How to remove tachometer

[jmackro]

I wrote another thread that discussed some electrical problems caused when a failed voltage regulator caused my alternator to put >>12V into my system. Now I have all of the problems solved with the exception of the gauges - specificly the clock and tachometer. Those appear to be blown, and I would like to remove them for service.

The clock was fairly easy to remove. I used the procedure of removing the trim panel beneath the steering column, reaching up and loosening the thumbscrews, twisting the gauge, and voila!, it's free. That worked great on the clock because it is a fairly shallow gauge.

My problem is that the tachometer has a deep housing. I can not easily access the upper thumbscrew, and it looks like even if it got the gauge loose, I wouldn't have enough space to get it out from behind the wood fascia.

So, my question is: Has anyone removed an e9 tachometer without disassembling the entire dashboard? Has anyone reinstalled one into an assembled dash?

 

[Arde]

I did remove all four instruments with that technique, the hardest was the speedo.

What I recall is start from right to left (that is, remove the clock first and go on), and do the work by seating normally and using your hands and no eyes, instead of lying on your back and trying to look up. Sometimes it is enough to loosen one screw and just rotate the instrument if you cannot reach the upper screw.

I will be driving down to San Diego on Sunday (with the E36 and my college son), so maybe I'll stop by and give you a hand. Will work for beer.

 

[HB Chris]

Gauges

Jay,

The Tach is the toughest, it helps to have the speedo out of the way. I started left to right. Arde is correct, if you can get the lower screw loosened, you may not need to loosen the upper one. I also loosened the screws holding the binnacle to slide it forward a tiny bit. Good luck.

 

[jmackro]

OK, got 'em out

Ariel, Chris:

Thanks for the tips! Using your procedures, I was able to get the gauges out. As Chris suggested, I did it R ---> L; that is, removed them in the sequence gas/temp, speedo, tach, clock. There seemed to be a larger opening on the left hand side than on the right. I kept the wiring harness on the four gauges, and just disconnected the two jacks.

Somehow, I was just thinking "inside the box" - trying to come up with a way to remove one gauge at a time. You guys jogged me into realizing that although the tach is wedged in there and there doesn't seem to be room to access it by itself, that once the gauges to its left were loosened, it could be removed too.

Ariel: Although I have the gauges out, you are welcome to stop by on your drive down to San Diego. Give me a call at 949 412 5830 beforehand to make sure I'm at home. I'll come up with some "work for beer"!

 

[Arde]

Good work Jay, now that they are out I should mention I have a spare tachometer and a spare gas/temp instrument. Let me know if you need me to load them just in case.

 

[jmackro]

Ariel:

I definitely need a tach, yes. Mine quit working when the overvoltage condition occurred, so rebuilding/replacing the tach is the purpose of this exercise. The gas gauge died too, but I have already gotten a replacement.

Anyone have a line on a clock? Although my coupe is an early 2800, someone had substituted a later quartz clock, so I couldn't just re-solder the fusable link as was possible with the earlier mechanical clocks.