Need info on the tach swap

[Nickb1907]

Pull the circlip that is on the end of the drum out, then CAREFULLY ease the individual number wheels that direction one at a time until they are free, and can be rotated to the correct number. After you have all the corrected numbers in place, reverse the process starting at the highest (100,000) to lowest numbers sliding them back until they engage. Then use a pair of needlenose to reinstall the circlip, slide the gear back into the body, move the other gear meshing it with the green one, the the metal retaner held by the screw.
You may have to play with it some to get the numbers to line up as they turn over so they stay straight. Just use some patience, and it gets easier now you have done it before.
When you go to mount your new cluster, dont forget to move your speedo cable from the center hole to the right side of the column reinforcement. Just pull it out toward the front of the car from the engine compartment side enough to move it over, then reverse that process. This is a good time to check your transaxle fluid too since the gear will be out. That is also your dipstick. Just don't use the tab on that adapter the has the bolt to pry on. It WILL snap off. If you run into trouble, let us know. It really isn't bad to do any of this after this first time.

Michael
The lighting is all interchangeable. 194 bulbs in all the 1/4 turn sockets on the printed board, # 73 in the top. You can try the LEDs too if you wish. Sam said he found strips of them at McParts stores.

i dont want to mess with the realignment, plus i only have 10K miles left to turn me and the g/f switch off while watching TV

Im going to order LEDs and replace all the bulbs, Anyone ever use an overlay to change the "picture" of the cluster thinking all white with blue lettering would be cool.

[m715]

Yes! There have been people who have made those. Make a new thread in the customs & mods section, and I am sure you will get a hit.

[codex]

Anyone else prefer the orange face cluster? Gives me that made in the 80's vibe.

[m715]

I just have three cars to one orange vs white face myself!
Mostly, though, I really like the little extras with the tach cluster like the trip meter and the "lights on" reminder the std cluster doesn't have. I hated the "shift" light in the std early cluster too!!!! Don't tell me when to shift!!!

[TominMO]

I just have three cars to one orange vs white face myself! I hated the "shift" light in the std early cluster too!!!! Don't tell me when to shift!!!

My Aspire SE has the shift light. Considering a dashboard mod, consisting of installing a piece of electrical tape over the shift light. Should take under three hours, and I'll do a writeup.

[doylerl]

My Aspire SE has the shift light. Considering a dashboard mod, consisting of installing a piece of electrical tape over the shift light. Should take under three hours, and I'll do a writeup.

Funny... I would just remove the bulb myself, because tape looks a little tacky for me... I have gotten used to seeing it though, because my grandpa doesn't believe in "check engine" lights, so he tapes over them when they come on. Any time I barrow one of his vehicles he says, "Don't worry about the light, it's always on. Probably some damn sensor or something. Don't take the tape off because I don't want to have to see it!" O well, it's his car, if thats what he wants, I will not fix it...

[TominMO]

^ Actually, tacky is the point. It amuses me to just use the tape, until (if ever) I get around to yanking the cluster to pull the bulb out.

[manxbuggy1]

I also switched from the factory white speedo only to the orange tach guage and It is a little brighter, but the hands dont light up at all. Is this the pin rotating problem that Mike was talking about or something else. I can live with it if I must but it would be cool to not have to strain to see my speed and rpms.

[m715]

I would be looking at the top bulbs in the cluster. Those are the #74 ones that are iluminate the face itself , and allow you to see the tach & speedo. It looks very dark without them.
Michael

[m715]

These are the bulbs

[m715]

Instead of removing the bulb, I took care of that problem...... tach cluster/no more problem
I commute a great deal in darkness, and a flashing light distraction while dodging deer just doesn't cut it!
Bad enough dealing with the two to four sets of lights that blare 90 to 400 watts of light at and into the car just when your eyes have adjusted to the darkness.

[manxbuggy1]

Do the top two bulbs light up the red hands as well? The rest of the guage is plenty bright but the hands don't glow at all. There is a picture earlier in this thread with the hands glowing bright red. They kind of look like they are lit from within. Thanks again in advance
Rick

[m715]

What I always found was that the cluster itself was lit up by the bulbs identified by ILLUM on the printed circuit board that have 194 bulbs , and the needles themselves were lit from above by the light bar that has #74 bulbs. Two other notes....
You can use the light bar from the standard cluster that has 4 bulbs instead of 2 to make the cluster brighter (this is what I do), or an LED strip to brighten it up.
The original bulbs were slightly longer shanked, so it helps to file the sockets down just a little so the new bulbs seat better in the socket. Otherwise, they may flicker when you hit bumps, which is annoying at best.

Michael

[manxbuggy1]

Thanks Michael for the excellent advice. I replaced the top 2 bulbs and voila my entire guage cluster is much brighter including the hands.