Got my Bezels from LAPD and decided to install them today. Got everything off pretty easy, a few minor bumps along the way, but around an hour to have the instrument cluster sitting on my table.

Did the install just fine, put everything back together and then I go to take the car out for a spin.

I start the car and look at the RPM's. They are not moving. First I thought, ooopps.... I didn't connect the IP back hard enough, but that wasn't it.

I Look at my RPM's Closely (I am sick at this point) and what do I see?,
the RPM Needle that rests on that little plastic pin (located at 0) is BEHIND the plastic pin, meaning under it!!!!!!!

I don't know how the hell that happened?

Maybe when I was turning the IP back n forth to do the install and remove the screws it must have some how been bumped Below the pin. Now the RPM is unable to go past zero since it is positioned under the plastic pin, under 0! I hope the resistance that was placed on the RPM needle (since it wasn't able to rise where it normally is supposed to be) didn't hurt anything????????????

I guess I will have to do the entire procedure ALL OVER AGAIN :mad . I am really pissed. Everything went fine and now this "one off" error is going to make me do it all over again!

I did not actually drive my car, just started it. I am not going to drive it, but what would happen if I did? My car also said low oil level right when I started it, could that be caused by the RPM needle being stuck under 0?

If anyone has a suggestion please let me know, but I am pretty sure I will be doing this again tomorrow. I was so happy and now I am really frustrated! :cry :cry

Thanks

The Bandit.....................

:rolleyes: :crazy: :crazy: :confused: :rolleyes:





[Modified by 2001 Red Coupe Bandit, 5:46 PM 2/17/2003]

 

If your lucky, the stuck needle didn't allow the part coming from the gague to turn inside it which will give you the wrong RPM reading when you put it on the right side. You are going to have to go back in to fix it and cross your fingers and hope it idles where it was before. Bad thing is I think you may have to put the cluster back together and in for the connectors to reach to check it! If not you are going to have to take it back apart and remove the needle and put it back on with the car on and the cover off of the cluster. I had to do this when putting Roush indiglos on my wifes mustang and it is a real hassle--at least you only have to do the rpm. I put my white faces in and while I would love to have the bezels, I will not go through the removal again. Hope it pops off the limiter without a hang up. Good Luck!

 

Thanks for your comments I don't think any part of the needle moved or broke free when I started it up a few times, so hopefully when I put the RPM needle back on the right side of the , the RPM will be back to normal. \

Looks like a lot more of work ahead!

The Bandit..................

 

i did mine on sat but didn't have this problem but my fuel system (digital one) is reading wierd. After I finished installed the gauges, I started the car and it said Range Low and mind average mpg drop too. Its now seem like it getting back to normal...but not sure it's accurate as it used to. I will have to wait and see. Good luck on your problem.

 

Thanks and hope your car works itself back to normal. You live close to me as I see Dallas in your sig. Yeah, I said in my orig. post, my "Low Oil Level" went off right after I put everythign back together and started it up, which was really strange? But now I have Bigger problems to deal with, the positive thing is the gauges look really great!

As long as I can just fix the RPM and it works fine everything will be cool. The 2nd time around should be pretty easy since I know what I am doing. No pain no gain! :D :D

The Bandit... :cheers:





[Modified by 2001 Red Coupe Bandit, 6:56 PM 2/17/2003]

 

I know what you mean!

When I installed the White Faced Guages...I used the double sided tape and reinstalled everything. Turned on the car...but the guages would get stuck. When you turn the key and the guages go through their cycle...they would get stuck half way because the white faced guages for some reason were popping up a little and causing the guages to get stuck.

So I had to redo everything :mad ...finally got done and everything was fine. Used extra tape! Couple days later same problem happened again :mad Had to redo the install yet again!
Third time was a charm...no problems so far :lol:

 

Hell, I should feel lucky I only have to do it twice :lol:

If the RPM is messed up in any way after I do the install for the 2nd time tomorrow I am goign to jump off a bridge :rolleyes: :D :D

 

I dont think you damaged anything, the needles are moved by electromagnets and not mechnanically connected to a motor.

Eric

 

Wonder if I could use a magnet to somehow pull the needle over the plastic pin and back to where it is supposed to be? That would be GREAT!

