Setting The Odometer Mileage In A 94-96 Camaro Gauge Cluster

Removing The Odometer/Trip Assembly:

• Remove the screws holding the circuit board cover on the back of the cluster.
• Remove the 2 Black screws at each end of the Black cluster connector.
• Across the bottom of the circuit board you will see where the posts for the gauges connect.  Use some sort of wide, thin tool, like a putty knife, to gently pry up the bottom edge of the circuit board.  Work your way along the bottom edge of the circuit board until the gauge posts release.  DO NOT attempt to pry the circuit board loose by pulling up on either end!  Bending it may result in non-repairable damage to the solder traces on the board.  When the circuit board is loose, remove the odometer electrical connector from the rear of the board.  Once the circuit board is removed, you will see the odometer assembly is still not accessible for removal from behind the White plastic housing.
• Turn the cluster face up.  Carefully remove the screws holding the clear plastic bezel to the cluster.
• Remove the screws around the edge of the Black face of the cluster.  Now the remaining parts of the cluster assembly are loose.  Take care not to let everything fall apart and turn the cluster over again, with its back side up.
• Lift the White plastic housing out of the back of the cluster.
• Remove the 3 screws holding the odometer to the back of the face of the cluster.
• Before you proceed any further, click on the graphics below to familiarize yourself with the odometer/trip assembly and, especially, the odometer wheel.

Removing The Odometer Wheel:

• Your first priority when removing the odometer wheel is to make sure the tiny white washer and spring on the LH end of the wheel shaft are not lost.

• Hold the odometer/trip assembly with the LH end upright.  Pull the RH end of the odometer wheel out of its slot and remove the wheel from the assembly.  Remove the White washer and spring from the LH end and place them in an envelope or ZipLoc style bag.  Take care not to lose these 2 very important parts!

Setting The Correct Mileage:

• Begin by very, very gently lifting the extremely fragile plastic strip from the tabs, one tab at a time.  Don't bend the strip, as it will break into 2 pieces.  Store the plastic strip with the White washer and spring.

• Before proceeding any further, let's determine what numbers need to be directly under the plastic strip so the correct mileage will be shown in the cluster.  Disregarding the tenths of a mile, let's say you want to show 123,456 miles.

1 2 3 4 5 6

Adding + 5 To Each Number Above Equals

6 7 8 9 0 1

•  6 7 8 9 0 1 are the numbers required to be aligned with the metal tabs, under the plastic strip, to achieve an odometer indication of 123,456 miles.

• Okay, let's begin.  In your right hand, hold the odometer wheel by the RH end that has the driven gear on it.  Do not use the shaft of the wheel for rotation.  It will turn the tenths tumbler and change the # 1 tumbler.

• Now things start getting tricky. I found that this was MUCH easier to do if the RH end of the shaft was placed in a vise.

• Using 2 fingers of your left hand, rotate the # 1 tumbler AWAY from you, CCW looking at the LH end of the wheel, until you feel it stop. Find the metal tab on the RH side of the tumbler and use one finger to move it AWAY from you to the next LOWEST number.  Repeat this process until the metal tab is next to the number you require.  Now, without going past the number 0 in either direction, move the tenths tumbler to the number 5.  Using the mileage example above, the # 1 tumbler should have the number 1 with the metal tab to the right of it and the tenths number 5 to the right of the metal tab.

• Make sure that the metal tab to the right of the # 1 tumbler is pointing UP.  Using the thumb or forefinger of your right hand, hold the # 1 tumbler metal tab in the UP position while you rotate the # 2 tumbler AWAY from you until you feel it stop.  Find the metal tab on the RH side of the tumbler and use one finger to move it AWAY from you to the next LOWEST number.  Repeat this process until the metal tab is next to the number you require.  Rotate the tumbler away from you until the metal tab is facing up and in line with the # 1 metal tab.  Now slide the tip of your finger to the left so it now covers both the # 1 & 2 metal tabs.

• Repeat this process until the 6 tumblers have the correct numbers and the metal tabs are lined up under your finger.  While you are setting the tumblers, keep an eye on the tenths tumbler so that it doesn't rotate past 0.  If it does, your # 1 tumbler will change.

• The Black plastic tab on the LH end of the shaft now needs to line up with the 6 metal tabs.  Rotate it TOWARDS you until it stops or lines up with the metal tabs.  If it stops before lining up with the metal tabs, rotate it in the other direction to line up.  If all has gone well, you'll have the correct numbers lined up with the metal tabs and the Black tab on the end.

• Very carefully, replace the plastic strip on the 7 tabs.  The end that has the larger square hole goes on the Black plastic tab.  Turn the wheel around and you should see your correct mileage opposite the plastic strip that lines up the tabs.

• Take a look at the area where the odometer wheel installs.  You'll see a slot all the way across that the 7 tabs fit into.  Hold the wheel in your right hand and point the LH end up.  Replace the spring and White washer on the LH end of the shaft.  Rotate the wheel so that your correct mileage is facing you and insert the LH end of the shaft in its mounting hole.  If the correct mileage numbers are square to the back of the mounting area, the tabs should drop into their slot and the RH end of the wheel shaft will snap easily into its slot.

• You are done!  Assembly is the reverse of removal.  Just be very careful with that delicate circuit board.