1997 Ford F150 XL Shop Truck Factory Tach Upgrade! 

Thank you! Sometimes a visual demo makes things easier for me as well.

Hi Scottpark3632! You are welcome, and thank you very much for watching, commenting and supporting my videos/channel! I appreciate your contribution so much!

Thank you, have a good one!

Well, yes I have retired from servicing vehicles for the public...but not because I wanted to. I plan to make a video explaining what happened to cause this. A minimal part of it is due to health issues, the other part of it I'll just have to explain.

@@SlickRidezGarage I'm sorry to hear about your health. I'll keep you in my prayers. Take care.

It’s been 2 years and you just liked that comment?😂

Only way you're gonna fix that issue for that year is to replace the headlight "header" that the headlights mount on... it's behind the grill. You can Google pictures of it. Ford made a change after that year, yet after market headlights and side marker lamps will still work so long as you change that header. You will not get new original headlights lenses for that year anywhere, so to use aftermarket lenses which look identical to yours is buy the header... the header will bolt right on with no problems. A salvage yard might have one if they'll sell just the header. However, once you change the header you cannot use your original headlight lenses or side marker lamps... those will also need to be changed as they will mount slightly different than the aftermarket ones.

Jleaalaas did you ever fix it? And if so, how?

Thank you very, very much! I worked for over 1000 hours total on this video and for you to say that means a lot to me. The fact is changes by RU-vid lately have been very discouraging. Comments like these are a huge encouragement from the people I'm doing these videos for; you, and they make me want to continue. Now you can tach yours up and let 'er rip! With all sincerity, thank you and have a good one!

Thanks for your appreciation, subscription and comments! I dropped a 2005 engine in mine and since then she's been good as gold! Hang in there for more videos! Have a good one!

Hopefully my health will improve and I'll be able to do that. I'm getting better, but its taking more time than I hoped.

I knew it was good because I own the truck it came from. And you're right, those odo gears have a bit of a glass chin as they age. Thanks for watching and commenting, hope you subscribed!

They’re incredibly cheap in Texas. Got my 2000 v6 F150 last year for $800. It sat in a field for 6 years. It only needed a fuel pump and new tank to get it running. I slowly began replacing parts. It’s been a blast repairing, sourcing,and upgrading parts on it. Parts are really cheap and plenty of videos to help you fix or upgrade almost anything on it.

One man's trash is another man's treasure. There's already enough unrecycled plastic in the landfill.

I'm not sure how I missed this, but I really do appreciate your support and I'm super glad you liked the video. Thank you very much!

Thank you very much! I'm glad you like them. There will be one new video every Sunday until September 17 for this season! Thanks for commenting and have a great day!

Most of the time the PATS system will trigger and it's a trip to the dealer to get it started again.

I tried it today and yup my truck wouldn’t start 😏😏

@@_nava_323_what did you have to do to get it started again? I just got a cluster with a tach for my ‘04 Heritage. Wasn’t aware this would be an issue.

@@brianrowland2561 had to get the key programmed to the new cluster, the cluster has the anti theft on it, they vv argued like $50 bucks

About the time you made this comment I started having health issues. I wish I could have helped you. Sorry about that.

About the time you made this comment I started having health issues. I wish I could have helped you. Sorry about that. The digi odos won't swap to the 97/98 trucks.

I never tracked it down that far since mine was plug and play.

I had a parts truck, a 98 F150.

I think you will have to have the mileage set on the new odo

Thank you very much! I appreciate your subscription and comments. Hang in there and more videos will be coming!

