Dash Swap Wiring 83 dash into an 81

[Gloyale]

So I got a free parts car today. 83 fwd wagon. Feedback Carter carb. EA81. Engine full of water coolant mix. Either a freeze plug popped or the Head gasket is way blown.

 

I got dibs on the interior, but my buddy needs the dash w/VSS for his EJ swapped 81.

 

Started in on the swaping of said dash today.

 

Hunger and fatigue got the best of me, I was getting so confused.

 

It'd be alot easier if I had wiring diagrahms for either or both cars.

 

Anybody?

[ShawnW]

I still think it would be easier to put an Audiovox cruise control system on and use its VSS on the driveshaft or put a simulator on that makes the car think its moving.

[Gloyale]

I still think it would be easier to put an Audiovox cruise control system on and use its VSS on the driveshaft or put a simulator on that makes the car think its moving.

 

Well....the tach in his dash is fried as well. So he has two reasons for wanting to swap.

 

And those Driveshaft mounted magnet affaris are no good wheelin.

 

I mean, this isn't really hard. Lots of people rewire to remove digidashes. I had to do it to my 84.

 

 

No, the 83 dash IS going into his 81. Just having some idea of wire colors and connectors would make it easier.

 

But we I.D.'d about 80% of the wiring by tracing pins on the board. today will be more progress.

[capn_r]

I don't have 81 or 83 FSM's (I do have 82 and 84) but I do have a Bently manual that shows some schematics from those years. (I believe they are FSM copy's but I'm not sure) If they would help I could attempt to scan them and see if I could get them to you.

[GeneralDisorder]

What about something like this - mounted to the driveline (assuming it's a 4WD right?)

 

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/RPC-250-4165/?rtype=10

 

If the sensor is mounted above the driveline then it should be pretty much out of harms way....maybe

 

GD

[Gloyale]

What about something like this - mounted to the driveline (assuming it's a 4WD right?)

 

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/RPC-250-4165/?rtype=10

 

If the sensor is mounted above the driveline then it should be pretty much out of harms way....maybe

 

GD

 

thanks for the input.....but no.

 

We already took out both dashes, and started the re-wire. Already cut the pigtails off the 81 dash to use as adapters for the 83.

 

It had a burned out tach anyhow and needed replaced so we are replacing it with the 83 dash that we got for free.

[GeneralDisorder]

I have FSM's for '80 and '83/'84. I just don't have any time to scan or take pics right now - if you need to, PM me and I'll give you my number if you don't have it already.

 

GD

[Gloyale]

I never thought I'd say it........but thank goodness for Haynes books.

 

I went through the EARLY version of the Haynes "1600 and 1800, 1980-1988"

 

Much to my amazment, it has full wiring diagrhams for 80/81. Sweet. No pinouts for the connectors but at least wire colors have helped a ton.

 

Same book has diagrahm for 82/83.......but nothing for 84 and above. OUr donor dash car was an 83.....but a very late build (6-83) and we are finding a few non-matching colors on the dash and tilt column connectors (did I mention we are installign the tilt column in the 81?)

 

But again....it's been helpful.

 

Sadly......the later prints of the same book......the ones that go up to 94.....eliminated most of the early wiring diagrahms. All the subaru FSM scans are gone.....and replaced with generic Haynes redrawings. They say things like "typical 80-86 lighting system" with a diagrahm that cannot be even close to correct for all models in that year range.

 

Progress, progress.

 

I will most likely be taking the dash in my 84 apart to use as a refference. I need to get in there to put a new "charge" light in it anyhow.

[TomRhere]

http://www.mikeshoup.com/docs/fsm/EA81/

[Gloyale]

Sweet.

 

That's lot's of good info on the 83. Sadly the even # page scans of the Electrical section are blank?:confused:

 

Still nothin for the 81.

 

But none the less, we are getting there. Thanks

[Gloyale]

Progress!

 

The dash is in, and everything is working, with a few exceptions.

 

1. No "passing" light indicator on the 83 dash. 3rd eye doesn't work curently anyhow.

 

2. Had to make the door indicator lights be on switched power, as the 83 dash doesn't have a seperate power supply for the "park brake" light. If I wired the door indicators to Bat. then the E-brake light would be on anytime you were parked with the e-brake on.

 

 

The only other tough thing was figuring out that a few of the wires in the dash plug are actually "outputs".

 

For instance, There is a yellow/red wire that get's voltage though a diode in the board (powered by another source) . Power out of the board into this wire goes to the Brake fluid light, then through it's connector and back into the White/black wire that illuminates the Fluid warning. Ties it all to the other warning lights that come on with key "on". Yeah, confusing right?

 

In the end, there were a few unused wires in the 81 harness (switched power, "passing light". And there are a few more illumination wires needed for the 83 dash, so I had to solder in a few extra, tied into the other dash lights (RB and RG wires)