carguy300
Well-Known Member
I sure hope after all youve done to her, you keep her a while!
'66 Newport 2 Door hardtop
- Thread starter darth_linux
- Start date
darth_linux
Well-Known Member
For sure! The plan is to give it to one of my kids when I'm too old to drive. Hopefully that's not for another 30 years, LOL!
carguy300
Well-Known Member
I just we will be able to own these old relics, let alone have gas for them by that time! My 68 will be my sons someday.
darth_linux
Well-Known Member
This arrived today. Hope to get it installed by Tax Day.
darth_linux
Well-Known Member
Removing the instrument cluster so I can replace the voltage limiter, lube the speedo, inspect the odometer and trip meter and change out some bulbs for LEDs.
Despite my best effort, some of these photos are out of sequence.
Undo the parking selector link
Swing parking selector link up out of the way.
This is after loosening the two bolts that hold the steering column in place.
Speedometer cable unhooked, in the background and out of focus. Sorry.
Remove ignition cylinder bezel and push lock through. This is needed for clearance when you rotate the instrument cluster assembly.
Lock cylinder can dangle freely.
This trim piece is held in place by two screws.
Loosen these two bolts to drop the steering column down.
Two screws hold this lower trim bezel in place. Access from underneath.
Despite my best effort, some of these photos are out of sequence.
Undo the parking selector link
Swing parking selector link up out of the way.
This is after loosening the two bolts that hold the steering column in place.
Speedometer cable unhooked, in the background and out of focus. Sorry.
Remove ignition cylinder bezel and push lock through. This is needed for clearance when you rotate the instrument cluster assembly.
Lock cylinder can dangle freely.
This trim piece is held in place by two screws.
Loosen these two bolts to drop the steering column down.
Two screws hold this lower trim bezel in place. Access from underneath.
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GOLDMYN
Senior Member
Hi, the #4 on the casting # on the side of the block tells how many blocks were produced from the single casting core, I have seen 10, 1-10, don't bet your life on it, that's what I've been told. also to mention, dialectical grease isn't a conductor of electricity. shouldn't apply to connections. google to prove me wrong. dielectric grease conductive - Google Search
darth_linux
Well-Known Member
More instrument cluster work … somebodies been here before . . . lots of scratches on the clear plastic from prior removal/replacement.
I cleaned all of the copper contacts with scotch-brite, also cleaned and "re-sprung" the contact springs on the lightbulb sockets to ensure good contact for years to come. I also repainted the needles with fluorescent orange, and did some touch up work with fresh semi-gloss black enamel hobby paint. I've also installed a new voltage limiter for the fuel gauge.
I cleaned all of the copper contacts with scotch-brite, also cleaned and "re-sprung" the contact springs on the lightbulb sockets to ensure good contact for years to come. I also repainted the needles with fluorescent orange, and did some touch up work with fresh semi-gloss black enamel hobby paint. I've also installed a new voltage limiter for the fuel gauge.
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darth_linux
Well-Known Member
I made a diagram of the pin out for the 66 Newport instrument cluster. I’m not an electrician, so I don’t know all of the correct symbols to use, and all that type of thing. This may help a reader to understand how to get their dummy lights working for the purpose of testing their bulbs/LEDs, since they do not ground through the Cluster case itself.
darth_linux
Well-Known Member
Reinstallation of the gauge cluster.
Despite uploading these from my phone in sequence, this forum software manages to display the images out of order. My apologies.
#2 - this is the orientation of the cluster after getting the ammeter wires hooked up, which is quite the trick. Impossible to see what you are doing, and very little room for your hands to get a wrench or 3/8" socket up in there to tighten the nuts.
#3 - don't forget to hook up these 3 wires for your lower cluster lighting and fuel gauge input and output.
#1 - this is where I started off today, ready to get it all put back together.
#5 - here's the cluster all installed, ready for trim pieces
#6 - upper bezel trim installed. It's quite finnicky.
