[rohman]

@mokoosh, @ToddA1, @Butcher - Thanks for the renewed hope and confidence. I'll attempt to roll my odo forward again. If it blows up in my face because I've just done it wrong, I'll be surely contacting you @thescirocco.com

 

[ToddA1]

Making a write up would be like having instructions on putting together a puzzle.

Well, there were books telling how to solve the Rubik’s cube… kinda takes the fun out of it.

-Todd

 

[thescirocco.com]

@mokoosh, @ToddA1, @Butcher - Thanks for the renewed hope and confidence. I'll attempt to roll my odo forward again. If it blows up in my face because I've just done it wrong, I'll be surely contacting you @thescirocco.com

I would just document the mileage difference myself.
Removing

For reference:

FS: Mk1 VW Cabriolet Speedo Tach Gauge Cluster

Edit - price drop to $125 for quick sale. Excellent condition, speedo & odo tested and working. Small scratch in lower left corner. Was a spare for an identical one used on a 16V swapped Rabbit. $200 - happy to ship

www.vwvortex.com

Is yours 85mph or 120mph? 120mph GTI clusters are supposedly rare and desirable, but you could probably swap in a 120 from a Cabby.

A 120MPH from a Cabriolet fits? I didn't know that...
I'm going to look into that, thanks.

I agree, that the 120MPH Rabbit GTI cluster is kind of rare, especially one with a working odometer.

I was thinking that a working 85MPH Rabbit GTI cluster was worth $100.

 

[Butcher]

I do not know but the USA built Rabbits are not the same as the European built versions. I highly doubt if the Cabriolet clusters are a 'bolt in' option. Since I believe almost anything can be butchered together, I would not think it would work. I know the electrical connections are not the same.

Of course, thinking and knowing are two different things. Let us know whatever you find.

 

[thescirocco.com]

I do not know but the USA built Rabbits are not the same as the European built versions. I highly doubt if the Cabriolet clusters are a 'bolt in' option. Since I believe almost anything can be butchered together, I would not think it would work. I know the electrical connections are not the same.

Of course, thinking and knowing are two different things. Let us know whatever you find.

I think you're right. 👍

 

[mokoosh]

I think you're right. 👍

Yeah, he is. Cabriolet/Jetta 1 clusters are dashboard specific. Generally, you have to swap the whole dash which leads to other compatibility issues. People are doing it all the time with great success, though.

 

[ToddA1]

I’d rather spend a couple hundred, rather than swap dashes to get a working cluster.

Knowing what rohman’s car looks like, I’m sure he’s looking for originality. Others who swap dashes, front ends, etc., it’s likely not going to be an issue.

I was thinking that a working 85MPH Rabbit GTI cluster was worth $100.

It’s worth what the market will bear. These parts aren’t getting easier to find, though.

-Todd

 

[rohman]

Continued thread jack, sorry. What's the trick to disengaging this small white gear in middle of this picture?

Here are the springy things on the right side. I don't know what they do, but they're probably important?

The two flat head screws on the right side are holding spring tension so I'm a bit worried about unscrewing them without alot of notetaking first.

Or I guess I should ask, how do you rotate the odometer numbers forward?

(Update)
I was able to disengage the 4 wire springs and remove the two flat head screws. This allowed me to remove the yellow-grey plastic part which houses the springs. Unfortunately, this did not make it any clearer to me what is to be done to move the numbers.

 

[mokoosh]

What's the trick to disengaging this small white gear in middle

If I recall correctly, the shaft that the white gear rides on can be partially removed to disengage it from the clear plastic. Then the gear can be moved aside enough to change the numbers.

 

[rohman]

@thescirocco.com is your cluster still available for purchase? I'm interested now.

I disengaged the small white gear by unclipping a small c-clip that holds a stopper on the gear shaft. As far as I could tell that did not free up the digits. The digits seem to still require advancing in sequence - each one as it passes 9 there's a tab on the digit that advances the next digit one place.

At the same time, I noticed that if I spun the white odometer gear on the left side directly, I would advance the numbers much faster than with a drill press on the speedo cable. I could spin the gear by hand and add on a hundred miles reasonably quickly. I pried the white gear on the side off and attached a dremel to the gear shaft. I cranked the dremel down to the lowest RPM and now I was adding a thousand miles at a pretty quick rate. I only need about 50K miles so that was looking like it might take me 30 minutes to add the amount I needed.

The numbers were spinning fast and the plastic gears and digits seemed to be holding up OK. There wasn't any heat or unusual noises being made. I let it go a bit longer and then it suddenly changed tone and the numbers were no longer moving. I can't tell what exactly has happened but it looks like my hundreds digit may have jammed in the process and now the internals are destroyed - stripped or something.

Lesson learned:
Rabbit odometers don't like being advanced at 100,000 miles / hour

Don't do this...no matter how tempting it is.

 

[ToddA1]

If I recall correctly, the shaft that the white gear rides on can be partially removed to disengage it from the clear plastic.

Well crap…. I thought you were trying to pull the rod with the gear. I normally clamp down on the rod (on the same side as your Dremel) with pliers and gently twist and pull at the same time. Once it’s free, the numbers will freewheel. Getting them all lined up in the window is the tricky part, but I’ve done too many. I suppose you can practice on this one.…

I’ll add don’t try to reduce your mileage with a drill. I’ve damaged the spring behind the face.… twisted it up pretty good! Needle just jumps rather than advancing or reducing gradually.

As for the EGR and OX timer, I’ve zip tied the levers in place so they’re always in the “reset” position and I’ve also drilled a hole and installed a cotter pin to do the same. The timers will never be able to wind and create tension. On the latest GTI cluster, I removed all that junk. Problem solved, but I suppose it’s not keeping the part OE.

I suppose if you rarely drive the car it won’t make much of a difference, or just reset them anytime you remove the dash bezel. I used to do that too.

-Todd

 

[thescirocco.com]

I’d rather spend a couple hundred, rather than swap dashes to get a working cluster.

Knowing what rohman’s car looks like, I’m sure he’s looking for originality. Others who swap dashes, front ends, etc., it’s likely not going to be an issue.



It’s worth what the market will bear. These parts aren’t getting easier to find, though.

-Todd

I sold it for $150, which I think is a good price.

 

[ToddA1]

I think that’s a good price, for only testing the speedo head.

-Todd

 

[thescirocco.com]

Well crap…. I thought you were trying to pull the rod with the gear. I normally clamp down on the rod (on the same side as your Dremel) with pliers and gently twist and pull at the same time. Once it’s free, the numbers will freewheel. Getting them all lined up in the window is the tricky part, but I’ve done too many. I suppose you can practice on this one.…

I’ll add don’t try to reduce your mileage with a drill. I’ve damaged the spring behind the face.… twisted it up pretty good! Needle just jumps rather than advancing or reducing gradually.

As for the EGR and OX timer, I’ve zip tied the levers in place so they’re always in the “reset” position and I’ve also drilled a hole and installed a cotter pin to do the same. The timers will never be able to wind and create tension. On the latest GTI cluster, I removed all that junk. Problem solved, but I suppose it’s not keeping the part OE.

I suppose if you rarely drive the car it won’t make much of a difference, or just reset them anytime you remove the dash bezel. I used to do that too.

-Todd

I like the idea of using cable ties, that way its easily reversed.
Considering the look is 100% factory, unless you uninstall it, and that this mod allows the odometer to work indefinitely, it's a nobrainer.

A completely stock and unmodified cluster is probably still worth more.

I think, I'm going to put the other 120mph cluster on ebay for twice the amount.