FWD: ND Face Gauge Instalation Instructions

[Eric Bosco <ebosco@aol.net>]

Hi Fellow GLX'ers (and GTI'ers). I had sent a mail to ND about the installation
process for colored gauge faces on our cars. I have a '95 with back gauges that
I'd like to change to yellow one day. Anyhow, here is the reply from ND.
Doesn't seem to bad.

Chip and Arthur, maybe this can make it into your respective web pages?


- -Eric


> 
> ok here it is in detail from one of my main tecs. 
> He has his own E-mail address. OK to post this or add it to a FAQ.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> From:             "Chris at ND" <chrisl@newdimensions.com>
> Organization:     New Dimensions Ltd.
> To:               turbotim@newdimensions.com
> Date sent:        Wed, 2 Apr 1997 18:47:45 +0000
> Subject:          (Fwd) gauge faces
> Priority:         normal
> 
> 
> Okay, the procedure for installing gauge faces is as follows.
> some models are a little different as far as fitment, but I'll
> get to that later. You dont have to pull the steering wheel.
> remove the trim around the instrument cluster, usually two
> screws hidden under adjascent plugs left and right. remove the
> headlite switch to access th e left screw. to do this remove the
> airbag warning lamp or the blank plug all the way to the
> left.pry all plugs out carefully with a small flat tip screw
> driver and NEVER force anything or it will surely break.remove
> two screws securing cluster to dash in back.By the way, the
> headlight switch wont pull out until you push in the little
> square lock on the left upper side of the switch while gently
> pulling it out. remove the two retaining screws on the top left
> and right of the instrument cluster. It's easier with a
> magnetized screwdiver and a lite. The cluster will now swing out
> with persuasion. Position it on its face and slide your hand
> over the back and remove the red and white plugs. Make a mental
> note of where they are because reinstalling them is a blind
> effort. The cluster should now be free to slide straight towards
> you thru the steering wheel or around the backside. The rest of
> this work requires absolute cleanliness, so wash your hands and
> prepare a surgery table on top a clean white cloth to catch
> small parts and keep them from rolling off the workspace. Use an
> appropriate sized torx or phillips driver to remove all six
> retaining screws on cluster. pull both halves apart and set it
> down in front of you. Make sure you have already written down or
> made a mental note of where the coolant and gas gauge needles
> are when fully warm so that you can check your work when done.
> Early gauge faces didnt have holes for the needle stops that
> stick out and you must carefully use a hole punch to make a hole
> in the gauge face. This is really hard to do considering that
> you must center the face and make sure the text is level. I make
> paper templates with key features of each face on it, punch test
> holes and transfer to master face. Most of you have later gauges
> that dont have needle stops and installation is straight
> forward. Note-on the cars with needle stops, it usually turns
> out that the gauge face cover that you installed gets pinched
> between the top clear cover when you go to reinstall it. You
> have to put three 3mm washers on each of the top three retaining
> screws (the ones that hold it all together) to maintain that
> space without distorting the whole cluster. Then use black
> electrical tape to wrap around the open gap in the cluster to
> keep out back lite and dust. A couple wraps will do it. Ok, now
> for the guys with out all those hassles, it comes time to remove
> the needles. Get out a 12 inch piece of masking tape and roll it
> onto itself to make a sticky loop and flatten it out on your
> bench. This will become your tacky holder for the needles if you
> decide to paint them. I have had good luck with regular little
> bottles of auto detail paint. I paint the stops white(if
> equipped) and the needles black with red tips. Of course, any
> color will work. Pulling the needles is pretty tense, so dont
> overdo it. I use a modified olive fork that I bought at a
> kitchen nik nak place. It looks like a tiny pitchfork with two
> points. I dulled the points and put a 30degree bend in it so
> that I can position the needle stem between the forks and pry up
> while holding the needle round base with my fingers and pull up
> at the same time. If you're lucky, they pop right off. Use
> whatever method that works for you, but remember that you
> probably cant buy neeedles as spare parts! Install the gauge
> faces and reinstall the needles accounting for the spring
> tension thatis built into the mechanism. It just takes trial and
> error. My advise is to do this.After doing a dozen of these
> things, I realized that its quicker to just put the needles
> where you think they go,  without installing the cover, run over
> to the car and carefully plug it in to see if they rest
> properly. It's kinda hairy, but it works. The late needles move
> down from their rests when you turn on the key, even though they
> look right on the bench. Reinstallation is the reverse of the
> install. Pretty easy. Good luck! 
> 
> chrisl@newdimensions.com
> http://www.newdimensions.com
> 
> turbotim@newdimensions.com
> http://www.newdimensions.com 
> 
> 


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Eric Bosco                                                     Unix Programmer 
EricBosco@aol.com                                Systems & Advanced Technology
http://members.aol.com/ericbosco/                           America Online Inc.