Removing the Dash board [Archive] - The Nissan EXA / NX Club

@_@NX

18th June 2004, 02:37 AM

Hi everyone in here
I am a NXR owner in Perth, recently I want to remove my dashboard and change the light bulb (convert the dash light to orange color) however I have problem removing the dash, I can only move the dash out about 3 inch, which i can not put my hand behind and remove teh cable.

I have search over the web, some articel mension that i need to disconnect the speedo cable in the engine bay before i can move the dash out, is that true?

anyone got experience about removing the dash? (please help :3eye: ) :3eye:

Skint

18th June 2004, 07:45 AM

YeH FAIR ENOUGHT.. got my dash off the other weekend and it's piss easy. It's ocver whelming at fisrt but dont worry. )this is in a pintara) Take off all the screms and suff...prob have to adjust the steering wheel if its able to tht is
give it a wigle and jiggle ...dont brak anthing of coursre then yeah...if its anything like the pinnie. I vant see any prob with disconnecting the cable...thjats what they were made for. anything that can be installed can be installed.
Usually the litte orange thingy is just the cover oooon the globe

3 nil! 3 nil!

Woodyboy

18th June 2004, 12:28 PM

I pulled my instrument cluster out about a year ago. At first I had the same problem where I couldn’t get it out all the way. I ended up dropping the wheel out of the way and then I either reached behind and pulled the cable out with my fingers or I might have just pulled the cluster out towards me and eventually the cable pulled out of the back. Sorry but I don’t’ really remember – just know it was a bit of a bitch to do.

Just make sure you plug the cable back in before you put the rest back together (It’s not fun having to pull it apart again to plug it in again… trust me I know). For the first week or so the speed was a bit dodgy in that it would bounce around like 5 km or so but it seems to sort it self out after a while.

@_@NX

18th June 2004, 01:57 PM

Just wonder anyone know if the NX in australia use dignal or analog signal in the instrument cluster, as I did talk to one of my friend who fix a lot of S13 and 180sx, and he told me that all the JDM Nissan after 1989 use dignal signal ( if so to remove the instrument cluster is wat u need to do is more easy as there little lock at the back of the cluster, so just unlock it and u can pull the dashboard out!!!)

Hey Skirt do u simply means that u disconnect the dash by removing the cable at the back of the instrument cluster? ( how many socket i need to remove before i can remove the dash!!!)

sicknx

18th June 2004, 04:23 PM

mate i had the same problem when i got my dash out... i had to fit my hand into that tiny gap to unplug it .. i tried pulling it through the firewall in the engine bay and it still wouldnt work... its a damn bitch to put back aswell

good luck with it all though.. if u find a easier way make sure u let me know :D

Skint

19th June 2004, 02:33 AM

Prob best to only remove those that are being a pain. If you have to disconnect all then thats the price to pay. Just dont go over board with the whole backyard electrican thing cause with some its easier to undo then re-do. quote "If it can be installed then it can be uninstalled and visa versa". (sorry bout spelling b4 was quite maggot) :)
England-3 Switzerland nil....oh ya

wheelspin

20th June 2004, 02:35 AM

mekros

20th June 2004, 11:37 AM

G'day,

Trolling one of the other websites and they had a link to an online service manual. try the link attached below:

http://www1.autozone.com/servlet/UiBroker?ForwardPage=az/cds/en_us/0900823d/80/13/3e/94/0900823d80133e94.jsp

see if that helps.

Mek

@_@NX

20th June 2004, 01:35 PM

You can check out THIS (http://100nx-fanpage.de/web/Text-SchalttafelAusbauen.html) link. It's in German so translate it using Babelfish (http://babelfish.altavista.com/). They use the 'speedo cable from the engin bay' technique though.

I've been keen on doing this. I've tried it in the past, but got stuck once I had to remove the instrument cluster. One way I've discovered is by removing the plastic guard under the steering wheel (two screws on each side of the steering wheel + clips), you can actually reach up to the speedo cable and disconnect it. You can't really see it though, so you'd have to do it blind. The trouble is reconnecting the cables :(

I'll give it a shot in a couple weeks once I finish my uni exams.

Thx for the site, I will also try it after my exam. THe exam is killing me now, U suggest removing the plastic guard under the steering wheel do u mean guard beside the fuse box or the boxy thing infront the steering weel, :confused: anyway i will try it again after my exam. One more question how does our speedo cable in the engine bay look like ( shouold be on the driver side or the passenger side) also how to disconnect it ( disconnect the side on the firewall or the engine :confused: )?

