HELP! Instrument Panel Gauge Issue

98svtcontour98

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I just purchased a '96 Cobra and it had some crappy aftermarket gauges in the instrument panel. A buddy of mine gave me his stock panel so I decided to change the gauge faces back to stock.

Well, I took it apart, took the aftermarket faces off, then put on the factory faces and now everything is Fuuuuuuu.

The RPM needle doesn't move and every other needle is active but waaaaaay past it's normal parameters.
HELP!!!!!!

The car runs but nothing on the panel is doing what it should!!! Did I just seriously F up???
 

lutter94

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If you pull the needles off, you have to "calibrate" them when you put em on. With the car running/engine at operating temp, oil pressure, batt, and water temp should be in the middle. Check the speedometer with a GPS. For the tach, before i pulled the needle, I wrote down various engine speeds at different ground speeds (in different gears). That gives you multiple points to check from. Sounds like its too late for that one, so option b is to use an OBD2 reader/scan tool, bring up engine speed and use that to correct it. I have a nice timing light that displays engine speed. That would also do the trick.
 
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98svtcontour98

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If you pull the needles off, you have to "calibrate" them when you put em on. With the car running/engine at operating temp, oil pressure, batt, and water temp should be in the middle. Check the speedometer with a GPS. For the tach, before i pulled the needle, I wrote down various engine speeds at different ground speeds (in different gears). That gives you multiple points to check from. Sounds like its too late for that one, so option b is to use an OBD2 reader/scan tool, bring up engine speed and use that to correct it. I have a nice timing light that displays engine speed. That would also do the trick.

So I have to take the clear plate off, drive the car and simultaneously & manually adjust the needles to calibrate them?

was his mustang the same year/model as yours?

He said it was from a '96 Cobra
 

lutter94

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just for mph. but yes. lol. don't shove them on hard, just enough to get it to stick/pop off easy if you need to adjust it.
 
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98svtcontour98

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I think I have everything about where it needs to be...MPH & RPM are now accurate...battery seems close to accurate...waiting to check the car later to see if Oil and Temp are accurate...topped of the gas and the needle is at FULL, so will have to check on it after some mileage.
 

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