Got a quick question about dash conversion. Is it possible to use a '72 round gauge idiot light dash to replace a '70 sweep style idiot light dash? I've read a ton of posts about dash conversions and am still confused.

Thanks all!

Dash, YES
Dash Harness, No - not without many modifications.
Unless you are adept at wiring you will need a 70 or 71 SS dash harness.

Thanks Steve, just got thru printing out some of the previous threads about dash wiring. I'd be the first to say I'm not a wiring expert but am fair at it. With the help of your previous threads I think I can make this work. It looks to be a complete and uncut harness at least. My cousin from Dallas is coming to Tulsa this weekend to help, so hopefully we'll get it figured out.

Thanks a bunch!

It's definately doable. You just have to cut it at the plug (leave a good length of pigtail on the donor!) and connect it properly to the new plug in. I've done several and they were all fine.

Thanks Pro, looks like it's workable, just time consuming. Put off having my cousin come help until I decide on a new dash harness or not.

Great site with great help from knowledgable folks, what more could one ask for!
Thanks again,
Bo

Everything in the harness is pretty much the same except the instrument cluster. Easy to test light each orig cluster wire for function and rig up a hot wire test setup to test the donor plug operation. Cut and splice and you're good to go. Other than that the dash bolts right in.

72 harness is very different at the bulk head connector. There is some info here that says 70-72 but 72 IS different and is not a plug in to a 70.
You have two choices: 1. cut the gauge connector off the 72 harness (leave about a foot of wire) and splice in the wires from the 70 sweep harness. I have done this a couple of times and it is not bad, you actually remove a lot of black grounds, pink power wires and grey dash light wires. The gauge connector only needs one of each where you had multiple separate lights before.

2. Replace the 70 dash harness with the 72 after rearranging the bulkhead connector.
You need diagrams for both. I can email them to you.

72 harness is very different at the bulk head connector. There is some info here that says 70-72 but 72 IS different and is not a plug in to a 70.
You have two choices: 1. cut the gauge connector off the 72 harness (leave about a foot of wire) and splice in the wires from the 70 sweep harness. I have done this a couple of times and it is not bad, you actually remove a lot of black grounds, pink power wires and grey dash light wires. The gauge connector only needs one of each where you had multiple separate lights before.

2. Replace the 70 dash harness with the 72 after rearranging the bulkhead connector.
You need diagrams for both. I can email them to you.


Steve,
Do you have the diagrams for a 72 SS dash in place of a 72 sweep dash? My 72 Malibu had the SS dash put in but no wire changes. If so, could you e-mail them to me? Thanks.
Frank

I've done Steve's option 1 twice and it worked fine for me.

72 sweep to 72 ss - there are no changes in the bulkhead connector. The Gauge connector is identical for 70 - 72. The only difference is the 72 tach wire runs through the bulkhead connector and 70/71 was a separate wire through the firewall.

72 sweep to 72 ss - there are no changes in the bulkhead connector. The Gauge connector is identical for 70 - 72. The only difference is the 72 tach wire runs through the bulkhead connector and 70/71 was a separate wire through the firewall.

Steve,
So everything should work on my dash? I ask because nothing does except the speedo but that has a cable. If everything is supposed to work does that mean the printed circuit piece is shot?
Frank

Are you saying that nothing works with your current sweep dash?
If so you might want to find out why before doing the change to SS gauges.

Are you saying that nothing works with your current sweep dash?
If so you might want to find out why before doing the change to SS gauges.

Steve,
No sir. When I bought the car it had the SS dash already installed but nothing works. I am assuming it is a 72 SS dash. How can I tell which year the dash is?
Frank

Sounds like maybe you got a Monte dash if it has idiot lights (to all who will inform me...yes, I know some SS's came with idiot lights). The 72 dash will have the seatbelt warning light over by the lighter. Unplug the main connector into the instrument cluster and start test lighting the prongs. Does anything electrical inside the car work? Blower, blinkers, lights, etc? You gotta start back at the beginning (bulkhead) and walk forward through the wires diligently.

Doesn't really matter what year the dash is, wht matters is what year the dash harness is. Need to verify you have the 72 harness, It will have a seat belt light and relay that the 70/71 wouldn't have.
If you have a 72 harness and they just plugged it in, nothing will work.

Doesn't really matter what year the dash is, wht matters is what year the dash harness is. Need to verify you have the 72 harness, It will have a seat belt light and relay that the 70/71 wouldn't have.
If you have a 72 harness and they just plugged it in, nothing will work.
Steve,
Since my wagon is down another day I get to drive my Malibu. However, I will pull the dash pad in the next day or two so I can see what harness I have. What wires am I looking for on the seat belt light and relay? Also, I will post a picture of the connector and the dash itself. Thanks.
Frank

Steve,
See the attached pictures. How can you tell if the dash is from a Monte? Is there a model or serial # on it or?