Slick Ridez Garage Slick Ridez Garage Not a problem at all @Slick Rides Garage. Btw with the model F-150 you have I have been looking into for quite a while as a first truck within a few months now of possibly getting one. But one question I can't seem to get an exact answer on is Converting a 2wd to a 4wd and I've also heard that it's easier to do a solid front axile swap instead. But I'd like to know what your imput on this is and if you could make a video on it addressing it if possible. The difference of converting 2wd to 4wd or just solid front end axile swapping instead for a Ford F-150 97-03. So if possible I'd greatly appreciate it. 😃 Have a great rest of the day and would greatly appreciate a response.🙂

I'm pretty sure the reason for not getting an answer is because the time required and cost to convert to 4WD far exceeds the value of the truck. It can be done, but at what cost and how much time to complete? Here's what I did: First, maybe have a look at this video: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-5-V2tZ3Jd6c.html I bought the F150 Shop Truck as a "basket case" with a bad engine for $500.00. The total investment to get it running and driving reliably was about another $1000.00 plus my time.....and it was already a 4X4. There are so many of these F150's around that ones needing work are pretty cheap and are on nearly every street corner. My suggestion is to start with a 4X4, fix that up and save yourself a lot of time bread and aggravation. Start with the cleanest 4X4 truck you can find or afford and go from there. Let me know if you have questions. I would have jumped in sooner here.....but it's a Monday! Have a good one!

Slick Ridez Garage Thank you so much for the reply. I will definitely look into that in the long run as well if I can somehow convince my dad to get me a 4x4 that's affordable lol. But there is a place down the road from where I live and they mainly just sell 2wd F-150's maybe 4x4's but I have to look over there more often to actually see what they have when they mostly sell very clean 97-03 F-150's from what I've seen passing by there. The company name is Taylor's Truck Center in Alachua FL if you want to give it a look. But anyways again have a great day and thanks for the reply. 🙂

About the time you made this comment I was in a full blown health crisis. I wish I could have helped you. Sorry about that.

No problem. You had more important things to worry about!!!. Are you okay?.

Yes, the swap works for the V6 and V8 1997 and 1998. Thanks for your question

Thanks for taking the time and answering me. Hope you're feeling better.

School bus transmission?

In my case, nothing. The mileage difference was documented in the video. In my state the department of motor vehicles has a sticker available that can be applied to the door jamb for mileage documentation. If I were to sell the vehicle I'd have to provide the buyer with a statement of the mileage discrepancy and the reason why. As long as it's documented at the time of sale I'm in the clear and covered.

@@SlickRidezGarage So I went and bought a used Cluster from the local pick and pull, not convinced that there was no was to make the new clusters mileage the same as my original cluster. along with removing the front of the cluster I removed the back, There is a common repair that replacing the pinion gear on the electric motor that drives the gear set that advance the 2 rollers that display the total mileage and the trip mileage display when they stop working, while there's no need to touch the motor an inch and a half to the left when the cluster is on it's face upside down in front of you is the end of the analog spool that is the mileage roll. Taking a pair of say 5 inch needle nose pliers you pry the spool out by pulling on it using the edge of the case it's in. Take the spool out of the new cluster and put the spool in from your old cluster and presto you have the original 97000 instead of the 275000 plus that the new one is reading. I know these instructions are a little vague but it is possible to to transfer your old mileage to the new instrument cluster. if you just take a look at it for a minute I'm sure most will figure it out. Sorry I know it would be easier to explain by having photos after trying I couldn't figure how to up load photos on you tube. This will only work with 1997-98 analog dash clusters.

This swap is for the 1997 and 1998 F150. The 1999 has a digital odometer. The swap with a digital odo cluster is reported to work but may trigger the PATS system in to thinking the truck is being stolen and may result in a no-start and a trip to the dealer or qualified shop for re-programming. The digital odo's can be re-programmed by the dealer or qualified shop to match your old odo reading. Thanks for watching!

Slick Ridez Garage thank you for the reply, I may just restore the original one then.

Thanks for clearing that up... I just bought an aftermarket cluster for my 1999. Gonna look awesome

Yes, but at the risk of damaging the indicator needles and not getting the needles in their proper place so the gages indicate properly. Thanks for watching and for your question!

@@SlickRidezGarage Update: I was able to swap original odometer mechanism into a cluster set with a tachometer and so far everything is working well. I really appreciated your tutorial video

I bought a new slow cooker...a turtle with a spatula!

Your 2001 truck has a PATS system, or passive anti theft system. As I said in the video, this swap is only for 1997-1998 model F150's with an analog odometer. To swap the cluster in a 2001 you will need to take it to the dealer or suitable shop with the equipment to properly re-program the ECU and reset the PATS system. You may now need to have it re-programmed anyways since the PATS system has been triggered.

