I finally did it!
05-03-06, 07:06 PM
#1
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I finally did it!
I just bought a revamp of my instrument cluster from LexTech.Org. I chose the blue needels on a super white background. Expensive? yes, but if they are anything like the current Lexus guages, they will be beautiful.
(B-T-W, I just bought a 2004 Lexus LS430 as my second car - What a road car!)
Any way, I am going to ship the cluster tomorrow, but I am concerned about packaging it. There ia a shipment store near my home and I will be going there to get help packaging the cluster. I have read a lot about these clusters getting the tabs broken. I will pay more than the nornmal just to be sure that the cluster gets there OK.
Do you all have any suggestions??
Thank You
(B-T-W, I just bought a 2004 Lexus LS430 as my second car - What a road car!)
Any way, I am going to ship the cluster tomorrow, but I am concerned about packaging it. There ia a shipment store near my home and I will be going there to get help packaging the cluster. I have read a lot about these clusters getting the tabs broken. I will pay more than the nornmal just to be sure that the cluster gets there OK.
Do you all have any suggestions??
Thank You
05-09-06, 05:29 PM
#3
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It is on the way
I was just notified that my rebuilt guages are on the way home. They sent me a set of pictures and it looks great. When it gets here and it is installed, I will take some pic's to post.
B-T-W, I will be selling the Guage cluster that I have been using. it is out of a 1995 SC400 automatic and has about 119000 miles. THe needles are very good. After the guage is on a while both the Speedo & Tach needles get a few black spots, but it may stay tat way for years.
B-T-W, I will be selling the Guage cluster that I have been using. it is out of a 1995 SC400 automatic and has about 119000 miles. THe needles are very good. After the guage is on a while both the Speedo & Tach needles get a few black spots, but it may stay tat way for years.
05-11-06, 12:53 PM
#5
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It is here and installed
I just installewd the rebiult guage cluster from Lextech.org.
They are beautiful.
Here is the pic:
They are beautiful.
Here is the pic:
Last edited by CompuMan; 05-11-06 at 12:57 PM.
05-11-06, 06:30 PM
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wow thats nice.
could you tell us how much it costs?
do they do different colors? i would like mine to tave green needles.
i prolly need to do mine soon, its taking longer and longer to turn on.
could you tell us how much it costs?
do they do different colors? i would like mine to tave green needles.
i prolly need to do mine soon, its taking longer and longer to turn on.
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05-15-06, 05:50 AM
#8
Lexus Champion
holy crap dude that looks just like my LX dash...........nice work man! Looks like the tabs were packaged properly.
For anyone wondering about the pricing visit http://www.lextech.org/osCommerce/ for more information.
For anyone wondering about the pricing visit http://www.lextech.org/osCommerce/ for more information.
05-27-06, 01:01 PM
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Yes
The problem was that the fuel guage did not work properly. In talking to lextech, I was told that the guage needed to be replaced. I have a spare guage cluster that I got for $41.00 to use for spares. So, I replaced the fuel guage and in that process I must have done something wrong. The Speedo needle has quit working and is black. All of the other needles seem OK now, but the Tach reads in small spurts or jumps and the fuel guage shows very low.
My own fault I guess, But what else could I have done?
My own fault I guess, But what else could I have done?
08-02-06, 02:46 AM
#12
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Fixed!
I finally got my cluster working. A quick recap: I sent my cluster to Lextech.org to upgrade the needles to blue and the background to ultra-white. When it came back to me, all was OK except the fuel guage did not work. I was told to I had to put a new fuel guage in myself. Since I had previously bought a scrapped cluster, I moved that fuel guage over to the Lextech one. Not being an engineer, I managed to disable the Tach and water gauges. I still had blue needles, but neither the Tach nor the water gauge registered properly. I sent the cluster back to Lextech and they got the tach working, but the water gauge still did not register.
OK, the problem with the water gauge stems from the earlier fix's that this cluster has undergone. I have the original repair orders from the original owner and a Lexus dealer in this area repaired this cluster three times in 12 years. The water gauge Must have the mounting screws inserted and tightened down properly. It seems that the screws not only hold the water gauge in place, they complete an electric circuit. The screws must tighten up through a set of plastic tubes and over the years these tubes have become distorted and three of the screws would not tighten down properly to make that connection.
