I prefer mechanical gauges to screens, so no, I have not haha

 

I certainly do as well, but there's going to come a day when these old clusters can't be fixed anymore. I'm thinking about a future-proofing solution is all. But it would be cool to develop a screen that mimics the look of a mechanical gauge. New cars have digital gauges and they look great, I think.

I wonder if the solution might be to get one of those pigtails from PIClusters (~$140?) that lets you use a 2003-2006 cluster, for which replacement stepper motors are readily available, but then modify the cluster a bit to make use of a digital screen for the oil and volt gauges, since those don't work with that pigtail.

 

You think the $800 is high....here's another one:

https://www.theonegauge.com/product/chevywidescreen/

It's such a small market, they are going to be expensive.

 

haha yeah I saw that $1700 one as well, and it actually looks ok, but still not the style I'd prefer. And of course that price is a total joke.

 

truth.

subbed for continued discussion

 

The bad thing is, the 2002 uses a VPW can bus so no many are using it for fancy stuff.
2008+ uses a fancier Can Bus that is more popular. Autometer makes a cool setup for them that you just plug into the OBD port.

For a bunch of trucks i use this alum plate that bolts in place of the cluster and use the Holley 6.86" or 7" DIgital dash with Holley ECU's on the turbo trucks.

 

The bad thing is, the 2002 uses a VPW can bus so no many are using it for fancy stuff.
2008+ uses a fancier Can Bus that is more popular. Autometer makes a cool setup for them that you just plug into the OBD port.

For a bunch of trucks i use this alum plate that bolts in place of the cluster and use the Holley 6.86" or 7" DIgital dash with Holley ECU's on the turbo trucks.

So let me ask you this...(preface) the PIClusters pigtail, it allows you to make use of a 2003-2006 cluster in a 99-02 truck. The only issue is that the oil pressure and the volt gauge do not work.
The volt gauge in the 2003-2006, is that a direct voltage read or is that interpreting CAN bus data to display voltage?

I got to thinking, if I could find a couple of gauges that had pretty much the same display, I could hack the 2003-2006 cluster and replace the oil and volt gauges with these aftermarket gauges and wire them separately so that a full set of gauges would be available.

Volt gauge: 2-1/16" VOLTMETER, 8-18V, AIR-CORE, ELEC, HOONIGAN
Oil pressure: 2-1/16" OIL PRESSURE, 0-80 PSI, AIR-CORE, MARINE CHROME

Or are these suitable replacements for the original 99-02? 41.45US $ 45% OFF|Original OEM Instrument Gauge / Air Core / Stepper Motor for 99 04 GM Truck SUV Clusters Instrument Cluster Stepper Motor| | - AliExpress

 

My friend uses that same Holly in his 86 Chevy truck as well. Loves it that he can attach other things like Wideband.

 

Holley has a built in wideband so thats just a few clicks on the screen to show that info.

 

There is a thread on GMFS on how to get it working. Screw PIClusters.

https://www.gmfullsize.com/threads/how-i-have-an-06-cluster-fully-working-in-an-02-truck-without-pi-cluster-trash-ft-p59-pcm-swap.336026/page-2#post-6153713

 

I mean, that's cool that a full swap can be done, but it sounds like a lot of work. Not that my approach wouldn't, I suppose it's just a different kind of a lot of work lol

"You are also going to need a computer, pcm hammer, universal patcher, and a hex editor" in addition to a fairly specific PCM donor, if I'm understanding correctly. It seems as though all of that software related stuff can be found free, there would just need to be some time spent familiarizing yourself with using it all. But the PCM donor is the real pickle. The P59 came with various options, including those that used a drive by wire, as opposed to a drive by cable. I would assume getting the wrong flavor would leave you SOL. So if there was some sort of guide to choosing the right PCM, that would go very far. Oh, and $80 for an OBDII dongle to interface between the software and the PCM.

As for re-pinning the cluster connector, it's a bit ambiguous, but it seems like they are saying aside from the complete removal of a few of the existing wires (such as the A1 oil pressure wire), you simply swap the wires to match the pinout of the 03+ connector, per those 2 pinout guides attached?

 

PCM donor is very easy. I will link the other thread that tells you which donor PCM you need.

https://www.gmfullsize.com/threads/p59-swap-in-0411-truck-info.336028/#post-6151867

 

Ok, that helps. Thanks! I may end up doing this down the road.

 

I have thought about it as well. It seems if I want to do this though I might as well just go Holley and then convert the cluster to be an 03-06 cluster.

 

Are you referring to that LCD display as pictured above in RDF1's post?

 

I mean Holley just as an engine management system and use the cluster as a slave device. I like factory gauges.