My friend recently suggested I change the back lighting in the instrument cluster. I was under the hood, so I told him he could do it. He found out they were small LEDs, not like the ones in his corrola, so he put it back.
He didn't put in the tach needle correctly. I tried getting it back to normal, but it is always off once I shift - I can find just the right spot to turn it to get it back in the normal position. Any ideas how to fix it?

04 scion xB
ellicott city, md

 

The needle needs to sit on 0 when the servo is at it's leftmost limit (counter-clockwise). To set it, it's best to remove the fuel and tach needles so you can rotate the speed needle without interference. Rotate the needle counter-clockwise (CCW) until it stops. Make a note of how far past 0 it went. Then rotate the needle clock-wise (CW) until it stops. Rotate the needle further the same distance as you noted while going CCW (I normally overdo it just to make sure it's enough). Rotate CCW again and see how close it is. Keep going back and forth until the needle rests on 0 when it's locked CCW. Make sure you twist from the base only, you don't want to break the needle.

 

im sorry - im retarded. i meant the tach needle - just realized my mistake.
Know how to fix the tach needle?

 

Same way. The fuel needle is the only one that doesn't sit on 0 or the last mark. It should rest between the empty mark and the E.

 

question - does it stop? seems like ive been rotating it ccw for like 5 minutes but its not stopping or getting tighter

 

The servo has a free range of motion that it operates in. It should turn very freely until it reaches the stops and then you have to apply pressure to make the needle spin on the post. What you are trying to do is find the end of free motion and then spin the needle on it's post until it rests naturally on 0 at the end of the servos range of free motion.

 

Can you do this with out taking the fuel and tach needles off?

 

That might be difficult because the needle is long enough to hit the other needles. You would have to take it off the post to reset the position whenever you missed 0.

 

Thanks for your help, I got my speedo to work correctly. I have one more question, Do you know what other needle would fit on the speedo. I would like one that lights up, (like the tach and the gas? Thanks.

 

I don't know for sure but on another post someone said the needle from a Beretta fits.