Dash top removal, 99 model, again!

[phazed]

I can remove my 95 dash top in 5 minutes.

On this 99 model the front facing nearside bolt is in the same position but the near side rear one isn't there and I can't feel where the front forward facing offside one is, I assume it is in another position due to the wiper motor being in the way.

Any help to save time appreciated.

[chris1972]

I took my dash off about three days ago. I unscrewed the document wallet above the pax footwell and had a grope around. Sure enough it was there! I'll take a pic on Tusday if you don't find it by then Peter. Would it be different on the 95?

[QBee]

Alex undid mine last year, so knows where they are. I will ave a look first thing tomorrow

[phazed]

95 has one just inside the passenger flap but this hasn't and the tops a real tight fit!

[phazed]

QBee said:

Alex undid mine last year, so knows where they are. I will ave a look first thing tomorrow

I'll call him at 7am !

[QBee]

He found, but never managed to undo, the offside one, so we just levered the nearside up and made do with that.

[Trevor450]

It helps if you remove the vent and hose and lie upside down with your head in the footwell. It took me ages to find but it is there.

I found the one in the pocket an absolute bh with it being so tight to get my hand in. I lost skin and blood doing that one due to it being right next to the radio panel.

[TV8]

Spooky. I had exactly the same problem today. I found it higher into the dash than the early car. No one had bothered changing to wing nuts and it took a bit of finding. There is a stack of stuff with ribbon cables in there as well that doesn't exist on my 4.0l. I think that must be something to do with the Carl BAker alarm system?

I find it worth while to cut the bolt a few mm shorter on the drivers side end when it's off.

[MADMAX2]

phazed said:

I can remove my 95 dash top in 5 minutes.

On this 99 model the front facing nearside bolt is in the same position but the near side rear one isn't there and I can't feel where the front forward facing offside one is, I assume it is in another position due to the wiper motor being in the way.

Any help to save time appreciated.

Peter my record is 29 seconds!!!!! although wingnuts were not too tight

when i did Karls Leven dash his bottom left bolt was slightly to the right so it took me a couple of minutes more .. he can vouch for that too!!




ps anyone want a dash off olympics?

[jamienshelly]

MADMAX2 said:

ps anyone want a dash off olympics?

I was thinking about just Velcro-ing mine, so when its done I will gladly race you, I reckon about 3 seconds and that's on the floor

[phazed]

Thanks for your help guys.

With renewed vigour, half a bottle of Spanish white and a piece of cheesecake, I found the buggers in a different place to the 95!



And just in case you want to know what's under the carbon top of a triple plenum..........

[QBee]

Aha!! The Trumpet Section of the Blackpool Symphony Orchestra.

[LongBaz383BHP]

phazed said:

I can remove my 95 dash top in 5 minutes.

On this 99 model the front facing nearside bolt is in the same position but the near side rear one isn't there and I can't feel where the front forward facing offside one is, I assume it is in another position due to the wiper motor being in the way.

Any help to save time appreciated.

And so it begins ;-)

[QBee]

Alex swears by flexible head ratchet rng spanners for dash top removal.

[phazed]

QBee said:

Alex swears by flexible head ratchet rng spanners for dash top removal.

Which is what I used.

2 out of 3 of the fixings were located in a different area. Also the wiper motor located under the steering column makes the drivers side a real pain!

[QBee]

Just been outside and removed my nearside nuts......ouch!
I have an issue with the heater fan switch. I will start a new thread if needed, but the experts on this thread will know the answer.
It went intermittent, then stopped working.
Dash top levered up.
Switch looks ok, ribbon cable firmly on, pulled the white plastic mulit-plug off the back of the heater control box, top right terminal looks all corroded and charred.
What's my problem, and how do i solve it please (Apart from my lack of knowledge, being 60 shortly, being married and being a Chim owner)?

[Bassfiend229hp]

jamienshelly said:

MADMAX2 said:

ps anyone want a dash off olympics?

I was thinking about just Velcro-ing mine, so when its done I will gladly race you, I reckon about 3 seconds and that's on the floor

That's pretty much what I've done...

[Bassfiend229hp]

QBee said:

Alex swears at flexible head ratchet rng spanners for dash top removal.

EFA...

[Bassfiend229hp]

QBee said:

What's my problem, and how do i solve it please (Apart from my lack of knowledge, being 60 shortly, being married and being a Chim owner)?

Sounds like a fairly common problem of putting a moderate current through a high resistance / poor contact for a long period of time - the fecker slowly bakes. You see it all over in so many slightly dubious installations.

Easy solution would be to cut the wire that goes to the burned contact in the free plug, solder on a length of new wire (and heatshrink the joint)and solder that to the back of the connector or to where that connector pin solders to the main board?

Cheers

Phil

[QBee]

Bassfiend229hp said:

Sounds like a fairly common problem of putting a moderate current through a high resistance / poor contact for a long period of time - the fecker slowly bakes. You see it all over in so many slightly dubious installations.

Easy solution would be to cut the wire that goes to the burned contact in the free plug, solder on a length of new wire (and heatshrink the joint)and solder that to the back of the connector or to where that connector pin solders to the main board?

Cheers

Phil

Well, the first two solder joints in my life were errrrr trial and error, helped by an hour watching Alex soldering last September.

Soldered the wire inside the heater control box, dripped solder into the box and splattered it all over the IC......
Wire came away. Hmmmmm.

Dropped soldering iron on kitchen work top
Solid wood.....now with a small burn mark just where you notice it.

Levered the IC out to clean the solder off, bent the pins.
Straightened the pins, removed the solder.
Pushed the IC back into its slot, bending a pin in half.
Took IC out again, straightened the pins, worked out which way round it went and pushed IC back in again.

Wrapped my wire around the metal prong I was trying to solder it to, soldered again. Attached.

Took box to car. Put ends of box back on, cut wire from terminal block, stripped back end, mended wire strippers, interleaved other end of soldered wire with terminal block wire, soldered, dripped solder into dash. Tested soldering. Surprised to find ok.

Plugged connector and ribbon cable into heater control box, found car keys, turned on the ignition, fuel pump primed and fan worked!!!!

Slipped dash top back into place, chipping a bit of dash veneer off.

Went and found new tube of superglue, opened it, stuck my fingers together.

Stuck dash veneer back.

Put nuts and washers back on dash bolts.

Tested again - still works.

Feeling quite pleased with myself. Now wondering what the dripped solder will be shorting.