Here is where my mechanic comes in. He inserted a VERY fine wire down into each tube and then put the screw in and it tightened down properly. The wire acts as a Heli-Coil. (Those of you that have worked in manufacturing and/or auto repair know what a heli-coil is) Any way, the cluster is working perfectly now.
I have included a picture showing the back of the cluster and a couple of the screws so that you can get an idea of the problem. Particurlarly look at the design of the screws and you will see the need to wrap them with the very fine wire.
I hope this is clear. Others may run into this problem also.
OK, the problem with the water gauge stems from the earlier fix's that this cluster has undergone. I have the original repair orders from the original owner and a Lexus dealer in this area repaired this cluster three times in 12 years. The water gauge Must have the mounting screws inserted and tightened down properly. It seems that the screws not only hold the water gauge in place, they complete an electric circuit. The screws must tighten up through a set of plastic tubes and over the years these tubes have become distorted and three of the screws would not tighten down properly to make that connection.
Here is where my mechanic comes in. He inserted a VERY fine wire down into each tube and then put the screw in and it tightened down properly. The wire acts as a Heli-Coil. (Those of you that have worked in manufacturing and/or auto repair know what a heli-coil is) Any way, the cluster is working perfectly now.
I have included a picture showing the back of the cluster and a couple of the screws so that you can get an idea of the problem. Particurlarly look at the design of the screws and you will see the need to wrap them with the very fine wire.
I hope this is clear. Others may run into this problem also.
08-14-06, 11:21 AM
#14
uhh, you guys cant read overly well can you?
all the negative reviews about lextech ive ever heard have to do with the owner or installer screwing it up. only once or twice have i heard of lextech gauges failing and then they were taken care of under warranty.
Not being an engineer, I managed to disable the Tach and water gauges. I still had blue needles, but neither the Tach nor the water gauge registered properly.
10-07-06, 03:11 PM
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One last Message
I need to update the recent problems with the cluster. First, you all need to know that if your cluster has been worked on by a Lexus dealer or any one else, it will be difficult for Lextech.org to fix it perfectly. He can change the color of the needles and put ultra white bulbs in, but the rest you have to handle.
Now, lately the water temp gauge has been shorting out. The needle goes straight up, as far as it can go. The first time that happened, I thought that I was overheating badly. I pulled over (ON Highway 20 east in Dallas area) and did not see any symptoms of overheating. (Blowing steam etc. under the hood) so I smacked the dashboard in frustration and POW, the gauge went back to normal. That told me that there was a problem with the screw(s) that we had worked on previously.
This morning I pulled the cluster out one more time. (I am getting hinky about pulling it out. These things are very sensitive.) Once out, I saw that the screw that we had trouble with before was loose again. My mechanic and I pulled the screw and re-wrapped it with fine wire again. We also put a little larger diameter wire down into the plastic tube where the screw tighten's up against. The we re-tightened (sp?) it. It tightened up OK. But this time, we soldered a VERY SMALL amount of solder onto the screw head to hold it into place on the board. If you do this last step, be VERY careful. You can ruin the circuit board if you get ham-handed with the soldering gun or solder. Even too much heat from the soldering iron can hurt the board.
BUt, I have driven all around the Metroplex today and the water temp, as well as all other gauges, are working perfectly.
Now, lately the water temp gauge has been shorting out. The needle goes straight up, as far as it can go. The first time that happened, I thought that I was overheating badly. I pulled over (ON Highway 20 east in Dallas area) and did not see any symptoms of overheating. (Blowing steam etc. under the hood) so I smacked the dashboard in frustration and POW, the gauge went back to normal. That told me that there was a problem with the screw(s) that we had worked on previously.
This morning I pulled the cluster out one more time. (I am getting hinky about pulling it out. These things are very sensitive.) Once out, I saw that the screw that we had trouble with before was loose again. My mechanic and I pulled the screw and re-wrapped it with fine wire again. We also put a little larger diameter wire down into the plastic tube where the screw tighten's up against. The we re-tightened (sp?) it. It tightened up OK. But this time, we soldered a VERY SMALL amount of solder onto the screw head to hold it into place on the board. If you do this last step, be VERY careful. You can ruin the circuit board if you get ham-handed with the soldering gun or solder. Even too much heat from the soldering iron can hurt the board.
BUt, I have driven all around the Metroplex today and the water temp, as well as all other gauges, are working perfectly.