'Replaced my Dash' club
Discussion
I am now a fully paid up member of the exclusive Chimaera ‘Replaced my dash’ club.
I would not like to go through the initiation ceremony again though.
The blood !
The pain !
The aches !
Took me nearly 3 hours to get the middle front fixings washer and nut back on.
A tip for those wanting to join ‘the club’, remove the lower dash panel and you can then get your right hand finger tips as well as your left hand finger tips to this fixing.
( It does however mean you get both hand lacerated by the self tappers). If you don’t like the sight of blood and want to cheat the initiation, then file down the over long screws holding the relays in place.
The notorious drivers side fixing, wasn’t as bad. Instead of the ‘lay on your back with your head in the foot well’ position, I opted for the ‘kneel next to the car’ position but it would help if you can remove your head, as it ends up needing to be exactly where the screen up right is. I chose to have my head outside the car and therefore bruised my Adams apple !
I bought wing nuts, but ended up using the existing nuts, as I didn’t think I would be able to turn wings nuts enough to pull the dash top into its final position, and anyway normal nuts are much easier to get started on the thread.
I also made the same mistake as somebody else who posted about replacing their dash.
I was convinced that the MIL and Inertia LEDs were glued into the lens holder, so I unsoldered and re soldered the little circuit board. Now I am not very good with a soldering iron, so I really didn’t want to do this. After the dash was back in position and I was connecting up the wires, guess what ! The little bu**ers just popped out of the holders.
Is there any way I can test these two lights work (without taking the dash off again)
Perhaps pull a wire off somewhere to test the Mil and perhaps thump the Inertia switch to get it to pop out, or would that cause other problems ?
Finished result looks brilliant and what a sense of achievement.
I can now hold my head up high !
( carpets next, then windscreen, then real cherry bombs instead of sleeving)
I would not like to go through the initiation ceremony again though.
The blood !
The pain !
The aches !
Took me nearly 3 hours to get the middle front fixings washer and nut back on.
A tip for those wanting to join ‘the club’, remove the lower dash panel and you can then get your right hand finger tips as well as your left hand finger tips to this fixing.
( It does however mean you get both hand lacerated by the self tappers). If you don’t like the sight of blood and want to cheat the initiation, then file down the over long screws holding the relays in place.
The notorious drivers side fixing, wasn’t as bad. Instead of the ‘lay on your back with your head in the foot well’ position, I opted for the ‘kneel next to the car’ position but it would help if you can remove your head, as it ends up needing to be exactly where the screen up right is. I chose to have my head outside the car and therefore bruised my Adams apple !
I bought wing nuts, but ended up using the existing nuts, as I didn’t think I would be able to turn wings nuts enough to pull the dash top into its final position, and anyway normal nuts are much easier to get started on the thread.
I also made the same mistake as somebody else who posted about replacing their dash.
I was convinced that the MIL and Inertia LEDs were glued into the lens holder, so I unsoldered and re soldered the little circuit board. Now I am not very good with a soldering iron, so I really didn’t want to do this. After the dash was back in position and I was connecting up the wires, guess what ! The little bu**ers just popped out of the holders.
Is there any way I can test these two lights work (without taking the dash off again)
Perhaps pull a wire off somewhere to test the Mil and perhaps thump the Inertia switch to get it to pop out, or would that cause other problems ?
Finished result looks brilliant and what a sense of achievement.
I can now hold my head up high !
( carpets next, then windscreen, then real cherry bombs instead of sleeving)
Edited by WokingWedger on Monday 4th August 10:42
Sounds like you had fun! A couple of tips though for if you ever want to get it off again...
For the drivers side bolt, sit on the floor in the gap between the door and the sill with your back to the car and legs sticking out under the door. Reach back with your left arm and you should easily be able to get the bolt without any need to remove your head!
For the passenger front one, sit in the same position as for the other bolt on but facing the other way obviously. Put a tiny dab of glue on the nut and stick the washer to it just enough to hold it in place (the glue should break when you tighten the nut). Reach up into the access panel with your right hand and you should be able to get it on no problem!
A good tip is also to cut down the bolt threads on the dash top to make it a lot easier to get back on in future. Do all these things and you should be able to join the club of people who can get their dash top on or off in under 3 minutes! (I've been under there quite a bit for various things now!)
For the drivers side bolt, sit on the floor in the gap between the door and the sill with your back to the car and legs sticking out under the door. Reach back with your left arm and you should easily be able to get the bolt without any need to remove your head!
For the passenger front one, sit in the same position as for the other bolt on but facing the other way obviously. Put a tiny dab of glue on the nut and stick the washer to it just enough to hold it in place (the glue should break when you tighten the nut). Reach up into the access panel with your right hand and you should be able to get it on no problem!
A good tip is also to cut down the bolt threads on the dash top to make it a lot easier to get back on in future. Do all these things and you should be able to join the club of people who can get their dash top on or off in under 3 minutes! (I've been under there quite a bit for various things now!)
Intertia light I guess you could find the intertia switch and pull the red pin up to activate it. This should trigger the light when you try and start. MIL I'm not sure... other than putting a 9v battery across the two terminals perhaps? Mine's redundant now I'm using an Emerald so not looked into it..!
Took My top off dash that is for the first time and it only took 5 minutes. A small 10 mmm ring spanner and it was easy.
I changed 2 of the nuts for wing nuts but I coulnt get the centre nut on with a washe if I used a wing nut , so the original nut went back on.
I did scratch the back of by hand to ribbons on the end of a self tapper trying to get the wing washer on though, so gave up.
Once yourve done it once it should be easier
Trev
I changed 2 of the nuts for wing nuts but I coulnt get the centre nut on with a washe if I used a wing nut , so the original nut went back on.
I did scratch the back of by hand to ribbons on the end of a self tapper trying to get the wing washer on though, so gave up.
Once yourve done it once it should be easier
Trev
WokingWedger said:
Under 3 mins !!!!
It takes me 3 mins to get sitting on the floor !
Any thoughts on how to test the MIL and Inertia lights ?
It takes me 2 mins ha!!! lolIt takes me 3 mins to get sitting on the floor !
Any thoughts on how to test the MIL and Inertia lights ?
got to replace mine soon ive just replaced my 2 front tyres with Dunlop sp9000 z rating got em 4 a steal of a price! and will be having my rediator re-cored weds or thurs so bit of a wallet buster this week!!!!
A hint when replacing the washers: stick them on insulating tape, make the hole go through and it's easy then.
I had a bulb blow and it took me nearly three hours to replace it. I then modified my dash and can remove it by just loosening the nuts. I can remove it and replace within 10 mins. Mind you, since I've done it none of the bulbs have blown, but you can't have everything.
I had a bulb blow and it took me nearly three hours to replace it. I then modified my dash and can remove it by just loosening the nuts. I can remove it and replace within 10 mins. Mind you, since I've done it none of the bulbs have blown, but you can't have everything.
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