Problem with gauge face swap

[johnwink]

Hi crew,

I'm in the process of changing my gauge faces on my 2001 Boxster from km/h to mph in preparation for my move to Seattle next week. I've been following the great instructions at:

http://www.iwantaporsche.net/cluster.htm

I've also been taking fresh pictures to update the procedure for a 2001- 986. But I have a problem. Once I got everything open, I discovered little black plastic rings around the center of each gauge where the needle goes. I've attached a photo. I can't get these out, and I can't get the new faces in with them in place Any brilliant ideas?

Thanks!

John

[johnwink]

Never mind... :-)

The black rings are only there to hold the gauge faces flush, so I broke them off and used a drop of glue under the new gauge face.

Thanks!

John

[johnwink]

I do have another question...

On the row of idiot lights along the bottom, there is a cruise control light, it's the last one on the right. This isn't used on my car, as I have a cruise control light in the middle of the speedometer. Problem is, FVD sent me a speedometer face that doesn't have the cutout for the cruise control light.

Is it possible to reprogram the beast so that it uses the cruise control light in the row of idiot lights instead?

Thanks!

John Wink

2001 Boxster 986

(now with MPH gauges!)

[Tool Pants]

2001-2004 is what I call the new style cluster and I hate to work on them.

When I saw your question this morning I was going to say to break the plastic bushing, but I wanted to look at pictures I took a few years ago when I removed the middle face. I thought I had to break it, and now that I have looked that is what I did. Once I go the face off I tried to see if there was a way to disengage the bushing from the back, but was unable to.

I thought replacement faces had a larger hole so it would fit over the bushing - but I guess not.

The other problem with working on the new style is sometimes the needle will not work when you put it back together. The motor that rotates the needle breaks by pulling the needle off or pushing it back on.

The cruise control indicator is in a different position for the base Boxster vs. the S. I bet you have a 2.7 but the face is from a 3.2. What does the replacement face read to?

[johnwink]

Sorry for the long delay... I've been off the board since my move to Seattle.

It looks like you went through the same mental process as my with this replacement. My new speedo face goes up to 175 MPH.

What I find odd is that there is a cruise control indicator light in the middle of the speedo, and another one in the idiot-light bar at the bottom (it's the last one on the right). I wonder why they'd put two of them, only one working. And I wonder if there's any way to set it to use the other one. I didn't find an obvious answer while working on the gauge cluster. Is this something that could be reprogrammed?

Thanks for your help!

John Wink

2001 Boxster 2.7

Frankenstein gauge face :-)

[Tool Pants]

As you found out the crusise control indicator is in a different postion on the base 2.7 vs. 3.2 S. That is why I asked you what the face went up to. 175 mph is an S face and you have the base 2.7.

I have no idea why Porsche put the indicatior is in a different position depending on if it is a 2.7 or 3.2. I do not know if you can change something to use the indicator on the idiot light bar - I don't even know if there is actually an led behind the indicator on the 2.7 cluster.

Unless someone comes up with a solution. Get the base boxster face that reads to 150 mph.

[BoxsterLovah!]

I have a 99 base Boxster and want to change the cluster. I like the white background on the S clusters. Is there any issue in accurate readings of the speedometer? Mine goes to 150, S goes to 175. Thanks!

[JFP in PA]

Welcome to RennTech 

The S speedo face will not read correctly as your base speedo is calibrated to 150 MPH, not 175.

[BoxsterLovah!]

Many thanks!