I believe the speedo works off of GPS..

 

YOu can get the GPS add on module or they have a direct input off the plastic gear thing in the trans you install with it

 

I have Dakota digital gauges in my car and I'm disappointed with them, in fact, I don't like them at all. I've had these ''p.o.s'' for more than 6 years and still haven't been able to figure out how to have the odometer to work. Their way of 'calibrating' them with the use of two separate push buttons which you have to push a certain amount of times and in a certain order, etc... They're definitely not user friendly. I found it so complicated that I've surrendered and have been driving my car for over 6 years now without knowing how much mileage the car has.
If I had to get new gauges, I'd probably go with another brand (Intellitronix, Classic Dash, New Vintage, etc) .
Claude.

 

I found it very simple ... Push the button, Drive the car a mile that you staked out with another car, stop at the 1 mile point, push the button again, the screen goes thru an update, sets the mileage to zero, and you’re done.... You can also set it to show original miles, if you want ....
Unfortunately, this has to be done in the first 100 miles, or the unit has to be returned for a reset...

 

I have the Dakota Digital VHX in my car and am quite happy with them.

Mine use 2 push buttons to setup and it’s pretty easy.

The speedometer uses a sensor and electrical connection to the brain box.

Claude - you only have something like 100 miles to set the odometer and after that it is locked. So if you didn’t set it when they were first installed and drove for 100 miles, you can’t set it now. The only way to fix that is to pull the brain box and send it back to Dakota Digital who will unlock it again for you so you can set it.

 

Thanks ''lucifer'' for your suggestion, but I'm going to leave them like that for now but once my EFI conversion will be done, then I might get rid of the Dakota dash altogether and get something else. Now that I've been ''had', I don't feel like purchasing anything from them again. (The same goes for that ''RetroSound 'p.o.s' radio which will end up in the trash can someday).
Claude.

 

That 100 mile limit to commit to an odo mileage is clearly stated in the DD Installation Manual. Send it back to them to unlock it and then put whatever you need for an odometer mileage in it. I'm guessing that would be a free service.

Calibrating the speedometer is also easy and they give you two different methods. I used a GPS app in my cell phone along with the "Adjust" method in the DD speedo to get it to read with exact precision. Nothing could be easier than that.

Rick

 

Good to know. Planned on putting one in my '68 GTO convertible clone (restomod) I'm working on, and then one into my '67.

 

I actually just bought a set of RTX gauges and am currently 2 beers deep in prep to put it in tonight, here are the pics I have of it—anything else just ask and hopefully it isn’t in the car yet

 

Here’s the pack of sensors—I don’t open packs like this until I’m in the car and about to install

 

I had Dakota Digital HDX dash installed in my '67 a couple of years ago and I like it very much! After reading the directions a couple of times I got the hang of pushing the two buttons in the correct sequence to access various settings. My odometer works fine. I verified its accuracy with the GPS speedometer app on my smart phone.

 

I installed the VHX gauges on my 71 and I love them!

You can get the GPS speedo, which I would prefer to have as I change my tires of different sizes so often.

Figuring out the factory wiring to tie into for the blinker switches and such can be a bit tricky, but once it's done... they work so much better than stock.

 

66 RTX and I absolutely am impressed with the thing. I use the GPS-50-2 with it for the speedometer. It doesn't really need any set up. Once all wired I called Dakota Digital and the tech guy walked me right through the set up. My speedometer is dead accurate with all of the roadside speed check radar we have. I'm at 81 miles with it. Did I say how much I like Dakota Digital RTX on my 66?

 

I installed Dakota Digital gauges in my 72 Elky and in my 81 Camaro. I used the GPS speedo in both. I Love them.
And yes, I had a setup issue w/ both cars. But I called Tech Support. They actually speak English and were very helpful. In 15 minutes, my problems were solved.
If I do another car, it'll have Dakota Digital gauges in it too.

 

The 66 RTX is an awesome gauge set. I would highly recommend the RTX for any upgrade.

 

The 66 RTX is an awesome gauge set. I would highly recommend the RTX for any upgrade.

Agree. Have RTX in my 71. Really like them.

 

I have Dakota guages in my '71 Chevelle. I just bought the car about six weeks ago and the guages were already installed. I like them a lot, but I am having a problem with the clock. it resets to 12:00 frequently when the key is turned off. If it were every time, I'd suspect the hot wire not being connected, but since it is intermittent, I'm puzzled. I've been looking under the dash for the control unit and as of right now it is eluding me. I'm a big guy and worming around under the dash isn't my cup of tea...I'm open to suggestions.

