Our 96 Legacy wagon (MT) doesn't have cruise or a tach. I'm thinking of getting those parts from a similar Subaru at an auto wreckers and installing them. I'm assuming that the wiring harness will accommodate the new parts - just plug 'em in. Does anyone have any experience with a project like this?
I'm pretty sure the tach will go w/o issues, but there are a bunch of little things that go into making the cruise control work. For instance, I think the cruise takes a signal from an electronic speed sensor. If your car has a cable speedo, you will need the electronic pickup, _and_ an electronic gauge for the dash as well, as the sensor plugs in to the same spot as the cable. There will probably be other similar quandaries.
As long as you have ready access to a donor vehicle, and don't mind the sorting out process, you should be able to get it to fly by installing the proper pieces; i.e. the wiring harness and ECU should accommodate, and there will be mounting holes/tabs and such on the body.
If you undertake this project, do write back and let us know how things went.
ByeBye! S.
Steve Jernigan KG0MB Laboratory Manager Microelectronics Research University of Colorado (719) 262-3101
So far, I've done the tach install. I got the entire instrument cluster from another 96 Legacy and removed just the tach. The speedometer on both was electronic so the tach ran without anything else needed. A quick job, just the time needed to remove the instrument cluster and take it apart to put in the new tach.
The donor car was an automatic so I was able to get the vacuum parts and cables/air tubes from the engine compartment. They plugged in and bolted on easily. Also got the main system switch for the dash. I can also use the steering wheel cruise control unit but I needed a Torx screwdriver and didn't have one at the time. I also need to find another donor that has manual shift so I can get the clutch switch and the cruise computer as well as the brake switch. So far, everything has been just plug in. Couldn't be easier, so far. Hope to have the job done the next time I visit an autowreckers.
Dave
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