Calibrating Instrument Needles?

[Atrix]

So I recently took out my cluster to change the bulbs and gauge face and, in the process, took off my instrument needles. They now sit in random positions, and if I move them, they simply return to the position they were sitting in. I am wondering if anyone knows how I would go about recalibrating these needles so that they (obviously) are back to normal and show the correct information. Thanks!

2000 Lincoln LS btw.

 

[oddball]

IIRC, the face swap instructions were quite explicit about NOT removing the needles and moving them VERY slowly. The common replacement face could be slipped on with all needles pointing up, then move needles back to resting position.

I suspect you'll have to get the gauge into a known resting state, remove the needles and reinstall in the correct orientation.

 

[joegr]

Well, the correct way to do this is to drive the needles to a particular point before removing them, then drive the servos back to that point before replacing them. It's too late for that. On my Ranger, I figured out the correct frequency to drive the VSS line to point the speedometer to 60 MPH (about 136 Hz if I recall correctly). In the case of the LS, I think that 600Hz is 60 MPH, but I don't know if there is anywhere inside the cluster to inject that signal since it normally comes from the data bus. Fuel, tach, and temperature shouldn't be too hard. Fill the tank up and warm the engine up. Plug the cluster in with the cover off and set those needles to the normal positions.

 

[FDR]

You can control the motors with the app Forscan, an OBDII adapter, and a compatible device of your choice. The app/program is available on Android, Windows, and iOS. I prefer using a Bluetooth adapter and a Bluetooth-enabled Windows laptop. I like the interface a little better, a mouse is better than a touchscreen for this, and being wireless lets me walk around the car.

Set all the gauges to 50% and place the needles accordingly (mid temp, mid fuel, 80mph, I guess 3500RPM). Fuel and temp will drop a little bit when the needle is attached, so it may take a few tries to start the right amount higher. Then, slide the inputs (in the app) from to end to end to confirm all the needles move appropriately. It should be noted temp does not move linearly. It sits in the middle from about 33-50%. For extra reassurance, open those 4 gauges on your device while the car is running to make sure the app displays the same number as your gauges.

I didn't have Forscan when I did my gauges so it was a drawn out process for me. I used the app Torque and drove in circles in a parking lot at 10mph while I placed the needle (and later checked the accuracy at different speeds). I let the car run for 15 minutes to place the temp needle in the middle. I filled the tank and placed the needle at the full mark. I held ~2000rpm (via Torque) and placed the needle. I drove around with no driver dash panels and no lens over the gauges for two days

Just for fun. An example of Forscan controlling the dash (note the odometer):