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Hey all...first off let me start by saying I did a search and came up with no answer for this one...
I have the reverse otto r from pro car parts and i am having an issue with the fuel/temp gauge.
I got the fuel/temp gauge up there by removing the screws in the back but once I re-installed it the temp gauge goes straight to "hot" (it should normally go in the middle of H and C. This is the second time this has happened. The first time this happend, I thought I was screwed and I brought another set of gauges. Is there a simple way to remedy this problem or do I have to get a third set?

Also--not sure but just for clarification, on post back in 03 stated that you can pop the needle off of the temp but not the fuel. --another post back in 05 stated that once you mess up the fuel/temp gauge, you need to get another set.

---So a little confused!
Thanks!

I have the same otto reverse glo gauges but I just slipped the covers over the needles. IIRC if you break a needle or take it off it will not function correctly...

it just takes a little patience to slip the indiglo covers over the needles... I usually do it when I am almost on empty so I have a point of reference if I move the fuel needle a bit...

The fuel gauge is fine...it is the temperature gauge that is going crazy. Instead of it going to the normal range (in the middle of H and C, it goes straight to H. I installed another instrument cluster and it is normal.

My question is if I need to go out to get another set. This is my second set cluster. The first cluster did the same thing and I brought another one, now this one is going crazy

LOL just stop taking off the needles and you will be fine... if it were me I would get another cluster... I don't know if you can fix that needle since you have messed up the calibration

Not trying to be a smartaz but the needles were never off.
I slid the otto r over the needles.

I just want to be sure that I am doing it correctly...never touched (moved) the needles...just slid the otto r over the needles.

If I know it was this much trouble...I would have never brought them.

ok maybe I misunderstood let me see if I got this right...

you removed the original cluster, removing the screws and put the otto gauges on by sliding over all of the needles. you then screwed the otto overlay to the cluster. Once this was done and you turned on the car the needle went straight to H instead of staying in the middle.

After that happened you went and got a new speedo cluster and followed the same steps as above and it did the same thing?

OK if that is correct above... when you were sliding the otto guages over the needles are you somehow turning the temp guage needle all the way around?

does the needle stay on H or go back down when you turn the car off? like is it stuck up there? does it stay up while you are driving?

sorry if this is frustrating for you but I'm not sure why it is doing this unless your car is ACTUALLY overheating or the needle got messed up somehow by being rotated beyond it's settings

The first time I did move the needles....but not the second time. I made sure I didn't move the temp one The needle goes to H when the car is on and back to C when the car is off.

So after a grand total of 3 clusters...I'm back at square 1. I broke the gas gauge on the original by being to excited. The other one I was careful...I have gas, the temp shoots to H. I was EXTREMELY CAREFUL on the last on and still it shot up to H.

As far as overheating...I went back and installed the original one to make sure that is was not over heating (the one without a gas needle) and it stayed in the center. (If only I could cut out the broke ones...ha ha)
So it is either (1) know the temp of my car and not the gas or (2) know the gas level and not the temp.
I was thinking that one of the brass screws could be the culprit, but I changed that too.

I'm a lil disappointed though (in the car), i think I need a new clutch too. That's another post.

well I don't know what to say since you are on your third cluster!! I was talking to somebody on uk-mx3 that had the same issue with the needle going to the "H" - I don't know if he got it resolved... but he's the only other one I know of that had this problem!

there's a pic on this page a ways down:
http://www.uk-mx3.com//forum/viewtopic. ... c&start=45

Do they make pillar gauges that monitor your temp? You could always go that route.

Using a multimeter read the resistance of the guage that works, then read the one that dosnt, it may be as simple as adding a resistor inline with your signal for temp. Good luck

Thanks guys...Now that I know it was atleast one other x3 that did the same thing...I knew I wasn't crazy. I didn't want to go the pillar route, but if I have to I will. I'll keep playing with it to see what's up...maybe I bent the resistor or something.

Maybe the 4th is the charm.

I'll keep you all posted!

-Julz