SQLGuy

Hi folks,

I'm finally ready to swap my cracked GTS dash for a better one I got from 928 International. I found a dash removal write-up by Bruce? here: http://www.landsharkoz.com/techtips.htm, that looks like it will be a lot of help, but this is for a non-airbag car. I would appreciate any other experiences you can share on performing the same job on an airbag vehicle.

Also, while I'm in there, I know I have at least one bad vacuum actuator to replace, but what else should I replace as far as mixer flap foam and such?

And, also while I'm in there, any particular photos you'd like me to take?

Thanks,
Paul

Edit: Here's one warning for anyone reading this thread prior to starting a similar job: don't turn on the ignition while any of the airbag components are disconnected. If you do, the system will detect an airbag fault, and will continue to tell you about airbag failure after everything is back together until the fault is cleared with a Bosch Hammer or similar tool.

NoVector

Wow, I can’t remember anyone ever posting on here about removing a GTS dash.

Personally, if you don’t mind posting them, I’d like to see pictures of the passenger side airbag and how you remove it.

While you're in there, I recommend converting all your pod switches, gauges and center console to LED—or at least putting in fresh bulbs. And, if there was ever a time to change the temp sensor (by the center flaps), this is it as there are zip-ties on the back of it that can only be accessed/cut with the console out.

Good luck!

Rob Edwards

This should apply to all LHD 90-95 dashes, there are some minor variations in pod bolts but hopefully this will apply to your GTS. Pics below are from a mix of my '90, '93, and Hebert's '91.

The airbag dash is really pretty simple, it's held in with only four 6.3 x 22 tapping screws at the lateral edges.




First thing is disconnect the battery, at least 30 minutes before you touch anything.

R&R is steering wheel and pod, then center console, then dash. Installation is the reverse of disassembly.

Center the steering wheel. The wheel airbag is held with two captive T30 torx screws. Loosen and remove the airbag. Pop off the airbag connector. Note the orientation of the lead thru the oval 'hole' in the wheel hub.

Mark wheel hub, the steering shaft splines, and the white plastic splined ring that should should have a prong sticking out at about 1 o clock. It has 9 rotations of 'play' in it, so it needs to be reinstalled on the same spline, 4.5 revolutions from either end, with the wheels centered.



The steering cover comes off with 3 or 4 pairs of small philips screws, some hidden behind trim buttons.





Steering column and pod hardware:




Pod removal has been well-covered before:

https://rennlist.com/forums/928-foru...ht=pod+removal

https://rennlist.com/forums/928-foru...l-problem.html

Can't remember whether the steering column switches need to come off to get the dash off over it. If so, holler, I have lots of pics of the orientation of the switches and how everythign attaches.


Ok, now the center console:

The biggest PITA fastener is the upper right corner of the console-to-dash screw, both getting it out and putting it back in. I'm sure lots of people just leave it out (it's out on my GT) but to get the dash to line up well with the console, it's pretty important.

The screw in question:



To get it out, you have to drop the glovebox. Open the glovebox, undo the ball from the hydraulic strut on the right side, then unscrew the 3 philips head screws that are on the inside of the glovebox itself.




Then the upper glovebox trim has to come out- 4 small philips head screws across the upper inner edge, horizontal, the heads point towards the front of the car.

The lateral side of the upper glovebox trim has 2 screws that hold the light control module to it. Undo those to separate the module.

Another shot of the glovebox pieces, showing the upper trim with the 'corner' carpeted trim piece sill attached (lighting control module is hidden behind it...) :




The temptation will be to undo the wiring from the lamp and the contact warning switch. But if you follow its wiring harness towards the CE panel, there's a 2-pin connector that you can undo. If you don't discover this first, then you do what I did the first time, which is to disassemble the spring loaded switch. You don't want to do that if possible, as you have to uncrimp the connector from around the plastic plunger....




Glovebox hardware:



So once the glovebox is out, the console screw is in sight:



An 8 mm gearwrench will work on this, but unless it's super long you'll have to hold it with a vise grips or something to get up in there. Or maybe you have small hands with only 2 fingers and a thumb.

The best tool for this is an EZ-Red super long 8/10mm gearwrench, but I'm not sure they can be had individually and a set is pricey (But so worth it, these are also useful in som many tight spots - upper bellhousing bolts, exhaust manifold nuts, etc....)


The speed nut it screws into, on the center console:



Upon reassembly, in order to get the damn thing started, I used an 8 mm socket, a 1/4" U-joint, and a long 1/4" extension, and held the screw in with a magnetic pickup tool. This allowed rotating the screw while holding it in place:




Once you have it out, the console comes out after removing the air grilles, the HVAC head, the radio, the A/C button thingee, and the lower console. There are two tapping screws that go straight up thru the top of the console into the dash, then there are the posterior lateral bolts at the transmission tunnel. Probably some more, keep removing stuff 'til the console falls off...

