Gauge face lenses?

[mcomet]

Does anyone know if it is possible to find/buy the clear lenses that are over the gauges?

Thanks

[Alfieg23]

Are yours cracked or stained? If stained, you may be able to clear them up with one of the plastic window cleaners/polishes. Did that to mine and they look like new. If cracked, you may try either eBay or a Porsche dismantler such as DC Auto.

www.dcauto.com

[RandallNeighbour]

I've torn down a cluster and they're not swappable one at a time... Or at least not easily.

Porsche doesn't sell individual parts of the clusters either.

[mcomet]

Hmm mine look to be scratched or at least like water drops formed and maybe wrong non plastic cleaner was used, but on INSIDE... Are they permanently mounted to the front rings? I was thinking before I go and take apart my entire cluster to make sure I have replacement lenses in place if need be... They aren't cracked at least.. but look "dirty" and there one spot/drop that really catches my eye...

[RandallNeighbour]

Yup, the plastic lenses are permanently attached to the face plate.

You can, however, disassemble it and clean the inside of the plastic if you like. Here's an instruction page I put on my web site that should be helpful:

How to Swap your gauge faces

The link for removing the cluster doesn't work, so here's quick explanation.

DISCONNECT YOUR NEGATIVE BATTERY TERMINAL BEFORE PROCEEDING.

The cluster is held onto the dash by two torn screws. One resides under an oval "vent" looking bit on the left side and beneath the emergency flasher button on the right side. Remove these covers and the screws.

You can then tilt the cluster and brow toward you on a towel.

Get out of the car and look through the windshield and see how the three connectors work. You move a latch and by swinging it out, it unplugs the cluster.

Once you have the cluster and brow out of the car, the page above will be helpful to pop the knobs off the front and slide the locks side to side on the back and the face with just fall off the front and you can polish it or clean it.

Hope this helps!

[RandallNeighbour]

BTW, I highly recommend you use Meguires plasiX to remove scratches on the plastic lenses. It's what Meguires puts in their headlight restoration kit to use after you've sanded off all the oxidized plastic from the face of a headlamp assembly. Works amazingly well to remove scratches on most any plastic surface and makes it crystal clear.

Just remember to use a dab on a new microfiber cloth and don't rub too hard and do one and then clean it off and have a look before you do the other two.

Hope this helps!

[mcomet]

Awesome link, thanks for the info.
Here's another site with related info I found as well...

http://boxsters.addr.com/hacks/cluster.htm

I need to get my radio codes too.. speaking of... what do you do later with the codes? You just re-enter using the radio itself? I assume a disconnected battery means you need the code.

[mcomet]

Thanks for the links and info... I am in the middle of this now and have my gauge apart. My gauge on my 2003 is slightly different in that two small brass torx screws on the back needed to be removed with a small T9 torx head. But similar. Fortunately it looks like all my lens dirt is actually Dirt that I can clean! Amazing how filthy these lenses are.

I assume one wants to use a plastic cleaner and NOT windex?

[mcomet]

Hmm I realized I already have Aerospace 303 protectant I use inside and it says safe for plastic windows so I guess I am good there...

[mcomet]

Here are some final pics. I ended up having to use a special plastic cleaner to really properly get rid of the haze on my lenses. It was really bad, as you can see in the pics! I used Meguiars PlastX which works for basic plastics like helmets as well as headlights.

All apart:


Before... a lot of haze and dirt:


After...


Back in the car:

[RandallNeighbour]

Did you remove your aluminum trim rings?

[mcomet]

From what I have read and saw that is one piece and can't be separately removed.

[Meir]

first and second pics show white cluster.
last pics shows black

[mcomet]

It is white still just dark on that last pic hehe

[Meir]

LOL!!!
on a second look, i guess its the angle of the picture showing the white face as black.
nice job anyway