1970 Instrument Cluster Lights

Discussion in 'Interior City' started by cruizin70, Nov 17, 2006.

  1. cruizin70

    cruizin70 cruizin70

    I want to replace the bulbs in my instrument cluster because a lot of them are burnt out. What is the best way to get to them? Does the whole dash have to come out in order to pull out the instrument cluster bezel? If so how do I go about removing the dash? Any instructions or pointers would be appreciated.
     
  2. LARRY70GS

    LARRY70GS a.k.a. "THE WIZARD" Staff Member

    Yes, you should remove the instrument panel to replace the bulbs. It's not that bad if you know the proper procedure. This will show you how. While you're at it, you can clean everything up.
    http://www.buickperformance.com/cluster.htm
     
  3. cruizin70

    cruizin70 cruizin70

    Instrument Cluster

    Thanks, these instructions are perfect.
     
  4. austxsteve

    austxsteve Well-Known Member

    Wow I was just under the dash and was about to go in and call it a day because I can't get the panel off. This was an answer to a prayer! Thank you so very much for posting this.
     
  5. Citypol86

    Citypol86 Well-Known Member

    Is there an updated link for this? It now goes to the current Buick.com site. I need to pull my inst. panel and it's not as straight-forward as a Nova...
    I've searched the forum but haven't been able to come up with anything.
     
  6. LARRY70GS

    LARRY70GS a.k.a. "THE WIZARD" Staff Member

  7. Citypol86

    Citypol86 Well-Known Member

    Thanks!
     
  8. copperheadgs1

    copperheadgs1 copperheadgs1

    Be very careful to get all the little nuts off the studs that hold on the dash pad. Take out the glove box to access. The studs break loose from the pad very easily and just spin. I have had to repair the studs with epoxy to get them to not spin. Do not over tighten.
     
  9. Citypol86

    Citypol86 Well-Known Member

    Larry, thanks for updating that link, it was a great help. Turns out the dash pad was the easy part. Here's a pic of a '69 dash pad if it helps.
    The link page has ’68 and ’70 and up but no ’69. Only minor difference from the ’68 though.

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    I wasn’t able to remove the instrument panel and cluster assembly as one piece so this is how I ended up doing it. Also, I did it without lowering the steering column. Maybe I made more work for myself but it worked for me. Maybe this will help someone else.

    After removing the dash pad as described in the link and removing the instrument panel mounting screws, I unscrewed the top left screw holding the cluster assembly to the instrument panel. Then I reached up from the lower left side of the cluster assembly and unscrewed the lower left screw holding the cluster assembly to the instrument panel. These were the only two screws holding my cluster to the panel, the other two were broken. However, the top right can be reached when the top left is unscrewed and then reach up from the lower right to remove the lower right screw. All for screws here should be #8 x 3/8” sheet metal screws with a 5/16” hex head.

    Now the instrument panel is separated from the cluster assembly. To get the panel out, on the left I disconnected the headlight switch from the instrument panel (as described in the link but what’s not mentioned in the link is that the headlight knob is pulled out to the “ON” position, THEN press the button on the side to pull it out completely. Do not press the button on the side first, then start pulling the knob out, it won’t work), the wiper switch plug and the washer wire.

    On the right side I disconnected my “Accessory” plug from the top by unscrewing the two screws from the front that hold the switch to the plug then popping the tabs to release the plug to the rear. Then, by looking straight up from underneath the heater control (I don’t have air so it’s just three cables, no vacuum) you can see the left nut to unscrew it. The right nut is visible from the right side of the control. Mine were 3/8” hex heads and it’s worth noting that these nuts are captured on the heater control. They will stay on the control after they’re unscrewed. Then I disconnected the cig lighter wires and the instrument panel could be removed.

    Next, I reached up from the lower left side of the cluster assembly, pressed the clip under the speedo cable and pulled it out. You can easily do this with one hand which is good since I couldn’t reach in there with two hands. Then, I reached over the top of the cluster assembly with two hands, pressed in on both sides of the cluster plug to release the clips that hold it in and pulled the plug from the cluster assembly. Now the cluster assembly can be removed.

    While straightening out the wiring issues I had and cleaning/touching up the cluster assembly, I also lubed the speedo cable since it was making a terrible noise. To do this, I straightened out the cable housing as much as possible by un-routing it from around the wiring harnesses and steering column supports. Then I pulled the cable out. For some reason, it would only come out part way, a little more than 12”, before it came to a definite stop but this was enough. I sprayed white lithium grease into the housing until the cup at the end of the housing was full (I was using a spray lithium so it comes out as a liquid but the liquid portion will dry up leaving the lithium as a dry lube). Then I worked the cable in and out of the housing to get the lube down inside. (Insert your own perverted comment at this time.) I repeated this 5 or 6 times to assure that the lube had gotten down inside.


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    While I had everything disassembled and out of the car, I cleaned and greased various parts and repainted things as best I could in just an afternoon’s time. It looks much better and is working quietly and well. Also, for those that are wondering, I didn’t drill the hole to put the toggle switch in the left side of the dash. The previous owner hacked an ugly hole into the dash so I used it and covered it as nicely as I could right now. I’ll return to that when I have time/money.

    Hope this helps someone else!

    Later…

    Brewster…
     

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