Need help now - changing dashboard lights
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 1999
Posts: 6,692
Likes: 29
From: Texas
Need help now - changing dashboard lights
Have lens and dashboard cover off and screws around speedometer out. But cannot pull speedo out. Must be attached somewhere behind speedo. Any hints on how to take it out?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 2,239
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From: Palatine, Peoples Republic of Illinois
St. Jude Donor '09-'10-'11-12-'13-'14-'15-'16-'17-‘18
NCM Sinkhole Donor
If you feel around in back of the speedo you will feel a tab attached to the cable. This must be pushed in toward the housing rather hard while you pull out on the cable to release it. This is how it is on my '70. I'm assuming it's the same.
Racer
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 254
Likes: 3
From: Tampa Bay Florida
1. Disconnect battery ground cable
2. Remove console tunnel side panels (3 screws on each side)
3. Pull radio control ***** from shafts
4. Remove 2 screws that secure console trim plate to instrument cluster
5. If vehicle is equipped with rear window defogger, remove defogger switch
6. Remove 5 screws from upper perimeter of instrument cluster (1 left, 1 right, 3 top)
7. Pull instrument cluster out slightly and disconnect electrical connector from rear of cluster
8. Grab a Heineken
9. Install instrument cluster in reverse order of removal.
Didn't see any additional attachment points behind the speedo.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 1999
Posts: 6,692
Likes: 29
From: Texas
Well, now I have a speedo with no needle. On the tach, it is possible to gently remove the needle and just lift out the tach assy. But, no, with the speedo, any pressure on the needle and it snaps off. Just wanted to remove the face so I could get to the lights. But then, there is the trip meter push button to deal with and did not see how to get that off, so just re-installed everything with two dead lights and no speedo needle. Looks like some repair shop will not get my $. Anyone know how to replace a speedo needle without disassembling everything?
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 1,160
Likes: 3
From: Greensboro NC
On my 78 and prior years to remove the speedo/tach cluster you must remove the speedo cable from the back of the cluster then the cluster as a unit comes out of the dash.
Once removed and on the bench the bulbs are just pushed in the back with twist bulb holders about 13 of them IIRC. Not sure about an 82 but should be similar I would guess.
Once removed and on the bench the bulbs are just pushed in the back with twist bulb holders about 13 of them IIRC. Not sure about an 82 but should be similar I would guess.
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Drifting
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 1,623
Likes: 29
From: The Netherlands
If you want to pull the cluster it really helps to detach the cable first; the connector has plenty slack to allow the cluster to be pulled forward.
If you are not a contortionist or have no kids around to fold themselves under the dash, then you can also loosen the cable from the cruise control unit right before your brake booster. This will also help when you want to re-attach the cable to the cluster; the square shaped thingy that is actually the cable needs to fall into the receiver at the cluster side. MUCH easier to connect properly first, then reinstall the cluster and finally reattach to the cruise unit.
You can glue the needle back on by the way. I know because mine broke too, only when fitting white gauge overlays
This is the back-side of the cluster. The blue and gray buttons are the fittings holding your lightbulbs.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 1999
Posts: 6,692
Likes: 29
From: Texas
This is true; if you drop the column a bit, then you can pull the cluster forward and replace the light from the back. Just twist and pull the fitting out.
If you want to pull the cluster it really helps to detach the cable first; the connector has plenty slack to allow the cluster to be pulled forward.
If you are not a contortionist or have no kids around to fold themselves under the dash, then you can also loosen the cable from the cruise control unit right before your brake booster. This will also help when you want to re-attach the cable to the cluster; the square shaped thingy that is actually the cable needs to fall into the receiver at the cluster side. MUCH easier to connect properly first, then reinstall the cluster and finally reattach to the cruise unit.
You can glue the needle back on by the way. I know because mine broke too, only when fitting white gauge overlays
This is the back-side of the cluster. The blue and gray buttons are the fittings holding your lightbulbs.
If you want to pull the cluster it really helps to detach the cable first; the connector has plenty slack to allow the cluster to be pulled forward.
If you are not a contortionist or have no kids around to fold themselves under the dash, then you can also loosen the cable from the cruise control unit right before your brake booster. This will also help when you want to re-attach the cable to the cluster; the square shaped thingy that is actually the cable needs to fall into the receiver at the cluster side. MUCH easier to connect properly first, then reinstall the cluster and finally reattach to the cruise unit.
You can glue the needle back on by the way. I know because mine broke too, only when fitting white gauge overlays
This is the back-side of the cluster. The blue and gray buttons are the fittings holding your lightbulbs.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 1999
Posts: 6,692
Likes: 29
From: Texas
But, have a replacement/serviced speedo being shipped to me.
Very expensive goof so far.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 1,160
Likes: 3
From: Greensboro NC
But how do you know where to set the pointer? Speedometer starts at 5 mph. Is that where it goes? But don't know if I have enough shaft sticking out from the face of the speedo. And, there seems to be some sort of flat thing exactly right below the speedo shaft that will keep me from pushing it on. Otherwise, if know where to set it, just a drop of super glue and hope it will go on at the right spot.
But, have a replacement/serviced speedo being shipped to me.
Very expensive goof so far.
But, have a replacement/serviced speedo being shipped to me.
Very expensive goof so far.
1. Your car has cruise control it just may not work. The cable that attaches to the back of the speedo goes into a box in the engine bay where your (non functioning) cruise control box is. Unscrew the cable from that box and you will have enough slack to pull the gauges out a little enough to disconnect the cable from the back of the cluster.
2. The green arrow points to the main cluster wiring connector which runs everything you will have to unclip and remove the harness to remove the cluster (which is the tach and speedo combo). The red arrow is pointing to two empty light bulb spots don't know why that is there.
Good luck
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 1,160
Likes: 3
From: Greensboro NC
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 1,623
Likes: 29
From: The Netherlands
What Mick says 
I had an angled break of the speedo needle shaft, so glueing it back was relatively easy. I believe though, the needle starts at zero; Willcox has more info on that.
The image is from one of my previous posts where I asked if there should be bulbs in the empty spots (red arrow). The green one was to point out the small copper fingers where the connector contacts. The bend easily, causing all kinds of 'DOH!' moments if you're unaware of that...
I had an angled break of the speedo needle shaft, so glueing it back was relatively easy. I believe though, the needle starts at zero; Willcox has more info on that.
The image is from one of my previous posts where I asked if there should be bulbs in the empty spots (red arrow). The green one was to point out the small copper fingers where the connector contacts. The bend easily, causing all kinds of 'DOH!' moments if you're unaware of that...