The Flight of the PHOENIX !

[DOCTORBILL]

While still coughing up crap, I decided to stop sitting around waiting to get
better and get to work on this Tach Instrument Cluster.

I took off the Clear Pastic Front and rubbed out the scratches on the front.

I washed it in fast running water to get any abrasive grit off the plastic Before
rubbing it with Windex. That got any grease off first.

Then after drying it, I rubbed it with Turtle Wax "Super Hard Shell" Car Wax.

I used a clean coton cloth and just rubbed and rubbed. Over and over.

This rubs out most scratches and leaves wax in any scratches left over.
Looks brand new now!

I use this technique to repair CD's and DVD's that won't work in the players!
Just always rub away from the center (only!) toward the edges...

You can bring a non-working or skipping CD or DVD back to life this way!

Now - can anyone tell me if there is some way to check the Tachometer calibration
with the unit out of the vehicle?

I thought I saw a reference to such a thing a long while back, but I can't find
it anymore!

There are three plugs that go into the Unit (I have them!) and if I knew which
ones were to the Tach, I should be able to feed it 12 volts DC (12v & grnd) and
a signal (someone said from a 12 volt charger!) and read some value that
a rectumfied DC chopped 60 cycles should give....

Does anyone know how to do that? Which wires to use?

Any help would be appreciated as I sit here coughing and "recovering"....

DoctorBill

[DOCTORBILL]

I decided to stop being a whimp about this business of testing my Tachometer
Instrument Cluster and did what Metro Mighty Mouse did with his Tach.

This Tach-Inst-Cluster was from a '94 - 3 cyl Geo Metro.

Since I purchased the used Tach-Inst-Cluster with the plugs, I identified which
wires went to the three tach screws on the back and labelled them with tape.
I just followed the PC Leads around the flexible, green wiring on the back of the unit.

They are GND and IG+ and IG-.

I have two old car batteries I saved and keep charged up to use for 12 volt Power Supplies.

I connected wires (with a 4 amp fuse) from the car battery (12.48 volts) to the
GND and IG+. This pulled 150 ma as measured with my VOM in series.

I have a 12 volt battery trickle charger which I used for the 60 cycles signal
input (120 rectumfied peak to peak signals).

Connected the ground to the GND and touched the red (+) wire to IG-.

The Tachometer immediately went to 4800 RPM's.

So - I believe that is what it should read with 60 cycles rectified (120 peaks).
"Let's see, 60hz for a 3 cyl would be 2400 RPM...." from JellyBeanDriver at
http://www.teamswift.net/viewtopic.php?t=12108&start=25 @ Fri Jan 28, 2005 10:19 pm

At 4800 RPM's - how many times per second is any one cylinder firing....?
4800 rpm / 60 seconds = 80 rev's / second........

One explosion per 2 revolutions means 40 sparks per second for each cylinder - no?

So 4800 / 120 = 40....OK!

Metro Mighty Mouse is making some gauge overlays for me with The Blue Phoenix
lettering on each of the Speedometer and Tachometer faces facing each other....

Ought to look really nice!

I will take some pictures when it is done.

I don't look forward to removing the "Tach-Inst-Cluster" unit, however.
Sounds like a bugger-all job....especially in this cold weather here in Spokane.

DoctorBill

[DOCTORBILL]

I drained my manual 5 speed transmission today...let it drain an hour.
It stopped dripping, so I got it all...(?)

I didn't measure how much came out, but it looked to be a couple quarts or so.

It was dark like used motor oil, but not "black" like used motor oil. Just very dark,
not yellow like the new stuff was.

I wonder how old it was. The full 13 years? - my "Phoenix" is a '93.

I found about 1/2 gram or so of metal chips and powder on the magnetic plug.
Cleaned that off well.

I put the oil back via the level check hole and a long 1/2 inch dia plastic tube.

Now - that was fun! Slower than molasses in January. It is 35 degrees outside today.
Stood there forever holding that bottle!

I had to hold the bottle up all the while since the tube would not stay on the
damned bottle spout!

Valvoline 80w-90 "Durablend" (synthetic blend).

That damned, new oil is so slippery that the plastic tube wouldn't stay on the spout -
had to hold it in place as the oil oozed out slow as snot.
Started snowing and blowing as I stood there....

Anyway - it took almost exactly 2 quarts. The Chilton Manual says that the
Transmission holds 2.5 quarts!

