Dismantling clocks supplementary information

[DrRog]

Hi Guys - my speedo and Tacho work, many thanks to this forum and especially Maglite 1 for this thread:

viewtopic.php?f=10&t=13550

I took a few photos of things not in the thread so I will post them on this thread. It should help those with less experience of such things.

[DrRog]

In order to remove the instrument cluster, for repair or to replace bulbs, you will need:

T20 torx socket or key tool, I used a1/4" drive socket and a ratchet.
Flat bladed dinner knife, blunter the better

In order to dismantle the cluster and re-solder the instrument pins, you will also need:

T10 torx tool, screwdriver is ideal
Small soldering iron
Solder sucker or de-soldering wire
Electrical solder
Small POZI-1 screwdriver, I got away with Philips
Small flat bladed screwdriver.
Scalpel or modelling knife, a sharp Stanley knife will do.

To remove the surround
Adjust the steering wheel to fully out, fully down.
Remove the three Torx screws above the dials.
Pry out the D-shaped panel at the end of the facia, the one normally covered by the door.
Pry out the adjustable air vents from the left-hand side using the dinner knife.
[img]CIMG0299.JPG[/img]

[DrRog]

Under the vent/instrument shroud there are some retention clips, these should be unclipped using the dinner knife. A large screwdriver risks marking the soft surface of the fascia.

The photos show where they are. They align with some moulded features visible if you have removed the vents.

[DrRog]

Pull the bottom of the shroud towards you (not the top.)
Put your hand in the hole at the end to coax the part out. Don't tip the top forward or this will happen

[DrRog]

Remove the shroud.
Remove the four screws keeping the instruments in. The upper ones have brackets that clip into the facia, a slight upwards pull of the cowl may unclip it, the dinner knife will certainly get it off. (see pic).

Pull the instruments forward, you can change the bulbs at this point.

To remove it press the tiny clip that prevents the black lever from moving on the two multi-connectors. Pull the black lever away from the wires and off it comes.

[DrRog]

Take the instruments inside and work on a suitable table.
There are 9 Pozi-1 screws holding the unit together, one is in the middle, see the photo in the referenced thread.
viewtopic.php?f=10&t=13550

The metal clip referred to connects the circuit board to the flexible circuit on the back of the assembly. Its designed to not come apart unless you really want it to.

To release the plastic tag that holds it on (the tiny white rectangle in the middle of the clip) I cut the tab off with a modelling knife. This allowed me to pry it up and off with a small flat bladed screwdriver. With the clip off the flexible ribbon cable may be removed.

The exposed pcb connector is still retained by a small tab in the inside of the middle part of the white plastic "wall", that is the other side of the one I cut off. Bending this plastic back allows the PCB to prop off, once it has been removed as per the referenced thread.

All of my pins showed evidence of dry joints, see the photo. So I re-soldered all of them.

[DrRog]

There you go, amazingly it all went back successfully. Only problem was that I need to do it again as I have a bulb to replace.

Sorry the photos need to be clicked on, I will find out how to make them visible someday.
Hope this helps

Cheers
Rog

[gumby6371]

Glad you got it all working again matey, funny how it always seems to be those particular joints that go and not the many, many other soldered joints...v strange but at least you're sorted.

[DrRog]

Thanks mate, it might be that the dials move as the vehicle bumps, causing a fatigue stress, or it could be that the coating on the pins is not as compatible as it should be.

Either way its an amazingly consistent fault.