I'm lookin' for cheap easy things to fix up my ride and came accross this on e-bay. Has anyone ever installed one of these before? Is it easy? Anything I should be aware of before buying? Here is a link for your viewing pleasure.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/89-94...07643239QQrdZ1

 

that type font is ugly

 

font looks stock to me.

im sure they are easy to install. if it doesnt come with instructions then id be worried because it says they come with them.

 

What do you guys mean by type font? Are you talking about the numbers and letters on the gauges? Doesn't bother me.

So has anyone ever done this before?

 

yes people have done this.

 

im sure all it involves is taking the guage cover off and switchin the little papers whit that 1

 

$13 to ship a 1/2 oz. sticker....

You can get a used se white faced cluster for not much more then that.....

 

I guess I'm looking for a little more detail on the instalation, I don't know that it would be as simple as switching out the "papers" as someone mentioned. As it says in the auction, it comes with: Complete Wiring, Power Inverter, On/Off Switch, and White Gauge Faces. Also, triplegmax, you mentioned it says it came with instructions, but no where on the auction could I see where it says it comes with instructions, could you point that out for me?

 

its right in the item description........

maybe if you cant find that you shouldnt attempt this. haha jk

id assume you swap the papers, then with the wiring you hook into whatever power wire powers the current lights and hook up your switch. sounds simple to me.

 

I've switched my stock black GXE panel to the white SE panel...and it involves nothing more than a use of a screwdriver. Getting to the panel is a bit time consuming; and you'll need a "stubby" screwdriver to get to some of those screws in there.

 

this is what it says in the item description:

100% Brand New. Never been Tried or Installed.
Direct OEM Quality Fitment.
All Installation Accessories are Included: Complete Wiring, Power Inverter, On/Off Switch, and White Gauge Faces.
Anti-Glare and Scratch Resistant Surface.
Professional Installation is Highly Recommended.

I see where it says installation accessories, but then it lists off the accessories, instructions are not listed.

 

I have no idea how to do it

 

yeah but he wants the reverse glow....so youll have to hook into the power for lighting up the cluster.

it cant be that hard.

 

Oh........I thought them things were stickers you put over the existing gauges..Sorry my bad..

 

so what is the overall consensus of this?

you think the instructions will say how to do that because I am not a "wirer" at all so I don't know if I would be able to hook it up to the a power wire

I was thinking about something like this too.....doesn't look to bad

 

Well, it's only about $15.00-$16.00 probably depending on the final bid, maybe I'll just get em' and tell you all how it works. I wouldn't be loosing that much money on it anyway. We'll see. I did e-mail seller asking if instructions were included, I'll tell you what they say. I'm assuming that the gauges replace the stock white ones completley, and that they will work the same as the stock ones in that they will light up when you turn on your lights as you normally would, but there will be a seperate on/off switch for the blue glow effect. I'm just guessing from reading the auctions from other sellers with the same product.

 

thats exactly what we have been trying to say........

 

if your like me and hate have a switch for every add on use a wire tap into the red/yellow wire from the harness close to the steering wheel it's a positive connection. the gauges use a 3 wire system, its a relay style system with a independent power source and ground and a trigger. hook the trigger to the parking light wire (red/yellow) and the other 2 i hope you can figure out!

If it's cheap one without the relay style harness BUY A RELAY!!! You don't want to burn out you wiring harness. especially since the only time your using it is at night!!!

As far as installing the actuall gauges I've seen a replacement style that involves replacing the factory "stickers" and a lay over with a adhesive back. Guess you'll have to wait to see what kind it is when you buy it!

If you really want to do something real trick take apart you cluster remove the "stickers" use photo shop or something like it and create your own image. Than have a print shop print to size useing the origanals as a templete for size. use a adheasive on the back stick on. Your done. Keep in mind only certain colors show up under the factory lights. Otherwise you have a cool product that has no function at night!.

Or something more simple take a small black light tuck underneath were you can see it too well run on switch and have just the #'s glow. and keep it stock.

These are just ideas. but if you not that good at taking things apart and putting them back together i don't reccoment the second option!!

