gauge cluster problem (inaccurate needles)

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10-22-2003, 11:04 PM
bluedraco

gauge cluster problem (inaccurate needles)

hi guys

i recently took my gauge cluster out and also took off the needles so that i could scan to the gauges into my computer to make my own ones...

in the mean time i reinstalled my old ones and i can't get the needles to be accurate (speedo and tacho)...

for example - when my car is warm and idling the tacho usually idles at about 750rpm...to do that, i had to make the needle show -250rpm (negative 250) or so when the car was off, otherwise when it is idling it will show about 1,000rpm...

when the car is off the speedo shows about -20 (negative 20) for it to be accurate (from what i can tell going off the tacho)...

if i put both needles on to 0, they will represent higher values than what they should be when the car is running (hence me putting them on to negative values to make them accurate when the car is running)...

i know i was stupid to take the needles off the gauges without finding out the "proper" way to do it but i did it with my previous car and had the same problem but fixed it by trying to turn it further than it goes back and forth a few times and got it 100% accurate again...however, i've tried it with these ones and no matter what i do, for example, the tacho will either read below 0 (-250rpm) when the car is off or 1,000rpm at warm idle (250rpm too high)...

i have a 1990 model DOHC model galant gsr (australian) and i'm lost for what to do...i'm going for a drive shortly to compare my trip-meter to the highways one (it has a 5km tripmeter test on the road near by) so hopefully it will at least be accurate and the worst case scenario is that i have to put up with both the tacho and speedo reading below 0 when the car is switched off (or the speedo reads below 0 when not moving)...

any ideas what i can do to fix it myself? should i keep trying to turn it back and forth until it (hopefully) corrects itself or have i permanently damaged something?

please help https://www.thegalantcenter.org/styl...efault/sad.gif
10-22-2003, 11:10 PM
pinoyesv6

hmm for the speedo. uhm really hard to get that 100% accurate. uhm what you can do is, with the needles off. get the car moving forward like maybe 1 oe 2 kmh or something and then slap the needles onto 0. or you can follow a friend with cell phones or walkie talkies and he can tell you how fast you are going. a lil more dangerous though since you hsould be paying attention to the road. do it in an big empty parking lot lol
10-22-2003, 11:51 PM
bluedraco

well, i just went for a drive with my current "settings"...i did the 5km trip and my car reported around 5.1-5.2km, so that's fine...

in first gear i used to be able to get to about 50kmph when i hit redline and had to change to second...i tried it a few times then and it still reaches around 50kmph so that's fine as well...

the only problem is that both my needles (when car is off, or the car is not moving for the speedo) show below the 0 mark (as i said in the previous post)...

i think i've problem damaged something when i "twisted" the needles off...at least it *seems* so far that i don't HAVE to get this problem fixed but it would be good to get it back the way it was...

WHY OH WHY DID I HAVE TO TOUCH THESE IN THE FIRST PLACE - I SHOULD HAVE BEEN A TINY BIT MORE CAREFUL!!! (i wasn't really that rough with them but i did twist them beyond their "normal" range)...

https://www.thegalantcenter.org/styl...efault/sad.gif
10-23-2003, 12:03 AM
pinoyesv6

so are you saying that you fixed the speedo? and your problem is that you probably broked or moved the stopes for the needles?
10-23-2003, 01:03 AM
bluedraco

no, i'm not saying my problem is fixed...

i'm saying that it's a catch 22...i either have inaccurate gauges or i have it so that when the car is off it reads a negative value (how i currently have it)...

there are no 0-stops in my car...only one at 240kmph and that's it...but that didn't stop me from turning the needle beyond that point (lifted it slightly to adjust it)...

basically - at the moment my needles sit on like -20kmph and -250rpm respectively...when i start moving they seem to "correct" themself like straight away and from the test i did earlier today it looks to be accurate...it's just not ideal as it's not like it is designed to be (0kmph and 0rpm)...

https://www.thegalantcenter.org/styl...efault/sad.gif
10-23-2003, 01:30 AM
Rasko Da Gama

Actually - I have the same problem as you buddy. But I think when adjusting needles below 0km/h and 0rpm - it should fix the problem. It doesn't bother me so much if they are below zero when not muving.

That's the price if acting too quick when trying to get those white gauges fast... https://www.thegalantcenter.org/styl...ault/laugh.gif
10-23-2003, 02:59 AM
bluedraco

Rasko - hang on, are you saying you have the same problem as me? you did the same thing? you now have accurate gauges but when the car is off/not moving it sits below the 0 mark???
10-23-2003, 11:39 AM
Rasko Da Gama

Quote:

Originally Posted by bluedraco

Rasko - hang on, are you saying you have the same problem as me? you did the same thing? you now have accurate gauges but when the car is off/not moving it sits below the 0 mark???

Actually, when I took out gauges for scaning, and then put them back, I didn't pay so much atention on needles. So now they show that I am going a little faster then I really am. But when I instal new gauges, I'll put the needles out, drive a few kilometers without them and than put them back in. If this wouldn't help - than I'll put the needles before Zero and will not mind if they are below zero when the car is not running.

https://www.thegalantcenter.org/styl...ult/tongue.gif
10-23-2003, 06:52 PM
J apmetal

I've never stripped my dash pod, and when my car is off both needles fall below the "0" level to rest on little stops on the dials; If your dials are reading right when in use, who cares what they show when it's off ?
10-24-2003, 06:24 AM
Rasko Da Gama

J apmetal, can you take a closeup photo of your needles position on gauges when the car doesn't run and post those pic here? It would be a big help for us... dummyes https://www.thegalantcenter.org/styl...ault/laugh.gif
10-24-2003, 06:43 AM
pinoyesv6

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rasko Da Gama

So now they show that I am going a little faster then I really am.

thats a good thing. gives you a small safety blanket for speeding and such.
10-24-2003, 01:08 PM
J apmetal

I'll take a pivture tommorrow & post it for you https://www.thegalantcenter.org/styl...ault/smile.gif
10-24-2003, 01:38 PM
Rasko Da Gama

Quote:

Originally Posted by pinoyesv6

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rasko Da Gama

So now they show that I am going a little faster then I really am.

thats a good thing. gives you a small safety blanket for speeding and such.

Hehehe https://www.thegalantcenter.org/styl...ault/laugh.gif You've got the point here Pinoy :wink:

And JapMetal - that would be grat - thanx a lot https://www.thegalantcenter.org/styl...lt/biggrin.gif
10-24-2003, 02:39 PM
Strahan

I did the same thing and my solution was to get on the highway and go what feels like 60 then set the cruise and see how long it takes to go 1 mile. If it's more than a minute, I speed up. Less I speed up. Once it gets to almost exactly 1 mi = 1 minute put the needle on 60. My speedo actually seems more accurate than when I bought it, hehe..