What's Up? I have a 97 Civic DX coupe with a B18c1. Now today I pick up an SI cluster and for some reason the RPMs read way high. Probably about twice as high as I should. 1500-2000 at idle and cruing at maybe 20 in 2nd its at 4000rpms. I do have a b16 tranny but this is WAY off. I'm thinking the tach itself is sticky or bad. Anyone else have this problem?

 

i'm having a problem as well....i put in a 2000 SI cluster into my CX hatch...the tach and the temp/fuel seem to work ok, but it doesn't seem to light up to the brightness it should be. And i've checked the dimmer-it's set to highest setting. the only thing i can think of is that my harness only had 3 plugs for the cluster, while the SI had 4 plugs. i'm stumped.

 

Yeah Same here. My brightness is very low too. I always thought they were PnP with no mods needed.

 

well the the Si cluster had 2 blue plugs on top, and a yellow and a green plug on the bottome. my car only had the top 2 and bottom yellow...i'm trying to search around to see if that green harness is needed for more juice to the cluster. i can see the numbers, but it's still so dark to the point where i can't see the needles for the temp and fuel gauge...Stupid base model CX's

 

My DX coupe is exactly the same way. Still Not figuring this out. Is everything else on yours working?

 

yeah in terms of function everything works. the rpms seem to be accurate as well as the speedo and stuff. only took like 5 minutes to install too. I'm a total noob, but could it be that the cluster was made for a b16, and since you're runnign a b18 there's some kind of conflict?...anyone out there know? i've seen references to a speed sensor on posts-that might be a possible culprit

 

Yeah thats what I was thinking. But I'm using a b16 tranny and the speedo works just fine. Just wish I had another tach to test out.

 

oh dude i've been searching around and ppl suggest checking your ground connections too. i started a thread regarding the brightness issue cuz i don't wanna jack your thread.

 

Bump for an answer.
Update: Tested it with a multimeter and I have a little over 12v so thats not the issue I don't think. Everything else works just fine. It just reads too high and jumps up to about 400-500 rpms with the key on and engine off.

 

If you have an OBDII ECU, hook up a scan tool to see whether it also reads incorrectly. If so, check the ICM (in the distributor) and its blue wire connection. This is where the tach signal comes from. If you don't have OBDII, then hook up a separate tach to the tach connector under the hood.

 

Its obd2a. I only have a code reader and don't have access to a full scan tool. If the wire is bad then wouldn't that cause me to pull less than 12v? The tach seems to respond just fine just always reads too high.

 

The tach is connected to two wires. One supplies battery power, which is where you measured 12V, and the other (blue wire) is the rpm signal from the ICM. All you know at this point is that the tach is getting battery power. Whether it is receiving the proper rpm signal remains unclear. That's what my suggested tests will determine.

If you don't have a scan tool that reads engine rpm, then hook up a separate tach to the tach connector near the master cylinder.

 

Yeah thats what my next test will be. I just need to get one.

 

Plug and play my 99-00 si cluster is really bright and works fine in 99 dx hatch. Check the bulbs?

 

Yeah I know its plug and play. The lighting isn't even a concern right now. I found a burned out bulb so i'm no sweatin it. The tach being 1000 rpms the whole time is what bothers me and is really annoying.

 

same here i was looking at the cluster while plugged in and noticed a burnt out bulb...but none of the part stores have the size that'll fit the socket. hopefully honda doesn't charge a lot for em i might just buy all new bulbs.

 

If you still have your old cluster just take some off that one.

Now I have a HUGE favor to ask of someone local. Can someone meet up with me and switch clusters so I can check to see if its just my tach or something wrong with my wiring? It will only take a few minutes. Either put my tach in your car to see if its still messed up or put yours in mine to see if it will work. Doesn't matter someone PLEASE HELP ME!!

 

where is citrus heights?

 

Near Sacramento California.