Factory Gauge Panel maintenance

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Evan Dutch

Evan Dutch

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Hey guys,

I just pulled the gauge panel out of my 1971 Plymouth scamp so I could see why my speedometer wasn’t working. The cable spins freely and the mechanism on the gauge panel works. Perhaps the cable wasn’t clicked all the way in.

Anyway, while the gauge panel is out, I wanted to change my gauge lighting to LED as well as clean up the contacts for the gauge panel. I’ve also noticed my fuel gauge works, however there are times where it will show empty until I hit a bump or tap the dash in the right place (sounds like a loose connection of some kind).

What other beneficial work should I perform on the gauge panel before I reinstall it?

Also, the ammeter is already bypassed, and I have a separate temperature gauge so the factory one is not utilized.

Thanks!

IMG_9080.jpeg
 
Some folks put LED light tape inside the cluster. Looks pretty cool and you can change colors.
 
Evan Dutch said:
Hey guys,

I just pulled the gauge panel out of my 1971 Plymouth scamp so I could see why my speedometer wasn’t working. The cable spins freely and the mechanism on the gauge panel works. Perhaps the cable wasn’t clicked all the way in.

Anyway, while the gauge panel is out, I wanted to change my gauge lighting to LED as well as clean up the contacts for the gauge panel. I’ve also noticed my fuel gauge works, however there are times where it will show empty until I hit a bump or tap the dash in the right place (sounds like a loose connection of some kind).

What other beneficial work should I perform on the gauge panel before I reinstall it?

Also, the ammeter is already bypassed, and I have a separate temperature gauge so the factory one is not utilized.

Thanks!

View attachment 1716210987
Click to expand...

See those blue diffusers? Remove them, clean inside them thoroughly and seal tightly against the white housing so no light leakage.

Paint the white section of the cluster with high gloss white spray paint to increase reflectivity.

Definitely install led bulbs. Sylvania makes a great super white led.

Clean the gauge faces, markings and repaint the pointers. Testor makes an orange paint that works great.

Make sure to clean the contacts on the bulb holders as well as the circuit board.

You can use a 9 volt battery to test everything before you re-install the cluster.

Connect the negative lead to the cluster frame, then use a wire from the positive side of the battery to contact the positive side of the bulb.

This will ensure you have the bulbs in correctly as they are polarity specific before you reinstall the cluster.

I did all this and what a difference!!
 
I can't say I have ever heard of a positive lead on a push in light bulb? Nor have I ever put them in a specific way.
 
gdrill said:
I can't say I have ever heard of a positive lead on a push in light bulb? Nor have I ever put them in a specific way.
Click to expand...

Hey gdrill,

Using regular incandescent bulbs as the factory installed, you would be 100% correct for a single filament bulb.

LED bulbs, however, have a positive and negative terminal and can only be installed one way.

Cheers!!
 
gdrill said:
Well now I will have to go pull all the ones I just put in my rv last week and check them out!
Click to expand...

Hopefully they are easier to access than an A-Body LOL !

No harm in turning on power to them though . They will turn on or won't if polarity is wrong.
 
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