Gear indicator fiberoptic cable with Dakota digital dash - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

Stsnipes · 11-10-2024, 09:27 AM

I have a 1972 C10 with a non-tilt steering column. I also have a Dakota digital dash. I did not opt for the extra transmission sending unit for the digital dash that shows what gear I'm in on the dash itself, so I still rely on the "old" selector on the column. Normally, with the original dash, the gear selector is backlit with a fiberoptic cable which runs down the column and plugs into the back of the dash.

This fiberoptic cable is still present in my column wiring, but is not plugged into anything. Is there anyway to plug this into the digital dash, or wire it separately to another dash light to get backlighting for my gear selector? Thanks in advance!

**bowtie72** · 11-10-2024, 11:31 AM

Can you use the bulb at the heater controls? I’m not sure if it is long enough.

**MikeB** · 11-10-2024, 05:18 PM

How about a miniature bulb connected to the fiber optic cable end via a rubber sleeve or shrink tubing, etc. Then find a dash light source to connect one wire to, and the other to ground, of course. I've seen these called grain of wheat bubs (GOV) and doll house bulbs.

**PbFut** · 11-10-2024, 11:59 PM

The fiber optic cable is attached at the cluster to one of the dash bulb sockets. This socket is different thant the other 3 in the original cluster. Assume your digital dash does not use the old incandescent bulb. You have a few choices to drive your fiber optic cable. If you can get the end of the fiber optic cable close to a bulb in your new cluster, that may work.
Or, you could fabricate a small box with a hole to mount the original bulb and plug. Careful, incandescent bulbs generate a lot of heat. Even small 12v bulbs. So vent the box and don't make it too small. Wire one lead to the pin at the fuse box down and to the right of the fuel gauge plug. The pin you want will be marked cluster. The other wire is to ground. This will drive the bulb like the original. If you don't want the bulb to dim like the cluster/dash, then connect the positive lead to your choice of switched power source.

**MikeB** · 11-11-2024, 11:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PbFut

Even small 12v bulbs. So vent the box and don't make it too small.

The bulbs I mentioned above are around 1 watt, which means little to no heat. However, it could be that 1 watt is not enough to illuminate the gear indicator. It's simple and worth a try on the workbench. In fact, that's where you want to test any solution.

Please let us know what works!

**HO455** · 11-11-2024, 05:39 PM

With GM having used the fiberoptic line on as many vehicles as they did I'm surprised Dakota doesn't have a LED conversion for it.

Rich69shortfleet · Today, 10:23 AM

I've tried lighting the fiber optic cable with LED bulbs of various kinds and it didn't send any meaningful amount of light down the cable. I converted my stock cluster to LED bulbs but kept an incandescent bulb in the socket that has the fiber optic cable so my gear selector would continue to illuminate.

11-10-2024, 09:27 AM	#1
Stsnipes Registered User Join Date: Feb 2021 Location: BEDFORD, NH Posts: 1	Gear indicator fiberoptic cable with Dakota digital dash I have a 1972 C10 with a non-tilt steering column. I also have a Dakota digital dash. I did not opt for the extra transmission sending unit for the digital dash that shows what gear I'm in on the dash itself, so I still rely on the "old" selector on the column. Normally, with the original dash, the gear selector is backlit with a fiberoptic cable which runs down the column and plugs into the back of the dash. This fiberoptic cable is still present in my column wiring, but is not plugged into anything. Is there anyway to plug this into the digital dash, or wire it separately to another dash light to get backlighting for my gear selector? Thanks in advance!

11-10-2024, 11:31 AM	#2
bowtie72 Registered User Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Colorado Posts: 363	Re: Gear indicator fiberoptic cable with Dakota digital dash Can you use the bulb at the heater controls? I’m not sure if it is long enough. __________________ 1968 SWB "Little White Truck" 1972 LWB LS 4l80 "Plain Jane!!"

11-10-2024, 05:18 PM	#3
MikeB Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: North Texas Posts: 3,578	Re: Gear indicator fiberoptic cable with Dakota digital dash How about a miniature bulb connected to the fiber optic cable end via a rubber sleeve or shrink tubing, etc. Then find a dash light source to connect one wire to, and the other to ground, of course. I've seen these called grain of wheat bubs (GOV) and doll house bulbs. __________________ Mike 1969 C10 LWB -- owned for 35 years. 350/TH350, 3.08 posi, 1st Gen Vintage Air, AAW wiring harness, 5-lug conversion, 1985 spindles and brakes. 1982 C10 SWB -- sold 1981 C10 Silverado LWB -- sold, but wish I still had it! 1969 C10 (not the current one) that I bought in the early 1980s. Paid $1200; sold for $1500 a few years later. Just a hint at the appreciation that was coming. Retired as a factory automation products salesman. Worked part-time over the years for an engine builder and a classic car repair shop. Member here for 24 years! This is the very first car/truck Internet forum I joined. I still used a dial-up modem back then!

11-10-2024, 11:59 PM	#4
PbFut Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2022 Location: Ca Posts: 598	Re: Gear indicator fiberoptic cable with Dakota digital dash The fiber optic cable is attached at the cluster to one of the dash bulb sockets. This socket is different thant the other 3 in the original cluster. Assume your digital dash does not use the old incandescent bulb. You have a few choices to drive your fiber optic cable. If you can get the end of the fiber optic cable close to a bulb in your new cluster, that may work. Or, you could fabricate a small box with a hole to mount the original bulb and plug. Careful, incandescent bulbs generate a lot of heat. Even small 12v bulbs. So vent the box and don't make it too small. Wire one lead to the pin at the fuse box down and to the right of the fuel gauge plug. The pin you want will be marked cluster. The other wire is to ground. This will drive the bulb like the original. If you don't want the bulb to dim like the cluster/dash, then connect the positive lead to your choice of switched power source.

11-11-2024, 05:39 PM	#6
HO455 Post Whore Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: Portland Oregon Posts: 11,305	Re: Gear indicator fiberoptic cable with Dakota digital dash With GM having used the fiberoptic line on as many vehicles as they did I'm surprised Dakota doesn't have a LED conversion for it. __________________ Thanks to Bob and Jeanie and everyone else at Superior Performance for all their great help. RIP Bob Parks. 1967 Burban (the WMB),1988 S10 Blazer (the Stink10 II),1969 GTO (the Goat), 1970 Javelin, 1952 F2 Ford OHC six 4X4, 29 Model A, 72 Firebird (the DBP Bird). 85 Alfa Romeo If it breaks I didn't want it in the first place The WMB repair thread http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=698377

Today, 10:23 AM	#7
Rich69shortfleet Registered User Join Date: May 2016 Location: Waverly, NE Posts: 349	Re: Gear indicator fiberoptic cable with Dakota digital dash I've tried lighting the fiber optic cable with LED bulbs of various kinds and it didn't send any meaningful amount of light down the cable. I converted my stock cluster to LED bulbs but kept an incandescent bulb in the socket that has the fiber optic cable so my gear selector would continue to illuminate. __________________ 1965 Malibu SS L79 Restoration Page 1965 Two-Door Wagon Project Progress Page 2006 Pontiac GTO Preservation Project Rich Cummings



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