OK, I've gotten down to the point where I"m actually trying to remove the gauge assembly.

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Six T-15 Torx screws come out around the edge of the cluster housing, and it can be wiggled out an inch or two, and tipped upwards slightly. Be _very_ careful to avoid breaking off the large white plastic ears of the mountings you just unscrewed. For cars with the full gauge cluster, reach around the right end to get at the right-hand wiring harness plug: press in its retaining clip, then work it off its multi-pin connector. It pulls straight out the back of the cluster, but requires some wiggling before it will let go.

9) Now work the gauge cluster a little further out of the dash, tip it further up, and reach the main harness connector behind the tachometer (or speedometer, for base-model cars). Again, press in its retaining clip, then work the plug straight off the back. This has even more pins than the last connector, and also does not want to come loose right away.
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I believe I have the full gauge cluster.. heat/boost/etc, but I can't find a harness plug on the right side at all, and if there was... no way I can get my hand behind there.

I did find the one behind the speedo.. and can barely get my hand there, but where on the plug is the retaining clip located? bottom, top? sides?

It'* apart out there atm, so any ideas would be extremely appreciated.

Sounds like you're on the right track... There are definitely two plugs if you have a driver information display. I'm wondering why you don't have enough room to get the plugs off. Did you lower the steering column?

To find the tab, you have to feel for it. I can't remember which side of the plug they are on, I seem to remember that they are on the long side of the plug, feel it where it meets the gauges and then press it in.

Did lower the steering column.. in fact, totally removed the two bolts, and pushed it down a bit further.. (hope I didn't screw something up there). Now, I can get my hand totally around the plug behind the speedometer, and I found the tab, it'* on the top side.. but, I can't squeeze it, and pull it out at the same time, just not enough room.

I do have the driver information panel.. is the plug directly behind it?

How far out does the thing actually come out while it'* still plugged in? there'* absolutely no way to get a hand behind the right side of it now at all

Grrr....

Does GM have a staff of midgets or kids that they use for applications such as this? How the hell is a full grown man supposed to be able to get his hands back there!

I think that I always reached underneath it or on top of it. I don't recall reaching around the side like that. It comes out about 1/2 inch.

Yeah, I can reach the bottom of the right side plug, with my fingertip.. no way I can get to the top of it..

My hands are thicker then 1/2" wide.....

Well, At this point, I'm tempted just to put it all back together and live with the damn screwy gauges.. There is absolutely no way that anyone can reach their hand to get the plug off the right hand side with the amount of space that'* available there. I'll go take some pics of it.

Here are some pics of where I'm currently at...

http://66.1.101.107/images/bonneville_gauges/pic1.jpg

http://66.1.101.107/images/bonneville_gauges/pic2.jpg

http://66.1.101.107/images/bonneville_gauges/pic3.jpg


Picture 1 shows how much space there is to reach around the right side..

Picture 2 shows the steering column dropped

Picture 3 is taken looking up at the gap between the steering column, and the gauge cluster.



On the right hand side, the connector is right behind the driver information screen? or behind some other gauge?

You have to maneuver the cluster so that you can tip it, and then reach under the bottom or top. Try tipping the top of it backwards.

Thanks FuddyDuddy for trying to help out..

I finally got it out.. what a pain in the ***. I found it much easier to get the left hand side to pull out further from the dash "hole", and then unplug the main cable first. There was no way I was ever going to get that right hand side plug out first. Once the main plug was pulled out, it let me pull the gauge assembly out even a bit further, and I was able to get to the far right one.

Couldn't have done it myself, had to have the neighbor come over, and help hold the assembly out a bit..

Especially while trying to put it all back together.. took two sets of hands.

But, didn't notice any quirks in the gauge now, but it was intermittent before.. Stay tuned for further details.


Next up, is to fix the noise coming from the supercharger, but that'* for a different thread.