Speedo needle not lit

Post by **simonc** » Tue Jul 02, 2013 9:29 am

Hi all, question regarding the speedo needle in 4th Gen 1993.
The rev counter needle is fine and clear but my speedo needle is impossible to see. Is there a quick fix or am I looking at something major to put it right?
Any advice or direction is much appreciated. Thanks, Simon.

Post by **Kawa** » Tue Jul 02, 2013 9:40 am

Is it the traditional clocks or the electro-luminescent? If it's the traditional clocks (with normal bulbs) you will need to replace the bulb.

Difficult to explain without pictures...but...hear goes...

(Disclaimer - It's been a long time since I had standard clocks...S2000

)

Remove right hand tweater cover.
Remove the black strip that runs across the top of the clock (all the way across the dash, about 6 screws)
Remove the little plastic vertical strip that separates the clocks font glass from the larger indictor light front glass (1 screw from memory)
You should be able to see 2 screws to the left of the clocks and 2 screws to the right. Undo these and gently pull the clocks out.
Pull out the electrical connectors going into the back of the clocks.
Undo the screws on the back of the clocks and separate the clocks.
Replace the bulbs on the circuit board.
Reverse to refit.

Post by **simonc** » Tue Jul 02, 2013 9:55 am

Hi Kawa, thanks for such a quick and concise reply. To be frank, I don't honestly know if they're the trad or EL types. Are the instructions exclusive to the trad clocks?
If so, I'll basically cut and paste your directions and send them to my repair guy and see if he's brave enough to do it!
Thanks again.

Post by **indigolemon** » Tue Jul 02, 2013 10:00 am

EL Dials look like this:

Non-EL dials look like this:

Post by **Kawa** » Tue Jul 02, 2013 10:05 am

I font know how el clocks are lit. Yours are most likely traditional clocks if its a 93 car unless retro fitted.

Post by **Kawa** » Tue Jul 02, 2013 10:06 am

Ahhhhh....phone typing ....grrrr

Post by **simonc** » Tue Jul 02, 2013 10:07 am

Top photo is mine so they're definitely EL type.
Sorry to sound a complete idiot but are the instructions Kawa wrote for the Trad type? Do the EL type that I've got need a different way to fix the speedo needle or are they one and same when it comes to this fix?
Thanks.

Post by **simonc** » Tue Jul 02, 2013 10:09 am

Hi Kawa, I think our messages were posted at the same time.
My car definitely has the EL set-up.

Post by **indigolemon** » Tue Jul 02, 2013 10:56 am

If it's EL, I believe @Pushki has done the required fix to get an unlit needle working again. Sure he'll be happy to share the secret

Post by **Pushki** » Tue Jul 02, 2013 2:29 pm

Yes, I've fixed my speedo needle illumination.

This is how it looked.

There are some dodgy capacitors on the circuit board that need replacing (common problem).
I attempted this but it was unsuccessful, so I performed the quick and easy ghetto fix.

You just supply the dead needle with power from the working one by soldering two wires on the back of the circuit board (see picture below).

I've had no other problems 3 years on.

Sorted!!