Digital Dash into USDM Car

From RPRWiki

Ok, heres the simple way to wire in a jdm digi dash into a us car. If you buy one, or have already found one, make sure you get the plastic surround piece with it. Because the normal one does not fit it. You may be able to mod the stock one to work, but i cannot verify this.

 1. First remove the dashboard lower panel (two or three screws and a clip)
 2. Remove the heater control knob and lower panel, remove the heater control mount screws.
 3. Remove the upper screws.
 4. Pull the instrument panel out, then disconnect the wire connectors.
 5. Remove the instrument panel.
 6. Remove the four screws, then lift the guage assembly so you can reach the wire connectors.
 7. Disconnect the speedometer cable and wire connectors, then remove the gauge assembly.

Once you have pulled your cluster out, there will be three wiring plugs, one small, auxillary connector, and the two larger connectors that are used on the stock unit. You will be tapping into the wires from all three connectors. First, remove the black/yellow stripe wire from the large connector. You can get the pin out by using a paperclip or precision screwdriver or similar small implement. Just bend the paperclip end straight then stick it in where the plastic and metal touch inside the connector, the wire should pop out.

Now install that wire into the six pin connector, into the only empty spot. Now you need to find a connector for the LCD interface plug. It has a total of ten pins in a row, and any standard pin-type connectors will work. Just use enough of them to cover all pins. I was lucky, as the previous owner of mine cut all three plugs with wires from the original car. By now you should have some type of improvised ten pin connector, now the splicing begins. All of the wires for the ten-pin come directly off of the three original plugs, just splice them in. I cut the wires, and used butt connectors (please dont use those cheezy blue "squeeze taps" , because theres just not enough room for them). Your wiring for the ten - pin connector is as follows, from top to bottom: pin

 1. not used
 2. red / black stripe
 3. solid yellow
 4. solid black 
 5. not used
 6. solid yellow, same as 4
 7. black / yellow stripe
 8. yellow / black stripe
 9. green/ pink stripe
 10. green / blue stripe

Note: My car is an 85 si. There are some wiring differences between the 84-85 cars, and the 86-87 cars. I do not know if this applies to the dash wiring or not, if the color codes are different for the 86-87 models, contact me and I will work up an itemized function list for the wires, instead of a color codes list.

As far as the physical installation is concerned, it bolts in just like your original. However, the speedo cable mounts to the opposite side (jdm), so when you get ready to mount the cluster, you MUST disconnect your speedo cable from the transmission, pull it mostly through the firewall, run it over the steering column, and through the left dash wiring hole, instead of the right. then plug in the cable BEFORE you mount the cluster.

Once you get it mounted you can put it back into the trans. It is a stretch, but it will work (you have to tug on it some). The reason you must do it this way, is because once the cluster is in , there is no way to reach the behind to mount the cable.

Now your dash surround piece, heater switch, and accessories switches are on opposite sides of where they go on a USDM car. Here's an easy fix, the mounting panels actually just mount onto the back of the surround with a few screws. Remove those screws, and swap their places. Put it all back together and enjoy! You will have the second digital dash in a USDM car that works!