Results 1 to 24 of 24

Thread: CSi gauge cluster on the cheap...

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Nov 2014
    Location
    Milledgeville, GA
    Posts
    321
    My Cars
    1994 Alpine White 840Ci

    CSi gauge cluster on the cheap...

    Didn't think that this simple trick would work out as well as it did, but taking a cue from another forum member, I removed the instrument cluster from the vehicle over the weekend and performed the infamous Sharpie trick on the pointers.
    The only advice I would give others is to down two or three beers prior to starting the application to steady the hand while applying the sharpie ink.
    At 59 years old, the hands are not as fluid as they once were.
    Millennials need not apply!
    Pic attached.
    Attached Images Attached Images
    '94 840Ci "Broomhilda"
    Mission Creep |def|: "When repair X ultimately leads to repair Y and Z"

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jul 2015
    Location
    Melbourne, Australia
    Posts
    647
    My Cars
    1994 840Ci - M60, 6MT
    I have to agree that looks good. When illuminated, how do the red needles look?
    I haven't driven my car in so long, I don't remember what my cluster looks like without referring to an old photo:

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Nov 2013
    Location
    Whitney, TX
    Posts
    1,238
    My Cars
    97 850CI
    Looks good. One more thing added to the "to do" list.
    Desecrator of all things Sacred

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jun 2013
    Location
    Auckland, NZ
    Posts
    934
    My Cars
    1994 E31 850CSi
    Red needles look good, but it's still a long way from resembling a CSi cluster.
    Attached Images Attached Images
    Current:
    1994 E31 850CSi Sterlingsilber/Anthracite Buffalo

    Previous:
    1987 E28 M5 Delphin
    1986 E23 M745iA Arctic Blue
    1986 E24 635CSi Polaris
    1976 E3 3.0 Si Arctic Blue

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
    Location
    Orange County, CA
    Posts
    13,503
    My Cars
    840Ci|725tds|Alpina B7
    Quote Originally Posted by kiwiCSi View Post
    Red needles look good, but it's still a long way from resembling a CSi cluster.
    I was biting my tongue...


    What he made was the "Japan Individual 840Ci" cluster.


  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jun 2013
    Location
    Auckland, NZ
    Posts
    934
    My Cars
    1994 E31 850CSi
    Except for the speedo scale....
    Current:
    1994 E31 850CSi Sterlingsilber/Anthracite Buffalo

    Previous:
    1987 E28 M5 Delphin
    1986 E23 M745iA Arctic Blue
    1986 E24 635CSi Polaris
    1976 E3 3.0 Si Arctic Blue

  7. #7
    dancerst's Avatar
    dancerst is offline life is a dance... BMW CCA Member
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Location
    Virginia Beach, VA
    Posts
    482
    My Cars
    E36 SC,E31 840ci,740iL
    Please don't do "sharpie" trick...
    Get E36 M3 needles and with a little modifications they will look stock on ours E31.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    Liberal Loontown, CA
    Posts
    2,658
    My Cars
    Cool Volvo, Ugly BMW
    Make Bimmerforums Great Again
    What "thumbs up" really means




  9. #9
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
    Location
    San Francisco, CA
    Posts
    1,570
    My Cars
    1972 3.0 CSi-1988 M6
    Or... go full bore and install the actual CSi gauges.
    Bert
    91 850i-A
    1972 3.5 CSi (L-jet, Getrag 265 5 speed)
    1988 ///M6
    2021 X3 M40i

    The back to back BIG COUPE” duo

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
    Location
    Las Vegas, NV
    Posts
    940
    My Cars
    1994 850CSi, 2007 M5
    Only 26,500km on the clock! Can't believe you have been behind the wheel long enough to notice the needles!
    1994 850CSi, 2007 M5, 1990 VW Westy Syncro, 2010 e61 Touring Manual

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Nov 2013
    Location
    Whitney, TX
    Posts
    1,238
    My Cars
    97 850CI
    Since I already have a red Sharpie, I am going to use it. Quick and cost effective. And the money I saved from not buying a CSI cluster will be reallocated to buy something else I don't need for Eva.
    Desecrator of all things Sacred

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Jun 2013
    Location
    Auckland, NZ
    Posts
    934
    My Cars
    1994 E31 850CSi
    Quote Originally Posted by Major Cheese View Post
    Only 26,500km on the clock! Can't believe you have been behind the wheel long enough to notice the needles!
    ......yeah, that picture was taken the day I first bought the car, back in 2013....and yes, the odometer reading certainly draws attention away from the subject of the needles!
    However I'm pleased to report that it's done a few more kms since then - 31,500 now.

    Back on topic, the Sharpie method appears to do the trick, but I also like the idea of swapping out the needles rather than painting them - a good option if you're going to all the trouble of getting access to them.
    And while you're in there, if your speedo is an imperial instrument, why not de-clutter the dial face by blacking out that annoying km/h scale?
    Current:
    1994 E31 850CSi Sterlingsilber/Anthracite Buffalo

    Previous:
    1987 E28 M5 Delphin
    1986 E23 M745iA Arctic Blue
    1986 E24 635CSi Polaris
    1976 E3 3.0 Si Arctic Blue

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Location
    Regina SK. Canada
    Posts
    731
    My Cars
    1991 850i / 6
    Blanz, did you remove the needles from their axels or did you paint them while still attached? Once you pry off the needles it is a simple matter to lift off the gauge faces and replace them with custom made ones. Way cheaper than buying a CSi cluster. I used hobby shop paint to do mine.

