Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums Modifications Aesthetics Gauge swap / Mileage adjustment

Just swapped my mechanical non tach gauges for electronic ones out of a 95 mystique with tach, was really simple to do and was just a matter of plug and play, for those thinking about doing it. Can provide details for those who want to know. Also figured out how to set the odometer to whatever you want if anyone wants details on that as well. One thing I want to know is, i'm going to be getting some indiglo gauges, but to put them on don't you have to remove the needles? and won't it be hard to set the needles back exactly where they were. I know when I took the one off the speedo to adjust mileage it was a PITA setting it back exactly. Any particular methods used to get everything back the same?

Here's how to adjust mileage:

Warning: you will have to recalibrate needle to read correct speed if you take needle off.

First off take everything apart and remove the speedo from the gauge cluster, then remove the needle. Easy way to remove needle is to use a fork and place underneath needle and just slowly pry it up. Turn it on it's back and remove the inch long black screws (should be 3 of them) and separate the electronic component with everything mounted on it from the face of the speedo. You should now have the speedo in 2 separate pieces. There is a small motor mounted with a gear on it attached. To remove it unplug it and turn it counter clockwise, you will have to lift up the tabs that hold it in place a little bit to let it loose, be careful as to not break these. Don't waste your time turning the gears by hand to set the mileage, that will take you a very very long time. All the number for the odometer are mounted on a shaft with little spacers in between each number. Get yourself a pair of needlenose pliers (or similar) and grab the end of the metal shaft that goes through all the numbers and gently pry it off. You should now have the odometer off. You cannot just simply turn the numbers as you please, it's not that simple. Begin by removing the small gear at the end with the same pliers used earlier careful not to break any gears, there is a little spring behind it, take it off as well. Next there should be a blank with no numbers on it. remove that as well. Make sure you lay everything in order as you remove it. Now you can begin making adjustment to the numbers. The small plates in between each number is what prevents you from freely turning the numbers since they have little gears mounted on them, to be able to turn the number slide the corresponding plate away from the number and turn the number freely, once you have whatever number you want, then slide them back together. Repeat that with each number you want to adjust and viola, your mileage is whatever you want it/need it to be. You may have to do this a couple of times to get everything to line up so it shows through perfectly through the little cutout on the speedo. Once your through reassemble the odometer (make sure you don't put the last gear on too close against the blank or the motor that turns the gears won't be able to make it move) and snap it back into place and reassemble everything. Took me around 20 to 30 minutes to get everything perfect but was well worth it. Only thing after that is done is to mount speedo back onto cluster and recalibrate speedo.

DAMN, that sounds not to hard, think i might go get a junk speedo from the junk yard, and give it a test, then once I get the feel for it, and grab a svt speedo from the classifieds and turn it back to 63k. lol.

May be stupid question... how do you recalibrate the speedo?

If you're talking about just replacing a needle you removed, probably the best way to reattach it would be to use a laptop-based OBD-II setup. Drive at a set speed, get the reading from the VSS, and pin the needle at that speed (make sure you have a friend help you so you're not endangering yourself or others, or use a dyno). I had to do this when switching from red to clear needles, and when I put the needle back on it was dead-on with the VSS. Previously my speedo was two or three mph off compared with the computer.

If you're talking about the VSS (and thusly the speedo) being off (like when you change wheel/tire sizes) the only way I know of to recalibrate is by messing with the computer; something I don't really know anything about.

I have a 95, don't have obd-2. I've been thinking and what I think i'm going to do is before taking off the needles i'm going to make a point of reference on the shaft that the needle sits on and on the needle by marking it with a fine tip permanent marker and just line them up when I put them back on. I think that will work...only one way to find out I guess. Will let everyone know how it goes.

i just drove next to my parents in their truck, and paced at 40mph, then stuck in on. stopped and did it again, set the cruise control to make sure we were at the same speeds. worked great took about 5 min. (not counting driving to a good open spot.)

auiotour...did you try the odometer adjustment? If so, just wondering how it went.

just ordered my svt gauges with indiglos already on them for $45.00 94k on them, soon to be 63500. just gotta wait for them to get here in the mail. Gonna still go get a odometer first to see if I can make them go back before I spend all my money on the expensive part and break it. I am also gonna redo my gauges before the install. Ohh i am excited. its gonna look so fatty. I will make sure to send you a PM when they are done and installed.