bigfitz's Seca 550 Instrument Cluster Teardown

This forum has been re-constructed with with permission from bigfitz.

Dave F

 

OK, I split the speedo upgrade into two parts. This is the INSTRUMENT CLUSTER TEARDOWN portion, it will be useful for anyone with a 550 Seca that needs to replace a bulb or CLEAN the inside of their gauge faces.

To begin: Remove the headlight, unplug and set it somewhere safe. Unplug the three connectors indicated (these are the three that come from the cluster.)




Unbolt the cluster. I long ago replaced the nut/washer (on the bottom) with a flanged nut to make refitting them easier.



Remove the cluster, and place it face down on a non-marring surface. Remove the 4 cover screws indicated. Remove the cover.




Remove the 4 nuts and washers retaining the mounting bracket and remove the bracket.




YOU NEED GO NO FURTHER IF YOU'RE ONLY REPLACING BULBS.
Simply pull the rubber bulb/socket assemblies out as needed.

If you want to remove the faceplate you will need to remove the 7 screws indicated in green. You do not need to remove the eighth screw indicated in red, it holds the light box to the cover and does not need to come out now, honest.




Pop the face off It has a white rubber gasket all the way around that is glued to the inner case. It will STICK to the cover and make you think you don't have all the screws out. As long as you took out the seven indicated above in green you got them all, it will come off.




FURTHER TEARDOWN: Instrument Removal

The instruments are held in with:
Fuel Gauge: 3 wire posts, washer/nut/washer/nut GREEN
Volt Meter: 3 posts, only 2 have wires, rubber isolator/washer/lockwasher/nut RED
Tach/Speedo: 2 screws each BLUE
Tripmeter reset knob: The knob is reverse-threaded, it "unscrews" but in the wrong direction; you may need to slip a pair of thin needle-nose or hemos in to grab the shaft if it's too tight.
In the background you can see the 2 light box screws, indicated in PINK including the one you didn't need to remove above.
If you remove the light box, it has a rubber gasket that will probably stick to it.




REASSEMBLY IS THE REVERSE OF DISASSEMBLY with the following notes:


VOLTMETER CAUTION: DO NOT LOSE THE SPACER on the shaft indicated by the small arrow. The two outer mounting studs have collars cast into the plastic they are imbedded in, the center post needs the spacer to prevent damage to the voltmeter when it is tightened down. The big squooshy rubber gasket goes into the case behind the meter; the mounting rubbers and spacers are installed from the outside.




RE ATTACHING THE WIRES Yamaha thoughtfully cast the wire color codes into the inner casing. I highlighted them with a Sharpie for this photo. Big rings on the voltmeter small rings on the fuel gauge. Remember the center voltmeter post doesn't have a wire.




TIP IN REGARD TO SELF-TAPPING SCREWS INTO PLASTIC: To prevent stripping the holes out: Put the screw into position, and applying gentle pressure, turn it BACKWARDS until you feel it "pop" into engagement with the existing threads, then tighten.

RECOMMENDATION: The first time you tear into the cluster, change ALL your bulbs, unless you LIKE taking the cluster off and on (experience speaking...)

This concludes THIS PORTION of the gauge cluster disassembly/reassembly project. This should be all you need to tear down, disassemble and reassemble your existing instrument cluster.

I am putting together an "add-on" to this thread. THIS PORTION will document the techniques, issues and particulars of retrofitting a REAL (not 85mph) speedo into the stock cluster and making it look like it belongs. (**editor's note - wording was changed in this sentence to clarify meaning)

As always, if there is anything you need clarified, additional photos, or any questions, please feel free to ask. None of this is in any of the manuals I've seen.

 

150mph speedo retrofit is here:

http://xjbikes.com/forums/threads/bigfitzs-550r-150mph-speedo-retrofit.116028/