IVR Installation on 65 Dart Cluster

[zephyr]

I need help with a project which I am completely unqualified for. My gas gauge and temp gauge are dead so about three years ago I purchased a new IVR from RTE (redfish) to fix it, but never had the courage to undertake removing the dash cluster. I now have a shiny new cluster to install so I'm going to try to tackle it. I am totally unfamiliar with electronics or anything electrical. The photo below shows what I received from RTE but I don't understand any of it. I need someone to describe what I need to do to install the two parts I purchased, preferably with pictures showing what get's soldered or plugged into what. I am hoping one of you will try to walk me through it. Thanks in advance.

 

[Dana67Dart]

Post some photos of the dash you are going to put in
Some dashes the ivr is integrated in the fuel gauge.

Also if you have a replement cluster it might have an ivr already.

 

[zephyr]

I planning on removing my old cluster after I've learned more about how to install the new parts. My new cluster doesn't have any electronics in it; its just the plastic with bezels.

 

[Stumpy]

Just went through the same thing. This thread might help. RTE Voltage Limiter install for 65 Dart

It’s not that hard to pull the dash. Way easier if you unbolt the steering column bracket and drop the column a few inches. Just be careful unplugging the multipin dash circuit board connector. The pins aren’t the most robust and can break off.

 

[cudamark]

Here's what I did on my '66 Barracuda fuel/IVR conversion to sterilize the existing IVR. Instead of drilling out the rivets on the gauge face plate and then figuring a way of re-attaching it properly with damaging it, I grabbed an extra dead gauge I had lying around and experimented with drilling a hole in the housing instead to get to the IVR wire inside. I first removed the face plate to see if it was possible to do, and so I could tell where best to drill the hole and cut the circuit. As you can see, I drilled a hole in the 3 o'clock position, and then reached through the hole with tiny needle nose pliers (a hook or tweezers would work fine too) and pulled the wire connecting the IVR with the 12V feed. The wire pulled loose easily from both ends where it was soldered. Stick a piece of tape over the hole if you're worried about getting dust inside and you're done with that phase of the conversion. I'll post the final photo with the good gauge, aftermarket IVR, and everything installed if you would like to see it.

 

[RedFish]

Here's what I did on my '66 Barracuda fuel/IVR conversion to sterilize the existing IVR. Instead of drilling out the rivets on the gauge face plate and then figuring a way of re-attaching it properly with damaging it, I grabbed an extra dead gauge I had lying around and experimented with drilling a hole in the housing instead to get to the IVR wire inside. I first removed the face plate to see if it was possible to do, and so I could tell where best to drill the hole and cut the circuit. As you can see, I drilled a hole in the 3 o'clock position, and then reached through the hole with tiny needle nose pliers (a hook or tweezers would work fine too) and pulled the wire connecting the IVR with the 12V feed. The wire pulled loose easily from both ends where it was soldered. Stick a piece of tape over the hole if you're worried about getting dust inside and you're done with that phase of the conversion. I'll post the final photo with the good gauge, aftermarket IVR, and everything installed if you would like to see it.

View attachment 1715707042

View attachment 1715707043

That break in the 12 volt side alone isn't sufficient. At the top center you can see where the 5 volt side is attached. So now 5 volts is back feeding into the remnants of the limiter. So the limiter will bleed 5 volts to ground like the limiter is another and faulty gauge in the circuit. Your solid state regulator may not like this fecked up additional load.
This 3 post gauge has a small piece of metal on its backside that conducts the limiters chassis ground path to the gauge housing. Cover that piece of metal with a layer or 2 of electric tape to isolate the gauge can. A multimeter would show the 5 volts is still in the limiter but it cant get to chassis ground or cause any issue.

 

[zephyr]

I'm electrical-ignorant so I really hoping someone can show me where to connect the IVR 3 on my circuit board. As I understand it, I'll need to first remove the face of the fuel gauge and disable the points inside. I have the cluster out and ready to install the IVR. If anyone can use these pictures to illustrate, I'd be very, very grateful.

 

[cudamark]

That break in the 12 volt side alone isn't sufficient. At the top center you can see where the 5 volt side is attached. So now 5 volts is back feeding into the remnants of the limiter. So the limiter will bleed 5 volts to ground like the limiter is another and faulty gauge in the circuit. Your solid state regulator may not like this fecked up additional load.
This 3 post gauge has a small piece of metal on its backside that conducts the limiters chassis ground path to the gauge housing. Cover that piece of metal with a layer or 2 of electric tape to isolate the gauge can. A multimeter would show the 5 volts is still in the limiter but it cant get to chassis ground or cause any issue.

Yes, I neglected to mention that I also snagged the tiny ground wire (that you can see at about 4 o'clock in my photos) and broke it loose too. I tested all three posts with an ohmmeter and none of them conduct juice to the metal housing.