I figured it would be OK - what else could I do! Oil was oozing out the hole!

If I were to slightly 'overfill' the transmission via that Clutch Bolt hole on top of the
transmission, would it hurt the transmish at all ?

Drove the car maybe five miles and all seems well.

At least I now know that the Transmission Oil is good.

You never know what a used car has in it.....

DoctorBill

[91Caprice9c1]

I can never seem to get more than 2 quarts in the 5-speeds myself. Then again, I've always filled them with the cars on jackstands - not level. That extra half-quart is just robbing horsepower anyhow!!

-mechanicmatt

[DOCTORBILL]

Yah, mine was fairly high up on jackstands, also. Can't really do anything
on a Metro unless it is on jackstands or a lift. Do they make lifts that small...lol?

Couple of questions.

Unless something is wrong with the transmission, does the manual transmission oil
ever really wear out?

Mine was not yellow, but then perhaps whatever was put into the transmission
might not have been yellow to begin with....

I unscrewed that big left side bolt holding the Clutch Lever on the transmission,
but the oil was much too thick to fill it from there. Were it a hot summer and
if I had heated the oil beforehand, I might have been able to fill it thru that hole.

But - how would one know when it is full unless one also opened the
plug on the right side of the transmission?

Can one push a stick down the Clutch Bolt hole and sort of "Dipstick" the
transmission oil level w/o having to use the hole on the side ?

Can one overfill the transmission?

What is the lowest safe level for the oil?

Should I notice any differnce in the transmission now that I have replaced the
oil?

Are there any "additives" that would help the transmission work - like some
powdered graphite added? I am sort of joking, but it is a reasonable question....

DoctorBill

[GM Line Rat]

Doc, Here's a tip for Tach cluster swap (I did the swap on my 94 Geo Metro 4-Dr 5 Speed a couple of months ago). Since it's a Royal PITA to try and get your hand back behind the cluster to re-connect the speedo cable to your new tach cluster with the dashtop still on, Disconnect the speedo cable 1st from the transmission (Remove 1 bolt and lift the cable housing out).....Now you can push (From under the hood at firewall cable entrance) about 4-5" of the speedo cable thru the firewall grommet and make it alot easier to connect it to the speedo housing on the cluster. Once you get it connected, slide the cluster in slowly, Then go back under the hood and pull a liltte bit of cable back thru. Repeat the process until the cluster is fully seated and ready to be screwed in......Reinstall and seat the Speedo cable to the tranny (It only lines up one way), Put bolt back in.......Done!

[DOCTORBILL]

I just received Metro Mighty Mouse's Gauge Overlays today.

All are installed except for the Tachometer needle which I think requires that
I put 12v to the gauge before I try placing the Needle back on - so that it is
at zero when I put it on.

Looks nice!

Pictures coming.....

DoctorBill

[Metro Mighty Mouse]

Doc,

Use your test set up to set the needle. I know you no longer have the connector but you should be able to make a probe to apply the signal to the tach. Most people installing the overlays have the advantage of being able to note the position of the tach at idle so they have a reference point. The other option is to use a Tach Dwell meter to determine what rpm the engine is operating at and set the needle there. The problem is that the needle rests against the stop even with the key on and doesn't move until there is a signal to it.

MMM,
Jon

[DOCTORBILL]

OK - I got the Instrument Cluster all back together....

I thought I had screwed up the Tachometer! I hooked all the wires back up as
before and the Tach wouldn't work right. Jesus!

So I rewired it (was a loose connection) and it worked.

Then I had to pull the needle off and put it back on many times before it would
go to exactly 4800 rpms on the dial.

I hope I didn't booger up the Tachometer Shaft Bearing!

Put both the black front and the clear bezel back on.

I just hope it works correctly when it is in The Blue Phoenix!

Probably won't....

Here is a picture gallery of what I did:

My current Instrument Cluster


The "New" Tachometer Instrument Cluster I purchased used


Pictures of the work in progress
Working 1


Working 2


Working 3


The finished product !


Looks pretty good.....yah?

DoctorBill

[Metro Mighty Mouse]

Doc,

The Tach bearing will be fine, I have had mine off repeatedly over the last 4 or 5 years and the only problems I have had were related to the plug not making a good connection.

I have to admit I am getting quite a kick admiring my handywork. Since I painted the black plastic part of mine silver/chrome the contrast isn't quite as dramatic. I might swap in an extra that I have if I take the cluster out again.

If you haven't seen the effect when the lights are on I think you are in for a treat. Also don't forget to take the green covers off of the lights or it will change the color and it won't be as bright.

Be sure to leave the clear cover off when you install the cluster until you have a chance to verify the gas and temperature gauges and the speedometer are reading correctly. Then pop the cover on and finish the installation.

Enjoy!!
MMM
Jon

[DOCTORBILL]

"Since I painted the black plastic part of mine silver/chrome the contrast isn't quite
as dramatic."

Yah - I didn't like it very much when I saw the picture you had posted.
The Black - White contrast is very nice! Much better. Chrome is too "Hard"

"...don't forget to take the green covers off of the lights...."
Yes - I did that. They were like the tips of green rubber gloves cut off the
"pinkie" finger and pushed over the bulbs.

I dipped the "High Beam Bulb" in clear, blue model airplane paint because the High
Beam light in most cars is too bright for my likes. Hope that works.

If a bulb burns out, do I have to change the whole bulb and black plastic base?
Looks like the bulb is an intergral part of the black plastic twist on base.

I'll save all the bulbs in my old Instrument Cluster!

"Be sure to leave the clear cover off when you install the cluster..."
OK....I hate to 'fart around' with this much more, but I will heed your advice.

Funny thing happened yesterday -

I went to a local "One Stop" here in my small town and as I was getting out of
The Blue Phoenix a guy came out the door, stopped and said hello.

He asked me if I'd sell the car!?

I told him that I was going to be burried in it when I die. He laughed!

He is from Idaho, has no hands (was a High Tension Power Lineman!) and has
those metal hooks for hands.

I lifted the car's hood to discuss what I had done to it with him.

He told me he has six Geos in various states of "repair" around his house in
the back woods in Idaho. He has no electricity! Lives in a cabin! GOD!
He said he has replaced several engines in them, has another engine, but....he
didn't know what a MAP Sensor was! Hmmmm......

Maybe he needs a helper(s) with those artificial hand things - poor guy!
You have to see something like that to really appreciate being whole and not
having any real problems.

"I had no shoes. Then I saw a man who had no feet....." old saying - its true!

Then another guy came out of the One-Stop and came over and said, "Who stole
the engine out of your car!?" lol..... small engine...ha ha.

That guy said he has had several Geo Metros and loves them!

Then a third guy drives up, gets out and joins the conversation!

He has several Metros and fixes them up for his family!

My God!

How many of us Metro Freaks are out there...!? I include myself in that category.

Fascinating!

Only problem with that is - they are all scavenging the parts that I need !

The fewer of them - the more parts for me! Greed.....

Happy new year, folks! May the force be with you.....

Live long and prosper!

DoctorBill

[Metro Mighty Mouse]

"If a bulb burns out, do I have to change the whole bulb and black plastic base? Looks like the bulb is an intergral part of the black plastic twist on base."

Both size bulbs just pull out. I've had to use a pair of pliers to get the smaller indicator lights out, just have to be careful not to crush the bulb.

[DOCTORBILL]

Thanks for that information - I wouldn't have tried pulling them out any harder
than I did....

Now I know I can do it.

Both my old IC and the new IC have no bad bulbs - they must be running at
80% of their recommended voltage to last that long.

i.e. - they are probably 14 or 16 volt bulbs running at 12 volts.

Doesn't any car's sytem run at about 14 volts when the alternator is running?

DoctorBill

[DOCTORBILL]

I am midway thru getting my cataracts removed and new acrylic lenses put into my eyes.

Had the left eye (worst eye) fixed three days ago. The right eye will be done the 24th.

15 minute, absolutely painless surgery!

Folks who have not had this done would be amazed at what I am seeing!

You don't realize how yellow colored your natural lenses get as time goes by.

This represents the difference between my two eyes right now!



Just thought someone should know - maybe it will get them into the eye doctor and get the cataracts removed

...it is worth it!

DoctorBill

[DOCTORBILL]

Ever since I changed the oil in my Transmission, when I am stopped and put it into
first gear, the gears touch - not a full "grind" but I can feel them not meshing
as they did before I changed the oil.

I used Valvoline Durablend 80w-90.

Is this to be expected?

In order to stop the gear "bump", I have to push it in more slowly and gently.
If the synchromesh is wearing out, what would have been in there before that
kept the gear bumping from happening?

I am almost sorry I changed the oil!

Other than that, everything is OK with the transmish.

DoctorBill