Repairing L3 cluster

[88GreenVN]

All good mate, I have no idea where to look for them though.. guessing they don't do them brand new any more, or if they do they'd be horrendously expensive..

Tried for 6 months with no luck - only place is a cluster from ebay or wreckers.

[savage1987]

****! So I pretty much wasted my $100 on this one.

[88GreenVN]

****! So I pretty much wasted my $100 on this one.

Well not completly. Depends on the KM on the trip computer. If all the gauges work properly and the speedo is not sticky. Very handy to have.

High KM L3 clusters with stuffed gauges & sticky speedo can sell for $30

When buying one just veiw it as if you are getting the LCD's only and the rest is for spare parts

Thats about the best spin I can put on it for you.

[PRH]

the last one i got cost me $60 on ebay its in the ute now i was lucky its got all 3 LCD's in good nick apart from blown globes and an occassional sticky fuel gauge,i do have the one i got for it originally with all 3 windows good from memory its only got 128 k on it,but the speedo is stuffed, if ya cant get one PM me and i'll see if i can get mine goin properly and ya can buy the crook one to get what ya need.
Phillip

[Hardstylin]

Well not completly. Depends on the KM on the trip computer. If all the gauges work properly and the speedo is not sticky. Very handy to have.

High KM L3 clusters with stuffed gauges & sticky speedo can sell for $30

When buying one just veiw it as if you are getting the LCD's only and the rest is for spare parts

Thats about the best spin I can put on it for you.

So what you're saying is the cluster that I purchased could have a stuffed speedometer along with the one I originally had?

[wrx884]

****! So I pretty much wasted my $100 on this one.

I have my old LCD screens thats have been put inside a VR cluster (spare) All 3 have no bleeds only thing wen they were in my car u couldnt see all the writting so im guessing it had poor contact with the PCB, they might have better contact in urs? MIGHT lol. Also all Gauges have been refirbished but i might keep those incase mine go but i could take ur LCDs if u want from this cluster? its only a test part 4 LEDs.

Well not completly. Depends on the KM on the trip computer. If all the gauges work properly and the speedo is not sticky. Very handy to have.

High KM L3 clusters with stuffed gauges & sticky speedo can sell for $30

When buying one just veiw it as if you are getting the LCD's only and the rest is for spare parts

Thats about the best spin I can put on it for you.

Just a question 4 u and it may help Sam decide, the above that i mentioned 2 Sam, is it possible my old LCD screens (MIGHT) work in his cluster?

[88GreenVN]

I have my old LCD screens thats have been put inside a VR cluster (spare) All 3 have no bleeds only thing wen they were in my car u couldnt see all the writting so im guessing it had poor contact with the PCB, they might have better contact in urs? MIGHT lol. Also all Gauges have been refirbished but i might keep those incase mine go but i could take ur LCDs if u want from this cluster? its only a test part 4 LEDs.



Just a question 4 u and it may help Sam decide, the above that i mentioned 2 Sam, is it possible my old LCD screens (MIGHT) work in his cluster?

The only way they wont work is bad fit up or mixed large and small numbers.

[savage1987]

wow what are mixed large and small numbers??

um, Ant if you wouldn't mind swapping those couple I'd be keen

also I have no idea how to wire this thing up, wiring isn't really my thing to be honest, is it quite simple?? i only have a little bit of cut loom and 1 plug that came with the cluster..

[wrx884]

some models had larger numbers than others i think it was said on the 1st page but mine r all the larger numbers atm i have the small numbers wouldnt mine if they were bigger tho lol

Have u seen the clusters LCD workin at all 2 know wat size numbering they r? i guess it wouldnt matter i got all 3 if u can get them workin in urs i'll part with them. Tho y have u got this cluster 4 neways rnt u lookin 2 get a calais neways?

[markovr]

The actual trip computer module is held together by 5 or 6 pk screws that screw into the white plastic that everything sits in ..in time it goes brittle and they break away and the contact between the lcd screens and pc board gets bad and the screen goes dull or you get it all the number/letters lighting up etc....give away is the display changes when its hot inside the car and if you have the dash out if you shake the cluster gently you will hear the broken bits rattling around...I pulled it apart and araldited the bits back together and drilled all the way through and put a 3mm metal screws and nuts all the way through to keep it all together and that worked.
If you pull it apart to fix the windows the white plastic will probably break anyway.

