98 Cavalier RS Maintenance

[gizmoracer03]

How do you replace the windhsield wiper reservoir? Also with this particular cavalier being a 5 speed, is there any way i can remove the antitheft system? Finally how do i replace the bulbs for the dash board intrument cluster?

[J-Ri]

Not 100% sure on the washer fluid reservoir, but if you jack it up (USE JACK STANDS), and remove the wheel and plastic splash shield, there's usually a few bolts and/or nuts that hold them on. Should be pretty simple once you get in there and look at it.

The anti-theft cannot be removed, but it can be bypassed. For that, all you need is a resistor, some solder, and some heatshrink. If the car currently starts, you can measure the resistance of the lock cylinder and just solder a resistor of that value into the wiring that goes to the lock cylinder. If there's a problem with the anti-theft and the car doesn't start because of that, you can use any resistor between 3k and 6k ohms. Either way, just cut into the yellow and black wires that go to the key cylinder and solder the resistor in there. You can also solder the resistor to a couple short wires on a workbench, which is what I usually do because it's so much easier there. If you do it that way, shrink a couple layers of heatshrink tubing over the resistor and wires to give it some rigidity. When you're done, you'll need to relearn the resistance. To do that, try to start the engine and then release the key to "on". Wait 10 minutes and the security light will go off. Turn the key back to off, then back to on (dont try to start it this or next time. Wait another 10 minutes, cycle the key off and back on. When the light goes off this time, turn the key off and then start the engine. It should start right up.

Not too sure on the lights either... one of those things I'd just start removing stuff until you can get to the thing you need

[Jacfourteen]

I've never pulled the cluster out of my 97 z, but I have worked on the HVAC contros, and here's a BIG hint...the dash dissasembles differently than most vehicles that I've worked on. Instead of the cluster just pulling out of the dash like other vehicles, you have to pull off the entire dash pad/cover/top. Its not as bad as I thought it would be...there are only 9 or so screws that hold it on. you pull the trim peices off of the ends of the dash that are up against the doors and take out the screws in there, then you remove the screw that is in the defroster vent, then open the glove box and there are a couple screws in there. then you pull the entire dash pad out and you have full access to the cluster and mounting screws. Classicrockjunkie has a full write up on this in one of the stickies on the nonperformance section here is a link: http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbul...d.php?t=321030