Flakey speedometer and tachometer after indiglo install

[Tabjo]

Last Thursday I installed a set of indiglo gauges in hopes I wouldn't have to bother changing out the silly bulbs in the dash ever again. The good news is that the indiglo gauges are awesome and work like a charm. However since I took apart my dash, my speedometer and tachometer have been acting very weird.



Thursday night after theinstall and all of Friday,no problems. Saturday, following some rain in the morning, I notice that my speedomter and tachometer are not working at all, all the other gauges, odometer, and tripometer are working just fine. After driving around a little while longer the speedo and tacho start to work, but the needle indicators on both move very jerky. They do not move in a fluid motion like normal, but instead jump like the movement of the second hand on a clock.



After getting home, I take the dash apart, check my indiglo install to make sure the indiglo gauges are not obstructing the needles, which they were not. I spray some contact cleaner on the backof the instrument cluster and clean the area where the wires plug into the cluster and reassemble the dash making sure that all the connections are flush. I then take it out for a drive, and although the speedometer and tachometerare working again, they are both still jerky.



A little whilelonger everything is working just fine, and both speedo and tacho are moving in a fluid motion again. That evening more rain, and in the morning the problem begins again, and much later goes away without me doing anything. This morning, no rain but a lot of moisture, and again I have the problem, but then the problem quickly goes away after a little bit of driving and running the heater.



The only thing I can think of is that I seem to have introduced a moisture problem by taking my instrument cluster apart. As I am guessing that the problem seems to go away after the moisture dries out. Has anyone else experienced this and figured out a way to fix it, or know which of the three plugs going into the back of the instrument cluster has the speedometr and tachometer wires? Sorry for the long rambling description, any helpful input is appreciated.

 

[Todd Z]

Loose connection, or dirty contact on the connections on the back....

You did not drop it right???

Todd Z

 

[Fudged Undies]

Tab, how secure are the overlays? When I ask that I mean did you glue them to the factory overlays or just set them and not adhere them with anything (I know the instructions don't say to glue them). I had to use silicone (could have used something else) to somewhat secure them to the factory overlays. The overlays weren't completely flat, they had a slight curve which would interfere with the speedo and tack needles and though it may seem they are not interfering, the needles have some play in them which allows them to move back and forth (from the pedals towards the driving when the gauges are installed).



In my case they worked but would sometimes stick for a bit in certain areas. Used some silicone to stick the overlays together and haven't had that problem again in 3 years. I'd bet you're experiencing the same thing. Unfortunately, you have to take everything apart again to fix it. I used silicone specifically because it seems like the easiest thing to seperate shoule the indiglo's fail.

 

[Tabjo]

Todd,



Nope, did not drop it.



Spiff,



I'm starting to think you are right, as everything else is working fine except the tach and speedometer. Looking through old posts, I found that the wires that govern those two are on seperate plugs in the back of the instrument cluster, so the chances of just those two pins being loose or dirty is unlikely. When I had the cluster open last, it sure did look like the overlays were clearing the needles,but it must be hitting it slightly. It is weird though that eventually it starts to work. I will try using silicone on it and hopefully I'll be rid of this problem.



Thanks guys!