88-94 to 95-98 All Swap Info Compile

[low91]

I'm getting ready to swap a 96 column into a 91. the only thing i havent figured out yet is the shift cable, can somebody get me a pic of the trans. cable assembly at the trans.? I've checked the haynes manuel but can't find a clear picture of what i need

[chevygunnar]

sounds sweet update some picture when your finished

[MStefak]

Been awhile since I posted up here. I have completed the entire swap and it is easy as pie.

The steering column was easier then the wiring. As a side note I finally just got the harness out of a 95 truck as opposed to my pieced together harness.

To do the steering column you need the bracket from a 95-98 truck (95-00 burbs) You drill out a total of 6 spot welds pull the one off your truck and install the new one.

I wish I would have taken pics but my cam is missing in action !

As far as the column is concerned I can walk you through the whole thing.

Now for the heat controls. Since I just swapped to the 95 harness mine were just plug and play. BUT i am in the process of writing up a tutorial on swapping the controls over since i do know how they work. Sorry its taking so long.

[NorCal_z71]

Originally Posted by MStefak

Been awhile since I posted up here. I have completed the entire swap and it is easy as pie.

The steering column was easier then the wiring. As a side note I finally just got the harness out of a 95 truck as opposed to my pieced together harness.

To do the steering column you need the bracket from a 95-98 truck (95-00 burbs) You drill out a total of 6 spot welds pull the one off your truck and install the new one.

I wish I would have taken pics but my cam is missing in action !

As far as the column is concerned I can walk you through the whole thing.

Now for the heat controls. Since I just swapped to the 95 harness mine were just plug and play. BUT i am in the process of writing up a tutorial on swapping the controls over since i do know how they work. Sorry its taking so long.

great to hear this. i still have yet to get into my swap, but the more i looked into it, looked at wiring diagrams, etc, i figured honestly it can NOT be that hard at all. i had also thought about the 95 harness thats awesome you went that route and it worked out perfect!

i found a 95 truck being parted out, right interior color, only problem is its a 2wd diesel. any idea how the 95 diesel harness would compare with the TBI? Since i hope to be doing an engine swap anyways i am less concerned about the gauges working with whatever dash harness i get and more concerned with making sure the newer AC controls work.

thanks

[MStefak]

I did every sinlgle wiring sway except then column one (because i switched to the 95 harness at teh same time, and all the splicing was easy.

Being that my truck is standard and has been for years I wanted a standard column but could never find .. but i found a 95 GM ext cab 4x4 loaded .. STANDARD !!!haha. So i took the whole interior and rear truck harness (ie taillights and fuel pump) but the motor part was missing so i took that off a 95 a/t truck and it worked fine. Only thing that needed to be done is jumper 2 starter wires from the tranny of all things.

[NorCal_z71]

so heres my situation: 94 truck, 350 TBI, im now on the hunt for a 95 dash or at least the 95 wiring and another year dash. will the 94 underdash wiring come out and the 95 wiring plug right in and control the 94 AC parts properly via the 95 dash/AC controls?


i plan to do my engine swap hopefully at the same time, so the complexity of the AC system for that may actually make this a non issue for now.

thanks

[hca]

Has anyone successfully converted from the 88-94 to 95-98 Headlight switches?? I noticed it is all color matching wires, but how would the dome override button work if you are not wiring in anything new (unless it works internally in the switch??)

[drgbyu]

Originally Posted by NorCal_z71

so heres my situation: 94 truck, 350 TBI, im now on the hunt for a 95 dash or at least the 95 wiring and another year dash. will the 94 underdash wiring come out and the 95 wiring plug right in and control the 94 AC parts properly via the 95 dash/AC controls?

thanks

Are you wondering if it will work due to the fact everything was still tbi in 95 but with the newer dash?

[NorCal_z71]

Originally Posted by drgbyu

Are you wondering if it will work due to the fact everything was still tbi in 95 but with the newer dash?

according to MStefak, if i understood his findings right, since 95 is the first year of the newer dash, last year of the TBI, the wiring is a direct plug and play with the 94 TBI engine and chassis controls, but yet has the newer dash. i just want to make sure that it is all in fact basically plug and play and that if i acquire a 95 dash, with 95 wiring (found one already), that the 95 wiring will plug right in and control the AC system properly via the 95 AC controls which came in the 95 dash. the majority of the dash swaps done have been said to be fairly easy, aside from wiring of the AC controls because the 88-94 apparently used a different configuration basically than the 95-98, thus if you were to just get any other 96-98 dash, no one had yet figured out how to splice the 96-98 AC controls into the 88-94 AC system.

as i had thought though, it seems using a 95 dash and underdash wiring solves this problem, just want to clarify.

[drgbyu]

Originally Posted by NorCal_z71

according to MStefak, if i understood his findings right, since 95 is the first year of the newer dash, last year of the TBI, the wiring is a direct plug and play with the 94 TBI engine and chassis controls, but yet has the newer dash. i just want to make sure that it is all in fact basically plug and play and that if i acquire a 95 dash, with 95 wiring (found one already), that the 95 wiring will plug right in and control the AC system properly via the 95 AC controls which came in the 95 dash. the majority of the dash swaps done have been said to be fairly easy, aside from wiring of the AC controls because the 88-94 apparently used a different configuration basically than the 95-98, thus if you were to just get any other 96-98 dash, no one had yet figured out how to splice the 96-98 AC controls into the 88-94 AC system.

as i had thought though, it seems using a 95 dash and underdash wiring solves this problem, just want to clarify.

