(tech) More odometer questions... (Tips)

[rhock99 at epix.net (Ryan H)]

Seeing as I might have sparked some interest in odometer repairs, here are some tips to help those who might want to try it.  Cathy, feel free to add any of your own tips being that you just did this too:

Getting the instrument cluster out:
1. The 2 large connectors on the bottom don't just yank out!  Use a THIN flathead screwdriver, and GENTLY pry the socket apart near the center until you can wiggle the connector out.  Once out, use a file on the little piece of plastic that sticks out on the connector and you won't have as much trouble next time.
2. Yes, the cluster does fit out the dash housing hole.  Be patient and gentle - although I beat mine up good and it's still ok.  To get it out the housing, you're gonna want to tilt it down and forward, then try working the left side out first.  Diagnals are your friend.

Tearing apart the instrument cluster: 
1. Mark the position of the needle AFTER you flip it over the stop pin (so that the needle hangs straight down, but face the gauge up so gravity doesn't affect its position).  Wherever the needle naturally stops, this is where you will reinstall it, then flip it back over the stop pin.
2. Prying the needle off is a bitch.  Don't pry under the spring, just under the round black housing that the white needle is attached to.  Finger prying didn't work in my case, and my fingers are pretty strong, so... you might have to use a screwdriver, and pry against it.  Be careful the other end of the screwdriver doesn't bend the speedo face-plate.  Pray you don't break anything.
3. The culprit is likely to be the metal gear that controls the odometer numbers.  See the red gear on a shaft?  See the metal gear on the other end of that shaft?  That metal gear should not spin independently of the red one.  Hold the red gear in place and apply some gentle pressure to the metal one.  If it spins, that's your problem!  Take the shaft out and use some pliers to burr the end where the metal gear sits, so that it won't spin.
4. The odometer numbers aren't fun to put back together.  Where you have them lined up when you put the metal gear on is where they will stay, so make sure they're all lined up right.  It's tricky to get the metal gear on without spinning the last number.  Try holding the little gears that flip the numbers tightly (you'll see what I mean) while you slip the metal gear in.

> OK, cool.  The way Bentley describes it, I thought I would have to remove the whole dash to get in there.  And, I will be removing the steering wheel.  I like room to work as I'm a big guy with big hands... and you know what that means....
>  
> Mike (needs big gloves)
> 
> Brian Wagner <brian_wagner@sbcglobal.net> wrote:
> Mike, no need to remove the dash or the steering wheel(if factory) to remove the instrument cluster. Remove the 2 screws on the cluster surround and the 1 screw from the cluster. From the bottom disconnect the two large plugs and then the speedo cable, center the steering wheel with the large opening on the top. And remove, pretty simple really.
>  
> Brian
> 
> Mike Smith <smithma7@yahoo.com> wrote:
> I, too, anxiously await answers as I am going to be trying this fix soon. There's actually a lot I need to do in there, so I'm waiting on a few parts before I start. I want to do it all at once, so I don't have to take it apart more than once. I'm also hoping to accomplish it all in a weekend. Question: On the chance I can't finish it all before returning to work, is it worth leaving the dash and whatnot off while I drive? I'd put the instrument cluster back, but as I said above, I'd like to not have to remove dash, etc. more than once.
> 
> Mike
> 
> Cathy Boyko wrote:
> 
> Well, for whatever reason I finally decided to around get to fixing my
> odometer. So I have it on my kitchen table, with a companion guinea pig
> cluster, and am following Foxx in the Box'as tech notes. So I'm at "use the
> small screwdriver to gently pry up the gold speedometer spring" step. but it
> doesn't move. 
> 
> So some questions, and I'd reallly like to get the car fixed for the WF trip
> Friday morning.
> 
> SO:
> 1. Where do I pry the speedo needle, I'm assuming you apply pressure from
> below ( with the screwdriver resting on the plastic housing , and pry up on
> the brass ring that holds the spring to the speedo shaft, is that right? The
> plastic just flexes, and the ring doesn't budge. On either of the clusters.
> :(
> 
> 2. I don't see any cracks in the gears, but the drive gear shaft slides
> laterally through the barrels of the numbers, is there supposed to be anything
> to resist this movement? 
> 
> 3. I'm assuming I need that spring assembly off to lift the odometer free of
> the cluster, and this will reveal the gear that is the problem. Is there
> anything else?
> 
> 
> Thanks, I await your wisdom.
> 
> cathy (hey, at least I got this far on my own!)
> 
> 
> 
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