As always i accept no blame or responsability for anyone that tries this and causes any damage to themselve or there ride

 

I just installed one of these, but I'm now having an issue where my gas gauge is reading less that there actually is (I am currently looking for a fix in my thread for this so I can't guarantee you a flawless installation with my instructions, I believe I should've waited until the gas tank was near empty before trying the installation... ).
Getting the gauge cluster out involves removing the plastic around the stick, the plastic housing around the area where your stereo is, the plastic above the steering wheel (where the defogger is), and finally the plastic that surrounds the gauge cluster itself in that order. This is where you need a stubby screwdriver as you only have about 5-6" of clearance and you have to work either around or through the steering wheel.
As you are taking off all of the panels there are electical components that have to be unplugged. These electical components used keyed connectors that need pressure applied to one or both sides. These connectors should come off smoothly, DO NOT FORCE THEM OFF. If you are having trouble squeezing them, use a pair of pliers to carefully squeeze them and pull them out (I had to do this to the ashtray light power source).
It's not as hard as it sounds (and I've only owned my maxima for 2 months and it's my first car), but you have to be really careful prying off the needles on the gauge cluster as you want the entire needle and the pin underneath it to come out. Taking off just the black cap with the needle means that you broke it, you can try using some super glue to glue it back on if that happens but I'm not sure if that would work or it that is safe at all. I used a fork to carefully pry them out.
As for power, you will need to tap into another power source as was mentioned earlier in this thread, I myself chose to tap into the ashtray light as the light module was completely removeable allowing me to take the modified gauge cluster, its wiring, and that light into the house so that I could solder it for a more secure connection (you don't want to hit a bump on the road and have your gauge cluster turn off because you just used some electrical tape) If you're not comfortable with soldering, you can always opt to use a wire tap as was mentioned in the thread.
To have the gauge cluster look exactly like it does in that ebay pic you have to remove the lights that are currently installed in the gauge cluster. I believe I removed about 5-6 bulbs. They are easily removeable from the back of the gauge cluster requiring only a slight twist. I tried leaving the bulbs in by removing the green "condoms" they had on so that hopefully a nice white light would permeate though the cracks instead of green but it instead had a yellow glow which really messed with the look of it.

 

There's a yes and no to this, in my previous post, I mentioned that I removed the bulbs inside of the gauge cluster. I also decided to do this because the faces are different from the stock and these shown in the ebay auction. The stock face has translucent numbers and "lines" while the ones you are looking to buy are entirely opaque. The result when installed with the stock gauge lights still on was similar to painting gauges on a pumpkin that has been carved for halloween. You will see light coming out of the holes for the pumpkin's eyes, mouth and nose, but the painted gauges will not light up, they will only be visible due to the amount of light coming out of the holes that were already there. This was unacceptable to me as I do not want to have to squint or give the gauges a prolonged stare to read them.
Currently, when I sit in my car I have to turn on the lights, then press the on/off switch for the glow gauge. I'm going to re-wire it so that the gauges turn on when I turn the lights on be removing the on/off switch and soldering on a wire to complete the circuit permanently.
Also, mine did not come with instructions

 

i forgot to mention the red/yuellow wire is the wire for your lights

 

You don't have to remove the needles. Just CAREFULLY slide the new guages around the needles and over the guages. Then hook power up to something that illuminates when the headlights are turned on (anywhere is ok, like cigarette lighter illumination, radio illumination, or the actual guage cluster illumination.

 

so how about these guys? Opinions....

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/89-94...10116178QQrdZ1

 

Kinda Reminds me Of a cheap indiglo watch .... I dont want my car to look like that ... It just dont do it for me

 

Yeesh... I think my SE stock guages look better than either of these. To each their own but I wouldn't bother messing with a good thing.

 

i just bought some se white gauges and umm yeah i think they are much better than any of these and were simple to install, just look for someone that is selling a se gauge cluster then if you want different colors, just change the bulbs

 

I'll be selling one soon

 

wouldn't this throw your speed reading off? the gxe only goes to 125 while the se goes to 145...

 

reverse glow gauges are so nastey! very ricer. get some SE gauges.
I bought an SE gauge cluster from a junkyard withthe white se faces for 25$!!!
come on! dont go getting reverse ho gauges. thats nastey
be clean - se oem

 

Thanks for your opinion, but if you would see.....I already have SE gauges, but yeah....thanks for your opinion

 

i was responding to the guy who made this thread.

 

duely noted

 

Wow, corey blade talking about ricey. Anyhow you should go with the se guages, but change out the light bulbs to red. Looks extremly cool, gives it a euro look at night.