Keeping Stock gauges with motor swap

[t97]

Does anyone know a way to keep the stock cluster working with a non mitsubishi motor swap?

The part that is stumping me the most is the speedometer. I have the transmission gears figured out but I'm 99% sure I can't make my mechanical speedometer cable mount to the back of the cluster. Is there a way i could possible take the stock mitsu cable end and crimp it to the new cable? I know nothing about the workings of a speedometer cable so I'm sorry if that sounds stupid I really have no idea.

I saw this part https://www.hawksmotorsports.com/electronic-to-mechanical-speedometer-box-gm-clip-on-style/ but for the price of this I could get a full jegs set with Speedo, tach, temp, voltage, and oil pressure. Do you guys think this could work??

Does anyone Know of an electronic speedometer that could take the place of ours possibly a later model mitsu? What years did they switch to electronic speed sensor? I've been kicking around the idea of keeping the stock gauge face and using a vss style and mounting it behind and using an adapter to calibrate it.

Any input at all will be appreciated even if your not sure it would work I will do the footwork to make it work if possible. Hoping to get this figured out so we can get a write up for future swappers.

Thanks in advance
Thomas

[Salteen]

i would go online and get some custom gauges like i got, i would make a metal plate and drill holes for mounting, take a hole saw and draw a straight and square line across it, cut it at measured points, spray it flat black or whatever, and mount the gauges in. then i would put the factory lens on (if it screws on instead of clips on) and i would hook it up and have a cool set of gauges. this is what i will be doing with my truck. here is a site where you can get custom gauges. they have like quad clusters and GPS speedometers and basically every gauge you can think of. but i would think its as simple as connect the correct wire to the correct end. and if it doesnt work flip the wires around.

[Salteen]

https://www.speedhut.com/

[geezer101]

The electronic signal converter is hell expensive. Mitsubishi used an electronic speed sensor on some of their FWD cars that might fit straight into the gearbox extension housings. I know Mitsubishi Magnas had them here in Oz and they might be in Galants or something similar...

[pennyman1]

look in the rod shop catalogs for a mechanical speedo convertor - it can adjust the rpms of the cable to the needs of the speedo. D50 - mmm have the rpm / mile printed on the edge of the speedo or it is listed in the manual

[claych]

What transmission ??

[t97]

700r4

[t97]

Originally the 5 speed.

[Salteen]

thats like a .7 overdrive, the 5 speed was like .856 so its turning alot lower rpm's, it would read really slow w/o the thing pennyman was talking about.

[t97]

thats like a .7 overdrive, the 5 speed was like .856 so its turning alot lower rpm's, it would read really slow w/o the thing pennyman was talking about.

You change the gearing in the tailshaft of the trans to accommodate the change in tire size. The trans gearing doesnt matter onky how fast the speedo cable spins.

[Salteen]

yeah thats my point. you are spinning much lower rpm's, I didn't know if you had changed the gearing in the shaft.

[claych]

t97,
Gm to Mitsu, easy, check here (https://speedometercablesusa.com/cables_and_housing_assembly.html) for custom mechanical cables,
Tons of good info & parts !!
P.s,
2gen Base or Sport speedo-- 1026 revolutions = 1 mile :)

[Clay]

Okay, I've done exactly this. I used 41-15 tooth gear set for the trans with a 3.909 on 25.3125 dia tires (with weight of the truck on the ground.) My odometer passed the "10-mile highway check" when all finished. I forget what website i used, but it has to have an input for the gauge rpm, cause the mighty max doesn't match the GM standard. 1026revs of the cable is 1mile on the odometer. I ended having to use one of these: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0043PC9Z2/ to deal with limited space in my tunnel/frame/exhaust/etc.

Alright, as for the cable itself, that's a little fun. You'll basically want to get a GM cable, I think i got one for a full size truck or van. It was way too long. If I remember correctly, and I may not be, it's been a while. I think you can take the mighty ends off and put them on the GM cable. You can do this with the help of heat from a torch. I think the MM also had a little crimped pc on the end of the internal line, but i think I pulled off and switched over, maybe (I didn't take photos or notes). Then since the cable was too long I cut it down to length and again used heat to slide teh ends of the outersheath back on. The internal line need to be removed during this process. As for getting the square drive shape back into the trimmed line.. well that's fun. You can buy special dies for a press.. of you can do what I did. I used an cut off wheel to notch two steel plates. basically I made a diamond shape. Then heated up the internal line till it was little red, put it into the grooves of the two plates and smashed it all with a hammer. You can find videos of people doing the press method.. but instead of a large press I just used heat and a hammer.

[Clay]

If you want inspiration on how people make cables, just look it up on youtube. This is decently common thing for people building motorcycles, which is where my experience comes from and I suggest looking that up there.

[camoit]

Call these guys and ask them.
commercial speedometer west sacramento california (916) 371-5873
This is one of the last shops in the country. They actually fix old gauges and can build the reduction gears to make any trans hook to any speedo.
Call them and probe them for info.
They do not have a website but they have been around for 40 years.

[Clay]

I used 45-15 tooth gear set for the trans with a 3.909 on 25.3125 dia tires (with weight of the truck on the ground.)
**correction on gearing