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Necoa #: 8673
Location: 3(DE,NJ,PA)
Joined: Dec 14, 2006
Posts: 38
Year: 1987
Model: El Camino
Posted: Sun
Jul 13, 2008 6:10
am Post subject:
JimIsbell does a great job with this write up on the physical conversion of the instrument cluster:
"R and R ing the Gage pod or replacing Idiot lights with Gages in a 1983 through 1988 El Camino. (may apply to others as well)
I will only go into the mechanical process of removing and replacing the pod as several other people have covered the need for the required circuits and senders and gages."
I have changed out my instrument cluster and all is well except for being able to connect up the engine side of the tach cable. My el camino is an '87 Choo Choo with the standard LG4 305. It has the standard distributor with the separate coil, not the integrated coil in the distributor as with the HEI style ones.
I have looked and looked but can not find a connector on the engine wiring harness for the tach cable to plug into? The HEI style ditributors have the tach connector built right into the cap. Are the LG4 305 engine wiring harness's different than the L69 305 wiring harness's in the Monte SS's?
I also looked for any articles on the electrical portion of this process that Jim refers too but can not find them either.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Bruce _________________ '69 RS/SS Z-10 PaceCar Camaro 350/300 auto
'69 RS/SS Z-11 PaceCar Camaro 350/300 auto
'87 el Camino Choo Choo SS (white)
'87 Buick GN Hardtop
'87 Buick T-Type (Sapphire Blue)
'02 Harley Sportster 1200 XL Custom
I have looked and looked but can not find a connector on the engine wiring harness for the tach cable to plug into? The HEI style ditributors have the tach connector built right into the cap. Are the LG4 305 engine wiring harness's different than the L69 305 wiring harness's in the Monte SS's?
This is a very good question as the 87 was the first year for the detached coil HEI distributor in an El Camino. Since there were no El Camino made after this year it is the only year that the tachometer hookup is different.
First, look at the wire harness that goes over the brake master cylinder booster and follow it towards the rear of the driver side head. Behind the driver exhaust manifold the harness will split. Hanging down from this split is a single white wire about 6-8" long with a brown connector on it. This is your tachometer hookup. If you are using a stock tachometer filter the connector on the engine side of the filter will plug right in. Both of my 87 El Caminos have this wire.
Since the wire and connector are in very close proximity to the exhaust manifold and pipe it's very possible that they may have been burned or melted over time.
I assume you already found the connector under the dash to connect the other side of the filter? _________________ Ernie
87 El Camino
"To be Old and Wise, you must first be Young and Stupid"
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