[TheBocSez]

I removed the instrument cluster from my 91 LX in an attempt to change the needle color. After removing all of the needles, sanding them and painting the backs, I reinstalled them and now none of them work.

The oil pressure gauge wont move. The fuel gauge is so far up, that I cant see the needle, the water temp gauge is constantly pegged as is the voltmeter. The speedometer and tach work fine.

After going through all this, I look at the Chiltons and it says not to remove the needles as magnetic gauges can not be recalibrated...WTF!! There has to be some way, I mean people remove the needles to install white face kits dont they?

So am I doomed to replacing them? I dont mind going to aftermarket temp and pressure gauges but I would at least like my fuel gauge to work.

Any help is appreciated.
Thank you.

 

[stangdan85]

What did you use to remove them? I just removed mine to paint them, using a kitchen fork, and they all work fine (except the tach, which is now dead b/c I beat the hell out of the needle getting it off. I don't mind though since I've got an Autometer 5" one anyways).

 

[TheBocSez]

I used a door panel removal tool. Worked good for getting the needles off. Im sure I screwed something else up.

 

[stangdan85]

Well obviously you're gonna have to rip the dash apart again. Did you take pics of where the needles where before you removed them? That's a must.

If you did take pics, I would recommend taking everything apart again, but disconnect your negative battery cable. If you touch metal to metal somehow in the disassembly of the dash, you could ground something and mess it up. I took off my cable just for safety precautions. Take off the needles and apply them where they were at in your pics (again, if you took them) and turn your car on before you put everything back together, that way if something is still messed up you're not ripping your dash apart for the third time.

 

[TheBocSez]

No, I didnt take any pics, I didnt expect this to be a major ordeal. I also did not disconnect the battery cable when I took them out so the grounding idea is completely possible. Actualy, if I can just get the fuel gauge working I would be happy, I will get aftermarket gauges for the remainder. Looks like I'll be taking the dash apart again this weekend. Thank you for your replys.

 

[DSOStang]

www.mustangparts.com has complete gauge assemblies as a last resort and you can't get your cluster operational.

 

[83 RagTop GLX]

Have you checked the fuse?

 

[TheBocSez]

www.mustangparts.com has complete gauge assemblies as a last resort and you can't get your cluster operational.

Thanks! I just sent them an email.

Have you checked the fuse?

Yes, I have checked them all. The tach and speedo work fine. When off, the fuel / volt / water gauges all sit at about the middle. When I turn the ignition on, they all shoot up to the top of thier readings and peg out except for the oil pressure which never moves, always sits in the middle.

 

[DSOStang]

It has been my experience that there is some sort of electical gizmo behind the gauges that burns out. It is easier and cheaper to replace the gauge module. in my case, I picked-up a tach from mustangparts.com in May and it fixed my gauge issue.