Ch cluster

[kezzaj666]

Hoping someone can help I put a new face (blue one I brouggt) on my instrument cluster and put back in an the fuel gauge an temp needles both sat on full, tried to have a play an got nowhere so I brought a new cluster and it's done the exact same thing put the blue face on waz super gentle with needles an it went back to needles being on full an high an not moving I put in to mechanics they checked wires earth's etc said all were good they replaced the fuel sensor an now the fuel light comes on randomly at all different times but the 2 needles still stuck on high an full. Frustrating relying on kms for fuel an not knowing if I'm running temps

Car is 2005 sedan manual CH lancer...please help

 

[wagonmaster]

Where are you located?

 

[kezzaj666]

Where are you located?

Hunter Valley in Newcastle NSW

 

[wagonmaster]

Yes just read that on one of your past posts,, I’m Sth East QLD, little way away
Where did you get you blue dash face from? Have you got a link?

 

[kezzaj666]

Got it on e-bay came with red,blue and white option in the pack

 

[wagonmaster]

Is this them?

 

[kezzaj666]

Yep sure is

 

[wagonmaster]

Ok, so you removed the old dash face then fitted the blue one right? only other thing it could be is the precision of the cut on the new dash might not be entirely centre, did you try and retrofit old dash face to see if problem persists?
Another thought is you may not have set those needles correctly when refitting them with too much pressure or possibly even damaging them (but highly unlikely twice if you tried another cluster)
If that doesn’t fix it I could go into easiest way to refit needles and too zero them, but before that make sure all connections are fitted and pushed in enough (I know you did change to another cluster just worth a mention) anyway try above first.

 

[kezzaj666]

Im deffinately thinking its the needles.. The cluster faces are exactly the same cut as i held them against each other before i fitted it in to the cluster..
The connections and wires etc are all spot on its been to the auto electricians and they triple checked everything...

If you could tell me the easiest way to refit needles and zero them they would be so appreciated its not fun driving with no fuel or temp gauge i drive out to the middle of nowhere for work every day

 

[wagonmaster]

Fair enough, everyone has their own way of doing this, but this is how I do it. To remove the needles I just use a small “olive fork” about 160mm long, they have a 2 long prongs close spaced about 70 to 80mm long, depending on which you find the gap between prongs should be correct to slide under needle and then fift up with equal force each side with two fingers, so it pulls straight up and off with damaging spindle.
To refit simply just place needles on top of spindles, about half way up gauge face, push down slightly needle on spindle, then carefully move needle back to zero start, needle will turn spindle and set needle to start, just do it gently! if you did it correctly that will zero it at start and set needle, once you get that right just push down needle more to tighten……
I have repaired heaps of dashes over the years, and this works every time,.
This is nothing to do with adjusting potentiometer’s on circuit boards to fine tune, this is just one way to remove and replace needles. Good Luck!
Oh and if you want to use a better tool, these are available on eBay etc as well (see pic) I should buy one but find the other way is easier and quicker.

 

[kezzaj666]

Fair enough, everyone has their own way of doing this, but this is how I do it. To remove the needles I just use a small “olive fork” about 160mm long, they have a 2 long prongs close spaced about 70 to 80mm long, depending on which you find the gap between prongs should be correct to slide under needle and then fift up with equal force each side with two fingers, so it pulls straight up and off with damaging spindle.
To refit simply just place needles on top of spindles, about half way up gauge face, push down slightly needle on spindle, then carefully move needle back to zero start, needle will turn spindle and set needle to start, just do it gently! if you did it correctly that will zero it at start and set needle, once you get that right just push down needle more to tighten……
I have repaired heaps of dashes over the years, and this works every time,.
This is nothing to do with adjusting potentiometer’s on circuit boards to fine tune, this is just one way to remove and replace needles. Good Luck!
Oh and if you want to use a better tool, these are available on eBay etc as well (see pic) I should buy one but find the other way is easier and quicker.

Hey I finally got time to do the cluster as you said and this is how the needles went when I turned car back on

 

[wagonmaster]

1/. Looks good, No Not really, ok try again and do it this way, before you fitted the needles just line them up with the bottom start mark on the fuel/temp gauges (start position if you will, then push down lightly, switch on ignition see if gauges move and then switch off, should return to start position when you switch ign off. It’s hard to explain but easy if you see it done, try that again and just line them up with zero start ign off.

2/. Don’t use this next method, just stick to above section 1, Like. I said hard to explain, if needles are just sitting on gauge pin but not pushed down, when you turn ign back on then off you can carefully touch needle and move it back slightly on the needle spin to zero, then put a bit more pressure on it and push down to set in place, if your still not sure what I mean just line it up with zero start mark on gauge and push down, that’s prob easiest way, once you do final push to lock in place don’t try and move needle back with finger as it prob will damage gauge and needle.

Next time I’ll make a video of it so less confusing and post it, that would prob be easier than explaining it.

 

[wagonmaster]

None of this makes much sense as to why it’s happening! Clear up a few things if you would for me.
1/. You did remove old dash face after removing needles before fitting new one in place, not over the top of old one?
2/. Did old dash work ok, and did the new one you picked up work ok before fitting new gauge face to it?
3/. Can you remove new dash face and refit orig faces on gauges and see if problem persists on both.

The fuel sender or wiring had nothing to do with this problem, sender would have been fine, problem in all cases seem to clearly be new dash faces, unless gauge meters were damaged removing needles, best to retrofit orig dash face and see if it persists, if it does poss damaged gauges if not it’s new dash faces, can’t be anything else from what you have told me?

 

[kezzaj666]

I replaced the dash face and all worked well than I got my new engine so changed the cluster to match kms on new engine didn't try new cluster without face as while it was out I changed before putting in I no longer have the old cluster or the face to try old one.

I've just re tried your instructions still getting fuel gauge going crazy an temp going straight near hot

 

[wagonmaster]

New Engine?? You didn’t say anything about new engine, same as one it replaced or ? When you said changed klms, your talking about finding dash similar klms not changing existing lcd rom memory?
Like I said, never heard of this before, if you want to come this way bring both dashes and we will check it out see if can be sorted, entire process should have been straight forward simple process