I checked as many bulbs as I could and they are all good. None of the dash lights work. The fuel gauge, tach, amp gauge, temp gauge and fasten seat belt light do not work as well. My turn signal lights and high beam indicator work. Based upon the pictures do you have the wiring diagram with the changes I need to make or do you need more information. By the way, thank you for your help. I would like to get these working so I can pull the small 3 gauge set-up from the center of the dash. I will re-install an oil pressure gauge in place of the 3 gauge set-up.
Frank

almost forgot, the clock does not work either.

Sure looks like a 72 Monte dash to me, the woodgrain is a dead giveaway. In the second pic you have it listed as a amps but is really the temp gauge.

Sure looks like a 72 Monte dash to me, the woodgrain is a dead giveaway. In the second pic you have it listed as a amps but is really the temp gauge.
Undee,
Yep, it is the temp gauge. Thanks. Now I have to find the wiring between the round gauge Monte dash and the Malibu sweep dash to make everything work.
Frankl

Sounds like this may be my problem also. I bought a 70 guage cluster on ebay. I assume it's a 70 because it has the green letters throughout and was sold as a 70. It has idiot lights, can't determine if it came from a Chevelle or Monte Carlo. The wiring harness also purchased on ebay from a different person. Not sure what year that one is. It hooked up to everything on the dash except for a 3 wire orange, blue, and yellow wire. According to the wiring diagram that plugs in to some heater device. There's another plug orange, blue, yellow, purple, and a larger size yellow. I believe that went to the resister for the blower motor which I'm not using. My cig lighter and radio is not hooked up yet, assuming that would make no difference in the other lights not working.

The only thing that works on the dash is the light ring around the temp guage and around the light switch. My speedometer guage lights up and will dim with the light switch. Where do I go from here????

I posted an earlier post on the same subject but this sounds like it is my problem. Need help please.............

JFC69-70//Jim

Try running a ground wire from a clean unpainted metal surface (like ebrake braket or dash housing frame) to the metal surface on the gauge cluster.

Another 72 dash question?



72 harness is very different at the bulk head connector. There is some info here that says 70-72 but 72 IS different and is not a plug in to a 70.
You have two choices: 1. cut the gauge connector off the 72 harness (leave about a foot of wire) and splice in the wires from the 70 sweep harness. I have done this a couple of times and it is not bad, you actually remove a lot of black grounds, pink power wires and grey dash light wires. The gauge connector only needs one of each where you had multiple separate lights before.

2. Replace the 70 dash harness with the 72 after rearranging the bulkhead connector.
You need diagrams for both. I can email them to you.

These posts which were a few days ago sound like the same problem as I am having. Bought 70 guage cluster (green) on ebay from one person and wiring harness with pigtail to console not including the console wire itself from another person
The speedometer lights work good and bright and will dim ok. The gen outer ring lights up and the light switch outer ring lights up. I don't have lights at the heater control, nor glove box. I don't have the cig. lighter hooked up as I don't allow anyone smoking in the car. (could that cause a problem? Not having that circuit hooked up.) I'm using AutoMeter temp, volts, and oil guages. I don't know how to hook up the gen so it will light when the key is turned on. Same on the temp and oil lights. All 3, temp, oil, gen should light up when the key is turned on, right? My turn signals work but the light on the guage cluster doesn't.

I remember reading one of the posts something about a 12 pin check but can't find the post now.

What do I need to do to getting this cluster to light up including my heater panel and glove box light?





Jim JFC6970
1970 Chevelle Malibu cloning
69 Grand Prix SJ__________________

Try running a ground wire from a clean unpainted metal surface (like ebrake braket or dash housing frame) to the metal surface on the gauge cluster.

I ran a clean ground, clipped my test light to the wire and pos to battery got good bright light. Wanted to make sure I had a good ground. Turned the lights on and touched the metal of the cluster and nothing. ?????????? What's up with that.

Jim

Everything in the harness is pretty much the same except the instrument cluster. Easy to test light each orig cluster wire for function and rig up a hot wire test setup to test the donor plug operation. Cut and splice and you're good to go. Other than that the dash bolts right in.

Pro: Could you elaborate on that "test light each orig cluster wire". I have a test light and know a little about testing but am not the best. Need better instructions all you posted.

I bought a 70 green guage cluster to replace my sweep speedo. I bought from a different person on ebay a wiring harness. Advertised as fitting 70-72 guage cluster. Don't know whether it's for idiot lights or not.

I despartely need help.

