Type III Gauge Overhauls (pic)

Fastback, Squareback, Notchback, T-3 Karmann Ghia.

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Amskeptic
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Type III Gauge Overhauls (pic)

Post by Amskeptic » Mon Feb 19, 2007 7:57 pm

Gauges pop right out right to left. Huge clips at 3 and 9 oclock, just push the gauge firmly towards the front of the car, press the sides of the clip and shove the gauge back towards the driver's seat. Removing the speedo cable first is easier on the dash opening. Nifty.

Fuel gauge idiot cluster has a big plug on the back you can remove all at once, or you can painstakingly remove all wires. I chose the latter so I could polish the contacts and DeOx gel the push-on connectors.

The chrome bezel rings are a snap to remove, just push them out at the retainer tabs with a screwdriver until the tabs pop underneath. The odometer reset knob pulls straight off, the clock adjust stays with the "glass" (plastic) You can then polish the rings and the "glass" (plastic) on the grinder with a little car wax and toothpaste. Plastic gauge glass is trickier than the bus real glass, you have to go slow and move constantly across the cloth wheel. Several splotches in the plastic required some deep polishing, but you have to go slow to keep it cool. The chrome came back beautifully.

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The light diffuser rings I cleaned only with spit and a paper towel to maintain the matte black finish on the driver's side, the white paint on the inside I just wiped off.

Non-functional clock came back with a light spray of WD-40 on the movement and a battery charger on the + and - terminals while I helped the escape movement weight remember the arc it used to swing past the magnetic coil disc on the printed circuit board. It needs to swing a good 150* to release the escape wheel. This is an interesting variation on a classic clock movement, it uses a spiral worm gear to drive the escape wheel. It was very tentative originally, but as I pushed lightly on the minute hand for several minutes, it became more authoritative. Nice quiet clock.

Reassembly of all gauges began with a light wipedown to get rid of any errant lint, bezels down then outer rings, then "glass" then diffuser rings.
The gauge you then push down lightly while you pry the bezel outwards at each tab until the tabs click over and grasp the gauge. Quick'n'easy.

Dressed the vinyl dash pad pods and reinstalled the gauges left to right by just pushing in firmly until the 3-9 clips clicked.
Beautiful they are.
Colin

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Post by baygeek » Tue Feb 20, 2007 4:42 am

and it is always the first gauge that is the toughest to get out; after that, it's all downhill...

additionally - isn't it wonderful to be able to do all the work from INSIDE the car? and not have to run back and forth between the trunk and the inside to get the gauges wired?
just another crow...
Amskeptic wrote: Well, even though we have these pesky visitor crows who come swooping in to caw about hypocrisy! hypocrisy!

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Post by Amskeptic » Wed Feb 21, 2007 12:00 am

baygeek wrote:and it is always the first gauge that is the toughest to get out; after that, it's all downhill...

additionally - isn't it wonderful to be able to do all the work from INSIDE the car? and not have to run back and forth between the trunk and the inside to get the gauges wired?
Yep. Next project will be to pull all the wires off the fuse box and see if I can tidy the rat's nest of wiring on the left side.
Got the fresh air blower in and functioning, I hope the plenum seal is properly engaged, there is no way to see if the lip is properly indexed.
No more pine needles and crap blasting out the vents. It had a lot of debris in there. Fresh gauges with bright lamps, my first night drive and it all looks good.
Colin

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Re: Type III Gauge Overhauls (pic)

Post by whc03grady » Mon Aug 10, 2009 8:57 pm

Amskeptic wrote:Gauges pop right out right to left. Huge clips at 3 and 9 oclock, just push the gauge firmly towards the front of the car, press the sides of the clip and shove the gauge back towards the driver's seat. Removing the speedo cable first is easier on the dash opening. Nifty.
It seems you've left out these steps:

1. Spend several years training as a contortionist, or else remove the seats, steering wheel, and shift lever.
2. Find doctor who will modify your hands so they are half as big yet twice as strong.
3. Remove all wiring from the car.
4. Sacrifice a small mammal to your local god.

Seriously, I'm thinking it may be easier to fashion a removable front clip and get at the speedo that way than to do it like you're "supposed" to do it.

Does anyone have any hints? Mostly I'm terrified of that weaverbird's nest that is the underdash wiring.
Ludwig--1974 Westfalia, 2.0L (GD035193), Solex 34PDSIT-2/3 carburetors.
Gertie--1971 Squareback, 1600cc with Bosch D-Jetronic fuel injection from a '72 (E brain).
Read about their adventures:
http://www.ludwigandgertie.blogspot.com

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Re: Type III Gauge Overhauls (pic)

Post by Hippie » Tue Aug 11, 2009 5:43 am

Amskeptic wrote:You can then polish the rings and the "glass" (plastic) on the grinder with a little car wax and toothpaste. Colin
Mixed, or one then the other?
whc03grady wrote: Does anyone have any hints? Mostly I'm terrified of that weaverbird's nest that is the underdash wiring.
No. For the Bus, I think you list about covered it.