THX :D

MaxNx

22nd June 2004, 10:59 PM

Ok, i have succesfully removed the dash and then put it back in about two days ago. Best way IMO was to detach the speedo cable in the engine bay and then feed it through while you pull out the cluster. I had someone I know translate the guide from german and it's essentially what he advises aswell. Trying to get your hand around the back of the cluster is next to near impossible wihtout disconnecting the cable from the engine bay end.

(Note that even with the speedo cable detached the cluster won't come all the way out, but there is plenty of room if all your doing is changing globes, no need to find a way to disconnect the remaining wires)

Any specific questions or additions feel free to add to this thread, i'll try to find a digital camera at some stage and do a write up, or properly translate the existing German guide and post that.

wheelspin

23rd June 2004, 03:04 PM

@_@NX, I meant the guard next to the fuse box. It'll open the space up more and allow you to look under. You'll have to lay in an awkward position though: head and shoulders on the floor (facing up), back on the edge of the drivers seat and legs/feet up near the drivers headrest! Sounds painful, but it's alright for me because I'm not a large person.

MaxNX, i think i got the link from you on the Pulsar Forums. Pics on how to detatch the speedo cable would be great!

MaxNx

23rd June 2004, 07:55 PM

Yeah Wheelspin it was me on the Pulsar forums. With regard to pics to disconnect the speedo cable even if I had a camera it would be difficult. The cable, if you follow it from the spot it enters the engine bay, drops straight down on the intake side of the engine. Following that with your hand (don't bother even trying to see where it connects) you'll find a screw top (think say of a bottle of coke screw top in size and shape). You SHOULD be able to undo this with your hand, You have now dissconnected the cable. You can pull on the plastic coating just be aware that the inside of the cable (a metal cable) may stay stuck in the hole, just give it a tug to get it free. With this free pull gently on the cluster while getting someone to feed the cable through (I found this helped as the cable's hole is quite a tight fit and rather than break anything by forcing it I thought this would be a good course of action).

I should probably note that putting the cable back in as not as easy as it may first seem, there is a small tab on the metal end of the cable (i assume designed to help the cable rotate, thus sending that info to the speedo). Putting the cable end back in requires matching the notch with the hole in which it fits, easy you say? NOT WHEN YOU CAN'T SEE THE FREAKIN HOLE (yes i had some trouble here :3eye: ) Hope this helps all, and if you need more info i'll be glad to help.

wheelspin

25th June 2004, 02:59 PM

Thanks MaxNX, that sounds difficult. I think I'll attack it from under the steering wheel!

Anyways, I found this website for LED's (http://www.superbrightleds.com/1157.htm). I might give it a try in the next couple of weeks. Is anyone else keen to try? We could give it a go and send all the stuff here in one go. It's from the USA and there's a minumum purchase for sending outside USA though ($25).

I wish Arma (from PGA) was still making them :downer:

wheelspin

25th June 2004, 03:04 PM

Ah bugger that. The site I mentioned before has a minimum $25 spending for overseas customers then another $25 for shipping. US$50 = AU$75 = too bloody expensive. I'll try to find another way.

MaxNx

25th June 2004, 08:49 PM

Carefull going the LED route. I tried some LED's from autobarn, problem is alot of LED's have very focused beams so you end up with darker areas in your dash. I ended up using standard wedge bulbs with red sleeves, but if that wasn't bright enough you could try some of those 'white light' wedge globes they sell now (with red sleeves).

Wheelspin, all the best with the under the steering wheel attempt. Seriously though removing the speedo cable is easy once you've done it a couple of times, but let me know how you go.

Badazzb13

26th June 2004, 10:10 AM

hey there, what i found when i was rebuilding my nx, i disconnected the cable from the engine bay, this allowed me to pull the instrument cluster out far enough to get my hand behind and undo any cables and clips that stop the dash from coming right out. good luck man.

wheelspin

26th June 2004, 05:05 PM

Thanks guys. and welcome Badazzb13, it's always good to see new B13 members joining. I've found a few sites on how to convert to LED's including how to diffuse the beams. I'll give it a go very soon and do a write up.

Oh and MaxNX, I've already planned on chucking in some spare PolarG T-10 wedge bulbs into the dash. It should give it a nice bright white dash until I get the LED's sorted.

@_@NX

28th June 2004, 03:03 AM

Finally can remove my dash board:
the way of doing it is to disconnect the speedo from the engine compartment like the one specific above:
One thing need to mension is that our speedo cable should be on the our driver side unlike the one on the web ( left hand drive in Germany)

Identification of the speedo cable can be done by shaking dash u can notice the speedo cable moving.

