I tried to remove the speedometer today, as the turn indicator bulb in not flashing. Handbook says rotate unit anti-clockwise and it will disengage. Cannot budge it nor the RPM indicator. Any suggestions?

 

I have to put on some of those blue, light weight non-latex work gloves for more traction.

Then push in HARD to get the tangs past their detents.

After that, twist the heads (until they stop) and remove.
The first time I removed these it was all I could do. I think they were stuck to the varnish.
(';')

 

LOTS of pressure needed, yes.

Also, the rotation is different for LHD cars vs RHD cars...which the manual might not have mentioned. I always forget which is the correct direction for LHD cars such as mine so I always end end trying it both ways.

Cheers
DD

 

push FIRST, then TURN left until you feel it "disengage". it is very easy.

Also helps to first remove the center black plastic cover, the one for indicator lights like Battery, Oil, High Beams, just pull it carefully from the top, then the bottom, a little at a time.

 

I have found that pushing the unit you are trying to remove from the bottom helps gain the needed torque to start is moving.

 

I have had mine out many times but only on 1 car. LHD cars it disengages counterclockwise. I have been told the opposite for RHD cars. Should not be any more difficult than getting the lid off a new jar of pickles. Don't fight it. Just grasp it like a jar lid, push in (no more than 1/8") and twist like a pickle lid. The thing that makes the detent you push to get by are little round pins. So in 1/8" twist about 1/4" and it will pull right out. Pull it through and then disconnect the wires, cables, etc. Good luck.

 

He,he!!! I use my "church key" on pickle jar lids. Alas, it deforms them.
but, no matter. I toss the lids and keep the jars. I am sipping some juice from one as I type!!


I've only had my speedo and tach out once. During the conversion process. I tried hard, no success. It took my machinist son's strong
fingers to get them out.


Going in went fine.


Carl

 

Use a roll of masking tape thats used up enough to fit inside trim gives you something to push on and is sticky enough on the sides to actually spin the speedo..

 

Thanks to everyone for the removal procedure. Will attempt once again.

 

I thought I would add my little bit to this chestnut topic.

Had to do this the other day and ended up wrapping duct tape around my fingers (sticky side out) to gain traction after my nitrile gloves gave up once they warmed up.

I could turn the unit , but no matter what I couldnt find the spot where it would release to come out. After thinking about it for a while I had some inspiration going back to may days a young computer tech lifting data centre floor tiles. Out in 30 seconds.



The suction cup allows you to press in and then rotate while maintaining gentle pressure out, very easy.

Now the unit is out I can see it has some spring pieces that should pop it , I assume mine was just grunged in.

These are available from parts stores as cheap dent pullers, or there are plenty on Ebay (you could probably use a phone/gps mount if the geometry works). I have a bigger one for "adjusting" floating floor boards. You can take the boy out of the computer room but just dont try and take his tile puller.

Thanks to Jose for the tip on removing the centre warning light cover. It does make access easier and you are less likely to break something in the removal process, especially if you are just using your hands.

Hope this helps some people out in future.

 

yikes NO!

that tool is putting the pressure on the plastic "glass" AND on the counter reset button. If you force it, you break them! .danger rose!

you need to press/push the gauge IN FIRST, and THEN TURN IT.

The speedo and tach have a "spring ring" behind the frame to prevent them from vibrating or moving from their set position.

that is why you FIRST push the gauge IN, and THEN turn it.

avoid touching the clear plastic "glass". Only work on the black frame.

however, that tile tool is very interesting, gonna get me one!

 

:-) actually when you have a tool, very little force is required inward for it to start turn

I'm tipping there is quite a bit of glass pushing going on getting these suckers out.

 

It's like riding a bicycle, sound hard on paper but once you get the hang of it .... One thing I would add is that once you push in and turn counterclockwise it only turns about 1/2 inch and then it lifts out. You don't keep unscrewing. It is just like a pickle jar.

So odd that RHD cars unscrew backward. Do your pickle jars open that way too?

Jeff

 

it's not glass, it is a plastic clear lens. Less than 1/16" thick. if it cracks, good luck finding a replacement with a beveled hole on both sides for the reset button!

the issue is that people want to turn the gauge without pushing in to compress the spring ring behind the frame. The 4 small gauges have glass lenses but not the speedo and tach.

 

Jose has a valid point. But I would point out that some have glass lense and some have the odometer reset down under the dash. My car is a 1979 S3 and is like this. If you have glass lenses like mine you can use a GPS mount with a suction cup on the face of the tachometer and it puts the GPS in a perfect spot for easy viewing. Just be sure you have glass face. You can tell by tapping and lightly pressing. Sounds like glass feels like glass, it is glass.

 

yes, my'65 S type is like you describe. Jaguar cheapened out on the Series 2 and 3 to some degree.

that's why the Series 3 XJ was the last of the real Jaguars. Everything after those is a glorified Peugeot.

 

Yep that distance was the bit I was missing, its really just a nudge.

No the pickle jars a quite standard here, right tighty , lefty loosey.

I was also puzzled why they would take the trouble to have different mountings between LHD and RHD cars. Seems to make no sense, in a cash strapped company especially. Would be interesting to know.

My speedo is off to an instrument repairer for a check and probable repair. Cleaning and reseating connectors didnt provide a fix.

 

I do not think RHD cars require a clockwise turn, it is the same steel backing plate as in a LHD car.

I will ask a friend in the UK who has a Series 3.

UPDATE: My friend Nigel in the UK says COUNTERCLOCKWISE in RHD cars too.

 

My series 1 has a plastic backing plate and they came off in 3 pieces when I took them off. This is from someone cranking on them too hard trying to get them out. Just be easy on it.

 

Not that it matters but I have a whole box load of old Series III instruments, Smiths and Veglia. All the tachometers have a glass lens; all the speedometers, plastic.

I presume it has something to do with the hole for the trip odometer reset? Easier to manufacture in plastic?

The plastic lenses scratch easily but will polish-up nicely if you're patient.

Cheers
DD