Quick question

[phil_long]

I removed the digital dash from the car.  Now how do I get the whole cluster out so i can get to the back of it to clean it? Thanks in advance

[phil_long]

ummm, hello?

[Steve Wood]

never pulled a digital dash...are you saying you removed the entire dash from the car and now you want to remove the cluster?

Normally, you pop the trim in front of the cluster out, then remove the screws holding the cluster to the dash, unclip the speedo cable and pull the cluster out to where you can disconnect the wiring harness.

[phil_long]

I know its confusing, but i pulled the digital dash, and now I want to remove the side lights, etc.  So basically I'm trying to pull the whole cluster.  Do I have to drop the steering wheel in order to get to the back, or is there another way?

[Pyro6]

It's a little confusing what you're doing. If you just want to take the IPC out, undo the speedometer cable at the back, undo the 4? 1/4 or 9/32 screws and the digital portion comes out. It sounds like you have the bezel and trim out already.

[Steve Wood]

You have to be able to reach up from the bottom and grab the speedo cable where it clips to the speedometer.

that means you have to take the underdash cover off so you can reach up.  If I recall correctly, it may give you a bit more room to pull the cluster out if you do drop the steering column down by removing the two nuts that hold it up

[phil_long]

OK, that what I needed to know.  And yes, cluster and Bezel already removed.  I never knew it was called an IPC. Thanks

[Steve Wood]

Me, either.  That sounds like something one takes for a bad stomach.

[phil_long]

Alright guys, so now that I removed everything and call myself cleaning the contacts, I put the damn dash back in and the alternator doesn't charge.  I've been reading this guide from casper's explaining the special VOLTS bulb, but my car never had one.  How important is that resistor within that bulb???

[phil_long]

And I've tried different bulbs across the same location on the flex board, and sometimes there is continuity, and some bulbs there none.  only weird thing is, all the bulbs work.....

[gbsean]

check the contacts where bulb plugs in..

[Steve Wood]

it needs a bulb or a resistor...if the bulb will not light, then the alternator will not charge and even if you have one of the bases with the resistor in it, it will still not charge because the bulb will burn if it is making contact, and if it does not, then the resistor is not making contact either....

You can take a small bulb and a socket and connect it between the alternator wire and a switched power feed and do the same thing...or you can stick a resistor in the wire instead of the bulb and do the same thing.

John sells that field fix that does just that.

[phil_long]

Thanks steve.  I thought about investing in the part that John sells.  It's inexpensive and it seems like it would do the trick.  Just wanted to try and fix something on my own for once.  Looks like that's my next purchase......

[Steve Wood]

they are tricky to get to make contact.  Usually, if you keep messing with it, it will eventually work

[phil_long]

They are definitely tricky.  Got the right bulb in there, and it worked properly.  I had to use all of my strength to push the dash in to make contact.  The screws wont be good enough for a consistent contact, due to vibration etc, so it's looking like I'm going to be purchasing that part.  Thanks for all the input guys.