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Instrument cluster needles jamming

Posted: Sun May 23, 2010 5:14 pm
by brent88
recently brought a white face dial kit off ebay. took the needles by gently applying force to each side of the needles with 2 spoons and levering out. installed the kit, put needles back in and they all jam except the closk and the speedo (which are sorta different setups)

on the shaft at the (near the needle)its thick for about 2cm then it goes narrower for about 3 mm.

can get these gauges to work by pulling them out the the secoind notch but then they fall back in and jamm where ever the needle is.

any suggestions?

thanks in advance
brenton

Re: Instrument cluster needles jamming

Posted: Sun May 23, 2010 7:01 pm
by mr-charisma
shoulda done a search before pulling the needles off mate .. it's been covered at least half a dozen times..

you'll either have to keep playing with them .. removing / re-fitting until you get them right / take it to an auto electrician & pay some big dollars to get them recalibrated, or buy a new dash cluster

Re: Instrument cluster needles jamming

Posted: Sun May 23, 2010 7:15 pm
by brent88
got a spare dash cluster, its not about the alignment its about them jamming

Re: Instrument cluster needles jamming

Posted: Sun May 23, 2010 8:28 pm
by mr-charisma
It will most prob be because they're pushed down too far so lifting up a little or re-fitting should help .. Otherwise they could be catching on the dials

Re: Instrument cluster needles jamming

Posted: Sun May 23, 2010 11:25 pm
by brent88
yea i have tried that but it falls back in to far everytime, and nah their not catching the dials. i dont know whats wrong with it, i can set it all up right but yea the needles stick untill i pull em out ever so slightly then they work for like 5 seconds.

the tacho always works but its real slow and when i know im at 8k it says like 5 and a half, so maybe its slipping inside or jamming

any ideas?

Re: Instrument cluster needles jamming

Posted: Mon May 24, 2010 10:25 am
by vipfto
Did you use thin double sided tape to stick them (dials) down? also make sure they are not catching on shaft of needle, as Mr c said may have also pushed needle down to much or not enough too.

But no need to get new dash or calibrated its easily repairable if not reading correct

Re: Instrument cluster needles jamming

Posted: Mon May 24, 2010 1:20 pm
by mr-charisma
best to use hot glue to stick them down .. hold them on good, goes v.thinwhen you press it down, easily removable later & leaves no sticky residue behind when you peel it off

Re: Instrument cluster needles jamming

Posted: Mon May 24, 2010 3:24 pm
by brent88
yea i glued all faces down and their def not rubbing agaist needle. dunno whats wrong with em

any way of lubricating needle or glueing then so they dont slip down?

for the time being i got a gr instrument cluster in there just had to swap some lights in the back (tcs) also some were blown but works fine unsure if fuel gauge is working but time will tell lol

Re: Instrument cluster needles jamming

Posted: Tue May 25, 2010 10:01 am
by Cassf88
just take it to an auto elec, jeez. quit while you're ahead

Re: Instrument cluster needles jamming

Posted: Tue May 25, 2010 10:54 am
by vipfto
really no need to take it to a sparky

try just pulling them out a little may just take a little of trial and error but way better than $ for a sparky to do it

Re: Instrument cluster needles jamming

Posted: Tue May 25, 2010 11:49 am
by I8A4RE
Cassf88 wrote:just take it to an auto elec, jeez. quit while you're ahead

LOL!! If that aint a woman speaking I dont know what is.

Re: Instrument cluster needles jamming

Posted: Tue May 25, 2010 3:59 pm
by Cassf88
hell yeah!

Re: Instrument cluster needles jamming

Posted: Tue May 25, 2010 8:47 pm
by brent88
sparky's are arrogant when u take em somehitng thats not a crapadore or a POS ford and it dosent have anything to do the electrics i dont think i think its to do wityh the shaft

anyone had a this problem before and fixed it?

thanks

Re: Instrument cluster needles jamming

Posted: Thu May 27, 2010 5:33 am
by silverGPX
brent88 wrote: i think its to do with the shaft

anyone had a this problem before and fixed it?

thanks

Thats what she said ;)

Re: Instrument cluster needles jamming

Posted: Thu May 27, 2010 8:02 am
by Cassf88
if the sparky's you deal with are arrogant, you deal with the wrong type of people.

i changed my background and took it to a auto elec, he wasnt able to calibre it properly straight away so i got it at half price n its working perfectly. something like the dash, i dont get why you would want to fiddle with it. and if you fiddle with it and it hasnt worked accordingly cut your loses and give it to someone who has a better idea and a warranty.

/end

Re: Instrument cluster needles jamming

Posted: Thu May 27, 2010 8:35 am
by rock_it
I would say that you have the teeth slightly off .. And when it is spinning, it engages the wrong the teeth, hence it is slower and seems to jam ...

Someone once suggested to go to a jeweller to have them put the needles back on ... But yeah, the needles are very delicate, and I wouldn't be surprised if you have damaged the teeth ...

Re: Instrument cluster needles jamming

Posted: Thu May 27, 2010 2:16 pm
by brent88
i dont think there are teeth on it its just a smooth shaft

Re: Instrument cluster needles jamming

Posted: Thu May 27, 2010 2:22 pm
by aza013
brent88 wrote:i dont think there are teeth on it its just a smooth shaft
oh there are so meany things that could be said about the above :lol:
But I am going to keep it clean.

Re: Instrument cluster needles jamming

Posted: Thu May 27, 2010 2:24 pm
by brent88
o yea lol i would edit it but its funnier that way

Re: Instrument cluster needles jamming

Posted: Thu May 27, 2010 4:52 pm
by rock_it
lol ...

But yeah, usually there is some form of gears in it that interchange links .. That is what keeps it smooth when moving .. My commonwhore was like that ... But, I have never pulled apart an FTO cluster ... So not sure..