I have an 02 F150 XL 4.2 5sp which has the basic cluster, no tach. Cosidering its a 5sp I would really like having a tach. Before I buy an aftermarket one and have to fgure out where to put it, does anyone know if I can just upgrade the cluster to one with a tach and have it be plug & play? Is the wiring already in place or would I need to wire it?

 

The truck is already wired for the tach. The problem is that you will have to have the cluster flashed to work in your truck. IT IS NOT plug and play. Your truck has PATS, so to make this work, you'd either have to have the system flashed, or have the PCM and Key/cylinder assembly from the donor vehicle to install (PCM would have to be from a 4.2 with std trans). This is a complicated way of doing it, but without a reflash, it is the only way to work from 99 in Gen 10's that I've seen. There is a couple write ups on here about guys trying it and failing with this change out. 1997 and 1998 are a piece of cake. They are analog, so they swap out as P&P. Your's isn't that model so it isn't as easy.

I managed to change the cluster in my 07 Mustang, and did so without reflashing the cluster. It wasn't suppose to work, but it did. It does show an ABS light, since mine did not have ABS. Otherwise, everything is up and operational. There is something about 05-07 wiring that allows it to be done. The 08's and up could not be changed without the flash, according to my books.

 

Thanks. I found a guy selling clusters on eBay (for about $90) who also does the flash (or cloning as he calls it which also gets your odometer to be correct) but he wants an addition $159 to do it and also he keeps your existing cluster as a core. While I have no issue with paying for the service, something about giving my good working cluster also makes it seem expensive, especially when you consider I can mount a 2" aftermarket for less than $90

 

You can do the initialization of cluster to PCM using forscan and an elm adapter yourself. But there are some limitations to what can be done with odometer to avoid fraud. I recall something like a cluster odo can only be adjusted up or something.

Dealer can do the initialization and odomoter adjustments however.