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Nov 2014
    Location
    Milledgeville, GA
    Posts
    321
    My Cars
    1994 Alpine White 840Ci
    Quote Originally Posted by garylafortuna View Post
    Blanz, did you remove the needles from their axels or did you paint them while still attached? Once you pry off the needles it is a simple matter to lift off the gauge faces and replace them with custom made ones. Way cheaper than buying a CSi cluster. I used hobby shop paint to do mine.
    I removed each individual gauge from the backside and then applied a single pass of the sharpie. I say single pass because you do not want to deposit too much ink that would impede the translucency of the needle. Ask me how I know.
    A single pass of the sharpie gives a good contrast of color while still illuminating at night when the lights are on.
    '94 840Ci "Broomhilda"
    Mission Creep |def|: "When repair X ultimately leads to repair Y and Z"

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
    Location
    Kailua-Kona, Hawai'i
    Posts
    175
    My Cars
    840ci
    Can you describe the "little modifications"?

    Quote Originally Posted by dancerst View Post
    Please don't do "sharpie" trick...
    Get E36 M3 needles and with a little modifications they will look stock on ours E31.

  16. #16
    Join Date
    Jul 2015
    Location
    Melbourne, Australia
    Posts
    647
    My Cars
    1994 840Ci - M60, 6MT
    Quote Originally Posted by dancerst View Post
    Please don't do "sharpie" trick...
    Get E36 M3 needles and with a little modifications they will look stock on ours E31.
    What difference does the E36 M3 needle have vs the E31 needle?

    Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

  17. #17
    radlaw's Avatar
    radlaw is offline SoCalEights Member BMW CCA Member
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
    Location
    Poway (San Diego), CA USA
    Posts
    911
    My Cars
    1995 BMW 840Ci
    Quote Originally Posted by kiwiCSi View Post
    Red needles look good, but it's still a long way from resembling a CSi cluster.
    Now he can try this:
    dash2.jpg

  18. #18
    Join Date
    Nov 2013
    Location
    Whitney, TX
    Posts
    1,238
    My Cars
    97 850CI
    Which also looks good. Do they illuminate as needed?
    Desecrator of all things Sacred

  19. #19
    dancerst's Avatar
    dancerst is offline life is a dance... BMW CCA Member
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Location
    Virginia Beach, VA
    Posts
    482
    My Cars
    E36 SC,E31 840ci,740iL
    Quote Originally Posted by tangcla View Post
    What difference does the E36 M3 needle have vs the E31 needle? Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk
    The difference is in the hole diameter.

    E31 needle pins are thinner.

    You have to take E36 needle, heat up the hole end with a lighter or torch and press it agains something flat, it will expend melted plastic slightly, just enough to sit firm on E31 pin.

    E36 stock needle



    Modified:










  20. #20
    radlaw's Avatar
    radlaw is offline SoCalEights Member BMW CCA Member
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
    Location
    Poway (San Diego), CA USA
    Posts
    911
    My Cars
    1995 BMW 840Ci
    Quote Originally Posted by 72tpik5 View Post
    Do they illuminate as needed?
    No, just light as usual. However, I did put in LEDs, so they are brighter.

  21. #21
    Join Date
    Nov 2013
    Location
    Whitney, TX
    Posts
    1,238
    My Cars
    97 850CI
    Desecrator of all things Sacred

  22. #22
    Join Date
    Jun 2013
    Location
    Auckland, NZ
    Posts
    934
    My Cars
    1994 E31 850CSi
    Would look so much cleaner without the km/h scale...is that a legal requirement in the US?
    Current:
    1994 E31 850CSi Sterlingsilber/Anthracite Buffalo

    Previous:
    1987 E28 M5 Delphin
    1986 E23 M745iA Arctic Blue
    1986 E24 635CSi Polaris
    1976 E3 3.0 Si Arctic Blue

  23. #23
    Join Date
    Nov 2013
    Location
    Whitney, TX
    Posts
    1,238
    My Cars
    97 850CI
    Not to the best of my knowledge.
    Desecrator of all things Sacred

  24. #24
    Join Date
    Nov 2013
    Location
    Whitney, TX
    Posts
    1,238
    My Cars
    97 850CI
    Desecrator of all things Sacred

Similar Threads

  1. How to remove the gauge cluster on an e36
    By hamlet in forum Car Audio & Electronics sponsored by Bavsound
    Replies: 2
    Last Post: 04-17-2010, 02:35 PM
  2. Thinking of doing a A-pillar Gauge pod on the 318ti.
    By Panzer_M in forum 1991 - 1999 (E36)
    Replies: 0
    Last Post: 06-18-2004, 01:56 AM
  3. new muffler on the cheap?
    By miatawnt2b in forum 1991 - 1999 (E36)
    Replies: 8
    Last Post: 05-07-2004, 03:05 AM
  4. Help with gauge cluster on 89 325i
    By jonmacs22 in forum 1983 - 1991 (E30)
    Replies: 1
    Last Post: 02-16-2004, 12:33 PM
  5. Following up on the cheap system thread
    By Texas M3/4 in forum Car Audio & Electronics sponsored by Bavsound
    Replies: 10
    Last Post: 01-30-2004, 03:51 PM

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •