Volvo Maintenance Hints for 7xx/9xx - Bill Garland's Nuclear ...

gauge cluster from the car and brought it to them. I ended up fixing the jammed odometer for
less than 2 dollars. Here is how I did it:
1. Remove the gauge cluster from the dashboard. Directions to remove the trim panel to
access the screws holding the gauge cluster in place can be found in the 700\900 FAQ. If
your car is a turbo I strongly suggest cutting the vacuum line to the boost gauge 3 to 4
inches from where the tube connects to the rear of the gauge cluster. These small hoses
harden over the years and I was terrified that I would break the hose nipple off trying to
remove the vacuum tube. I went to the local parts house and purchased a package of
barbed vacuum hose connectors for less than 2 bucks to reattach the cut hose. This way I
did not have to worry about doing any expensive and troublesome damage to the boost
gauge.
2. Once the cluster has been removed locate the five or six screws that hold the clear bezel
to the front of the gauge cluster. The screws that hold the bezel on are the biggest ones
on the back of the cluster. If you try this please take a moment to study the panel before
removing screws. In addition to removing the screws, you will have to unclip or detach a
couple of small plastic parts around the edge of the cluster. I wish I could be more specific
but it has been a while since I fixed mine. It is not difficult. You just want to take the time
to be careful and attentive to details. Once the clear bezel has been removed, use the
eraser end of a pencil, or some other object that will not scratch the number barrels of the
odometer, to carefully advance the odometer past the point where it has stuck. See below
if you need to replace the gear. Reassemble and drive happy.
Replacing Odometer. I have found a solution: at the pick and pull I can get an instrument cluster
for very cheap (10-25% of the repair estimates). I just unscrew 8 screws at the back of the board
and remove the cowl and lens. Then take 4 screws out of the white speedo housing to pull it
free. This can be transplanted easily into your recipient cluster and even a slightly different 1990
model works well in the 86 cluster after removing the service reminder reset cable that the later
ones come with. Who needs that function anyway? To reset the mileage to your correct (but by
now estimated) figure is also trivial once you remove the small white electric motor that drives
the odometer, and slide the pin holding the small exposed gears. The odometer digits now
rotate freely. No cheating at this point. Most of the speed-odometers are the r9800 variant but
compatibility is something to check for in the replacement. Apparently, this number keys it to the
rear end properly. This is also a swell time to throw in a large tach if you can get one.
Replacement Gears and Parts. Your odometer is mechanical. See http://www.odometergears.
com/ for parts and supplies.[Another Tip] VDO in Winchester, VA, and other places advertise.
Get a copy of Hemmings motor news, you will find them in there. [Editor] IPD now sells for $50 a
complete odometer repair kit along with a DVD showing the repair procedure.
Tachometer Failure. [Dan Ray] My tach sometimes registered zero at idle or would bounce
around, always at idle. I pulled the instrument cluster, unscrewed the tach, cleaned the contacts
with a spray electronics cleaner and shot a little silicon at moving parts. Next, I cleaned the
mounting points to the circuit board. The mounting screws are the electical pathways from the