Remove main instrument cluster: Tacho working intermittently

[Craig Williams]

To remove the main instrument cluster to repair the tachometer which was working intermittently due to a bad electrical connection as it is 30 years old and the contacts needed cleaning. Part 1

Lever up the rear cover

There are two clips just raise it vertically

Now take out two Philps head screws at the base (and on either side) of the instrument cluster

And the Philips head screw at the rear of the gauges (you can see it by looking through the front window)
See Part 2 (next post)

[Jones12]

Cheers!
Need to do this to replace a few globes!

[Craig Williams]

Remove main instrument cluster: Tacho working intermittently Part 2

Once you have removed the rear cover and the main cluster is loose.
1) Reach over the back top left corner (as you sit in the drivers seat) and disconnect the speedometer cable by depressing the white clip and wiggle and pull it off backwards (towards the windscreen).
2) Pull off the round white plug, there are no clips it just pulls off.
3) Next, up to the right the small plug and large rectangular one. For these and the remaining plugs depress the clip and wiggle them off.
4) Next go to the bottom left corner and disconnect the blue and then green plugs.
5) Finally, the bottom right two white plugs which were the ones I found most awkward to release!
View of rear of gauges

The tacho runs off the ("female") centre round plug (the white one with all the yellow wires running into it). You can also access any blown globes, they are mostly at the centre bottom of the main instrument cluster. There are ones on each extreme LH and RH side as well. This photo needs to be rotated 90 degrees clockwise.
Clean the copper "male" pins with wet and dry sand paper

Also spray WD-40 into the female plug. You can see the white "female" plug in this photo to the top right of that main centre hole. This photo needs to be rotated 90 degrees anti-clockwise.
Temporarily connect the white round centre plug once you have cleaned up the connection and start the engine to test and see if it now works. If it does re-assemble in reverse order!

[Jeffrey]

Tacho

Hi I had my speedo and tacho done cost $200 but I have had no trouble and I did them 3 years ago.

[Craig Williams]

Yes well our gauges are getting very old so need servicing. The one I work on is my son's, an Import SWB 1988 TDI 2.5L

[98NL GL]

Thanks Craig,

Nice clear write up. I have similar issue and you have given me the courage to attempt it this weekend.

cheers

[Pajez]

Nice write up. thanks for giving us some info

[Craig Williams]

Thanks Craig,

Nice clear write up. I have similar issue and you have given me the courage to attempt it this weekend.

cheers

Let me know how you go fixing it

[jacob.naturberg]

Hej Craig, I've done as you said, but my tachometer is still just running sometimes. I don't really matter to me because I like to drive it as I feel it. Could be that the tacho has some defect contact in itself.

But does someone notice the engine roaring under 2.000 rpm from 3nd gear and higher? I thought that happens first under 1.000 rpm ...

[Craig Williams]

Hi Frankie I would try again and get a scriber or rats tail files and or Wet and dry paper and sand and scratch around the connections and enlarge the male one and try and squeeze it into the female one to make it a tight fit. You need to clean it up better I would try again you should find it will work! cheers, Craig

[MMC89TD2.5]

Thanks Craig,
I've also got the 89 NG SWB import, in auto.. & need to go through this. I've been thinking it was maybe on the solder points to the board at the back of the tacho but this is without pulling it out like this & freshening up the connections. So good on you for sharing.

I've also got a snapped speedo cable to replace - got one from a bloke in a facebook group. I went to do that today, with little knowledge of what I'm doing.. & found when pulling out the other end from the transfer case, I'm going to lose oil, so bought oil after this for next attempt another day! The filler hole & oil level is above the speedo plug. Not looking forward to dealing with the firewall either..

cheers

[Craig Williams]

Good luck how did you go with the speedo cable into transfer case, have you finished the job yet?

[birdie1976]

Engine temp gauge fault

I have a question here. I removed all to clean and lubricate. Since then, the engine temp gauge hasnt been moving a mm. where should I look at? Thx in advance.