HELP! GAuge swap _How to get dash off?

[stew]

JUst as the title says. DOesn't wanna come loose.and I can't spot any screws, don't wanna breakit either. LOL. Have it apart right now and need help soon as possible.

 

CAr is a 96 LUmina base, clumn shifter.

 

Thanks, Ryan

[stockgp]

you mean just the cluster? if so, i believe there are two bolts holding the top of the cluster to the dash. the bottom you just pull up a little until it pops out, then tilt it and pull it forward.

 

hope that helps

[stew]

No, just the actual dash before I can get to the cluster.

[stockgp]

ohthen take off the piece under the steering column, it has a couple screws and and a couple clips with plastic screws in them. then the trim around the gauges and radio just pulls off

[stew]

OK< got em in, now trying to find a power source.

 

WHAt is the best/easiest option? PArk lights?

 

If so, do I have to take some more stuff apart to get to those wires and which is power?

 

ALSo, what's a good ground to use?

 

THAnks, RYAn

[stockgp]

power source for what? what exactly are you doing there, chief?

[stew]

white face gauges.

[stockgp]

oh i see. well the cluster has a park light wire and ground wires of its own in the connector. i would say splice in there. as far as which wire is which, you'd have to ask someone else

[stew]

OK< where would that wire be located?

[jeremy]

OK< where would that wire be located?

 

on the harness that plugs in to the cluster

[stew]

what colors do I need to use though.?

[DiscoStudd]

Tap into the dark brown wire at the headlight switch's harness. You don't want to connect your glo-gauges to the "dimmer" wire that runs to the cluster's harness, you want to connect it to the parking light's main power wire (which is the dark brown wire at the headlight switch...)

[stew]

UGh, this sucks, now how do I get to the lightswitches wire? TRied to pull the box out, but doesn't seem to want to come.

[DiscoStudd]

I think the Hayne's manual shows you how to remove the headlight switch. IIRC, it just pulls straight out (don't hold me to that though, 'cause it's been a few months since I got rid of my 96 Lumina...)

[stew]

Anybody know for sure?

[stew]

OK, still haven't got the power run, but more importantly, the gas and temp needles just aren't working I don't think, and the speedo needle is sticking.

 

I put em all over to the left, took em off, and put em back on.

 

What did I do? :/

[stew]

TTT

[DiscoStudd]

The Hayne's manual says you need to remove the small defroster vent that sits directly above the headlight switch, then insert a screwdriver in the hole to depress a locking tab on the switch. The switch pulls straight out after that.

 

Did you remove the needles when you put on the gauge face? You're supposed to be able to slide the face on with the needles still attached. I think the proper way to remove the needles is to switch the ignition on (car not running) and make note of where the needles point. After that remove the cluster and remove the needles. When you get the new face on, reconnect the cluster, switch on the ignition, and put the needles back in the locations you noted earlier.

 

If the needles won't move at all, you might want to try prying up on the center of them just a tiny bit to give them more clearance around the glo-gauge face...

[jeremy]

I put em all over to the left, took em off, and put em back on.

 

What did I do? :/

 

 

sounds like you jacked up your cluster because you didn't have any idea what you were doing.

[stew]

OK, got the needles working, but that damn box.....

 

 

It will not come out, got to the tab, pressed as hard as I could with ym finger and a screwdriver, coems out some but will not come out the rest of the way. This is a HORRIBLE design!

 

Any ideas for getting it off or better yet somewhere else to wire for power? Am I the only one on the board who's done this? I know why if so. LOL

 

-Ryan

[stew]

Anyone?

 

This is frustrating, it took around a half hour total to install a set of gauges on my Dakota.

[DiscoStudd]

I would suggest reaching up under the dash to see if you can find the harness and try to give it some slack so you can pull the headlight switch out. The harness has to be binding up somewhere, and that's why you can't pull the switch out all the way. Worst case scenario, you could always run a wire through the firewall and tap into one of the parking lights directly...

[jeremy]

Any ideas for getting it off or better yet somewhere else to wire for power? Am I the only one on the board who's done this? I know why if so. LOL

 

Take Disco's advise and try to get some slack for the harness, as that is the easiest place to get your power source.

 

There are a few of us who have done the white gauges on their cars, including myself. I have never seen anyone turn such an easy project into something so difficult. The guage install should have realistically only take about a half hour from start to finish. If you didn't even know how to access the cluster, I would have recommended that you didn't try this install yourself.

[stew]

Better to ask questions and learn to do it than just not try because you don't know everything....

 

But, I think I made an error turning the gauges to the left and removing them, they don't seem to be working now (Fuel/Temp). Is there any way to make sure the stems inside are at the full left position? I know on my Dak there is a gauge test/reset that can be done with turning the ignition on and off. Any way to do this?

 

Thanks again for the help.

[jeremy]

I don't think there is anyway to test the guages, I would recommend picking up a replacement cluster and try the install on those by sliding the faces over the needles.