Well i asked the same question several pages back and would like to know myself. While im thinking about it, i bought a brand new 95-98 steering column but it seems to be pushed in, do you know how i can extent the column back out?

[BOWTIE406]

Hi Guys Need Some Help, I Just Purchased A 93 1500, With A 96 Style Dash In It ,it Looks Great But It Has The Older Style A/c Controls In It ,can The Newer Style Controls Be Installed And Does Anyone Have The Diag On How It Gets Wired In. Thanks.

[chevysnbuicks]

Originally Posted by BOWTIE406

Hi Guys Need Some Help, I Just Purchased A 93 1500, With A 96 Style Dash In It ,it Looks Great But It Has The Older Style A/c Controls In It ,can The Newer Style Controls Be Installed And Does Anyone Have The Diag On How It Gets Wired In. Thanks.

I think it can, and according to MStefak, it's not THAT difficult (a walk through would be soooooo wonderful dude... lol)

No, no one has the diagram on the wiring. I tried to piece it together one night using my '88 schematic manual and our '95 repair manual. Doesn't work too well since one uses stepper motors and one uses relays I think? the older style is more complex is what it comes down too, I think...

It's really confusing and at this point the only thing that is holding me back is actually ordering the AC ducting that goes with the newer style dash, I want a welder which takes another paycheck first, then with what's left hopefully I'll have about $120 to spend on ordering it from LMC (tried junk yards, no one has anything newer than a 94 around here, and hardly anything newer than an 87. People just won't let go of them!!!)

[MStefak]

Sorry guys I hit the net once a week if that and keep forgetting to check this !

I will address the heat control questions, without a diagram, as best i can until i can make and upload one.

NorCal - Yes, get the dash out of a 95 up style and a 95 interior AND EXTERIOR harness and youll be fine. You have to have both ! The extra ... 45 mins it took me to intstall the exterior harness was well worth it. If you are automatic you MAY have to do some plug changes at the tranny - Ill look into it.

Now back to the heat controls, yes they "plug and plug" and yes you need new door actuators. They are everywhere at the scrapyard. You need the motors out of a 95 up truck. The pinning is different but the mounting is the same. (Youll understand once you see them) More of less ..take the motors like i did when you take the interior harness - leave them attached and you wont get charged ;).

[MStefak]

Bowtie406 in regards to your question.

I WILL HAVE to make a diagram from this because it will be WAY to hard to just explain. Ill get on it as soon as i can.

[TREY333]

hi, i have been readin for an hr. i have a 91 rcsb with moonies and no tach. i read earlier thatmstefak was gonna make a plug n play harness for the 92-94 cluster. hhas this been done. if not in order to have plug n play do i understand correctly that i need a 91 cluster with tach from a v-8? or what is the simplest fix. can i change the guage bulb color with led's while i hahve apart? thanx guys i do appreciate it.

[chevysnbuicks]

Originally Posted by MStefak

Sorry guys I hit the net once a week if that and keep forgetting to check this !

I will address the heat control questions, without a diagram, as best i can until i can make and upload one.

NorCal - Yes, get the dash out of a 95 up style and a 95 interior AND EXTERIOR harness and youll be fine. You have to have both ! The extra ... 45 mins it took me to intstall the exterior harness was well worth it. If you are automatic you MAY have to do some plug changes at the tranny - Ill look into it.

Now back to the heat controls, yes they "plug and plug" and yes you need new door actuators. They are everywhere at the scrapyard. You need the motors out of a 95 up truck. The pinning is different but the mounting is the same. (Youll understand once you see them) More of less ..take the motors like i did when you take the interior harness - leave them attached and you wont get charged ;).

Ok sweet oh great guru of the dash.

Another thing I'm still trying to figure out... Tach problem. I have a '97 v-6 cluster going into an '88 v-8. What do I need to do to make it work? I have read it's just resistor or capacitor wired in somewhere, but do you know if it's true or not?

[BOWTIE406]

thanks, let me know when you get it

[MStefak]

Chevysnbuicks im not 100 % sure what the difference is in the v8's but the v8 cluster are a dime a dozen .

[RedneckKris]

Hey guys. I'm new here and have a major question.

I have a 92 Z71 Ext cab. i recently bought a 95 Ext cab.
My 92 has blue old style insides. I want to swap it with the 95 style. If i take out all the dash pieces will they bolt right up or will it be a hassle. Has anyone done this or have some pictures.?

Both are 350 TBI. If that matters Both are all power W/L

[NorCal_z71]

so another question for anyone neck deep in this and who has done the column swap....hows does the column attach to the steering shaft? is it as simple as pulling all the dash out, unbolting the bcolumn from the firewall and pulling it off? then slide the new column directly in its place and put it all back together? or is there more to it than that?


additionally, does anyone know how the wiring under the dash compares between a diesel and a gasser? im lookin at a 95 diesel truck as a donor vehicle, everything is still in the truck. will a ton of wires be different or will the general functions under dash be the same IE speedo, tach, fuel, temp, etc is all the same? and AC? is the cluster the same gas to diesel?