Odometer Woes

[angryrobots]

Today I decided to pull my instrument cluster and see what the problem with my odometer is. Yep, just like others on this forum have said, the plastic gears were fubared.



Ahhh, but never fear. I found a site that sells replacement gears.
http://www.odometergears.com/subpages/bmw.html (scroll down to the bottom)

So do any of you have any experience with these? They appear to be the correct size and teeth, but I really won't know until I install them.

I also found out why my service lights don't work. See something missing?




Apparantly at some point the lights were removed, instead of replacing the batteries, which BTW appear to be original. Oh well, I don't need* some silly thing to tell me when to service my car.





*But I wish they worked *sigh*

[Aether]

Could you explain how you got the cluster off?
I've wanted to crawl back there and replace the backlights, but I couldn't figure out how to dimantle it.

[angryrobots]

It's really not hard at all. I used a combination of this article

http://www.bmwe30.net/cgi-bin/datacgi/data...=00044&Section=

and the Bentley manual. Once you get the lower cover off (this is the big plastic cover that is under the dash, right above your legs, 4 plastic screws) you have to get the cover off that's right above the steering column. Reach behind it and you'll feel 2 "knurled nuts", as the Bentley manual puts it. Unscrew these (you remember "rightsey-tighsey, leftey-loosey, right?) with your fingers and you can push the panel out with the studs that the nuts were screwed on to.

After that its pretty obvious. Remove instrument trim plate. Theres 4 screws on the bottom and 2 on top holding it. The only screws left are 2 more in top holding in the instrument cluster.

You might be able to change your bulbs without taking any of the wire harnesses loose. They're all mounted on the back of the panel.

[Aether]

Oh..oh, wow!
Thanks a million.

Wait - a million and four.

Glad to have met someone who knows their way around the instrument panel in one of these babies. Good luck with the service lights - mine won't turn off.

[angryrobots]

If your service lights are stuck on I think that just means the SI circuit board's batteries need replacing. The link I posted above explains it pretty well.

[pjgonwa]

I replaced 2 sets of gears using the gears purchased from odometergears.com The gears are well made and you should never have to replace them again.

As far as the SI batteries, I bought a battery holder and remote mounted it down in an accessable location. Next time I need to replace the batteries, I wont have to remove the cluster.

[Aether]

My mechanic straight soldered a AA into the circuit, as I imagine the kind folks in Münich did. I think I'll put in a holder for that with a standard 9V attachment leading to the glove compartment or something so I can up the juice if my new lights require.

Can anyone tell me all of what's powered by that circuit?

[angryrobots]

Did your mechanic use rechargable batteries? I don't understand what you mean by "up the juice". I don't know the exact voltage of the batteries in our SI board (they differ from car to car anyway) but AA bats are 1.5V DC.

And thanks for backing up that site, pjgonwa. I ordered the gears a few minutes ago.

[nizar]

Dear sir,



I am having a problem with my 1992 520 bmw digital odometer, the digits are fading out and after a 5 min. drive the display is completely black, it seems that the out side temperature (or car temperature due to engine heat and sun shine) is effecting the display.

plz advice any recommendations.



best regards,



Nizar M. Haubsh

haubsh@yahoo.com

[BMW Lover]

when i had to get my instrament cluster out, just recently i should say, my dad and i took off the clear cover pushed it back, tilted it down and sort of forced it out...it has worked ever since. i got another cluster and switched out gauges that worked in each one to make one super duper gauge cluster...lol its sweet they all work now