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Help: fogged gauge cluster repair, replacement

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Old May 17, 2016, 11:45 AM
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Help: fogged gauge cluster repair, replacement
Hey guys,

Just got back in the game with an '08 MR after a 2.5 year hiatus. First mod, ruin gauge cluster with Zeiss lens wipe:





Can this be repaired, or the plastic replaced? TIA
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Old May 17, 2016, 12:41 PM
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You might have to disassemble the gauge cluster and clean it up with some very fine wet sanding, similar to how people clean up headlights. But I've never done this and am only speculating.
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Old May 17, 2016, 01:41 PM
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Originally Posted by Epyon
You might have to disassemble the gauge cluster and clean it up with some very fine wet sanding, similar to how people clean up headlights. But I've never done this and am only speculating.
Do you know if the clear piece can be separated from the bezel?

And I've seen guys do a headlight polish on the VI-IX cover, but it looks to be a sheet of polycarbonate plastic (like the headlights) and the X looks like thin(ner) plastic with maybe some type of thin film on it. I'm going to pull it apart this weekend to get a closer look at it.
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Old May 17, 2016, 01:48 PM
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yes you can separate them
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Old May 17, 2016, 01:51 PM
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Originally Posted by beetle_orange
yes you can separate them
Excellent, thanks. Now here's to hoping I can get another on the cheap (or at all) if I can't make this one better.
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Old May 18, 2016, 08:45 AM
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So I pulled up a MSDS for the Zeiss lens cleaner - it is diluted isopropyl alcohol.


Perhaps you could just clean with ammonia-free window cleaner. I would try this first before disassembly...
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Old May 18, 2016, 03:39 PM
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Originally Posted by Veronica
So I pulled up a MSDS for the Zeiss lens cleaner - it is diluted isopropyl alcohol.


Perhaps you could just clean with ammonia-free window cleaner. I would try this first before disassembly...
Thanks Veronica. And yeah, knew it was IPA, thanks for pulling the MSDS. I'll give the window cleaner a shot. If that doesn't work I'm going to try CD scratch remover.
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Old May 18, 2016, 05:07 PM
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Meguires makes a clear plastic polish that works very well on instrument clusters. Should take that off if the CD scratch remover doesn't (it should!)
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Old May 19, 2016, 08:40 AM
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^ x2
My point is - it is not scratched - just chemically etched/hazed.


Let us now what works!
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Old May 20, 2016, 09:01 AM
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Originally Posted by Veronica
^ x2
My point is - it is not scratched - just chemically etched/hazed.


Let us now what works!
I agree, the piece is etched not scratched. I'll report back this weekend when I'm motivated.
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Old May 20, 2016, 04:41 PM
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Time to upgrade to a 2010+ cluster
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Old May 23, 2016, 11:54 AM
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Originally Posted by 909*DC5
Time to upgrade to a 2010+ cluster
Ha, I'm actually one of the weirdos who prefers the red cluster. Don't ask me why.
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Old May 24, 2016, 11:00 PM
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the clear lens can be bought from mitsubishi for $32 online the part number is 8100B397
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Old May 25, 2016, 06:29 AM
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Originally Posted by stokEd
Ha, I'm actually one of the weirdos who prefers the red cluster. Don't ask me why.
Do you really like 90s VR and Tron?
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Old May 28, 2016, 10:42 AM
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Originally Posted by aphex412w
the clear lens can be bought from mitsubishi for $32 online the part number is 8100B397
Right on, thanks. If the windex stuff doesn't help, I'll just grab another.

Originally Posted by migs647
Do you really like 90s VR and Tron?
Evidently.
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