Guys, I tried a different approach to changing the color of the instrument panel. Instead of changing the bulbs, i applied colored plastic film to the back of the face plate. Looks great and you can apply different colored film to different areas to get different effects.

However, I encountered a problem. to remove the face plate, the gauge needles have to be removed. The speedo and tach are fine as they have physical stops so repositioning them is not a problem. However, the fuel and temp gauges no not have these stops. i marked their positions with the igniton off but when i reinstalled them in the correct positions, they weren't reading properly. with the engine running i set the temp gage needle to the correct position where the temp normally is. i filled my gas tank and set the fuel gauge needle to its proper position. I am confident that they are giving me correct readings now but when the ignition is switched off, the needles fall way below the position where they should stop.

can't figure out why!
HELP!!!!

 

Man, that blows... Maybe someone with some experience in the gauges themselves can chime in!

 

I think thats normal, because theres nothing to stop it from falling. My gauges go below the line when my car is off too, But my gauges are right.

 

I know they normally go below the line when the car is off, but these go WAY below where they should be. probably close to 90 degrees off

 

You gotta turn your car on and then set them. If your tank is full put the fuel guage at full. Usually the temp. gauge is about half way when the car is warmed up. Try setting them while the car is on.

 

^Read my friend! He said he tried that, but with no luck...

 

Keep messing with them. I had this happen to me too. Keep moving the needles up then turn the ignition off. Then move them again until you get it.

 

Why is this exact thread posted twice? To help with your problem, if they're reading right, why care about where they fall when the car is off? It could be the result of random variation, since you messed with the needles they don't behave exactly as they did before. If you're really concerned, try taking the needles off and putting them back on again.

 

The needles are probably falling 180 degrees in the opposite direction. It happened to me too. I turned my car off and freaked out a bit, but i kept messing with them and then I got it.

 

thanks jakermeister. will keep fiddling with them.

will post pics of the mod soon.

 

how could it fall 180 degrees in the opposite direction?
they are supposed to be towards the bottom when the car is off, so your saying they "fall" all the way around to the top?

 

It could be at full when the car is on, then when your turn them off they could be in the opposite direction or pointing left. He should be able to fix it if he keeps messing with them. I did the same thing. LOL Really freaked me out when it happened.

 

You didn't remove the pins that he needles rest on when they are off did you? Cuz that would explain it.

 

He shoudln't have. I think he talking about the temp. and fuel gauges. Those are the only gauges without the pins.

 

So...how'd the mod turn out?