I realize this may need to be in tech, but I think more people will benefit having it in here. This took about 5 hours to put together, so if there are some mistakes (grammical, or punctual) forgive me, I'll go back and edit later.

On one recent trip I took I didn't realize that my cruise was engaged, I had stepped on the brake, but apparently it wasn't hard enough and I nearly rear ended some one. I remembered one project that I was recently working on had that had a "cruise engaged" light that came on when the cruise control speed was set. I checked out the wiring between the two cars and came to the conclusion that both cruise modules were the identical and both had the same inputs and outputs, and that the Fiero module didn't use that particular output. After some careful experimentation I found that the cruise module would output a ground when the speed was set. I then set out to install this into my car while attempting to make it look as factory stock as possible. I have a number of other things that I have done to my fiero, that to the un-initiated would look completly stock from the factory. I think that this mod is one of them and I hope you'll agree. I found this to be a fairly simple mod, that someone with moderate electical knowledge and skills, should be able to accomplish in an afternoon.

This mod was done on an 86 SE with a standard trans, it is also is equipped with an aux cluster. Which makes the wiring differ from other models. You should be able to do this on any model, you just need to switch the location of the bulb in the cluster. I will show you the two different locations that you can use.

Lets start......
First remove your cluster from the car including removing it from the binnacle (surround). Now remove your cruise module, for those that may not know your cruise module is, it is located by your right foot on the drivers side....
See that hump?....Right under there is your cruise module you just need pull back the carpet, and carefully remove it.

(ok I just noticed that you cant read whats in the box...thats gonna suck)

You have to remove the cruise circuit board from the case. To do this you need to depress the latch on the end and it should open right up.

You should have what looks like this....

Remove the board from the case and set them both aside temporarily we'll get back to them in a minute.
(NOTE:Yours may look different, don't worry about it, this one is a demo model that i had lying around I left the Fiero specific one at work)

Take a look at the cruise connector that you disconnected from the module in step one....

See those letters on the end? Those letters correspond with the tabs on the circuit board that you just removed.

(I labled mine for easire identification)

Now, take a second look at the connector, look for the letter "B". This is the terminal that we are going to work with.

Continued........I ran out of space for pics.

Why does it say maximum of 8 images and you can only post 6! ARRGH!! nevermind, I just found out thanks jake_dragon

------------------
A coward dies a thousand deaths..................A soldier dies but once.

Red 86 SE
Yellow 87 GT
Gold 86 SE (wrecked)
Red 84 2.5 Coupe

[This message has been edited by Fierofreak00 (edited 10-16-2005).]

If you turn the connector on end you'll noitice that "B" is an empty cavity.....

This is where we are going to install the control wire for the dash light.

The next thing you are going to need is a piece fo 22 gauge wire about 2 ft long or longer as you can always trim it. 22 gauge is very inportant here, as it will have to fit thru the connector in the next steps. This is going to be your control wire. (NOTE: For those that know how, you can actually remove a terminal from a spare connector and install in the empty terminal of your cruise connector. That is the way I did it, but removing the connector was a real pain and I've been working on cars for quite a while now. I came up with this alternate way so that the novice electrician can accomplish the same thing only easier.)
Take the 22 gauge wiring and solder it to the terminal marked "B" like so (you remembered to label it didn't you!)

Now reinstall the circuit board into the case, being careful to fish the wire back out the front. You should now have something like this:

Take the wire and push the wire thru the empty cavity in the cruise connector (remember when I said you needed to use 22 gauge!) Don't worry, it will fit with some coaxing. You should now have this:

Once you have the wire thru, seat the connector like so

( I have my case was removed for clarity, imagine that it is there, and this is what yours looks like)

Reinstall your cruise module and snake the wire up behind the instrument cluster so that you have a pigtail like this.

Cont......

[This message has been edited by Fierofreak00 (edited 10-16-2005).]