#4 - I found it easiest to put a couple of the 4 screws in place, get the cluster into position, and then put the other 2 screws in. Once you have the cluster seated all of the way forward, tighten the 4 screws down.
Despite uploading these from my phone in sequence, this forum software manages to display the images out of order. My apologies.
#2 - this is the orientation of the cluster after getting the ammeter wires hooked up, which is quite the trick. Impossible to see what you are doing, and very little room for your hands to get a wrench or 3/8" socket up in there to tighten the nuts.
#3 - don't forget to hook up these 3 wires for your lower cluster lighting and fuel gauge input and output.
#1 - this is where I started off today, ready to get it all put back together.
#5 - here's the cluster all installed, ready for trim pieces
#6 - upper bezel trim installed. It's quite finnicky.
#4 - I found it easiest to put a couple of the 4 screws in place, get the cluster into position, and then put the other 2 screws in. Once you have the cluster seated all of the way forward, tighten the 4 screws down.
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darth_linux
Well-Known Member
Installation part 2: Again, I uploaded these in sequence to show the steps, but the forum software does not display them correctly, hence the numbering.
#7 - lower trim bezel installed. This one is also finnicky because it's kind of spring loaded. Get the two screws started before lowering it through the dash so you can get it to clip into place.
#9 - reinstall the ignition switch assy.
#8 - here's the lower gauge trim in place. It's actually two pieces - the chrome bit and the painted bit. I took mine apart, cleaned the painted part with a toothbrush and dish soap, and used a very soft scotch brite pad and chrome polish to clean the chrome part.
#10 - here's the very unpleasant view of getting the 9 pin connector, speedo cable and odometer cable attached. It's all done by feel since there's zero visibility and almost no room for your hand. the 3 pin connector for the lower gauge lights and fuel gauge in/out wires likes to slip off quite easily. Ensure yours is fully seated before buttoning everything back up.
#11 - here's the view hooking up the gear selector lever. This one may take a few tries to get it positioned "just right" after everything is put together since the lever is spring loaded. I put mine back right were it came off and it's not indicating correctly. Will have to go back and adjust where the lever sits when it's bolted together.
#12 - here it is all put back together. Suddenly I have a "cold" light that works. Must have been a dirty socket or something before. You can faintly see the dash lights on (light blue glow around the odometer numbers) and the gas gauge has moved slightly, so I need a new sending unit. The current one is probably 1) chinese and 2) flooded.
#7 - lower trim bezel installed. This one is also finnicky because it's kind of spring loaded. Get the two screws started before lowering it through the dash so you can get it to clip into place.
#9 - reinstall the ignition switch assy.
#8 - here's the lower gauge trim in place. It's actually two pieces - the chrome bit and the painted bit. I took mine apart, cleaned the painted part with a toothbrush and dish soap, and used a very soft scotch brite pad and chrome polish to clean the chrome part.
#10 - here's the very unpleasant view of getting the 9 pin connector, speedo cable and odometer cable attached. It's all done by feel since there's zero visibility and almost no room for your hand. the 3 pin connector for the lower gauge lights and fuel gauge in/out wires likes to slip off quite easily. Ensure yours is fully seated before buttoning everything back up.
#11 - here's the view hooking up the gear selector lever. This one may take a few tries to get it positioned "just right" after everything is put together since the lever is spring loaded. I put mine back right were it came off and it's not indicating correctly. Will have to go back and adjust where the lever sits when it's bolted together.
#12 - here it is all put back together. Suddenly I have a "cold" light that works. Must have been a dirty socket or something before. You can faintly see the dash lights on (light blue glow around the odometer numbers) and the gas gauge has moved slightly, so I need a new sending unit. The current one is probably 1) chinese and 2) flooded.
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darth_linux
Well-Known Member
No more trim rings! I had them on for a month or so, but just wasn't digging how they looked with the poverty caps. I'll need to do a little cleaning and painting of the wheels where the trim rings scraped up the paint, but other than that, I think it looks better.
