Odometer

corsair231

Active member
Hey guys, my main odometer has stopped working. Any ideas, fixes for it or where can I find a replacement? Anyone know if any of the other GM vehicles use the same odometer? I know the Sunbird GT would surely be the same but I would have just about as much luck finding a Sy/Ty/GT one. Lol.
Thanks
 

graham1524

Well-known member
If you get the cluster out it is pretty easy to change the motor, I got the motor powering mine out of a mid 90's 1500 in a junkyard. The only thing I had to do was swap the top "plate" that has the correct wires off of the one in the sy
 

DaveP's Ghost

Well-known member
Almost any GM from the early 90's with a mechanical odometer has the same motor. Sometimes the wiring harness for the motor is too short and has to be transferred from the SyTy motor to the replacement, but not fussy to do.

I've also moved the trip motor to the main odo when I was too lazy to go find a replacement.
 

corsair231

Active member
Thanks guys. I would assume it would need to be from a 6 digit without tenths as long as it is electric. No problem with accuracy when you used the trip motor? I was not sure if the signal that controls the motor was from the computer or a speed sensor some where or if the motors were geared differently for different applications .
 

DaveP's Ghost

Well-known member
The trip and main motors are identical and interchangeable. Same with motors from other clusters and applications. I used to use Astro Van motors as they were prolific and easy to harvest in the pick-a-parts back in the days when I worked on these POS's regularly.

And, FUCK TICTOK damn commies.
 
I know this is an old post but mine has recently stopped working - trip odometer still works though and so does the speedometer, so that rules out the speed sensor. I know this mentioned the odometer having an individual motor but is it the motor or just the plastic gears that finally gave up after 30 years?

and anyone have a link to how to pull the cluster out?
 

graham1524

Well-known member
I know this is an old post but mine has recently stopped working - trip odometer still works though and so does the speedometer, so that rules out the speed sensor. I know this mentioned the odometer having an individual motor but is it the motor or just the plastic gears that finally gave up after 30 years?

and anyone have a link to how to pull the cluster out?

I've ran into he problem on my odometer where the gears have slid down the shaft and popped the shaft out of the retainer to where they weren't engaging.

Pulling the cluster out only takes a few minutes once you've done it a couple times.
  • Disconnect and remove fog light switch
  • Disconnect AC controls, there's 2 1/4" screws on the back and then you have to pop the lever off the little knob and it pulls off, i use a tiny screwdriver for this
  • Disconnect light switch bezel
  • Remove trim pieces that are under the cluster bezel
  • There's a couple screws on the bottom and 2 on the inside of the cluster surround
  • Pull cluster surround out
  • Remove the 4 screws holding the gauges in
  • The gauges have a couple torx screws and its apart
 

DaveP's Ghost

Well-known member
Disconnect AC controls, there's 2 1/4" screws on the back and then you have to pop the lever off the little knob and it pulls off, i use a tiny screwdriver for this

Some people disconnect the temp cable to remove the A/C control panel completely. Back in the day, I did too, and I struggled and cursed, and broke some controls. I finally adopted a "better way" in that at least it is faster, and less prone to frustration and broken plastic.

Remove the two screws from under the bezel holding the controls in. (Remove the power mirror switch for access on a Ty).

In the glove box, remove the access panel with the two screws in it. Behind, you will see the temp cable, with a red clip. Disengage the red clip's tabs from the holding bracket (I use one of those U-shaped Hose Removers to push on the tabs from behind). You do not need to remove the cir-clip holding the inner cable to the pin. You will end up rotating the inner wire 180deg on the pin when you pull the cable towards the controls.

Pull the panel outwards, while 'helping' the cable jacket go towards the controls by pushing it from behind the glove box. You should be able to get the panel out about 6" this way, you may have to disconnect some of the wiring connectors as well.

With the heater panel now out 6" you can push it aside to access the RH lower retainer nut for the bezel. Remove the other 3 bezel retainer nuts. Flop (rotate) the bezel 180 to the right to get it out of the way of removing the cluster. The controls will still be sticking out of the bezel, but won't prevent moving the bezel out of the way.

Reverse for reinstall. Help the temp cable back into position without bending the inner wire by reaching through the glove box.

I've done my past half-dozen cluster removals this way. Saves a WHOLE bunch of time and frustration.
 

JNR

Member
Keep us posted on how this works out for you lots of good info in this post regarding the instrument cluster and HVAC controls.
 
Top