Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Help fixing gauge needles

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

    Help fixing gauge needles

    I installed the PCP reverse gauges, and broke both the gas and temp gauge needles in the process. I'm determined to figure out a way to fix them instead of shelling out the money for a new cluster, and I'm wondering if people have ideas on how to go about it.

    Here's what I have so far:


    My first attempt to fix them was just to glue the two plastic pieces together with model glue, because I thought that was where it connected originally. Now the needles don't move at all. I'm assuming that what I need to do is solder the two metal pieces back together. However, according to blueLEDz, to get them in the right position I have to reattach them while the cluster is in the car and turned on, and I'm not sure if I can get them in the right position that way.

    Any ideas?
    Last edited by jnorion; 01-28-2004, 01:50 AM.

    #2
    here's what i'm gonna do, since i'm such a nice guy i'm going to take off my needles again and measure the metal rod, and take some close up pics. if it's the actual metal rod that is broken, then the only way to fix that is to find a replacement. i don't know how easy that's going to be, but it's worth a shot. did you break the metal, or the plastic that holds it at the top? i'll have some pics up in a little while

    Comment


      #3
      Well I busted it at the rods too. Luckily I found a good deal on a new cluster though.

      Comment


        #4
        Originally posted by Proto2k
        Well I busted it at the rods too. Luckily I found a good deal on a new cluster though.


        guess what i just did? i did worse than tempted fate, i walked up and called him a pussy. and you wanna know what? he won i broke my temp guage needle but it was my own fault. i got the needle off, but the metal rod was still in the cluster. so i used some needle nose pliers to pull it out. well, the gas and temp needle rods aren't supposed to come out only the speedo and tach are. and i'm assumin everyone elses broke down in the cluster, where it actually turns at. yeah, there's no fixin that. but if it's just the temp and gas guages that everyone broke, you don't need them. the gas light will come on regardless of the needle, and you can use the trip meter to guestimate when you need to fill up. the temp guage is worthless anyways
        here's the needle and the broken rod:

        here's the bottom side of the needle. if you broke the plastic on this, you can still have a functional guage, if you are careful with some super glue.

        and of course my super glued on temp guage:

        Comment


          #5
          Say it ain't so Blue.

          Comment


            #6
            Originally posted by Proto2k
            Say it ain't so Blue.

            it was bound to happen sooner or later at least i know it was totally my fault, and i could have avoided it:p: but once again i proved you can get the top plastic piece off without breaking the metal needle. just don't pull on the metal part

            Comment


              #7
              I have both my gauges superglued on right now and I'm just using the trip meter as a gas gauge... I still think I can fix it though. Yes, I broke the metal rod, somewhere down below the little haystack looking piece of plastic (see my first diagram). I still think I can fix it though, by soldering the pieces together. I may have to peel away some of the plastic to get at it, but I think they'll stay. I'm definitely going to try, at worst I'll still have broken gauges, I'm not going to damage it more than it already is. The problem I'm having is that if the servo motors really sit in the position you say they do when they're turned off, I'll have to do the soldering while the cluster is in the car, and it's really awkward.

              I have an idea though. The stopper on my needles is still intact. If I intentionally break that off, maybe I can solder them in the straight down position with the cluster inside the house, and then put it back in the car.

              Comment


                #8
                you could do that, the breaking off the plastic stopper, or pull the remaining metal out of the needle assembly and solder that back on. then if it's sturdy enough you can push the needle back on in the correct position

                Comment


                  #9
                  So I can just pull the metal part straight out with pliers? Does it take much force to push it back in? I don't know how strong a solder joint would actually be, at least on that size rod. And I'm assuming I would still have to push it back in with the car turned on and warmed up?

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Originally posted by jnorion
                    So I can just pull the metal part straight out with pliers? Does it take much force to push it back in? I don't know how strong a solder joint would actually be, at least on that size rod. And I'm assuming I would still have to push it back in with the car turned on and warmed up?

                    no, actually you can't pull the metal rod out, that's how i broke mine and yeah, you'd have to push the needle on with the car warmed up.

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Do you have to push very hard to get the needle back on? I don't know how much force a solder joint that size can take, and I don't want to find out when I break the joint and half the rod disappears somewhere in my dash.

                      Comment


                        #12
                        i dont know about the other gauges but i need to know sompin about the fuel gauge...if you take the cluster out and take the faces off....you can unplug the gauge pod from the board...now do yall think i can just go to the jy and get a gauge pod?
                        According to my Anger Management Counselor, after 26 weeks of anger management class, I should be an expert when it comes to Anger Management...tell that to the guy who threw a starburst at my car in rush hour traffic...haha


                        Todays thought of the day:

                        Rice is great if your really hungry and want to eat 2000 of something.

                        Mitch Hedberg

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Originally posted by jnorion
                          Do you have to push very hard to get the needle back on? I don't know how much force a solder joint that size can take, and I don't want to find out when I break the joint and half the rod disappears somewhere in my dash.

                          it takes a bit of force to get it on to where the plastic stopper is in place, but to just have it on the needle doesn't take much force. if you carefully push straight down, the solder joint might hold to get it on all the way.

                          fuq_A_vtec, you gotta replace the whole cluster, or unsolder the fuel motor, which *might* work. you'd be better of getting an entire cluster from a juck yard and plugging the 3 plugs in

                          Comment


                            #14
                            fugget it...im starting to like my lil orange light, i think ima "shave"hehe my fuel and temp guages and just get a sweet speedo and incorporate that fuel light into it some how. "RICEY, RICEY".. if however anyone does need a cluster there is a junkyard here in st. louis that has a couple newer proteges, ive been quoted $75 for the clusters.
                            According to my Anger Management Counselor, after 26 weeks of anger management class, I should be an expert when it comes to Anger Management...tell that to the guy who threw a starburst at my car in rush hour traffic...haha


                            Todays thought of the day:

                            Rice is great if your really hungry and want to eat 2000 of something.

                            Mitch Hedberg

                            Comment


                              #15
                              Originally posted by blue LEDz
                              it takes a bit of force to get it on to where the plastic stopper is in place, but to just have it on the needle doesn't take much force. if you carefully push straight down, the solder joint might hold to get it on all the way.
                              OK, well I'm hoping to have time to get to it tonight, so I should have the results by tomorrow.

                              Comment

                              Working...
                              X