yellow to pin 85 so im a bit confused. sorry
The engine check light work fine i cranked the engine over (as it was up in the air on stands before and i didnt actually fire up the engine) plus the battery was a little low so a jump start and all good, but just wanting to know is there some way to make the engine check light flash to check it fully works?
What do i do with all the other wires to the three plugs when i get this all going, just tape then seperatly off?
And still stuck with the three wire left to work blinkers, sorry to be a pain in the butt.

[markovr]

probably the easiest way to get high beam light to work is to put in another extra relay to make it work

with the indicators is it plugged up like it would be in the model car the loom came out of using the same switches/flasher unit ?How have you wired up the actual indicator lamps themselves?And the headlights?

[markovr]

double post