How to take out a 1987 T-bird gauge cluster

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How to take out a 1987 T-bird gauge cluster

June 05, 2005, 10:43:50 AM

Hello!
I have a 1987 T-bird 3.8L TBI with base digital gauge cluster. Previous owner did something to cut off the door/lights/seatbelts chime and messed up something with idiot lights like seatbelt, low washer fluid, door ajar etc. The only working idiot lights are brake, high beam, alt and oil pressure.
I'd like to take the gauge cluster out to see if all the wires going to the gauge cluster are OK.
Could you please give me some instructions or maybe there's a website where I can find some info.
Thanks!
Mariusz...

P.S. The biggest problem is what should I do with the gear selector indicator linkage.

Re: How to take out a 1987 T-bird gauge cluster

Reply #1 – June 05, 2005, 11:00:29 AM

The procedure for getting the dash is on this board, see link below.. Note that some of the idiot lights functions on the dash, ie low washer fluid etc, were never populated on some cars, depending on options package.

From JCassity's great super-post at http://www.foxtbirdcougarforums.com/showthread.php?t=2984

dash removal
I am sure by now you have the outter dash cover dressing off.
you should have the clear face plate off to.
you should now have 4 torx head scews out that hold the dash assy in place.

The white chord thing is the column shifter indicator cable.
you can either ...
a. turn the dash face cover sideways and out of the way
***put the col shifter all the way down.
***your tilt wheel should be tilted down.
b. remove the very small screw on the back that holds it.
you will have to manage to unhook the cable loop
attached to the selector on the rear,*watch out and
dont loose that little spring.

once the above is done you can reach in the back of the dash assy and squeeze the both ends of the conn which will release the conn keepers and let them pull out. I found it easier to bust a couple of factory zip ties / tape to allow the harness assy to pull further out. After all of the above,, the dash will come out and you can get to both bulbs on the top of the speedo. you can also take the time to test the rest of the bulbs. the sockets insert from the rear and are twist lock. If a bulb is intermittant, remove the socket,, pry up on each contact that you see looking into the the socket hole. If you just want to verify bulbs,, turn your head lights on and the dash will light up. some of the bulbs are hard to get to cause they are just that way. Use a rubber hose to slip over the bulb, pull straight out and insert bulb in an easy to get to location. Re-insert bulb into the old socket --if its good-- and twist your rubber hose CCW to get the hose off the bulb.

good luck,, the hardest part is getting the dash cover off and to the side.

Re: How to take out a 1987 T-bird gauge cluster

Reply #2 – June 05, 2005, 11:37:19 AM

To get the dash cover off, with your foot on the brake, turn the key to "run" and shift into low gear. The dash cover will then rotate toward you free of the steering column. Shift back into park, turn the key off, and continue on your merry way.

Re: How to take out a 1987 T-bird gauge cluster

Reply #3 – June 05, 2005, 02:36:47 PM

Thanks for the tips!
Could you please explain me what is dash face cover? Is it behind the clear face plate?

Re: How to take out a 1987 T-bird gauge cluster

Reply #4 – June 05, 2005, 04:08:06 PM

No, it's in front of it. It's that big plastic thing with all the fake woodgrain (or brushed stainless, or carbon fiber) on it.

BTW, the "shift into low" trick helps when pulling the cluster out, too - it allows you to rotate the cluster so that you can get at the plugs. Just remember to have your foot on the brake (or better yet, the wheels blocked) because the car will roll.

Re: How to take out a 1987 T-bird gauge cluster

Reply #5 – June 05, 2005, 04:42:45 PM

OK, so that small screw mentioned in the instruction is in the back of the gauge cluster, right? I'm feeling kinda dumb asking what does the instruction say, but maybe that's becouse of my English (I'm from Poland, Europe).
I think that the shifter indicator cable is too short to pull the dash out enough to get to a small screw that is supposed to be on the back. Maybe I should take off the upper plastic cover from the steering column? Thought it might help...
Sorry if I'm asking stupid questions, but I don't want to mess out something in my car. It's not that easy to get T-bird parst here.
Thanks in advance for help!