 

:withstupid: My fuel said "range low" too and one of the temp gauges (can't remember which one was illuminated on the HUD). I fiddled with the reset buttons to no avail. Shut the car down, started it back up and everything has reset. Whew!!! Good luck with the needle problem. :cheers:


[Modified by racer44, 8:27 PM 2/17/2003]

 

I think you should pull it apart, no doubt the needles themselves are plastic.

Eric

 

I did the mod by painting the edges with the silver paint. Looks great in the day time but has a VERY irritating purple glow from the black lights. going to take it back apart and repaint black. I guess sometimes the old saying, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" is right.... :lol:

 

Isn't there something about not laying the gauge cluster horizontal for more than some period of time? I was told (could be rumor) by a shop here in Houston that you could majorly screw up your cluster this way........Anybody Know?

 

Bandit Here. OK, I couldn't wait. At 9:15 I went ahead and took off everything again and got the cluster inside my house and on the table. Took that apart, put the the RPM Needle so it was resting properly on th eplastic pin, and reassembled the cluster correctly. Now all I have to do tomorrow is put the cluster back in the car and finish putting all the trim pieces back on (for the 2nd time).:mad

It only took me about 75 minutes to do everything above and less than an hour to get the cluster out of the car(went much quicker this time). . It will probably take about 1 hour to re-install it in the car tomorrow. My wife thought I was crazy sitting in the garage at night with my halogen torch lamp and a flashlight, but I am glad I did it and tomorrow will be more managable.

Thank God that is over. It is always good to carefully check your work, which I thought I did, but that was a pretty unique problem to have happened.

I also got a very small piece of lint off from the digital display that I noticed after the 1st install, so now it will be perfect.

Just wanted to share my install nightmare and subsequent resolution with you guys. After all this bezel experience, I might open up a Bezel install business in Dallas. Ok, forget it.......... I am done with this stuff!:smash:

Take Care...

The Bandit.............................. :cheers:


*Oh to the comment above about laying the instrument cluster horizontal. I am not sure if that is true or not? I am not going to find out though. I only had the cluster horizontal for a few minutes. Right now it is sitting on the table upright, just as it would if it was in the car.



[Modified by 2001 Red Coupe Bandit, 9:29 AM 2/18/2003]

 

I'm sorry to hear about your hassle. I would really like to have the bezels, but you and the others have convinced me if that is to happen I will need a tech to do it. I hope all works out for you with as little effort as possible.

This is why I have so few mods requiring technical ability. :chevy :flag

 

All that work really takes some of the enjoyment out of it. My first bezel installation took 4 hours and was very frustrating. I've done a half dozen since then and now can do the whole thing in about 2 hours. I think that this mod, although subtle, is one of the best looking mods I've done. I wouldn't hesitate to do it again.

 

Bandit,

Almost the same happend to me. I installed whitefaced gauges with my bezels and the fu-king cheapazz two sided tape behind the whitefaced gauges came loose after everything was installed. I had to take everything apart and secure the gauges using industrial carpet tape. :eek: :mad
I made damn sure that I put everything back perfectly to avoid a third go around.

 

I wouldn't worry about it. I asked Ken King about this when I ordered my bezels, and he told me that it should not be a concern (he's even asked his contacts at GM about this). They ship those gauge clusters across the country and there is no guarantee that they will remain in certain position. As long as you don't drop it or do flips with the gauges, everything will be fine.

 

My experience exactly- I also did the job three times. Been holding now for over two years

 

Looks like I am not the only one to have to do something twice, but for all of us above who had problem, the funny thing (not so funny) is to fix it we had to go all the VERY LAST step in the install process. I mean couldn't we have messed up on step 2 instead of step 22 :crazy: :lol:

I would have hated to see all of your expressions the moment each of you realaized what had happened. I was more in total shock and was like WTF :cry I was all proud of myself and admiring my work thinking I am a automotive install genius,,,,,,,,,,, then as soon as I saw what had happened, a light went off and I suddenly realized; I just won the Tool of the Year Award............................ :lol: :lol:

Thanks for everyone's comments. I am going to install my fixed cluster shortly and don't expect any major problems.
The Bandit.................. :D :D :D





[Modified by 2001 Red Coupe Bandit, 7:01 PM 2/18/2003]