@@SlickRidezGarage thank you so much

My understanding is yes, but swapping clusters with digital odo's may require a trip to the dealer to reset the PATS system. Thanks for watching!

these engines die super fast if you don't make sure to change the oil religiously, the oil channels can get clogged VERY easily, and the spark plugs only have 2-3 threads holding them on so blowing them out or over tightening is a super common problem. I'm guessing either of these problems.

Is your odo mechanical or digital?

Which circuit board do you propose to change, and is that for preservation of the odometer reading? Check out the comments below about doing this swap on a 99up F150. I'm thinking this may help? I spent Veteran's Day with a friend who served or I would have answered sooner, sorry about that, any more and I should be back with you this evening. Thanks for watching and have a great day!

Slick Ridez Garage the circuit board in the cluster itself. I think for 98 down it is plug and play, but for 1999 up if the circuit board is changed it requires a trip to the dealer. The circuit board with no tach won't fit a cluster with a tach I believe? That comment did help actually, the dealer actually gets the computer to communicate with the cluster then if the truck has PATS?

I've never done this swap with the digital ODO (99up), but some time ago a friend who's also a technician and another friend who isn't did. As I remember the tach and non-tach cluster's connectors are the same. Neither of their PATS systems triggered, and the non-tech friend did his swap in the dealer parking lot, just in case. While he was there he had his odometer setting updated. My belief is PATS can be triggered if the battery is re-connected while electrics in the dash are disconnected. I'll see if I can get in touch with the tech friend of mine in the morning and see if I missed anything.

Still haven't heard anything back from anyone. Sorry.

no problem, I had an appointment will the dealership because my truck wouldn't start after I installed the new one. paid 150 bucks for 1 hour of work and they couldn't figure it out. they asked for another 4 hours so I I decided not to go with them and try an auto electric repair shop. Very frustrating. Did they perhaps do their swap with the battery disconnected and maybe that's what they were successful??

What about it? Mileage certification?

Could be, which trim designation is your truck, XL, XLT?

It is a 97 F250 light-duty CNG model single cab long bed

You'll need to check the pinouts on the instrument cluster connector and make sure the wire for the tach is there. If it is then most likely the cluster is bad or there is a signal problem from the ignition system to the tach.

Ended up being a bad cluster I took it back to the Salvage and exchanged it for another one installed it and the tachometer work just fine. Only this one the odometer didn't work so I took the worm gear from my original cluster and replaced it on the small electric motor that drives the odometer everything works fine now.

Sweet! Thanks for updating and doing the swap! Have a good one!

Being in neutral makes it easier to remove the steering column/ dash trim. If you are going to do this swap on a 1999up truck please be advised the swap with a digital odo cluster is reported to work but may trigger the PATS system in to thinking the truck is being stolen. This may result in an anti-theft system no-start and a trip to the dealer or qualified shop to resolve. The digital odo's are easier to re-program to match your old odo reading so take a picture and document the miles before the swap! Thanks for watching and have a good day!

Thanks for the heads up man probably saved me a big headache

Your welcome. A friend of mine did the 1999-03 tach cluster swap in the Ford dealer parking lot.....just in case. Although his PATS didn't activate it could have saved him a tow bill doing it that way. Sometimes they trigger and sometimes they don't. It also saved him a lot of trouble getting the dealer to reprogram the odometer....he showed the service manager his miles on the old one and told him what he was doing. If you live in a larger metro area an independent shop should have the equipment for PATS recovery and ODO programming. Oh and your headlight switch does not have the slide lock mechanism, you have to pry the later switch out. I think the cut-off is 1999 or 2000 for the slide lock switch. Anyways thanks for watching and for your question. Have a good one!

It seems complicated, but it's also kinda genius in a way. Once a person knows how they come out it's actually really easy! Thanks for watching and commenting, hope you subscribe!

LOL! They made it simple but mysterious, that's for sure!

No, 99-03 for your truck only since you have the digital Mileage

It's a Ford not a GM... Lol