Third gen instrument panel

[oramac]

On the third generation instrument panels, how can you tell if the panel is for a V8 or a V6. The panel has gauges not lights. The car that it will be going into is a 84 Z28. Thanks.

[DeWynter]

Well My V6 only went to 160 Kph on the speedo, and my V8 goes too 240 kph. Not to sure about the pre 86 as Its been a long time since I owned one.

[LS1 TA]

Well My V6 only went to 160 Kph on the speedo, and my V8 goes too 240 kph. Not to sure about the pre 86 as Its been a long time since I owned one.

Me too. on my 3rd gens the speedo on the V6 went to 115 and the V8 went to 150. I belive there is also a difference between the 305TBI and the 350 TPI engines aswell. If I remember correctly the V6's and the 305 TBI may be the same.

[bn_bullet]

Actually, the '84 third gen Camaro Z28 had the dual pointer speedometer (showed both MPH and KPH on seperate scales) and only read to 85MPH. The main difference between the Z28 and standard models is that the Z28 had an oil pressure gauge, voltmeter, and water temp gauge and the standard models only had idiot lights. The Z28 gauges were available as part of the Sport package though so some of those models did have the extra gauges. Generally, if it is the dual pointer speedometer witht the extra gauges, it will work fine in an '84 Z28.

Brian

[oramac]

Third Gen

Thanks Brian. I think your reply answers my question.

Oramac

[TraceZ]

Not all V6s had idiot lights. There were plenty of V6 third gen cars with full gauges.

there are a few ways to tell which it is for.

Camaro oil pressure gauges went to 60 lbs on V8 models and 80lbs on V6 models. Also, on the back of the tachometer is a circuit board. On the circuit board it will be labeled for 6 or 8.

how high the speedometer went will not help you. Some V8 cars got 85 mph speedos, some got 115, some got 150.

I grew up in 3rd gens. I've owned several of them. I converted a 1986 V6 camaro to V8. It had V6 gauges originally. I replaced them with the V8 gauges.

[bn_bullet]

As I said in my previous post, the '84 Camaro Z28 ONLY had the 85MPH dual pointer speedometer. The 85MPH speedo was federally mandated. Later years received speedometers with 115 and 145MPH limits. Again, Z28's got gauges and base cars got idiot lights. The Z28 gauges were optional on the Sport models, so some V6 Sport models could have gauges instead of idiot lights from the factory. Please see the attached JPEG that was scanned from my factory 1984 GM Camaro shop manual for more info.

Brian

[TraceZ]

Relax, dude.

He never said what year car the instrament panel was from. He only said it was going into a 1984 and asked how to tell them apart. His question read "On the third generation instrument panels, how can you tell if the panel is for a V8 or a V6". My answer is very appropriate.