 

I just finished mine earlier today and I haven’t programmed the time yet—but it’ll keep time if it is getting a constant 12v from the harness, but when I disconnect my battery it goes right back to 12:00 when I plug it back in. It sounds like your constant 12v wire came out of the little hole for it on the control box, or maybe the fuse is out if it’s wired to the courtesy circuit for the cigarette lighter. Either way you should find the box and look at it, and there should be a status LED that lets you know

in the manual for your problem it says to “ensure constant power has 12v even when key is off”

 

'67 RTX. some of it is very cool. I really like the original look. The tach is not exactly intuitive, hard to get used to.. The app is a little ricey, the setup takes a while to get the values right, but overall a nice piece.
I am currently having an issue with the speedometer/ odometer. It won't read until I hit about 62 mph. I've replaced the sensor in the trans and it appears to be putting out the correct amount of milivolts, which means the ecu might be faulty which would suck because it's tucked pretty tight and will be a ton of fun to pull, unwire, and replace...

 

What's wrong with original speedo, old school mechanical gauges and tach that provide accurate readings? I've put Dakotas in customer's cars but most I know are perfectly happy with quality old tech.

 

Nothing wrong with it, I still have my analog cluster and like it a lot. But I was getting tired of the inaccuracy, and my custom oil pressure gauge was being finicky. Now it’s nice and neat behind the cluster, and looks relatively stock with the RTX. I put in a modern wiring harness and vintage air already, after that I thought “why not go a step further?”

plus I’ll get to laugh when I see my single digit gas mileage readout now

 

A dying 12 volt battery allows the memory keep alive voltage to the DD control module to drop thus losing clock time.

Rick

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

 

I have the VHX unit in my 66 which I'm completely happy with. About a year or two after I installed mine they came out with the RTX, which looks somewhat true to the original gauges. The only thing I regret was not waiting for the RTX to come out, because I think it looks way cooler than the VHX. But oh well, it wasn't even available at the time.

Dakota makes an electronic speedo sensor that goes into your transmission where the speedo cable normally goes, then you just plug in a cable which connects to the brain. I think I had to buy this separately but IIRC the sensors for coolant temp and oil pressure were included. This was about 4 years ago so I can't tell you if that's changed or not.

I had no problem configuring it and calibrating the speedometer. The folks that had trouble with this probably didn't read the instructions. If you read the instructions and follow the steps to set it up and get everything calibrated then you won't have any problems.

 

 

I’m looking at putting one as well in my 70. I had an LS swap done on it with a Whipple and 4L80e. To get the original speedometer gauge to work I got the DD conversion motor for going from the electronic tranny to the cable driven original speedometer.
I’m now looking at going with either of the SS style set up’s that’ll give me Tach, broad band and boost, not in separate gauges. Does anyone have that set up? And how does it work.
which model did you end up getting?
I’ll do this conversion with my son as our winter project along with more work on suspension.

 

In my previous post (post #3), I said that I was disappointed with my Dakota Digital dash and I've been looking at some alternatives and here are the three which caught my attention:
1st, this gauge replacement kit sold by OPGI with white gauges
2nd and 3rd is a dash overlay by Classic Dash available in silver or what appears to be a darker shade of grey with your choice of gauges.
Would one of these look nice?
Claude.

 

All of them look great, I’d probably go with door number 1 but only because I’m a sucker for the SS dash

here’s mine, haven’t really set it up or calibrated it yet since it’s been raining here in west Texas literally all week

 

I have the RTX in my '68 Elky and I like it. I recommend using the transmission rather than the GPS for the speedo and cruise control. The GPS has a tendency to lag under moderately hard acceleration and deceleration. My tech guy at DD confirmed that when I asked about it. But otherwise the system works great. Doc

 

I've read these instructions again and you're telling me that they're "user friendly"?? "Press", "hold", "set", "release", "save?" "yes", "no", etc... Aaaah... 🗯🌪 It's probably me but I don't understand. Also, how do they expect you to do all that while driving??

 

You can connect a smartphone and do it all through their app

 

Good stuff here. Debating on a new dash for the hot rod. I went with Intellitronix digital temp, oil pressure and volts gages in the hot rod. Also went with Innovate afr wideband and related data logging setup. I all works but I would like to integrate before moving ahead. Gages are pretty good, phone support from Intellitronix was excellent, same with Innovate.

 

I checked on Intellitronix's site but it doesn't look like they have a dash kit for '70-'72 Chevelles... ... too bad 'cause I like their gauges.

Claude.

 

I have thought about running a wideband O2 sensor but my two narrowband sensors do pretty good with my various phone app Bluetooth OBD2 modules. I know very quickly that something is wrong if I see that my Long Term & Short Term Fuel Trims get more than 5-7 percent high or low.

My original air intake tubing really messed things up with chaotic air at my Mass Air Flow sensor and LTFT went to +25 percent maxxed out. Once I changed to putting my K&N air filter straight onto the throttle body, LTFT sorted itself out.

Rick

 

I have this model in my 68, Love it.

 

I came close to putting in the VHX in my 68. However, at the last minute I switched over and ordered the HDX model. Very glad I did. They have everything you could want. I added on the tire sensors which are excellent. The options for colors, etc. are great as well. Also, fuel sensor, timing and 0-60 options, etc. I love mine and glad I snagged them.

 

i called to order a set and was told they are 3 mos out from delivery, wow