Adding factory cruise to my 84 Hatch...

[offthahook]

This would be so tight! My trim line (S) is the only line of Accords that didn't come with cruise. All the 4 doors and the 3 door LX's got CC. I have the Helm's books (ETM and SM). Here's my list of what I need. If you guys can think of ANYTHING else I could use or any advice, let me know!!

ACTUATOR

CONTROLLER/COMPUTER

COMBO SWITCH WITH SLIP RING

STEERING WHEEL "SET/RESUME" SWITCHES

STEERING WHEEL

INSTRUMENT CLUSTER

DASH "OFF/ON" SWITCH

WIRING HARNESSES (I NEED HELP WITH THESE)


There is also some kind of kill "switch" that cuts off the cruise when you hit the brake pedal. I don't know if that is an electrical relay deal or a mechanical deal on the brake pedal itself. Also, there is something to do with the gears on the automatic transmission. Need a little help with what goes on here as well. I know wiring will SUCK, but I know it can be done. I'm hoping to avoid using a whole new engine harness; I just need the cruise signal stuff. I mean my clock harness (and all other stuff) is fine, but I figure it's all in one harness from the factory... I really want to use OEM stuff and I have some of it already. I'll start a parts wanted thread someday.

EDIT: I can use my steering wheel and combo switch; I just need the slip ring horn deal for a cruise controlled car.

[PhydeauX]

I can't be too much help here, but I can say that "kill switch" for the cruise is on the back of the brake pedal. Same idea as the brake light switch, iirc its mounted right next to it. You're going to have fun with the harnesses. I don't know of any pinouts of the connectors so you'll have to track them down and make sure that all the wires are there yourself.

andy

[offthahook]

I can't be too much help here, but I can say that "kill switch" for the cruise is on the back of the brake pedal. Same idea as the brake light switch, iirc its mounted right next to it. You're going to have fun with the harnesses. I don't know of any pinouts of the connectors so you'll have to track them down and make sure that all the wires are there yourself.
andy

Cool. Didn't know about the exact setup of that brake switch (the pedals have the same part number for LX and S). Do you know if the 4 door steering wheel fits on the 3 door shaft? Yes, they look different from each other, but the steering column/shafts are the same between the 3 and 4 doors. Didn't know if you had ever tried anything like this or not. Do you know if the S and LX steering wheels are interchangeable? They have different part numbers, but maybe the LX wheel comes with the horn slip ring as well. Also, not sure about the combo switches (S and LX) on the hatches. Again, different part numbers, but that doesn't mean they are totally incompatible. Finding USABLE used parts is tricky for these old cars. I never throw out original stuff just in case... Thanks!

[PhydeauX]

I have a 89 prelude steering wheel on mine. As far as fitting, it fits the shaft and the contacts for the crusie switches line up, I use mine to control a 2 stage rev limiter. I had to trim the plastic a bit around the base because it rubbed, but that was it. I'd guess you won't have any problems with that wheel. Did the S hatches have the rear wiper? If they didn't I'd bet that'd be the diference. If not my guess would still be that it would work. I actually wouldn't be that surprised if a combo switch from a 3g or prelude worked. Go to the junkyard and grab a few, see what happens. Why are you changing the combo switch anyway? Does some of the wireing for the buttons on the steering wheel run though it? AFAIK it doesn't have anything to do with the cruise, just contorls for the blinkers, lights, and wipers.

andy

[offthahook]

Thanks Andy. The 4 door steering wheel does fit (I just tried it). The backside of my wheel has some plate looking thingy on it that the 4 door didn't. I bet the 3 door LX's steering wheels look like the 4 doors steering wheels on the BACK. I took that plate thingy off my wheel and I think I can use my wheel with the set and resume switchset from a 3 door. The set and resume switches aren't the same on the 3 and 4 doors because the steering wheel "center portion" spokes are slightly different (plus the color of the words-- orange or white). I think the combo switch should be fine, but they have different part numbers, too. Maybe the thickness or the clock spring or something is slightly different. Maybe not! Yes, the base models had the rear wiper. I see why the steering wheels from a 3 door S and a 3 door LX have different part numbers, but they are identical once you take everything off the backside. But, technically, they are different (even though they are molded from the same die at the factory). What fun, trying to reverse engineer a Honda...

Edit: Okay, I have the slip ring; that's the piece on the back that I took off. The reason the S and LX steering wheels have different part numbers is because you get the set/resume switch if you buy a new steering wheel from Honda for an LX (but no slip ring). If you buy a new S steering wheel, you get the slip ring, but no set and resume switch (obviously). The steering wheels are the same, just the "accessories" are different for each trim line.

[2ndGenGuy]

Just so you know, my 4-door also has a kill switch on the clutch pedal. So if you try to change gears, it won't over-rev.

[offthahook]

Just so you know, my 4-door also has a kill switch on the clutch pedal. So if you try to change gears, it won't over-rev.

Right. The automatics have something that does the same thing near the gear selector. Not sure exactly how that portion works, but I had to get the cruise computer from an Accord with an AT for sure. I think the difference is the clutch cutoff vs. the gear selector cutoff. Basically, if I shift to "N", the cruise control is shut off...

[2ndGenGuy]

Aah... Automatic. Thats why there was no mention of the clutch. I shoulda known. Interesting though, about the gear selector switch. Could it be the same switch that keeps the car from starting in gear?

[carotman]

There might be a VSS in the gauge cluster too so the cruise knows what speed you're going at. Make sure you got that thing. I know that some of the 3G Accords don't have the circuits but they have the actual vss that just does nothing hehe.

[Ichiban]

i dissected the speedo from my 83 and found that on the needle shaft behind the gauge face was a disc with 2 notches cut out of it and what looked like a hall effect pickup. the notches corresponded with 60 and 120 km/h on the gauge. could this be what you are talking about? as far as i could tell, the wires to it went nowhere.

[carotman]

Hmm, do you happen to have a picture of this. I will have a picture of the Accord VSS and we'll be able to compare stuff.

[offthahook]

What I did was just get a couple complete gauge clusters from 84 or 85 LX hatches. They have the cruise control "icon", which is the words "cruise control" at the top. I had to check the VIN of the donor cars because, yes, Honda used 2 kinds of clusters in the gen 2.5 Accords. They look the same from the front, but the backsides are different. Nippon Seiki (like mine) and NippoDenso. Now, the wiring harness that feeds the signal to the cluster will not be fun. HOPEFULLY, that's good enough to cover any issues in the gauges

[Ichiban]

Hmm, do you happen to have a picture of this. I will have a picture of the Accord VSS and we'll be able to compare stuff.

sorry, i trashed that gauge cluster. it was from my 83 non-cruise LX hatch that had AC at some point in it's life. i have another 83 cluster somewhere, but if you post a pic of the VSS i might be able to id it.