By the way thx for every one who give me advice from above, I will post some photo indicating the specific location of the speedo later. hope that it could help someone who face same situation like me ? :driving: :cheers:

wheelspin

29th June 2004, 06:34 PM

Ok I've finally been able to remove my dash as well. I had to use the speedo cable technique, because my other method didn't work :p
I'll post a new thread on how to remove the dash and change the bulbs soon. Gotta head to Jaycar tomorrow.

@_@NX

29th June 2004, 08:50 PM

i have remove the dashboard and change the light bulb
but now got problem with the light in side
the right side of my dashboard will be on when i not switch on the light
but when i switch on the light it will go off :(
any one know why
please help !!!!!

MaxNx

30th June 2004, 12:00 AM

I'm glad all you have had success with the dash, it seems intimidating at first but i think you'll all agree do it once and it's fairly easy to repeat.

@_@NX, Interesting problem, how much of the behind dash stuff did you remove (was it just the speedo cable or did you unplug other things). I'm really not sure how you managed this, it sounds like you have some wires crossed back there, you just may have to take everything back out and make sure no wires are crossed and that anything you unpluged has been pluged back in the right way. Let us know how it turns out.

Wheelspin, interested to know about diffusing LED's. They produce a much beter red than covers, make sure you post when you get them sorted.

On another note i'm about to undertake the task of changing all lights in the center console to red. Removal of the stock cd player indicates with some replacement red LED's i should be able to make it red, then on to the air-con and finally the tape/radio.

wheelspin

30th June 2004, 12:55 AM

@_@NX, what do you mean the right one is on, but turns off when you switch on the light? Okay lets try and step through it:
- There are three lights to illuminate the dash (only the fuel, speed, tacho and temp gauges are illuminated). Did you change all three?
- There is one behind the fuel gauge, one between the speedo and tacho and one behind the temp gauge? Which one stays on? and do the other two turn on when you turn on the lights?

All three receive the power from the same line, so if one receives power then that means they all get power (they are chained). Did you replace them with LED's? If so, makes sure you have them in the right way. LED's are directional, meaning they must have power coming in from the correct terminal, otherwise they won't light up (as opposed to light bulbs whuch can be put in both ways). If one of the LED's doesn't work then try turning it around.

Let me know how you go.

MaxNX, I won't be going for red or blue LED's. If I go for blue, then EVERYTHING lights up blue - including the redline. If I go red then there'll be too much red. I'm planning to go with orange. That way the white parts light up orange and the red parts stay red. I'll be going blue for the clock.
I played around with some old LED's I had lying around (from another experiment) and managed to diffuse the light by sanding the tip to a flat top, almost all the way to the diodes.

@_@NX

1st July 2004, 05:50 AM

Hi all
Actually wat I did for my project is removing the whole old central panel , as is pretty old and is crack already, I did take one set of internal trim back to perth from my home country, so basic wait I did is remove the old pannel, also remove some part and respray it to yellow, also the background of the dashboard, by identifying the speedo cable from the engine compartment, it is not difficult to remove the dashboard :P

Further for all the people thinking about changing the LED here is a personal suggestion. For me I really don't thing using LED is a gd idea as the light is forcus on one point and there are 3 LED reqired,wat happen is that the central of the speedo and teco will be a bit dim, another problem is need to take care of the +ve and -VE of the LED, having a wrong side installion will result from some led not lighting up or light up in a reverse sequenc i.e on when u start the key but off when the light switch was on( u need to try your own combination). This is my liittle advice.

The way I did for my dashboard is to use some paint to paint the original original light bulb. This is a much better way compare to use plastic cover for the light bulb.
As it will be much brighter.

This is my little advice to every one hope will be helpful.
several picture will be upload later. for further explaination......................... :driving:

wheelspin

1st July 2004, 05:10 PM

Hey fellas,
I've actually completed the LED conversion. I went with 10mm orange LED's from jaycar. The light dispersion was good because I sanded the LED's down. There was no focus beams, but I didn't like the colour of the orange (it was red/orange) and it looked a little dim, even though they were 10,000mcd LEDs!! So I'm going to try blue or white LED's. I put a white 5mm LED in the clock and it came out a soft blue colour - it looks brilliant!

Sorry no pics. I couldn't find my damned camera! Hopefully I should find it before I try the blue or white LED's.