BADASS! +for you and you ant even done yet

Next locate connector C-1, It's that big 18 pin on right side of cluster, and find pins 5 (pink/black) and 6 (brown). Pin 5 is a switched ignition feed for the charge light on vehicles without aux gauges. On vehicles with aux, it does absolutely nothing. Pin 6 is the control side of the circuit, as well as the splice point for the feed to the aux gauge charge light. Remember aux gauges can be installed on cars not originally equipped so all cars are actually set up this way.

I am going to continue with the mod using my car, which has the aux gauges. I will also show you an alternate way if you car has a charge light.

See those brown wires on pin 6? You need to cut those off while leaving yourself about an inch of pigtail at the connector like so..

The two wires you cut off need to be spliced together to retain the operation of your aux gauge idiot light (if so equipped).. You then need to trim one of the two connector wires short, to prevent shorts (no pun) and then splice the control wire (from the cruise module) to the other brown wire. You should use some type of connector here (IE spade, bullet) to ease removal of the cruise module if needed in the future. I used posi locks here ( I like them alot and they are reuseable).

Although the next pictures are redundant, I feel it is important to post them (and I took alot of time to prepare them).

Trace the back of your cluster to find the unused socket for the charge light. This socket is blank on cars with the aux set up. I tried to make it easier to identify by coloring the lands on the circuit board. I also used red and black to signify + and -.

The next image is for cars without aux gauges, it utiliizes the shift light socket. People with autos will be able to use this with no problem as the autos dont use it anyway. People with standards now have to make a decision to disable the shift light or keep it (most people I talked to don't use it anyway).

The shift light wire on connector C-1 pin 1 (large 18 pin) needs to be cut and spliced just like the charge light except, you don't have any extra wires to splice together.

Now it's time to modify the light faces (lense?). Disassemble the cluster to remove the right turn signal lense, notice that the third one down is blank (again aux gauge equipped)

This is where we are going to modify to accept the cruise filter (or the shift indicater if you are putting it here).

Cont........

[This message has been edited by Fierofreak00 (edited 10-18-2005).]

Damn dude !

Great post. Thank you very much for taking the time to go step by step with photos.

+for you

Joel

That's awesome! I would be interested in doin it, but I'm not really planning on having working cruise LOL. I duno even if the car has cruise...

------------------

Cool mod, but i've never been fond of cruise lights.

------------------
Low 14 sec 99 Pontiac GTP, 3.2L V6 4 sp 86 Fiero GT

When are you going to come out with the Mod Kit? Thanks for showing us that in such detail, I'll be putting that on my list of things to do. The more lights and gizmos the better for me!

quote Originally posted by Fierofreak00: The next image is for cars without aux gauges, it utiliizes the shift light socket. People with autos will be able to use this with no problem as the autos dont use it anyway. People with standards now have to make a decision to disable the shift light or keep it (most people I talked to don't use it anyway). The shift light wire on connector C-2 pin 1 (small 12 pin) needs to be cut and spliced just like the charge light except, you don't have any extra wires to splice together.

Ok, I’m confused.
It looks like the ground for the shift light is on pin 1 of C-1 (big 18 pin)

thumbs up on the cool trick.

Fierofreak00, Gave you a "+" for a very good posting. (#79 is from me !)

Thanks for posting. + to you

Excellent post as I was just thinking of doing this & wonder what I was going to get into..
I bow down to you for this thread.
Thanks a million. Rick B

------------------
President of Cleveland Fieros
www.clevelandfieros.com

quote Originally posted by buddycraigg: Ok, I’m confused. It looks like the ground for the shift light is on pin 1 of C-1 (big 18 pin) thumbs up on the cool trick.

Do all manual trans. cars have shift lights factory?

Cool idea, even though my cruise doesn't work . I'll have to keep this in mind if I ever get around to fixing the cruise control.
"+" for taking the time to post your write-up.

[This message has been edited by GT86 (edited 10-16-2005).]

