Bouncing speedo fix

[Robert Myers <rmyers@inetone.net>]

Several years ago I encountered the proverbial bouncing speedometer
problem.  Since several posts have indicated that this is a recurring
problem I am attaching the repair procedure I finally came up with to truly
solve the problem with the '89 200tq instrument cluster.  It permanently
solved the problem with that instrument cluster.  I suppose that the
present problem may well benefit from the same treatment.

Anyway, here it is:

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			Speedo Repair
			  '89 200TQ

		Fluctuating or pulsating needle.

   (Also, on the GIGO principle, inoperative cruise control.)

Note:  This information is provided for totally electronic speedometers,
not those driven by cable.

Cause of the problem:  A poor connection between the speedo head itself and
the PC board of the Instrument Cluster (IC).

Repair procedure:  

Remove the IC from the car.  (Additional info on IC R/R is available if
this is not sufficient for you.)

Open the hinged back of the IC and remove it.  Several Hex head screws are
involved here.

Remove the PC board.  There are several more screws and a few small bits
and pieces involved.  No big deal but keep track of where everything came
from so you can put it back later.  Note that there are four pins extending
from  the speedo head through the PC board which provide electrical
connection between the head and board.  (These are very similar to the
jumper connections on many PC boards.)  It is these connections which are
the problem.

Remove the speedo head itself from the IC.  Follow the four pins back to
their connections with the small PC board of the speedo head itself.
Desolder these four pins and then replace them with separately color coded
wires which are part of a high quality four (or more?) pin connector.
Several types are available.  I used connectors from an RJ-11 phone
extension cable simply because I had one immediately available.  Other
connectors will work nicely - perhaps better.  The RJ-11s are rather bulky.
 Extend the cable out so that it may be plugged into its mating half behind
the IC after it is reassembled.

Solder the other half of the connector (matching the color coding of what
you did inside the speedo head) to the PC traces where they connect to the
original connectors of the PC board.  Lead the cable to the outside of the
IC again.  

Note that some slight amount of cutting of the plastic IC case may be
needed to permit easy extension of the connectors to the outside of the IC.
 Select your route carefully and this will be a minimum amount of trimming
and will be a trivial job.

Reassemble the IC and plug the two halves of the connector together.  Tape
the dangling connector to the back of the IC to provide strain relief.

Use of suitable and much smaller connectors will eliminate the necessity of
doing the final connection outside the IC.  I simply used what I had on
hand.  It might pay to find a better alternative.  The requirement is for
four conductors, preferably color coded, and a high quality connection.

Reinstall the IC back into the car.

----------------------------------------------
		Light replacement:

Identify and locate exactly which lights need to be replaced.

Follow the removal and replacement procedures above.

While the back of the IC is open, twist out the old lights and insert and
twist in replacement lights available from your dealer.

------------------------------------------------------------------------



___
   Bob
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* Robert L. Myers  rmyers@inetone.net          Home 304-574-2372      *
* Rt. 4, Box 57,  Fayetteville, WV 25840 USA   WV tag Q SHIP          *
* '95 urS6  Cashmere Grey - der Wunderwagen    ICQ 22170244           *
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