Re: How to take out a 1987 T-bird gauge cluster

Reply #6 – June 05, 2005, 08:12:35 PM

Quote

that small screw mentioned in the instruction is in the back of the gauge cluster, right?

Nope. With the covers removed from under the steering column, lie on your back and look up. You should see a white plastic loop around the steering column, with a black screw through it. Here's a pic I drew a while back...

The loop lives at the end of the plastic tube coming out the bottom of the cluster:
.

Re: How to take out a 1987 T-bird gauge cluster

Reply #7 – June 05, 2005, 08:55:57 PM

i cant remember how much space you have to remove the clear plastic from the cluster, but you may be able to remove the screws holding the cluster in place, and have enough room to move the cluster around to remove it, the clear plastic comes off, and the black plastic underneath of it comes out, but the wiring for the buttons is still attached, but you should be able to get your hands into the cluster, and rmove that little loop from the shift indicator, and i think there is a screw on the inside holding the plastic sleeve in place

from Poland? thats a place ive always been curious to visit, im part Polish, but not from Poland, so im somewhat curious to see what its like

and your english is very good, if you didnt mention you were in Poland, i wouldnt have known, keep it up

Re: How to take out a 1987 T-bird gauge cluster

Reply #8 – June 06, 2005, 07:34:43 AM

Quote

base digital gauge cluster.
idiot lights like seatbelt, low washer fluid, door ajar etc.

I just read that again.
Do you mean the rows of lights down the sides of the pod?
As bondocougar said, if your car wasn't built with those options, your lights won't work. Mine don't. 88 base 5.0.
.

Re: How to take out a 1987 T-bird gauge cluster

Reply #9 – June 06, 2005, 09:09:55 AM

the seatbelt light is mandatory in all cars from a certain year if i remember correctly

my 3.8L car had the low washer, and some others work, but not all of them work

Re: How to take out a 1987 T-bird gauge cluster

Reply #10 – June 06, 2005, 02:48:24 PM

The seatbelt light doesn't work. The "key buzzer" (chime) doesn't work either. Is there a separate chime module?

Re: How to take out a 1987 T-bird gauge cluster

Reply #11 – June 06, 2005, 02:55:25 PM

Quote from: bondocougar

Note that some of the idiot lights functions on the dash, ie low washer fluid etc, were never populated on some cars, depending on options package.

...learn something new every day. I just thought they were broken!

Re: How to take out a 1987 T-bird gauge cluster

Reply #12 – June 06, 2005, 04:20:46 PM

My low washer fluid light comes on every time I use the washers.... so I guess mine works, just incorrectly.

Re: How to take out a 1987 T-bird gauge cluster

Reply #13 – June 06, 2005, 04:24:08 PM

Those courtesy warning lamps were an option on all levels of Cougars. However, with 3 different clusters, 2 different console configurations, and 2 different shifters to deal with, Ford engineers had to do something to accommodate all cars:

Full digital cluster, floor shifter: Got the "System Sentry" module on the lighter panel
Full digital cluster, column shifter: ?

buttstuffog cluster, floor shifter: Got the "System Sentry" module on the lighter panel
buttstuffog cluster, column shifter: N/A

Base cluster, column shifter: Lights integrated into cluster
Base cluster, floor shifter: If this configuration existed, same as column shifter

Therefore, all base clusters had the capability of having those lights functioning. But if the wiring was never there to accommodate them, then they'll never work without a lot of rewiring and headaches.

Re: How to take out a 1987 T-bird gauge cluster

Reply #14 – June 06, 2005, 04:26:15 PM

Yeah, unlike many other cars, Ford made it so that the washer light only comes on when the fluid is low AND you use the washers. I actually like it - some vehicles (like my father's Dodge truck) sound a panic alarm and shine that stupid light in your face the whole time the key is on.

Brian, your problem is likely the switch in the bottle