924Board.org

[Glemon]

I feel like a lightweight mechanic compared to what a lot are doing here with their cars, but I am OCD about my car, so when little stuff doesn't work I need to fix it NOW. Went for what I thought was going to be a relaxing drive tonight. Got in, turned on the lights and the tachometer gauge light was out.

I had taken the whole gauge cluster out about three times in the last half year to deal with speedo/odometer issues. Everytime cringing as I snapped the brittle plastic of the turn signal mechanism off. Have gotten pretty good at it, but really didn't want to break anything, so I tried to access the tachometer from underneath.

There is a lot in the way including some internal bracing and the motronic brain. I couldn't see it or touch it, then caught a little glimpse of it through a small opening under the brain, no way I could get a hand up there though, it looked like the light had popped out (no doubt when I was working on the speedo issues).

Anyway, remembered that the speedometer just slid out of the gauge cluster, so I grabbed a long screwdriver and snaked it into the upper dash, found the end through my slit of a view of the back of the tachometer, pushed and it moved easily.

Popped it out, popped the light back in the back of the gauge (I didn't pull the harness off the back of the tachometer, it really didn't seem to want to come, and once again, I don't really like messing with brittle, 35 year old plastic). Anyway, because of this popping the light back in was a little tricky with my large hands, but doable. Also could only find one light for the back of the tacho, limited view but there really didn't seem to be a second light despite there being a second hole for it.

A smarter guy would have disconnected the battery before poking around under the dash with a metal rod, but anyway, it worked, and easier than pulling the gauge cluster. I have seen a video of someone pulling theirs without removing the turn signal cover from the column, but absolutely a no go on my car.

Hope this might be of help to somebody.
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88 924S
68 TR250
02 IS300

[924RACR]

Yeah, I actually wired in a second bulb using a spare socket from probably one of the parted out cars, just splicing in an extra wire... definitely worth having.

Now go back in there and replace 'em all with LED bulbs.
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Vaughan Scott
Webmeister
'79 924 #77 SCCA H Prod racecar
'82 931 Plat. Silver
#25 Hidari Firefly P2 sports prototype

[Glemon]

I have lots of picked parts, I thought about splicing another one in, but it was late so I buttoned it up and figured that was a job for another day. Probably need to worry about the timing belt and devote some energy to that soon rather than all the little stuff.
_________________
88 924S
68 TR250
02 IS300