Jim

Well, on mine I replaced the idiot lights with aftermarket gauges so all I was wiring in the orig cluster was the gauge lights, blinkers, high beam, and fuel gauge. The mini gauges I used for oil, water, and volts were done separately. In testing the lights, etc I just rigged up a hot wire from the battery and tested each prong on the cluster to see what it lit up. After you see what they light, you can compare to your harness (hopefully you have a wiring diagram). Before you start testing to see what lights, you'll want to test each first and make sure which if any are grounds so you dont accidently short something out or ruin your printed circuit. It's not that hard to do.

Another alternative is to sell me your setup for my Chevelle. I'm looking for one of those dashes!

I wound up taking the guage cluster out and replaced all the bulbs. Put the holders in water and baking soda, let them soak for some time and brushed them with tooth brush. Installed them and they all worked. Thank God.

I do have another set of guages with idiot lights and a dash out of a 71 Monte Carlo. The dash is in good shape for use in a Monte Carlo using the metal wood grain cover. Without the cover the hold for the radio has been elongated. Some idiot got carried away.

Jim

The only difference in the wire harnesses is the wire locations at the fuse block. Don't cut the wires!
If I recall correctly, 70 and 71 had the same wire locations, '72 had different wire locations. I think it was John Muha (sp) has a procedure or information on the conversion. All that I had to do to put a 72 dash (and wire harness) in my 71 was to re-locate some of the wires at the fuse block. That moved the wires on my 72 harness to the right locations to mate up with the '71 bulkhead. This will be more reliable than cutting and splicing wires.
The under hood harness that run to the bulkhead may not have wires for the true gauges, those can be added when you add the gauge sensors.

The following information is for modifying a 72 harness for use on a 70 or 71 Chevelle/Monte Carlo.

If you look closely at the wire side of the dash harness bulkhead connector (separate the fuse block from the bulkhead connector) You should see letters marking the rows and columns. The rows are A,B,C and D. The columns are S,T,U and V for the forward lamp harness and W,X,Y and Z for the engine harness. The following instructions will refer to these coordinates.


FORWARD LAMP HARNESS BULK HEAD CONNECTOR

AS – No wire (Should be black wire for key warning buzzer. Your warning buzzer will be under dash,)

BS – Dark Green – temp sensor for temp gauge or temp switch for temp light – Move from CZ

CS –No change (Light Blue –LH dir signal)

DS –Black – J-block /amp gauge –Move from DX -Forward lamp harness wire to be added. Gauge cluster harness only

AT –No change (Black grounds at horn button for horn relay)

BT –No wire

CT –No change (Dark Blue –RH dir signal)

DT –Black/dark Blue/White (looks like Black/White) –horn relay / amp gauge –Move from CX. Forward lamp harness wire to be added. Gauge cluster harness only.

AU –No change (Light Green -head light high beams)

BU –No change (Brown –running/marker lights)

CU –Brown/White –voltage regulator / ignition switch (The brown white wire from the ignition switch is a resistor wire, supplies power to the voltage regulator when key is on) -brown wire to GEN light (light harness only) –Move from BT.

DU –Tan –brake dist block / brake warning light –Move from BS

AV –No change (Tan –head light low beams)

DV –Red –Main power feed to dash –Move from WD


ENGINE HARNESS BULKHEAD CONNECTOR

AW –Purple –starter solenoid S terminal / Neutral safety switch –Move from AZ

DW –No wire

AX –No wire (would be TCS)

BX –No change (Pink to ignition switch / engine side to coil)

CX –No wire

DX –No wire

AY –No Change (brown –coil / tach) Engine side wire to be added. Gauge cluster only.

BY –No Change (dark blue oil pressure switch / oil warning light)

CY –Yellow –power to wiper motor / wiper fuse –Move from DS

DY –Light Blue –wiper motor (washer pump) / wiper switch –Move from DT

AZ –No wire

BZ –No change (orange blower motor / blower switch) Used on heat only cars, not used on A/C cars.

CZ –Dark Blue –wiper motor / wiper switch –Move from CU

DZ –Black –wiper motor / wiper switch –Move from DU

Note: The wire in AY is found in a gauge dash harness only it is for the tach to coil. For a 70/71 harness this wire is not routed through the bulkhead connector. It is routed through a hole in the firewall.
Wires in DS and DT are for the AMP gauge, also gauge harness only wires. You will need to add these wires from the cluster connector to the connections under the hood.

Thanks Elree for posting that. That was the list that really helped me! Saved me when I did mine :beers:

Ditto, thanks Elree, and thanks to everyone for some great ideas. I finally got mine figured out and am willing and able to help others if ever needed.

