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Vintage Early 140 gauge cluster compatibility

S

svinkle

Member
Joined
Feb 7, 2007
Location
Portland, OR
Early 140 clusters came in a few different flavors with regard to choke and overdrive warning lights where the automatic gear display or volvo block off plate goes. My '71 and my two spare clusters all have the block-off plate (or auto gear display), and I'm interested in switching to the type with the choke and overdrive lights.

My question is how the wiring compares between my car and one that came with the lights in the cluster, and what I would need to do to make the swap. To what extent is plug-and-play with my '71?

For reference:

On this cluster, that came from an automatic car, there are two posts (below the voltage stabilizer on the right) that aren't there on the eBay cluster.
<img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49410426957_0025a947e6_z.jpg" width="640" height="480" alt="Untitled">

On this cluster (from eBay), there seems to be an extra post for the light on the left, but the right light power comes from the set of 4 posts, which all of my clusters have.
<img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49410366172_1b756fc1db_z.jpg" width="640" height="221" alt="Screen Shot 2020-01-19 at 10.53.41 AM">

I don't have a ton of experience with PCB's, so forgive me if I've got this all wrong.
 
The 2 pins under the VS are for the overdrive light. Since the OD light is already on the PC board on the eBay cluster it doesn't need the pins.

You'll need to add a switch and wire if you want the choke light to work but everything else is plug and play.
 
hiperfauto said:
The 2 pins under the VS are for the overdrive light. Since the OD light is already on the PC board on the eBay cluster it doesn't need the pins.

You'll need to add a switch and wire if you want the choke light to work but everything else is plug and play.
Click to expand...

Sweet.

So in an automatic or M40 harness, that 4-post connector only has three wires, with a blank spot where the OD wire would be?
 
That's correct. The OD wire if not already present occupies socket #7 in the 4 pin semi circular connector.
 
hiperfauto said:
That's correct. The OD wire if not already present occupies socket #7 in the 4 pin semi circular connector.
Click to expand...

Great. My car was originally automatic, so that's what I ought to find then.

Regarding the choke light, what was the OEM switch situation? Did Volvo make a choke pull with an integrated switch? I've got a spare I can mess around with adding a switch, but I'd be interested at least to see how Volvo did it.
 
I'm not sure where the choke light switch is. I looked in the parts catalog and didn't see it.

It's rare to see a car equipped with one in California but I happen the have a carb'd '72 142 in the shop right now so I'll take a look and see if I can find it and take a pic.
 
IIRC, the choke "switch" was a contact on the dash lever on my '72.
It would ground out to the metal portion of the choke pull lever.
 
hiperfauto said:
I'm not sure where the choke light switch is. I looked in the parts catalog and didn't see it.

It's rare to see a car equipped with one in California....
Click to expand...

alschnertz said:
IIRC, the choke "switch" was a contact on the dash lever on my '72.
It would ground out to the metal portion of the choke pull lever.
Click to expand...

Did they switch to the 240-style cluster for '73? I wonder if it was a '72 only feature since neither my '71 nor my '69 parts car have a choke light or switch.
 
I can't be 100% positive, but I think only 1972 models had the CHOKE / OVERDRIVE portion in the instrument cluster.

I had a carb'd '72 and a fuel injected '72.
Both had identical clusters.
The "choke" light worked on the carb. model.
I made the "overdrive" light work on the FI car. Also made the "choke" light work on the FI car when I converted it to HIFs.
 
VP has this diagram for B20B/D -1972 choke linkage. Looks like 2A and 2B were a switch. The head of the lever looks different too.

1401040204l.jpg
 
That choke switch looks to have about the same level of sophistication as the back-up light switch on my M41. When my back-up light switch failed I looked at replacing it with a roller actuated micro switch, something like this

https://www.digikey.ca/product-detail/en/omron-electronics-inc-emc-div/SS-5GL2T/SW873-ND/369897

If the roller actuator doesn't work, there are plunger actuators and lots of other options. I never used one on my M41 because there was not room in the little housing on the back of the M41 to fit the switch; however you likely have room to fabricate a little bracket so that the roller could be actuated by part #8 in the first diagram.

Its an option if you can't source the original Volvo parts.
 
142 guy said:
That choke switch looks to have about the same level of sophistication as the back-up light switch on my M41. When my back-up light switch failed I looked at replacing it with a roller actuated micro switch, something like this

https://www.digikey.ca/product-detail/en/omron-electronics-inc-emc-div/SS-5GL2T/SW873-ND/369897

If the roller actuator doesn't work, there are plunger actuators and lots of other options. I never used one on my M41 because there was not room in the little housing on the back of the M41 to fit the switch; however you likely have room to fabricate a little bracket so that the roller could be actuated by part #8 in the first diagram.

Its an option if you can't source the original Volvo parts.
Click to expand...

You're correct that there is plenty of room to add a switch, and I've got a spare lever I can experiment with off the car. I've gotten lucky with some much needed rare parts with good prices on eBay, but I'm not counting on that switch popping up.

I did buy the complete cluster (photo above) for $22 shipped, so my price of entry is pretty low so far.
 
svinkle said:
On this cluster (from eBay), there seems to be an extra post for the light on the left, but the right light power comes from the set of 4 posts, which all of my clusters have.
<img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49410366172_1b756fc1db_z.jpg" width="640" height="221" alt="Screen Shot 2020-01-19 at 10.53.41 AM">

I don't have a ton of experience with PCB's, so forgive me if I've got this all wrong.
Click to expand...

I have a cluster like this for sale
the earlier od light I also have but it will be way more than the cluster above
 
Jack said:
the earlier od light I also have but it will be way more than the cluster above
Click to expand...

I've seen some with just a single big OD light. Was that an insert (like the Auto gear display) that plugs into the two posts under the VS?

(Not interested in buying, just curious. I bought the eBay cluster for cheap)
 
hiperfauto said:
140OverdriveSwitch,Bracket&Light.jpg
Click to expand...

:nod:
Picked up the same (kit?) and installed on my '70 145 many years ago from someone in NY.
Thought I was paying a premium at the time, but it was the right thing and I'm glad I did it.
It's still installed and works.

The pilot light and bulb are a 1971 part only, yes?

This is an old out-of-focus photo...
7567.jpg
 
Last edited:
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