Made a BIG MISTAKE..ooops

[spc2125]

Originally Posted by Stickybuddz420

Try this, unplug you're battery take out gauge cluster and set all needles to their rest point, if you need a pic let me know, re-install cluster. Start and restart your car a few times, (approx. 3 times while letting it run 2 minutes each time) I just did exactly what I mentioned after uninstalling my needles and and spinning motors then re-installing them and the reset I mentioned worked for my 04' V6, Hope this helps bud.

i will try this on thursday when the weather is nice again. ill keep you possted. thanks

[spc2125]

its been almost 5 months and i still havent figured out how to get my needles back to normal

Junk yard -> new cluster?

I've read nothing but "you will NEVER get them back to normal again"

[Shiwnath]

Originally Posted by cherrington17

The tach is easiest. just know what engine, and someone can tell you approx where it idles.

speedo... you can calibrate with a GPS and cruise control.

Gas, it might take a few fills to get REALLY accurate readings.

and temp, get your car to its normal idle heat (usually 1/2 on mine) and set your needle there.


Its not THAT hard.




Also... if the needles move backwards, or really slow... you have the motors mixed up. They seem interchangeable, but they aren't.

^ This.

[spc2125]

it wont let me just put the needles in where i want them to go. they wont stay. for example, ill but the speed at 0 and then it will move up to 10 mph. then ill put the temp at halfway and it will go down to like a quarter (even tho my car has been running for like 15 min) and tach changes everytime i put it in as well

[AZFire316]

Originally Posted by spc2125

that is a GREAT way to sell your car and trick someone for more money.
but i would NEVER do that

Also a GREAT way to get into alot of trouble also, dont ever think about it!

[cherrington17]

Originally Posted by spc2125

it wont let me just put the needles in where i want them to go. they wont stay. for example, ill but the speed at 0 and then it will move up to 10 mph. then ill put the temp at halfway and it will go down to like a quarter (even tho my car has been running for like 15 min) and tach changes everytime i put it in as well

you have to be very careful when putting the needles back on. i pushed one thumb hard against the gauge face, and used it as the bottom anchor for the needle (something for the needle to press against toward, as i seated the needle properly in the center, since if you don't have something to brace the end against, it tends to wobble around and throw things off.


as for the speedo, i went on an open highway with my gps, set cruise at 30, and placed the needle. went to 50, reset the needle. went to 60, reset it. I had to keep fine tuning its placement. (I DO NOT ENDORSE THIS!) You can get it in place without doing that. if its off by +10mph. measure how far that is, and put it that far below 0. that should offset your +10.

...same applies for the heater. but i'd get the car started, let it warm up to normal operating temp (i had mine marked off before hand) then put repeat like i said the first time. have your finger right at that edge where it should be sitting, seat the needle while bracing the distal end.

seriously... not that hard to do.... just tedious.

[Shiwnath]

I used the same method as Cherry. I used a GPS to calibrate my speedo. To verify I used an OBD2 scanner to scan how fast my car actually thought it was going(very close to the GPS reading). It doesn't work well if you start off putting the needle on zero from a stop. At first I did this as well and my speedo was way off. I also used the scanner to verify my RPMs. For fuel I just waited until my low fuel indicator turned on and then set the needle right on the empty line. Temperature is kinda tricky to get accurate, but the scanner can help you with that reading as well.

[spc2125]

Originally Posted by cherrington17

you have to be very careful when putting the needles back on. i pushed one thumb hard against the gauge face, and used it as the bottom anchor for the needle (something for the needle to press against toward, as i seated the needle properly in the center, since if you don't have something to brace the end against, it tends to wobble around and throw things off.


as for the speedo, i went on an open highway with my gps, set cruise at 30, and placed the needle. went to 50, reset the needle. went to 60, reset it. I had to keep fine tuning its placement. (I DO NOT ENDORSE THIS!) You can get it in place without doing that. if its off by +10mph. measure how far that is, and put it that far below 0. that should offset your +10.

...same applies for the heater. but i'd get the car started, let it warm up to normal operating temp (i had mine marked off before hand) then put repeat like i said the first time. have your finger right at that edge where it should be sitting, seat the needle while bracing the distal end.

seriously... not that hard to do.... just tedious.

kind of confused when you say " i pushed one thumb hard against the gauge face, and used it as the bottom anchor for the needle "

and what do you mean by "measure how far that is, and put it that far below 0. that should offset your +10."

lastly what does "distal end" mean

sorry if i sound completely retarded, i just have tried sooo many things and its been like this forever and i just want it fixed

[cherrington17]

1) if you push your left thumb against the gauge face, so the side edge of your thumb is right where you want the needle to be resting. then when you push the needle base onto its peg, with the other hand, you can have the actual end of the needle against your thumb, so its in the right spot and doesn't bounce around. They are VERY easy to "mount" and have off by a little, since the motor spindle moves so easily

2) Never mind that. Just calibrate it as I said before, BUT FOR THE LOVE OF GOD BE CAREFUL!

3) Distal = furthest from the origin. If the base is the origin, that would mean the tip of the needle.

[spc2125]

still havent fixed this problem :P
is there any car that has a cluster compatible with the 02 alero besides another alero?
if not im gunna custom make one with plexiglass and speedhut gauges. The only thing im worried about is not having the lights. (oil, tire pressure, SES, CEL). Any idea?
Also does the little box that holds the mileage able to be taken out by itself and re installed on my custom cluster?


p.s. not to start another thread but is the glove box and the tiny area around the glove box able to come out by itself without taking apart the whole dash so i can re-upholster it?

[SIUlero]

Intrigue has the same instrument cluster, at least it looks the same. I haven't taken one out to confirm the connectors and fitment are identical, but I doubt there would be any difference.

[Shiwnath]

the intrigue cluster looks identical, but I havent actually tested on to see if its plug and play... So what's wrong with your cluster? Is it just not reading correctly no matter what you do? I've had my needles off atleast 3-4 times so I know that unless there is something actually wrong with the needle motors, you're probably doing something wrong.

Edit: ^ damn lol you beat me to it

[zearchyo]

have u gone to the junk yards yet?

[robalero]

you can go to the dealer and they can calibrate it for you