Center console and knee bolster hardware:




Here's the exploded view of the lower console insert and the A/C *****- you don't need to take this all apart, just showing it for posterity.



You won't need to disassemble it, but now's a good time to make sure the guide piece that keeps the shifter boot sliding straight is not broken. (Hebert's was...) It's on the underside of the console.

Front screws:



So with the wheel, pod, glovebox, console and pod out, the dash comes out with the 4 lateral screws. Easy peasy.

Lateral dash speed clips:



Dash mounting tapping screws:








On reinstallation, the hardest part about getting the dash in is the strips of foam that surround the defroster vents- You need to avoid mashing them between the vents and the dash, thus blocking the vent. With the dash in, a 90o pick can help to seat the foam around.

I have tons of other pics and am sure I've forgotten some gotchas, yell if you get stuck on specifics and I'll see what I've got.

Hope this helps!

Rob Edwards

Forgot to mention this- the passenger side airbag doesn't come out: (This pic also shows the connector for the glovebox light harness, bottom center of the picture....)

SQLGuy

Wow, Rob, that's an amazing write-up! Thanks for all the tips. I'm sure they'll help a lot.

One difference I noticed on mine, though, is that the steering wheel airbag is held in with two T-30's instead of four. Also, Bruce's write-up mentions a 27mm steering wheel nut, but mine is 24mm.

Cheers,
Paul

Rob Edwards

D'oh. Yes, only 2 T-30's, 1 per side. Will fix that in the above post...

EDIT: Both Dan's '91 and my GTS have a 24mm steering shaft nut.

SQLGuy

OK. I think I've got everything about ready to pull the dash out, except that that one 8mm bolt for the center console has me stuck. Went to Sears and picked up a flex head Gear Wrench... I think that'll do it. Will see tomorrow.

BTW, I found another thread where someone was thinking what I was thinking... that if you could get inside the airbag box, you might be able to get to that bolt from there. On the "new" dash, though, there is no hole in the airbag box that would allow access to the bolt, so that theory doesn't seem to hold water. For those of you with non-airbag cars, this is the side bolt that you normally get to from the glove compartment. Porsche didn't do anything different for this center console bolt when they moved and shrunk the glove box to make room for the airbag.

SQLGuy

OK. The dash is out. All told I found six bolts holding it to the body: the four from the sides that Rob pictured at the top of his post, and two 10mm threading bolts that go up from underneath, through tabs welded to the crash bar, into speednuts mounted in brackets in the dash.

There were other things I needed to do while the dash is out... specifically fix vacuum actuators. Besides the comb flap actuator, which, as I suspected, is leaking, I also found that the one behind the pod (green line) was disconnected. Nothing wrong with it... just disconnected!

Now I guess I'll start on repairing some things like the glove compartment velcro and some broken parts of the center A/C vent, while I'm waiting for the parts I'll need to put it back together.

Thanks for the help,
Paul

SQLGuy

Here's what things look like at the moment. I loosened the passenger airbag and swung it up so I could get to the side vent of the airbox for when I replace the comb flap actuator diaphragm.

dprantl

Now would be the perfect time for a new evaporator...

Dan
'91 928GT S/C 475hp/460lb.ft

Tom in Austin

Guys, what's on the front edge of the dash where it meets the windshield? I've noticed 928s where you can see a gray or brown felt up there and guessed when the dash comes out this becomes visible (i.e. on other 928s you don't see it).

Also, did you all remove the A-pillar covers? Does that aid at all in getting the dash in and out or were you able to just leave them in place?

SQLGuy

I did remove the A-pillar covers. The ends of them covered the ends of the dash, so it, at the least, made it easier to pull the dash with them off. They're really easy to remove (one screw at the top, then just pull them off).

There is some dark gray or black felt glued to the leading edge of the dash. Not sure if that's different than non-airbag dashes, as I've never removed one of those (or any other dash, in fact).

fraggle

I don't think you can remove the dash with the a-pillar covers in place.

I pulled my heater box and cleaned/resealed everything.

S4ordie

Tom, I have a theory about this. So far I have had two 928 windshields replaced. In both instances I did not notice the brown/tan fiberous felt along the base of the windshield until after the new one was installed. Looking at a car with an original windshield it appears there is a more substantial/wider blackout strip along the base of the glass that would cover up the felty stuff. Makes me wonder if the blackout strip on the aftermarket glass is less wide or if there is some slop in the installation that is masked once the window trim pieces are put back on.

Perhaps Mark Anderson can look at some of the many use windshields to see if there is any variance in the width of the black strip.

Rob Edwards

That's an interesting thought, Dan- I was going to comment that the felt had become prominent on my GT, while the GTS's felt is invisible. Of course the GT has a replacement windshield and the GTS doesn't.

I'd just assumed that it had migrated during the windshield R&R, but perhaps not. That felt is nicely tacked down on the leading edge of your stock dash.

There, an n of 1, so it must be universally true.