Steve Whitehorn

iTrader: (13)

I have a 94WRX
Have pulled apart some of the interiour in my time, however I have never touched the dials.
Q1
Has any one fitted new dials. Is it an easy job or is it a real barsta*d. If it is very difficult then I might give it a miss.
Q2
The dash lights (speedo/rev counter) at night seem to be quite dull. I can not find anyway to adjust brightness. Most cars have some way of doing this. Are they just dull on early WRXs?
Q3
The switches around the Speedo/rev counter don't light up at night (hazard warning-Electric mirrors-Heated rear screen). After looking at them closely it seems as it they are not designed to do this. Am I right as most cars have this stuff lit.

Thanks
Steve

sasim

goto www.sastech.co.uk/howto and follow the links

The site is a bit of an abandoned project but the info you need is there.

Stuart

Gimme a shout if you find anything different on your car.

scooby_si

Basically it's pretty easy but seeing as im still waiting 4 a replacement rev dial 2 correct me minor f-up my advice is be very careful when tryin the 2 spoon technique especially on the rev counter as i've alreaady pissed away £90 trying 2 get me white dials sorted
Si

Steve Whitehorn

iTrader: (13)

Thanks for your answers so far
ta
steve

scooby_si

been 2 a scoob dealer earlier & his basic gist was that rev counter aint designed 4 removal!
ie if u try puttin new dial in it is designed 2 break!!!!!!![img]images/smilies/mad.gif[/img] ho hum guna melt the next replacemant rev counter dial off but then i have a few spare needles so i can afford 2 if any1 need a spare needle 4 such an op then let me no i'd make me feel good helpin sum1 out havin pissed away so much cash 4 just sum white dials god damn it!!!!!!
Si

Steve Whitehorn

iTrader: (13)

After your experience
I think I will give it a miss which is a shame.
I hope you get it sorted out and that it looks good.
P.S. do you know the answers to my other two questions, as in do you know anyone with a MY94 WRX who would be able to answer these questions for me.
Hope it all works out
Cheers
Steve

scooby_si

Don't get me wrong i think the interior needs all the help it can get & the white dials make it look far better so don't b put off
Regards the other q's my car is a turbo 2000 but presumably same in that i dont believe the buttons 4 da screen heater have a light on, although me fog light button duz, although if on then u shud get an appropriate symbol illuminated by the dials (although i no the layout is slightly different 4 da WRX still same in that sence i guess?) As far as general illumination goes yes it is a bit on the dull side & no there aint no way 2 adjust it Although u kud get an aftermarket light i guess.
I kud be wrong but that's my understanding, limited as it is
Si

Steve Whitehorn

iTrader: (13)

Thanks m8 for clearing up those points for me.
Best wishes
Steve
I am sure the white dials will look the dogs once it has been done.

Alas

Hi m8
I got mine fitted at a garage and they had a sh*t of a time doing it. Cost me a fortune in labour.
Looked the biz when done though
Alasdair

skoobidude

I agree with you, Steve. I have a 97 STi. The dash looks dull in this too. Also, half the switches don't illuminate in the dark so I'm having to feel around for things. I want to add some more gauges soon and would like them in white so the dash needs to match too!

Are you going to do them yourself, Steve?
Nick

Steve Whitehorn

iTrader: (13)

Well Nick after much thought I am going to leave well alone. It is shame as they would look good and my boost guage is also white.
I am not going to risk it. I am going to take the dash apart and get to dials and have a close look, but I recon it is not worth the agro. The interiour isn't that good compared to many cars and that is the way it is I suppose, you can't have everything!
Are you going to have a crack at it? If you do let me know how you get on?
Cheers
Steve

scooby_si

As i said b4 it is the dogs in the looks department with white dials so tis worth it but then i've been without me rev counter 4 weeks waiting 4 a replacemenent (that i dont destroy) so i have spare needles if u wana melt yer actual pointer off (which in heinsight i recommend)
Si

Steve Whitehorn

iTrader: (13)

Ok Si will have a look on Monday and still might give it a go. What would you use to heat the needles enough but not too much?
Steve

sasim

I managed to fit my dials without any problems, I just heated the needles using a hair dryer then gently prized them off using 2 spoons, I think that the heating is probably the most critical part.

Took me about 1 hour start to finish, and they do look well smart.

Click Here for full instructions and follow the to MY96 links, sites a bit of a mess but all the info is there.

Stuart

[Edited by sasim - 3/31/2002 11:32:19 PM]

scooby_si

Well i still aint succeeded yet but u do wana have sumin, pliers or wotever holding da spindle b4 u go near it with da 2 spoons i tried heatin it 4 ages, the 2nd time, & still the spindle popped out oh 2 easily! So basically i reckon if u have a grip on the spindle it shudnt pop out but heat the bitch up big stlyeeeeeeeeee & then get a good hold on it b4 puttin any pressure on. As i say im guna totally melt the next needle off so no risk at all but they r fragile in a big way!!!!!!!!!! Worth it but still work in progress 4 me & i no other people said they aint had any trubble with da 2 spoon technique but as dealer said & as i found out they is weaker than a anorexiks arm wrestlin tornament! lol damn i is drunk
Si


[Edited by scooby_si - 3/31/2002 11:42:32 PM]

DodgeT

Been on lockwoods site www.lockwoodinternational.co.uk and it says that their new kits are designed to fit over the needles without removing them & no slits, so this is what im going for.

Also just been on graham goode site & you can get all sorts of colours, I was originally thinking obviously about white, but wonder if same colour of car eg. red would be cool.

sasim

I think that only applies to the Fuel and Temp gauges, the rev and speedo needles still have to come off, my kit was like that anyway and it was a new one, it said so on the box

Stuart

scooby_si

Yeah only got mine, er a few months back & only da fuel & temp uns that dont need needle removal as it wood need a fat hole 2 fit over the bit in da middle!
Dealer said i shud put a slit in the dial so u dont have 2 remove but sod that if i wanted slashes all over me interior i wood use it as a urinal
Anyway if u do fancy funky colours u kud try http://www.mjdesignsuk.com/ although i must sday i'm quite surprised mook aint already suggested it
Anyway good luck m8.
Si

mook

*lol* Been so busy making them not had a chance to check out the BBS

Yeah, the hair dryer on the needle hub trick will help to remove the needles cleanly with much reduced risk of breakage.

Regarding you lighting, you can replce the dash bulbs with higher wattage ones, which you can pick up from the likes of Halfords for 99p a go. The top lighting utilises a prism effect to move light from the rear over the top and down, you can put brighter bulbs along the top and also apply a light film to the front of the prism plastic to change the lighting colour if you desire. Then the bulb covers can be removed so you get a decent light through the new filter, can then change it to red or blue or anything under the sun

I'm in the process of making up a set to match the Autometer Phantom gauges - white faces with black numbers/notches, and matching font, so they should look good. They aren't backlit which means the old dial faces don't need removing, but have designed them to remove the speedo and rev counter and leaving the fuel/temp on as they really are pigs to remove the needles and not recommended, normally have to cut them out. The top lighting is then going to be brightened to provide sufficient illumination at night. It's also the case that less light is required on white/light dial faces to see them clearly as they reflect more light back (obviously )

Hope that's of some help, or maybe kick in the imagination