[88GreenVN]

wow what are mixed large and small numbers??

um, Ant if you wouldn't mind swapping those couple I'd be keen

also I have no idea how to wire this thing up, wiring isn't really my thing to be honest, is it quite simple?? i only have a little bit of cut loom and 1 plug that came with the cluster..

The very first VN trip computers had little (or thin) number in the LCD's. VP onwards the had Fatter or larger numbers in the LCD's,

It would look silly to mix the sizes up I think.

It takes about 1.5 hours to make up the 4th plug loom. Just gotta find the correct colour wires to patch in. I did measure it all up and poteded in the "convert VN to L3 dash" thread and that seamed to be about the correct length when I fitted the loom.

[savage1987]

some models had larger numbers than others i think it was said on the 1st page but mine r all the larger numbers atm i have the small numbers wouldnt mine if they were bigger tho lol

Have u seen the clusters LCD workin at all 2 know wat size numbering they r? i guess it wouldnt matter i got all 3 if u can get them workin in urs i'll part with them. Tho y have u got this cluster 4 neways rnt u lookin 2 get a calais neways?

Yeah was looking for a VP Calais but everyone in WA is asking waay too much for them and it'll end up costing me $20k to get an LS motor in it anyway... at the moment I'm looking for a VS GTS / Senator 215 manual. They're all over east though. Might have to settle for a manual clubby.

I haven't seen this cluster powered up at all and have no idea when (or even if haha) I'll be able to do it. Bought it as a spur of the moment thing to teach me more about getting decent fuel economy out of the VN.

[wrx884]

The actual trip computer module is held together by 5 or 6 pk screws that screw into the white plastic that everything sits in ..in time it goes brittle and they break away and the contact between the lcd screens and pc board gets bad and the screen goes dull or you get it all the number/letters lighting up etc....give away is the display changes when its hot inside the car and if you have the dash out if you shake the cluster gently you will hear the broken bits rattling around...I pulled it apart and araldited the bits back together and drilled all the way through and put a 3mm metal screws and nuts all the way through to keep it all together and that worked.
If you pull it apart to fix the windows the white plastic will probably break anyway.

Thats exactly wat happend 2 my original cluster altho it hadnt been appart b4 from wat i can gather but i might have 2 give that a go n see if i can get it 2 work again. Did u put the screw or nut ends under that PCB film wen u drilled right the way through?

[levymetal]

Sometimes can be fixed by pulling it apart and re-assemble. BUT at the risk of killing it with broken plastic.

****. yep, broke nearly every screw mount. **** **** **** **** ****. can i get this part from anywhere at all? otherwise i am going to find some dodgy way of repairing this. ****.

oh yeah, and it didn't even fix it. it wasn't worth the try, because now it will probably fall to bits and i'll have no lcds!

[savage1987]

haha bugger! it's ok I have to take mine apart again, i already lost one little corner last time but i'll be super careful this time!

[88GreenVN]

****. yep, broke nearly every screw mount. **** **** **** **** ****. can i get this part from anywhere at all? otherwise i am going to find some dodgy way of repairing this. ****.

oh yeah, and it didn't even fix it. it wasn't worth the try, because now it will probably fall to bits and i'll have no lcds!

The only way is to get a replacement trip computer OR use some sort of hard epoxy glue stuff - areldite.

Real barsted when you hear the "crack". This is followed by expletives aplenty.

[savage1987]

hahaha I didn't even hear mine crack. It broke when the screw was coming out!!

[88GreenVN]

hahaha I didn't even hear mine crack. It broke when the screw was coming out!!

The real sickening crack comes when you swap the LCD screens over.

Almost always a bin job after that

[savage1987]

haha thankfully I've no need to do that, just gotta take it apart again to wiggle the LCD backlights

[levymetal]

it is the most disgusting plastic i have ever come across. whoever designed this plastic is going to get an angry letter from me.

for anyone else, i recommend gluing around the screw holes when you take it out, so when you put the screws back in it doesn't crack.