Reverse Indiglo gauge install question: how to remove needle

czo79 · Post by **czo79** » Mon Jul 14, 2003 12:05 am

Hello all...
I am trying to install a set of reverse indiglo gauges I got from procarparts.com...and am having some problems. I tried to remove the whole cluster, but don't seem to be able to as there are electrical connections and the speedo cable in the back where I can't disconnect them. I think I would have to remove the whole dash to do it. So I just took off the front of the cluster, the clear plastic cover. There is a greyish plastic bezel still, that appears could be removed with pulling a couple small screws on each side of every meter. But actually, I couldn't get it around the needles. Is there a way to remove the needles so I can install this? Should I remove the thin grey plastic bezel and replace this with the reverse indiglo gauges, or put the new ones over it? Any other way to do this without taking the dash off? Any way to remove the instrument cluster?
thanks
Micum

stangguywitascuby · Post by **stangguywitascuby** » Mon Jul 14, 2003 3:33 am

just subscribing.

im about to be doing the same thing so im interested in what i need to do.

czo79 · Post by **czo79** » Tue Jul 15, 2003 12:35 am

AHK! Please help! I'm just a poor ricer trying to get by! Ok. My progress report. I finally got the instrument cluster out w/o taking out the dash. I just had to grab and pull on it really hard. This pulled out the speedo cable, and got me enough room to undo the other connectors. I was then able take of the bezel with the fuel and temp gauges attached, and then take out the speedo and the tach. I was able to hook the speedo and tach up to the indiglo's by sliding it over the needles. But the temp and fuel are attached to the bezel, which I need to take off, cause its getting replaced with the indiglos (i believe). In order to remove them and put them on the indiglos, I need to take the needles off. I still can't figure it out. it looks like their is a tab under the needle base that can be pushed in and should allow the removal of the needle, but it doesn't seem to do anything. I guess I could always break out the dremel and cut off the bezel, thus allowing the fuel and temp to be inserted, needle first, as with the tach and speedo. So any ideas? I'm getting desperate!
I know there is one person out on the board who has installed them...any tips?
thanks
Micum

mTk · Post by **mTk** » Tue Jul 15, 2003 9:11 am

I installed the reverse indiglo gauges w/o taking off the needles.

If i remember correctly i removed the speedo and tach gauges, leaving the temp and fuel attached to the bezel, then installed the indiglo gauges over the bezel. After that i put in the speedo and tach.

MK

czo79 · Post by **czo79** » Tue Jul 15, 2003 8:23 pm

thanks...I'll give it a shot!
Micum

WhiteLegTurbo · Post by **WhiteLegTurbo** » Thu Apr 15, 2004 2:17 am

With my gauges i had to pop off the needles, i was told from a website to turn the needles a certain way, DO NOT DO THIS i broke my gas needle by following this..... and now i have to use the odometer to keep track of my gas. what i did was i took 2 flat head screw drivers, put both driver heads under the needle, gently pulled up on the screwdrivers and pryed them off it worked fine. dont force it though when prying cuz you might end up like me, without a gas gauge, or low fuel light.

LaureltheQueen · Post by **LaureltheQueen** » Thu Apr 15, 2004 2:21 am

needles are impossible to pop off. They break of quickly. What you want to do is turn the needles of the gas/temp gauges so they point the same way, and slip the covering on, then slide the speedo, and tach in as well. I would not recommend using them though... THe gauges are poop, and i couldnt get the lights to come on. Good luck with it all, i encountered nothing but frustration, after breaking 1 speedometer pod, and 2 sets of temp/gas gauges.

LaureltheQueen · Post by **LaureltheQueen** » Thu Apr 15, 2004 2:23 am

http://bbs.legacycentral.org/viewtopic. ... ght=gauges

http://bbs.legacycentral.org/viewtopic. ... ght=gauges

http://bbs.legacycentral.org/viewtopic. ... ght=gauges

czo79 · Post by **czo79** » Thu Apr 15, 2004 8:59 pm

I ended up not having any problems...I used the technique you descibed laurel, kinda figured it out by trial and error. I have had them flicker out a couple times on me, but not too bad, I probably just need to move the ground.

Crusher · Post by **Crusher** » Fri Apr 16, 2004 6:45 am

Any pictures of it when it´s working?
Wanna see the glow

omegax · Post by **omegax** » Tue Apr 20, 2004 1:30 am

AHH have i gone thru this all....
After going thru 2 guage clusters i have figured out that the indiglow guages for our cars SUCK. they are poorly made and do not alight properly.

IF you keep the plastic on that is under the gas/temp guages you face hell trying to allign the indiglow signal/status lights with the ones on the plastic. It is basically impossibly because the replacements arent perfect fit. if you do , you are in luck and that is probably the best way to go.
To do this you need to turn each needle in a certain direction to slide the cover over. i do not recall the exact directions but i velive you can turn the gass one down and slide the glow thing on the odo reset thing and over the gas guage. At the same time turn the speedo and tach and heat up . Now to get over the heat it requires a little bit of flexing the indiglow sheet. BE CAREFULL as stated before the guages break of VERY EASILY. Although the last cluster I baught they seemed almost invincible.
Even when pulling up trying to remove them you may end up ripping the entire thing out if it does not break off first.

If you plan on removing the plastic then you face having the backlighting peek thru the indiglow cover. ( it also helps removing the green sleves and finding some blue ones to put over the backlighting as it does show thru the odo and other places. Also when you remove the black plastic you are also removing the stopper for the gas and temp guage and it may be hard to realign it. I ended up removing the needles by heating them up with a hair dryer and prying them off. When finally installed it mine seemed to be cut wrong and slightly comes up in the middle , i had to crazy glue it down so the backlight does not show in the corners.

ALSO be warned each screw is a differnet lenght for the odo, tach, gas, and temp guages. ( the little black ones , so keep track of them)
WHICHEVER way you go it is a big pain in the ass . I feel the aftermarket indiglow was poorly designed for this car and I have not tried it yet... but it may be better to try to change the sleve color on the lights to blue/red but i dont want to rip apart my dash, its simply not worth it.
A tip... to remove the electrical connectors to the cluster you have to pull the cluster towards you till the speedo cable comes loose. To put it back you hvae to jam your hand deep in your dash, going from underneath behind the guage to plug it back in.

I am in a bit of a hurry typing this as i am at work, i am sure somethings will not make sense so feel free to post your questions. BTW it is also a pain in the ass to wire it as our lights switch is not mounted on the dash but rather on the steering column.
I have heard of people wiring the new guages to the back of the cluster using one of the bulb sockets but i also heard using the cars stock dimmer hurts the guages.

Konrad

minoru · Post by **minoru** » Wed May 19, 2004 5:32 am

BE AWARE

The needles SUCKS...the tach didn't brake....but the temp end fuel did...although in the beginning I thought they are ok...I realized that they broke, even though I was so freakin' gentle.

It seems like I have to dig in scrap yards now...and believe me...here in Canada...I only found one Legacy till now.

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Reverse Indiglo gauge install question: how to remove needle

Reverse Indiglo gauge install question: how to remove needle

BE AWARE