Question: If I swap in an EX gauge cluster will the tachometer be off? Notice how the #'s are positioned between the clusters:

Notice how the Si cluster is at 6 at the end of x1000r/min while the EX one is only at 5

SI:



EX:

 

any input?

 

Are you asking whether it will give a wrong reading since the lettering is in a different place?

 

Yes.

 

Since your clusters are from the same kind of car, it will work just the same as your old one did being as they're both from the same year model car. Actually they would be the same in any honda you swapped it to, I believe.

I'm doing a '01 ls cluster swap in my '93 hatch and all I had to do was rewire the pigtails from the ls cluster to my wiring harness in my car and it works perfect, the readings are correct all across the cluster.

 

But I don't get it? If the numbers are just a "face" on the cluster and the signal is the same then it would be off? Unless each tach is calibrated to read according to the gauge face.

 

fwiw...I put a b16 into an '98 EX, completely stripped track car. The original RPM gauge is now crazy inaccurate and useless.

 

I'm pretty sure each tach/cluster is calibrated to read at the signal it receives no matter whether it reads up to 8k or 10k. i.e. your ecu tells it what to display. Just because your stock tach doesn't read past 8k doesn't mean the needle won't go farther than that and still be accurate. It will show whatever the ecu tells it to.

The same concept goes for a jdm cluster. Say your car is usdm and you want a jdm cluster. It reads in kmh. It will still work, and be accurate in your car because its calibrated to read the signal your ecu gives it it converts it to show your speed in kmh.

I could be completely wrong but this is my understanding from reading around when I was first looking to do a cluster swap in my car.

 

stock tachometers are usually are few hundred rpms off ( in higher rpms) ... both these clusters are plug and play you can also use a 97-01 crv cluster. i have one in my 98 civic. i notice the civic gas gauge is sloppy and goes up and down more then my crv cluster. i would believe the si cluster would probably have a more accurate gas gauge as well. your better off setting up ur tuning software in the ecu with a shift light with ur CEL light. i have mine set at 7500 and it looks like it hits 7800 on the tach. the ecu would be getting the accurate measuring.

 

The tachometer gets its signal right from the distributor, so it shouldn't matter what gauge cluster you use. The tachometer just converts pulse frequency into displacement of the needle.

As mentioned, factory tachometers are pretty inaccurate. Mine read 600-700 rpm off at 3000 rpm...

 

I meant distributor in my post, instead of ecu. It was late, I'm not sure why i said ecu....

 

i'm pretty sure no matter what gauge cluster you use.

the gauges are calibrated to aim the needle via what frequency is read from the distributor

meaning

a frequency from the distributor showing 3000 rpm is read by the SI gauge

the Si gauge is calibrated to point the needle at 3k when it receives a 3000rpm signal plain and simple

as long as the distributors are pretty similar (d/b/h etc) then the frequency is pretty much the same across all rpms, and your gauge is already calibrated to read it

 

No it won't. I have a ex cluster in my car now, and have had a SI in it. They both were the same.

You will be just fine.

 

Thanks everyone, so that's what I was saying is that the tachometer itself is calibrated based on the print behind it.

 

why would you want an ex cluster instead of your si anyway?

 

yes, exactly

 

Yep. I can vouch as well. I have an SI cluster in my EX...reads the same as my original.

Good luck.

Still curious why you'd go from an SI to an EX tho?

 

It's originally an EX with a different motor. I don't want the Si cluster because my car isn't an Si, but I just wanted to make sure the tachometer was still "accurate" even though it's still off from the factory

 

Oh ok good stuff.

I've seen people take broken SI clusters, and put the faces and needles on an EX cluster...THAT would create some issues lol.

 

Friend did it, dummy broke both tac's.

He wanted the SI look, but wouldn't use the SI cluster because the miles were to high.
Cry baby.

 

^ Lol...all you have to do is pop one pin and roll the numbers to match his original cluster and all you need to do for that is pop the speedo face.

 

Yea, He doesn't think like we do. He thinks everything is more difficult than it really is.
Like he was saying a trans swap would take 10-12 hours. took use 4, and we were being lazy lol