dash gauges digital

[a men a truck a dog]

Please forgive me if this is not the correct place for this topic.
What I have is a front and rearend of a 1987 chevy C10,but the cab is of a 1981 chevy C10.
The motor is of a 1995 chevy 1500, its a 350 5.7 tbi. At this time other than the speedometer, nothing on the dash is connected. I swaped the motor when I first got the truck, none of the sensors from the 1995 motor is connected to cab.
What I would like to have done is replace the instrument cluster with one of the after market digital ones.
I have no idea how to start this job. Would I need a new wire hornest for the truck? What parts come with the digital dash kit ? And because of all the mix up, would I need to get extra stuff other than the dash kit?
Basically I need a some what guide on what I need to run to make it all work my goal is to have as many sensors from the motor working and reporting to the dash and convert the dash to digital. Please help, sure hope someone understand this
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[cyclefreak207]

Digital?? I have no idea, but I'd be VERY interested to see what sort of setup youre talking about... any pics of what you're wanting it to look like? or the gauges that you're wanting to go in there?

[mrolds88]

Right now you have a two or three fold issue. First, you need to get the truck wiring figured out. Buy a factory shop manual with the wiring schematics in it. Second, get the TBI wiring figured out. Buy a manual for an 87pickup or 87-88 R/v series thruck/Suburban/Blazer. I would get a wiring harness out of a 87-91 suburban/Blazer for this. Wiring lengths will be correct for your truck. Once you have the wiring figured out, then get your digital guages. The guage company should have directions (at least the wiring layout) for hookup. then it should be a matter of cross referncing their directions to the harness diagram for the 81. Take your time and it will go well.

[MalibuSSwagon]

Dakota Digital is about the only company that makes digital gauges to fit the truck.

[a men a truck a dog]

yeah that is a pic of the one I'm talking about. Now to the advise, first thanks a lot for responding. If I am understanding correctly, your saying I need the book for the 86 tbi? I have that, the truck is running the tbi now. The only thing I have a problem with is the electrical to the cab. I think this is because of the cab been 81 and everything else running 87 or 95 electrical. With this said the wire harness on the tbi is from the 87 and the steering column is connected to this wire harness because it has power to turn truck and radio on and the inside lights work and the instrument cluster light work also. The part that I have no Idea about is getting the sensors right. Like check engine lights etc all of that stuff. the easy thing to do is run aftermarket system for temp and oil right from the motor but I want the digital look hope that better explain things

[mrolds88]

Ok that tells a bit more. Since you have it running, you have part of the work done. I would at least get the wiring manual for the 81. Oil pressure should wire in fairly easily. Most of them that I have seen relocated the sender to just above the oil filter. The port by the distributor is usually reserved for the oil pressure sensor. This controls the fuel pump. The temp sender should still be in the same place( between cylinders 1 & 3). Does the volt meter work at all? If the factory harness is connected to the alternator, the guage should work.

[a men a truck a dog]

what it seems to me I'm looking at hear is the work of a complete jack you no the rest . I'm not a electrical guy at all, so I'm planning to take this in to get don't but from past experience I rather learn as much as I can before I get bent over. The tbi is great on gas so I'm trying my best not to just rip it all out and put a carb on it.
form the looks of things everything under the hood hads a sensor, the ignition coil has one I can see, there is one driver side manifold near the donut for pipe and a few more. What's not hear it seems is a harness that comes from the box in the cab that has the connections for these sensors to put it all on the dash. The expert jack u no what, I think mybe left that in the 87 cab when swaping think they all would be the same. If this is true my next question would be how to identify this harness correct wording for looking it up like ( cab sensor engine harness ) or something and where to get one at a good price I will take it to a shop and ask for a price to do nothing more than just install it for me. What you think am I on the right track hear ? Your correct about the oil and temp pretty simple from that point I ran ito a small issue when installing the 95 motor same motor as the 87 but the altanator and ac compressor where on opposite sides yep I'm a jack a also I didn't realize this to after I installed the motor. The altanator from the 87 would not wprk on that one had to get the 95 one and spice the connector to make it the right size to reach across . That was just for fun a because after typing this I remember it did have a sensor also just no connecting lol. So I think I'm answering my on question now just need to find this other wiring harness with the other end for these connections and I will be good to go any idea what I should be looking for . Again thatnks a lot
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[mrolds88]

Ok the piece on the exhaust manifold is the oxygen sensor. That needs hooked up. Since you had to use the 95 alternator and had to rewire that, doulble check that out. There is a guy on here that has some schematics to help. His screen name is Vettevet. The posts are on the 67-72 section. The only thing you have explained that I don't understand is the sensor on the coil. The only interconnection between the main dash harness and the TBI harness should be the wiring for the check engine light. Remember that sensors gather info for the computer and senders run the guages.