VDO Light Bubl Replacement

I'm looking to replace a bulb in my speedo. This would be my first experience dealing with the dash and its likes. The procedure seems simple, but I'm a little concerened about not distrubing the wiring. Any lending hands?

Matt
77 911S

There is enough slack in the wiring to pull the gauges out and give you plenty of access to change the bulbs. If your gauges haven't been out before, they may be a bit stiff and hard to break loose. You can push on the back of the gauges from inside the trunk. Or remove an adjacent gauge and reach through the opening.

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Bill Krause
'79 911SC Euro

I replaced all my bulbs on the instruments recently. All the VDO units come out but how easy depends on how tight that seal is that holds them firm in the dash holes. Just use your hands and slowly pull and twist the speedo out. Once loose and out of the hole you will see where the bulb is set into the upper retaining collar. Pull that out with a needlenose pliers. No need to disconnect any cable or wires aside from the bulb holder. It was much easier then I anticipated. The tach is tougher because it may get wedged between the steering wheel and the dashboard. Good luck.

BR
'73T

I'd have to say that the pop-out gauges are one of the really smart things designed into 911s (for the not-so-smart things, see the thread titled 'The Greatest Engineers in the World'). It makes it easy to change bulbs and/or service and swap out the units.

Now, why they made it so that you need a special tool (or a willingness to do damage to the rim) to get the glass out is another issue...

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Jack Olsen
1973 911 T (3.6) sunroof coupe

I disagree! The pop-out gauges belong on the bad-design list!

Geez... What's wrong with you guys?... surely this happens to you all the time, too:

Everytime I'm doing over 60mph in reverse on the freeway and run head-on (tail-on?) into somebody going in the forward direction I get smacked in the back of the head by those darn things when they pop-out! Or have they rest of you glued yours in?... hmmm... are there some secrets somebody's not sharing?

Tog:
You mean the reverse gear in your transaxle still works??? Count your blessings.
jlex.

Just a quick note about the lights - I did mine recently and they were VERY stiff in the housings - so much so I thought there must be a clip or something. There isn't they will just pull out but be prepared.

I also used a WD40 spray (although silicone would probably have been better) to lubricate the rubber ring and make extraction and insertion easier (or is that the other board I subscribe to )

Roy M

jlex --- yeah, I use to think the "R" stood for "Race" and it was what you shifted into after the "5" gear. (I bought a lot of transmissions in them days.) Then one day I tried it from a standing start and discovered that I didn't have to buy anymore transmissions so I just never went back to those awful numbered gears. (...Now if I could just a bigger mirror to cover the front window completely so I don't have to crane my neck around anymore. )

Roy M ---
Another smutty post! --- RLJ and BRAINIAC's favorite type... Me, I'm walking the straight and narrow these days (angelic smiley goes here)... at least till tomorrow, anyway.

[This message has been edited by tog (edited 12-05-2000).]

Hey, someone brought up removing the tach. Mine won't make it through, past the steering column. The collar around the steering column doesn't come off by just removing the 2 outside screws. Whats the trick?

Mike Miller
89 911

Well, I've had mine off but I don't remember. I'd remove the steering wheel next if I couldn't see more screws.

When I bought this car a year ago I had many pleasant surprizes in store as I had never been around them. When I saw how the instruments are mounted I thought, and think, it is a typical stroke of elegant genius. Dash repairs are the bain of my experiences working on cars and anyone who has worked on other makes knows what I mean. the darned things are round like they should be and they just pop out.

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'83 SC

Mike -

You have to pull the steering wheel (easy, just need the 27mm socket). There are 4 little screws inside that hold the clamshells on, in addition to the 2 on the outside. Then the tach pops right out.

Chris C.