removing gauge cluster hood how to
 

i was browsing youtube and this popped up on my suggested feed
thought this may be helpful for people attempting to do it

i haven't done it on mine yet but with the up coming carpet swap i shall attempt this :smoker:

PS, a little trick removing plastic tabs and pieces/clips .. take a blowdryer or heat gun and heat up the known tabs area, itll make popping out the clips alot easier and reduce risk of breaking


also.. this guy makes it seem so easy and straight forward..whats up with all the horrid stories on people shattering the hood in multiple pieces ?

Thanks for sharing! I will be taking of my cluster hood sometime soon and I'm not too happy about it...I guess over time they become brittle...especially from sitting in the sun. I've read on here that quite a few FD owners have shattered their hoods. So its not just that the tabs are an issue...apparently the entire hood shatters across :scared:

I will definitely heat it up, and not just the tabs but also the entire hood...and lube the tabs and clips so they come out easier...

Any other tips and tricks to prevent shattering it?

Depends how long it has been on there I guess. My 02 comes apart so easy, a gentle pull and it pops off. My '92 needed pulling with literally all my strength to remove. It's worth putting something padded over the stalk assy to make sure you don't scratch the panel when it lets go.

It's pretty simple, plastic + sun + >23 years = incredibly brittle plastic.
The only ones this does not happen to are the ones that have been garaged all their life. The sun/UV rays kill the plastic and the heat that builds up from being so close to the windshield does not help much either.

Vince

Yes, it's all in the history of the car. My 94 has been a garage queen since, well since 94, and the instrument hood pops off with little drama. If your car has spent most of its life outside in the sun you have very brittle plastic, plus cooked electronics under the plastic (which is why you are probably trying to remove the hood). I would highly recommend that if you are successful with getting the hood off you lightly grease the clips with silicon grease to make future removals a little less dramatic.

Oh one more thing, while you have the gauge hood off, you might as well linerize your temperature gauge using these instructions that I developed 23 years ago. :cool:

Ok, one other note. Although I've never tried it, if you want to heat up the gauge hood I would just let the car sit out on a sunny day with the windows rolled up for an hour or two. The gauge hood will get so hot it will be uncomfortable to touch. I would think a heat gun would be more difficult to use and it would take a long time to get the internal tabs up to temperature.

Wow. That guy made his video so efficient. Very clear and concise, no fluff or wasted time. Wish he had a whole series.

Kensin,

Thanks for posting the video link. It is good to see a demonstration of the cluster & hood removal!

However, I do have some criticisms for the video. No insult to you or the original content creator. I've done this more times than I wish to count. I don't believe I could make a video under 6min and still cover the criticisms cited below.

First the good points:
1. The video is short to keep the audience's attention.
2. Good demonstration of physically popping off the hood from the dashboard.
3. Good demonstration of instrument cluster removal from the hood to include the 4 screw locations.
4. Shows the locations to add ground and boost gauge wires.

Next, the criticisms:
1. Does not show actual screw locations on each trim piece.
2. Does not show trim piece removal, such as the steering wheel surround, lower dash valence (aka crotch cooler), dash side plate (to access the 3rd screw).
--That dash side plate is a real PITA to re-install! It's removal isn't too bad.
3. Does not show a good way to extract the gauge hood from the dash and steering wheel.
--This can be done without loosening/removing steering column bolts and lower steering column.
--That removal is equally a PITA but could be difficult to capture on camera.
--It is VERY easy to remove the cluster and hood with the steering column lowered.
4. Does not show instrument cluster connector locations.
5. Recommend to use an alternate location to tap into the MAP/MAF sensor wire.
--Maybe inside the cockpit leading into the ECU would be better?
6. Does not address the CEL difference between the USDM and JDM cluster.

Cheers,
George

The 93 gauge hood plastic is TERRIBLE and they also made many of the 93's with clips that are WAY too strong for the job. I've seen 93's that require TONS of brute force to come off and I've seen some that just shattered when being removed.

94 they de-tensioned the spring clips and the plastic is much better, it's SO much easier to do.

I will recommend ONLY doing work with the plastics during warm weather or in a warm place (heated garage). The cold really makes the plastic brittle and you greatly increase the risk of a problem. IMHO anything over 60 degrees F is comfortable temperature.

Dale

After going through this process at least three times, I can say with certainty that you should use a small flat head screwdriver to unplug the cruise control and headlight motor buttons just like the guy in that video. The first time I removed a cluster assembly I struggled for at least an hour trying to press those little tabs with my thumbs. The screwdriver got them free in seconds. Other than that, either drop the steering column to the floor or remove the steering wheel, hub (the part with the clock spring and stalks), and put a cloth on the metal part so that you don't scratch up the cluster surround while removing it. You have to pull it toward you to get your hand behind it and unplug the four cluster connections, so it's much easier to damage than you think. It might also be beneficial for working room and your back to remove the driver's seat before starting this. I never bothered to, but you probably shouldn't follow my example on that one.

on my current 93 (that sat outside most of its life) when i grabbed the cluster/hood to pull it towards me my fingers went straight through the gauge hood.

woops

this mental image made me laugh out loud

so many times taking apart the car I've said to myself "damn it mazda"