Doesn't really matter what year the dash is, wht matters is what year the dash harness is. Need to verify you have the 72 harness, It will have a seat belt light and relay that the 70/71 wouldn't have.
If you have a 72 harness and they just plugged it in, nothing will work.
Steve,
Resurecting this older post. I pulled the dash out of the Malibu late today. I double-checked the dash harness. It has the following colors for the pinouts
1 - light blue (2 wires)
2 - grey
3 - black w/ white stripe
4 - black
5 - light green
6 - blue
7 - pink (2 wires)
8 - tan
9 - brown
10 - green
11 - tan
12 - blue (2 wires)

I also attached 2 small pictures of the connector. With the wiring under the dash I am assuming this is the standard 72 Malibu harness. After looking at the back of the gauge cluster I definitely need a new printed circuit board. How do I determine what year Monte the dash came out of? Is there anything simple to look for? Then, once all of that is decided what wiring changes do I need to make to get the gauges working? Thanks for the help.
Frank

Frank, I sent you an email
Nate

Steve,
Resurecting this older post. I pulled the dash out of the Malibu late today. I double-checked the dash harness. It has the following colors for the pinouts
1 - light blue (2 wires)
2 - grey
3 - black w/ white stripe
4 - black
5 - light green
6 - blue
7 - pink (2 wires)
8 - tan
9 - brown
10 - green
11 - tan
12 - blue (2 wires)

I also attached 2 small pictures of the connector. With the wiring under the dash I am assuming this is the standard 72 Malibu harness. After looking at the back of the gauge cluster I definitely need a new printed circuit board. How do I determine what year Monte the dash came out of? Is there anything simple to look for? Then, once all of that is decided what wiring changes do I need to make to get the gauges working? Thanks for the help.
Frank

I have been searching for any other posts and I cannot find anywhere what the wiring changes would need to be on the dash plug. I found a few posts that lead me to believe the 72 Malibu sweep and 72 Monte round gauge have the same pinouts on the dash plug. If this is true then I can say the reason for the gauges not working is due to the condition of the printed circuit????? I want to get the dash back in this weekend if I can. Any thoughts?
Frank

"I found a few posts that lead me to believe the 72 Malibu sweep and 72 Monte round gauge have the same pinouts on the dash plug."

The sweep dash doesn't have a cluster connector like the SS/Monte dash.

The cluster connector is the dame for all three years. There is a difference between the gauge dash and the light dash.

The difference between the 70 and 71 vs. 72 is in the bulkhead connector.

In the original post you asked about using a 72 SS/Monte light harness in a 70 SS/Monte light dash. The pinout you describe.

"1 - light blue (2 wires)
2 - grey
3 - black w/ white stripe
4 - black
5 - light green
6 - blue
7 - pink (2 wires)
8 - tan
9 - brown
10 - green
11 - tan
12 - blue (2 wires)"[b] is for an SS/Monte [b]gauge cluster.

Are you using a sweep, round light or a round gauge cluster?

"I found a few posts that lead me to believe the 72 Malibu sweep and 72 Monte round gauge have the same pinouts on the dash plug."

The sweep dash doesn't have a cluster connector like the SS/Monte dash.

The cluster connector is the dame for all three years. There is a difference between the gauge dash and the light dash.

The difference between the 70 and 71 vs. 72 is in the bulkhead connector.

In the original post you asked about using a 72 SS/Monte light harness in a 70 SS/Monte light dash. The pinout you describe.

"1 - light blue (2 wires)
2 - grey
3 - black w/ white stripe
4 - black
5 - light green
6 - blue
7 - pink (2 wires)
8 - tan
9 - brown
10 - green
11 - tan
12 - blue (2 wires)"[b] is for an SS/Monte [b]gauge cluster.

Are you using a sweep, round light or a round gauge cluster?
The car has a round gauge cluster. Apparently it has had the wiring changed since it has the right cluster connector. Prior to taking the dash out the turn signal indicators were working and the high beam indicator was working as well. I am dealing with a dash that was already installed in the car. After looking at the printed circuit piece I could see where it had shorted out across 2 lines (it looks like the edge was ripped or torn so two lines came in contact) and also had one of the leads where the connector attaches is torn off. The part that is torn I can trace to the gauge lights. The part that connects to the fuel gauge was slightly messed up as well. Is the bulkhead connector the same for a 72 Monte and a 72 SS? Thanks for the help.
Frank

"Is the bulkhead connector the same for a 72 Monte and a 72 SS?"

Yes, Chevelle SS and Monte Carol use the same dash harness.

"Is the bulkhead connector the same for a 72 Monte and a 72 SS?"

Yes, Chevelle SS and Monte Carol use the same dash harness.

Elree,
One more question - do you have to move any wires around on the bulkhead connector when you put an SS dash harness in a sweep dash Malibu? Thank you for all of your help. This electrical stuff always gets me, that is why I became a Mechanical Engineer :D .
Frank

If you're putting a 72 gauge dash harness in a 72 that had a sweep cluster/dash you don't need to move any wire in the bulkhead. If the dash harness is a 70 or 71 you will need to move wires in the bulkhead. In either case you will need an engine harness for the gauge option or you can add the wires needed for the amp gauge. A new engine harness will be about $150.00.