How To: Gauge Cluster Removal

[Antoine]

Thanks tailland!

HowTo: Gauge cluster removal :-)

Deinstalling the gauge cluster is pretty easy, but you got to be a little careful with this since damaging your cluster could mean a 300-500US$ replacement repair ! So take your time.

Step 1
Your Equipment:
1 small towel
1 large screwdriver (recessed head screwl)
1 small screwdriver (recessed head screwl, wrench or not, does not matter)


Step 2
Adjust the steering wheel to the lowest position. You will need this space for proper work and taking the cluster out of the dashboard.


Step 3
First of all unscrew these 2... Use the short screwdriver since you don't have a lot of space.


Continued on next post...

[Antoine]

Step 4
Press down the left plastic panel side with your thumbs and pull it towards you. Do the same with the right plastic panel side. It won't need a lot of force actually.


Step 4b
The plastic panel will pop out of its fittings. Take it out completely.


Step 5
Unscrew this at the top.


Step 6
Unscrew those.
(BTW: at the bottom you can see how the panel fits in these holes)


Continued on next post...

[Antoine]

Step 7
Now put the towel on the steering linkage cover and pull the cluster out until you can reach the plugs at the back. Lay the clear cover glass on the towel so it doesn't get scratched.


Step 8
Unscrew this big baby. As you can see the metal has a plastic fitting at the back so you don't have to remember which side is up or down :-)


Step 9
Removing the plugs can be a bit nasty. Due to high outdoor temperatures the plastic plugs could be expanded and sit in their fittings very tightly.


So press the small tabs with your screwdriver and at the same time grab the whole wiring bunch to pull the plug out! This maybe your only chance to get the plugs out without hurting yourself or the wiring ! Do this slowly.

After that you can pull the whole cluster out and take it indoor to open it !!!

How to open it....
--------------------

Step A
Depending on what you want to to with the cluster you take out the small clips out of the fragile plastic fittings.
If you only want to work on the surface (installing a bezel or tacho rings) you only have to take off the CLEAR clips (top,bottom,sides)...therefor you don't need any force...just push the clips gently through their fittings... then take the clear plastic cover off and lay it on a towel so it won't be scratched...


Step B
Of course you can try to disassemble the whole cluster (e.g. for installing custom gauge faces or painting it or whatever...

BUT REMEMBER THIS:
With the newer Protegé models there is no known way to remove the needles off the dials without BREAKING them (which is a 300-500US$ replacement repair!) Keep that in mind when you try installing a gauge dial or painting the needles.. the needles break / malfunction VERY easily !


[Re]Assembly
Actually there's nothing big to say about reassembling the whole cluster and reinstalling it in your car...just follow the steps backwards and you're done. No additional problems.

Have fun! Hope you like this little HowTo!!!
(C)opyright 2003 // mirrored from www.protege323.tk
[/quote]

[got wake?]

i do believe i am one of the only, if not the only one to sucessfully remove the needles on my guage cluster. i've done it 4 times now to try different light setups behind the plastic without any problems. but i don't recomend it to anyone. it takes 2 butter knives and very steady hands to apply just the right amount of pressure evenly on the center plastic. and the downside to taking them off, if you do get them off, is there is no indication of where the needles need to face. *IF* anyone even thinks about trying this, which like i said, i don't recomend, do yourself a favor and take a picture with a digital camera, so you can blow up the pic and print it out to get the needles in just the right place. and do it with the car running and the engine warmed up, because it won't work to put the needles in the lowest postition if the car's off.

BTW, nice how to

[sal002]

Is that paint + Dave's rings? Or a brushed aluminum gauge plate?

[TStar]

rings+brushed alu bezel

[sal002]

damn...my bezel doesn't seem to fit that nice.

[TStar]

the bezels from speedhut (like mine) have a BAD fit indeed!!!

use a small file/rasp to get away those edges/parts that do not fit properly....

[sal002]

Good idea...seems I have some filing to do ;P

[Mp5978]

Guess i have to do the same too. good thing i found his thread before the installation.

[eting_pro5]

Can we get a how to on painting the plate...i'm afraid it will turn out like shit.

[TStar]

oh i forgot to mention 2 things...

1. do not(!) use the double sided tape provided along with the bezel...it sucks a lot..when temperatures got higher in summer the bezel just FELL OFF(!!!) and it was no fun to look at the bezel jumping around the tacho (especially the needles) when driving home ... i went to a DIY store and bought some real strong dstape (pulling with 1kg/1cm^2)..

2. @ got wake ...
you could try to provide us with a howto for complete disassembly of the gauges....

[fLyPiNoY7]

cant see pics...

[TStar]

right now my domain protege323.tk is restructured...i will put the images online again very soon..stay wired..

[Mr. Win]

hmmmmmmmmm