Setting Speedo Dial Positions - Needles reading inaccurately

[pete_182_87]

Hi all,

I've made up a set of dials from an original set and on coming to fit them I'm having abit of a nightmare with the needles.

The rev counter sat perfectly the first time I popped the needles back on however the MPH, fuel gauge and oil temp were all resetting incorrectly.. basically once they reset instead of bouncing up just a tad to a level position, they are bouncing down each time and therefore going completely inaccurate.

I have taken the needles off and popped them back on numerous times, and the MPH needle is now working correctly as well. I put it on a little looser which seems to have done the trick. I have tried this with the fuel and oil needles but they have the same problem no matter how they are fitted.

If anyone can provide a solution it'll make my day!

 

[CrippsCorner]

Nightmare of a job.

You need to place them around 1-2mm lower than '0' if you get me. As you know they flick up when the ignition is switched off. I'm trying to remember how I done it, many attempts of trial and error I certainly remember that! I think it was something along the lines of sticking tape on the dials and noting where they rested when off. Problem is you can easily knock the little bit that the dial mounts on to.

I know that's not much help but I'll update if I can think of more stuff!

 

[pete_182_87]

Cheers Kayzee. The problem I'm having is that they're flicking down when the car is turned off instead of up, so they're going about half a mm out every time I switch the car off. Not a clue how the MPH dial started flicking up again. Did you experience the same problem when setting yours?

 

[CrippsCorner]

Yes I think I did.

Are you aligning them with the needles on? If so that's where you're going wrong, you must take the needles off, and only attach them back on when you've got the position right. You can't just manually move the needles.

It's a pain because when you're putting them back on it's so easy to move the pin out of place, then you have to start again. To be honest I gave up getting them absolutely perfect... they still pass MOT though lol. There's a test you can do afterwards to check the speedo alignment too.

 

[pete_182_87]

Yes I think I did.

Are you aligning them with the needles on? If so that's where you're going wrong, you must take the needles off, and only attach them back on when you've got the position right. You can't just manually move the needles.

It's a pain because when you're putting them back on it's so easy to move the pin out of place, then you have to start again. To be honest I gave up getting them absolutely perfect... they still pass MOT though lol. There's a test you can do afterwards to check the speedo alignment too.

Yup I know how to run the test tihngy, holding down the stalk and turning ignition on. Ok I shall persevere. And yes, after some frustration I did start trying to align them while on... however have also tried doing it by popping them off and back on, which fixed the MPH but still getting the same issue with fuel and oil temp reading where the needle clicks down after turning off instead of up

 

[-J-]

Have you run the 'Calibration' of the dash? Sometimes helps to settle things down.

Ignition off
Hold in Trip computer button
Ignition on (not engine)
The dials should all cycle and dash lights come on

 

[pete_182_87]

Have you run the 'Calibration' of the dash? Sometimes helps to settle things down.

Ignition off
Hold in Trip computer button
Ignition on (not engine)
The dials should all cycle and dash lights come on

Hi J, yup run the diagnostic / calibration mode as above, think we posted the same time! The problem really is that the needles pop down instead of up when the car is switched off, so they just go out of line abit more every time. If you go to your car and switch on then switch it off you'll see what I mean, the needles all drop down, then pop up just a tad. The MPH and Revs are popping up a tad as they should do, but the fuel and oil pop down.

 

[Cliomaxx69]

Bumping this as I'm kind of desperate. I have the exact same problem as Pete. MPH and RPM are fine but gas and temp flick down when ignition is off. Any ideas?

 

[Martin_172]

the needles pressed onto the motors properly? whenever I do a set, I fire it up and run the calibration test so they are set properly, ensure they are pressed down onto the motor properly and that's all they need.

 

[Cliomaxx69]

the needles pressed onto the motors properly? whenever I do a set, I fire it up and run the calibration test so they are set properly, ensure they are pressed down onto the motor properly and that's all they need.

You mean I might not have pressed hard enough? Also, I tried to do the calibration test but I don't know when to release the trip button.

 

[Martin_172]

You mean I might not have pressed hard enough? Also, I tried to do the calibration test but I don't know when to release the trip button.

Yeah not hard enough onto the motor so its moving. The calibration test doesnt actually calibrate it, just lets you move the dial to make sure its hitting the correct points 10, 20, 30 etc

 

[Cliomaxx69]

Yeah not hard enough onto the motor so its moving. The calibration test doesnt actually calibrate it, just lets you move the dial to make sure its hitting the correct points 10, 20, 30 etc

Okay thanks. Just to be clear, the needles are moving. They just flick down every time I turn off the ignition making them slightly more inaccurate every time until they sit here

 

[Martin_172]

Okay thanks. Just to be clear, the needles are moving. They just flick down every time I turn off the ignition making them slightly more inaccurate every time until they sit here

yeah so that's why you want to make sure they are pressed on tight, so when the motors reset to off it doesn't cause them to move and become inaccurate

 

[Cliomaxx69]

yeah so that's why you want to make sure they are pressed on tight, so when the motors reset to off it doesn't cause them to move and become inaccurate

Will try, thank you! While you're here, do you know if this is fixable? I think I put my finger on it while holding it

 

[Martin_172]

Will try, thank you! While you're here, do you know if this is fixable? I think I put my finger on it while holding it

probably need a replacement screen due to damage, or may be cheaper to just replace the dials! Mileage is stored on the dials though.

 

[McGherkin]

When I was pulling clusters apart I used to set the needles on fairly gently at 8000rpm and 160 then push them round to 0 0 (well, I taped where the needles sit and put them to the marks but yeah). Doing that process makes sure the motors aren’t halfway through their travel or something.

If your needles keep dropping it’s probably because the motors aren’t sitting on their end stops when the engine’s off.

 

[Gus]

Will try, thank you! While you're here, do you know if this is fixable? I think I put my finger on it while holding it

That's fixable. If you take it apart you'll see there is a rubber strip which has the contacts for the LCD, it isn't making proper contact with the circuit board. Likely you just need to reseat it and tighten the screws for the fascia a bit more.

 

[Cliomaxx69]

That's fixable. If you take it apart you'll see there is a rubber strip which has the contacts for the LCD, it isn't making proper contact with the circuit board. Likely you just need to reseat it and tighten the screws for the fascia a bit more.

Thank you! Really though I was screwed.