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Re: Type III Gauge Overhauls (pic)

Post by Amskeptic » Tue Aug 11, 2009 11:26 am

whc03grady wrote:
Amskeptic wrote:Gauges pop right out right to left. Huge clips at 3 and 9 oclock, just push the gauge firmly towards the front of the car, press the sides of the clip and shove the gauge back towards the driver's seat. Removing the speedo cable first is easier on the dash opening. Nifty.
It seems you've left out these steps:

1. Spend several years training as a contortionist, or else remove the seats, steering wheel, and shift lever.
2. Find doctor who will modify your hands so they are half as big yet twice as strong.
3. Remove all wiring from the car.
4. Sacrifice a small mammal to your local god.

Seriously, I'm thinking it may be easier to fashion a removable front clip and get at the speedo that way than to do it like you're "supposed" to do it.

Does anyone have any hints? Mostly I'm terrified of that weaverbird's nest that is the underdash wiring.

Did I forget to mention to oxy-acetylene gas-cut the front clip off the car from the windshield pillars forward? Silly me. Sorry.

Try relying on feel. The clips are huge at 3 and 9 oclock on the gauges. The tangs need to pressed in towards the gauge body and then you shove the whole gauge towards the rear of the car. Start with the clock, then you can use the clock hole to help you see what all is going on at the speedometer, etc.
Colin
BobD - 78 Bus . . . 112,730 miles
Chloe - 70 bus . . . 217,593 miles
Naranja - 77 Westy . . . 142,970 miles
Pluck - 1973 Squareback . . . . . . 55,600 miles
Alexus - 91 Lexus LS400 . . . 96,675 miles

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Re: Type III Gauge Overhauls (pic)

Post by dtrumbo » Tue Aug 11, 2009 11:54 am

Amskeptic wrote:Start with the clock, then you can use the clock hole to help you see what all is going on at the speedometer, etc.
Colin
This method works on my Super Beetle. The clock hole as a viewing portal is the trick. I know they're completely different animals, but I would guess the same principal applies.
- Dick

1970 Transporter. 2015cc, dual Weber IDF 40's
1978 Riviera Camper. Bone stock GE 2.0L F.I.
1979 Super Beetle convertible.

... as it turns out, it was the coil!

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Post by whc03grady » Fri Aug 14, 2009 11:26 am

Thanks, guys. It's coming along.

It hasn't been so much that I can't see what's going on. It's more that the tabs waaaay overshoot (How else to put this? They're really really long?) the slots, so there's not much pressing toward the gauge to be had. There's no movement forward to counteract this either.

The main frustration for me is the apparent ease with which other people do this, as reported here and on TS, and in the Bentley. "Just press in the tabs, and push it out! That's all." Pffffffft.

Melissa helped (that is, she did it--smaller hands, more patience) last night and after getting the clock out, we managed to free that side of the speedo. Now onto the next side.

Two plus days to pull the forking speedometer. I can state without hyperbole that the engine is about 10x easier to remove.
Ludwig--1974 Westfalia, 2.0L (GD035193), Solex 34PDSIT-2/3 carburetors.
Gertie--1971 Squareback, 1600cc with Bosch D-Jetronic fuel injection from a '72 (E brain).
Read about their adventures:
http://www.ludwigandgertie.blogspot.com

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Post by Amskeptic » Sat Aug 15, 2009 10:40 am

whc03grady wrote: Melissa helped (that is, she did it--smaller hands, more patience) last night and after getting the clock out, we managed to free that side of the speedo. Now onto the next side.

Two plus days to pull the forking speedometer. I can state without hyperbole that the engine is about 10x easier to remove.
Thanks Melissa! There's a place in Heaven for people like you.
Now tell that galoot to stop whining, he's beginning to sound like that crybaby who stopped by last year and melted at the sight of a snowflake.
. . . . . :colors:
BobD - 78 Bus . . . 112,730 miles
Chloe - 70 bus . . . 217,593 miles
Naranja - 77 Westy . . . 142,970 miles
Pluck - 1973 Squareback . . . . . . 55,600 miles
Alexus - 91 Lexus LS400 . . . 96,675 miles

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Post by whc03grady » Sun Aug 23, 2009 9:37 pm

It's done. Finally. Thanks for taking me down a notch, Colin. And thanks for doing it, Melissa.
Ludwig--1974 Westfalia, 2.0L (GD035193), Solex 34PDSIT-2/3 carburetors.
Gertie--1971 Squareback, 1600cc with Bosch D-Jetronic fuel injection from a '72 (E brain).
Read about their adventures:
http://www.ludwigandgertie.blogspot.com

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Amskeptic
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Post by Amskeptic » Sun Aug 23, 2009 10:29 pm

whc03grady wrote:It's done. Finally. Thanks for taking me down a notch, Colin. And thanks for doing it, Melissa.
Hey, I got taken down a notch of two myself the day after that post . . . :pale:
BobD - 78 Bus . . . 112,730 miles
Chloe - 70 bus . . . 217,593 miles
Naranja - 77 Westy . . . 142,970 miles
Pluck - 1973 Squareback . . . . . . 55,600 miles
Alexus - 91 Lexus LS400 . . . 96,675 miles

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