So after two full days of removing and replacing the instrument cluster to address some issues, here are the results:
1) all light bulbs replaced with LEDs - success. Two of the bulbs that were giving me trouble turned out to have damage to the bulb socket from those big wiring harnesses pressing on them in situ and putting pressure on them. I spread the brass contacts on the socket to their maximum and with careful adjustment got them to work again. My COLD light now works as well - I think it was a dirty connection.
2) lubed speedometer in hopes of getting the trip meter and odometer to work. FAIL. Despite thoroughly lubing the speedo cable (I took it completely out) the odometer and trip meter are not working reliably. While the cluster was out I was hoping to get into the innards of the odometer, but it required taking absolutely everything apart and I just didn't want to risk breaking something else, so I left it be.
3) fix fuel gauge. Well, as I mentioned above, I replaced the voltage limiter and tested it (known to be working), I tested the fuel gauge itself (known to be working) but my tank still reads almost empty when it's 3/4 full. I'm probably going to need either a new sending unit or perhaps just a new float to get it working again, but at least I know what the problem is, instead of wondering what component had failed.
So after two full days of removing and replacing the instrument cluster to address some issues, here are the results:
1) all light bulbs replaced with LEDs - success. Two of the bulbs that were giving me trouble turned out to have damage to the bulb socket from those big wiring harnesses pressing on them in situ and putting pressure on them. I spread the brass contacts on the socket to their maximum and with careful adjustment got them to work again. My COLD light now works as well - I think it was a dirty connection.
2) lubed speedometer in hopes of getting the trip meter and odometer to work. FAIL. Despite thoroughly lubing the speedo cable (I took it completely out) the odometer and trip meter are not working reliably. While the cluster was out I was hoping to get into the innards of the odometer, but it required taking absolutely everything apart and I just didn't want to risk breaking something else, so I left it be.
3) fix fuel gauge. Well, as I mentioned above, I replaced the voltage limiter and tested it (known to be working), I tested the fuel gauge itself (known to be working) but my tank still reads almost empty when it's 3/4 full. I'm probably going to need either a new sending unit or perhaps just a new float to get it working again, but at least I know what the problem is, instead of wondering what component had failed.
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carguy300
Well-Known Member
I am very impressed with your detail. When I bought my 300 the dash was taken out and parts missing. Its taken awhile but got parts needed and most of dash back in, now that its warm again, gonna finish. Put new circuit boards in and all bulbs. Wiper and headlight switches also. Cant wait to see if everything works when I hook up battery. You have done quite a job on that one!
carguy300
Well-Known Member
I know the dash lights on the 65 and 66 were awsome when lit, glowing. My 1st car was a 65 newport and I loved the dash!
darth_linux
Well-Known Member
It's a work of art. I'll post a photo tonight when the sun goes down and I can take in the LED view in all of it's beauty.
darth_linux
Well-Known Member
Here’s the dash with lots of lights lit up
D Cluley
Active Member
Looks good!
Did you leave the steering wheel in place when pulling the cluster? I need to do mine this spring and can't remember if I took the wheel off last time.
Did you leave the steering wheel in place when pulling the cluster? I need to do mine this spring and can't remember if I took the wheel off last time.
darth_linux
Well-Known Member
Thank you. I dropped the steering wheel down to the seat. Doing that gave me plenty of room.
carguy300
Well-Known Member
Looks Awsome!
darth_linux
Well-Known Member
The weather is somewhat warm today, and no rain, so I gave SS Anderson a bath.
I had trim rings on for about a month but ended up not liking them, so we’re back to just body color wheels and poverty caps. Simple yet elegant.
I had trim rings on for about a month but ended up not liking them, so we’re back to just body color wheels and poverty caps. Simple yet elegant.
carguy300
Well-Known Member
Lookin good like a land yacht should!
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