Replacing instrument cluster bulbs...???

[Royal-T-Ltd]

Is there an easy way to get to the bulbs w/o tearing everything apart? Do i have to remove the upper dash/speaker grille or are all the screws behind the dash bezel [i have removed the four main screw to the cluster as well as the spring for the PRND pointer].... I know i have replaced some before but forgot what the hell i did.... i've searched but could not find a definitive answer to removing and/or replacing the bulbs or the analog cluster.... Please help – driving at night with no dash lights kinda sucks.

TIA

aaron

 

[toofastforyou]

You have to remove the instrument panel bezel, unscrew and pull out the cluster and reach behind...that's where most of the bulbs are. Don't try to get at them from under the dash...no go.

hope this helps...good luck!

Claude.

 

[Royal-T-Ltd]

You have to remove the instrument panel bezel, unscrew and pull out the cluster and reach behind...that's where most of the bulbs are. Don't try to get at them from under the dash...no go.

hope this helps...good luck!

Claude.

Thanks Claude,
I have removed the bezel already, as previously mentioned, as well as the "plexiglass" cover and black spacer....This is where i am stuck... i can use a little force and it does attempt to come out but i know there are more things to remove and don't want to break anything at this point.

 

[87GNSteve]

Unclip the speedo cable from the head so you can remove the whole assembly.

 

[Royal-T-Ltd]

Unclip the speedo cable from the head so you can remove the whole assembly.

How do you gain access to the cable? or are you referring to the 2part cable accessible in the engine bay?

thanx for the response.

aaron

 

[toofastforyou]

Thanks Claude,
I have removed the bezel already, as previously mentioned, as well as the "plexiglass" cover and black spacer....This is where i am stuck... i can use a little force and it does attempt to come out but i know there are more things to remove and don't want to break anything at this point.

There's no need to remove the clear lens as there's nothing to fix "inside" the cluster (I mean where the needles and digits are)! Once you've removed the front bezel (the black and grey finishing piece), the cluster's screws are visible around it, Unscrew them and the cluster should pull out. You might have to reach under the dash to disconnect the speedometer cable (by depressing a clip at the base of the speedo itself) to give you more "play" when pulling out the cluster. The lamps light up the cluster from behind and that's why the whole cluster has to come out to get access behind it to replace the burnt out bulbs...

Claude. :wink:

 

[Royal-T-Ltd]

There's no need to remove the clear lens as there's nothing to fix "inside" the cluster (I mean where the needles and digits are)! Once you've removed the front bezel (the black and grey finishing piece), the cluster's screws are visible around it, Unscrew them and the cluster should pull out. You might have to reach under the dash to disconnect the speedometer cable (by depressing a clip at the base of the speedo itself) to give you more "play" when pulling out the cluster. The lamps light up the cluster from behind and that's why the whole cluster has to come out to get access behind it to replace the burnt out bulbs...

Claude. :wink:

Cool... thats what i was missing... so i depress the spring clip to the speedo from UNDER the dash.... correct? i will try after the Cardinals game is over.... thanks Claude and Steve. let me know if there's anything else i am missing.

aaron

 

[toofastforyou]

Cool... thats what i was missing... so i depress the spring clip to the speedo from UNDER the dash.... correct?

aaron

Yes, the speedo cable retaining clip is accessible from under the dash. The clip itself remains attached to the back of the speedometer, it's only a tab on the clip that you have to depress enabling you to disconnect the cable by pulling it out (you have to keep the tab depressed while you pull out the cable). After that is done and the cluster screws removed, you should be able to gently pull out the cluster finally giving you access to the light bulbs. :wink:

good luck!

Claude.

 

[GNVenom]

Actually, you can remove the bulbs using a rubber hose, tight fitting, around the bulb itself, by simply removing the telltale lenses and towers - without removing the cluster - and simply pulling the bulb out of its socket.

However, be fore-warned, the biggest problem with your lamps is not the lamp itself; it's the bayonet socket. The brass terminals inside the twist-lock sockets tend to corrode, causing a bad connection between the lamp wire terminals and the socket itself. The corrosion is also evident on the bulb wire terminals although that can be scraped off easily.

I have repaired hundreds of dash clusters and can tell you, almost ALWAYS, the bulbs are good - the socket is the culprit. I find about 1% of the bulbs are actually burned out.

 

[Royal-T-Ltd]

Actually, you can remove the bulbs using a rubber hose, tight fitting, around the bulb itself, by simply removing the telltale lenses and towers - without removing the cluster - and simply pulling the bulb out of its socket.

However, be fore-warned, the biggest problem with your lamps is not the lamp itself; it's the bayonet socket. The brass terminals inside the twist-lock sockets tend to corrode, causing a bad connection between the lamp wire terminals and the socket itself. The corrosion is also evident on the bulb wire terminals although that can be scraped off easily.

I have repaired hundreds of dash clusters and can tell you, almost ALWAYS, the bulbs are good - the socket is the culprit. I find about 1% of the bulbs are actually burned out.

Thanks John,
Yeah i know some of (if not all the bulbs are good) because sometimes they blink on for a quick second or even flutter....

aaron

 

[TexasT]

Where can replacement sockets be obtained? I am chasing a charging problem,ie, it isn't charging. The volt light doesn't light but the bulb shows resistance and the resistor in the back of the socket shows resistance but when I check the socket out of the dash with the bulb in I get no reading across the prongs.
Sorry to hijack. Link to my thread. http://www.turbobuick.com/forums/el...-same-charging-prob-question.html#post2888328

 

[Royal-T-Ltd]

Where can replacement sockets be obtained? I am chasing a charging problem,ie, it isn't charging. The volt light doesn't light but the bulb shows resistance and the resistor in the back of the socket shows resistance but when I check the socket out of the dash with the bulb in I get no reading across the prongs.
Sorry to hijack. Link to my thread. http://www.turbobuick.com/forums/el...-same-charging-prob-question.html#post2888328

to solve your problem and avoid future problems with charging i bought a field fix harness from caspers... seen here ----> Specializing in automotive interconnect and wiring systems – as for the dash bulb holders, i haven't found one yet, i thought i found them at O'reilys but the bulb was attached as a unit and i couldn't use my own [led] bulbs... for you application it might work.

Also for future reference for the original thread... taking apart the speedometer cable by the powermaster did give me some valuable space to move the panel, also the spring clip release is at the top of the speedometer cable on the back of the cluster... there are 7 total bulbs that light the instrument cluster... not including the misc bulbs for the warning/signal lights

hth
aaron

 

[rev. 3:11]

I'm using LED's from superbrightleds.com
very inexpensive & you can get colors to customize your dash a little
I'm switching over to a GNX style cluster & going with red lights
I replaced the dome light & map lights w/ led's
cool to touch, super low amp draw, should last forever.
the shipping is like $3
& the led's are cheaper than regular bulbs for the most part
I'm looking to replace underhood & trunk lights w/ the pc board mounted lights for extra lighting
OMG I sound like a frikkin' ad!
anyway just an idea...
HTH!
D