Great write-up! "+"

quote Originally posted by I wear pants: Do all manual trans. cars have shift lights factory?

i would assume so, but i've seen a lot that dont have one that works.

probably because they are annoying and everybody (including myself) take them out.

[This message has been edited by buddycraigg (edited 10-16-2005).]

quote Originally posted by buddycraigg: Ok, I’m confused. It looks like the ground for the shift light is on pin 1 of C-1 (big 18 pin) thumbs up on the cool trick.

It is, remember that the cruise module uses a ground to turn on the light. I only highlighted the circuits to illustrate where they come from and where you need to add the control circuit. Pin 9 is the switched power feed just like pin 6 using the charge light socket. -Jason

Very good thread but you already have a "+" from me. I'm going to book mark this one!

I went to give you a "+" but I already had. Figuring out what the module set when cruise was on was on my list of things to do...you saved me the effort. I will probably incorporate this into my firebird dash, although they don't have cuise lights stock either.

quote Originally posted by Fierofreak00: It is, remember that the cruise module uses a ground to turn on the light. I only highlighted the circuits to illustrate where they come from and where you need to add the control circuit. Pin 9 is the switched power feed just like pin 6 using the charge light socket. -Jason

now, i'm REALLY confused.

in your post you said it's C-2 pin1.

i said that it looked like it was C-1 pin1.

then you said "it is."

is it C-1 with the 18 pins or C-2 with 12 pins?

quote Originally posted by buddycraigg: i would assume so, but i've seen a lot that dont have one that works. probably because they are annoying and everybody (including myself) take them out.

All manual Fieros have the shift light, which is controlled by the ECM. On the '88s the shift light is disabled in the ECM code.

JazzMan

I have yet to see a working shift light. My 88 and 84 don't have one.

The connector shown is the 18 pin connector. It is also referred to as C3 in some books. That's what I call it in my drawings.

Wow, great detail and a useful mod! Good thinking, and thanks for putting the time and effort into informing all of us! + to you.

BTW, the shift light has always worked fine on the two Fieros I've had that actually ran (an '84 and an '86). =P

[This message has been edited by timwdegner (edited 10-17-2005).]

Self gratuitus bump.

[This message has been edited by Fierofreak00 (edited 10-18-2005).]

Anybody miss this, I found it on page three.

Last bump.......

ok.
for us SHIFT LIGHT people
is it C-2 pin1 or C-1 pin1?

cause you've said both

quote Originally posted by buddycraigg: ok. for us SHIFT LIGHT people is it C-2 pin1 or C-1 pin1? cause you've said both

Crap sorry, I now know what you meant! C-1 (18 pin), pin 1 which is the black trace in the second picture that is the one you want to splice to the control wire from the cuise module. I also edited the original post to reflect that. Again Buddycraigg, I'm sorry that I misread your original question. I hope this clears it up for you.
-Jason

I know the connectors are actually called differently by GM in the manual but in the interest of keeping it simple I just used the term c-1, c-2.

Thanks, Great Job and (+)

------------------

Very impressive.....and an excellent write up. Another + heading your way.

quote Originally posted by Fierofreak00: Crap sorry, I now know what you meant! C-1 (18 pin), pin 1 which is the black trace in the second picture that is the one you want to splice to the control wire from the cuise module. I also edited the original post to reflect that. Again Buddycraigg, I'm sorry that I misread your original question. I hope this clears it up for you. -Jason

thanks
i wanted to be sure i didn't fry something or create a subspace tear

quote Originally posted by buddycraigg: thanks i wanted to be sure i didn't fry something or create a subspace tear

No prob, glad I could help, Post some pics of yours when you get done, I would like to know if others are dong this. -Jason

Fierofreak00, you have a PM

Got it and replied to it, let me know what you think. -Jason

Just a bump to see if anyone has done this yet..

need to bump this for favorites

Nice Work.