universal gauges

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Tom
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07turbeaux wrote: Wed Apr 08, 2026 6:02 pm The cluster is back in despite what I told the shop. So I get to do R&R the cluster again. In my too many years of tinkering that I care to admit plugging in and out I think cleaned some contacts so the speedo works. Only problem is oil pressure and temp guage which of course are the most important guages. The gas gauge is also hinky.
ANyone think that hitting all the contacts with a small wire brush I might get lucky?
Hollywood Speedo and PA Speedo want $450 to $1000 to check and rebuild cluster which I am reluctant to put out at this stage. I've got seats, clutch master cylinder, and paint on roof and right front fender to deal with.
Lastly the car did not come with a handbook so does anyone know how to reset the ODO? For years are family did our road trips in a VW without a fuel gauge. Dad just kept track of mileage. We always got the most base of cars. VW with no radio or ODO just 36 rippin' HP. Chevy Biscayne was not much better.
There's a hidden button to reset the trip meter in the big oval vent just to the right of the gauges. It looks like part of the vent...

Don't use a wire brush on the cluster contacts -- they are too delicate... You can use a pencil eraser on them -- a trick an old Navy plane tech taught me. Definitely worth a try!

#21

07turbeaux
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Thanks Tom

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dr bob
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There's a fraction of the 928 world that believes Deoxit is a nectar of the gods when it comes to cleaning and maintaining some of these low-current brass connecting strips. I'm with Tom on using an eraser on them first. I use the white block erasers I grew up on before CAD made drafting relatively painless. A new nice soft one will work miracles on the brass or plated contact surfaces on board edge connectors for instance. For most others, a bit of good spray contact cleaner is usually enough. WalMart and office supply stores sell them cheap. The red 'rubber' erasers on those ancient pencils in my toolbox drawer are now way too hard to be effective.

For most brass-on-brass connectors, the spring contacts and pins are inherently "self-wiping", such that just sliding them on and off a few times is often enough to rub through an oxidation layer that might have formed. Basic brass is an alloy of copper and zinc, may have other added metals like beryllium to stiffen them a bit. The copper base metal corrodes in the presence of almost anything, and that includes skin contact from oils or your lunch. The oxide layers come off easily with the eraser though. Just avoid touching your cleaned brass or copper contact surfaces if you can.
dr bob

1989 928 S4, black with cashmere/black inside
SoCal 928 Group Cofounder
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Former Ex Bend Yacht Club Commodore Emeritus

Free Advice and Commentary. Use At Your Own Risk!

#23

944er
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This would be a good choice in erasers.

https://www.amazon.com/Pentel-Retractab ... B0047CT6SE

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07turbeaux
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thanks Tom and Dr Bob. I ordered the DIoixit. Should be here when I get back from AZ. Anyone want to buy a Snowbird house? We are upsizing.

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