Pics: GT500 Cluster "Finally" Installed - Workaround Mod - Sorry for the Short Book!
 

As some of you may have read, I was having one heck of a time with my GT500 Cluster Install. To summarize.....

- The Passive Anti-Theft System (PATS) for the 2010's resides in the gauge cluster not the PCM like on the 2005-2009's. When I tried plugging in the new cluster the car wouldn't start due to the PATS system.

- I tried a workaround for the PATS system, which was to get a custom tune that would disable it. Ordered the tune and loaded it..... Didn't work. Since the 2010's are different, the SCT Tuner software that the custom tuners use isn't yet up to date concerning the PATS disable on the 2010-2011 Mustangs. I even called SCT and tried working it out with them.

- The "normal" solution to that problem would be to go to your local Ford dealer and have them transfer your data to the new cluster and reprogram your keys, which is required because of the PATS system. Of course, this mainly applies to the 2010-2011 Mustangs. For the 2009 and under guys the key programming isn't necessary since the PATS data isn't stored in the cluster, only the PCM.

- Since I have an aftermarket start system (key fob with push button on the inside of the car, not on the key fob) and I no longer use keys I couldn't get my keys reprogrammed due to the complexity of the install of my current start button system. It's a Digital Guard Dawg System that completely eliminates the factory keys.

- Here's what I did..... After getting ready to pack up the GT500 cluster I bought and send it back to Tousley Ford, I got the idea that I could simply take the new cluster apart and extract the gauges themselves and swap them out with my current cluster, that way my PCM would be reading my current cluster, not the new one. So, that's what I did. Granted, not the IDEAL solution but since I mainly wanted this thing for looks, I decided to go ahead and do just that. Took both gauge clusters apart and swapped the gauges on both and installed the my original cluster with the new gauges inside.

- Since the GT500 cluster has a few differences, such as the 160 mph speedometer and my original had a 120 mph speedometer, the speedo doesn't show an accurate speed. Not a big deal to me since I use my GPS for my speed anyway since the old one was so hard to read.

- The boost gauge is in the same spot as the temp gauge on my old cluster, but since it still thinks my old cluster is in there, it currently reads at 10 psi.

- Long story short, not a PERFECT solution, but since I wanted these for just looks it will work for me. I'll have to eat the core charge for the original GT500 cluster I bought since it now has my old gauges installed in it. But, I did save a little bit by not having to pay Ford to transfer my info and reprogram my keys. Expensive overall, but worth it to me.....

One cool thing that I've noticed on the new gauge is that when the gas tank gets low, the entire fuel readout turns completely red, which is pretty cool. I took a pic of that and pasted it below with the others.

Here are a few crappy pics that show the gauges with different color combinations.

Pics:
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/_l...4/SAM_0270.JPG

White with Blue Ring:
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/_l...4/SAM_0271.JPG

Blue with Blue Ring:
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/_l...4/SAM_0272.JPG

White with no Ring:
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/_l...4/SAM_0275.JPG

Blue with no Ring:
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/_l...4/SAM_0276.JPG

Showing with Low Fuel - Notice Fuel Gauge Turned Red:
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/_l...2018.52.23.jpg

Great Mod and write up. Looks killer with all the combos.

Thanks. I tried almost every combo you could imagine. I kind of like all red or orange but it didn't "pop" as much as the blue or the white.

Nice work! looks good.

Looks awesome Dave!

i like the looks of the gt500 cluster, nice job on getting it put
together.

So even though the gauges are moved around they are reading correctly?

So you think if I replace my boost guage with a temp guage it would move to 10 like yours when warmed up?

Have a picture of what you swapped?

The reason mine is reading what is shows on the boost gauge is because my cluster thinks that my original cluster is installed and is reading what it would read for what was in those locations. As far as the boost gauge goes, that's the spot that the temperature gauge used to be. Yours won't move because your cluster is looking for that input and it's not there. One way to at least get it off of zero is to pull your cluster out and pull the front off of your cluster so it will allow you access to the gauges themselves. You can physically move the boost gauge to where you want it and it will stay there. Granted, that's not what you're looking for, but at least when you look at it it won't read "zero" all of the time. Make sense?

Here's the best shot of my original gauges:

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/_l...2007.25.11.jpg

So you just swapped the overlay right? You boost guage is really a water temp guage and your water temp guage is your amp guage.

I am trying to get rid of the guage fault on my boost guage since there is no signal.

You say your cluster thinks the original cluster is installed. But your original cluster is installed. What exactly did you swap?

The only thing I swapped are the actual gauge overlays. They are completely interchangeable once you take the clusters apart. So, yes, the boost gauge is actually reading water temp from my original overlay, and the water temp is reading the amp from my original overlay.

It's kind of confusing I guess, but really it ended up being a gauge "overlay" swap.