Omega Owners Forum

Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
Advanced search  

News:

Search the maintenance guides for answers to 99.999% of Omega questions

Pages: [1]   Go Down

Author Topic: What is the head of the screw retaining Astra lower column shroud?  (Read 1773 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

terry paget

  • Omega Baron
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Gender: Male
  • Midsomer Norton Somerset
  • Posts: 4633
    • 3 Astras 2 Vectra
    • View Profile

 2006 Astra 1.6H petrol manual hatchback
Instrument illumination on this 13 year old car is dim. I wish to replace the bulbs. I have done similar jobs on many Omegas, easy and satisfying jobs. It seems similar on the Astra, but I have failed to remove the lower column shroud screw. The Upper section screws are crossheads, same as the Omega. The lower one is not. I have spent half an hour on my back trying to see what the head is, but without success. It looks like a female torx, or could be an internal hexagon. Please advise.
Logged

Doctor Gollum

  • Get A Life!!
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Gender: Male
  • In a colds and darks puddleses
  • Posts: 28089
  • If you can't eat them, join them...
    • Feetses.
    • View Profile

Much the same thing given how tight it won't be ;) find summat that fits and undo it  :y
Logged
Onanists always think outside the box.

Nick W

  • Omega Queen
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Gender: Male
  • Chatham, Kent
  • Posts: 10836
  • Rover Metro 1.8VVC
    • 3.0l Elite estate
    • View Profile

Much the same thing given how tight it won't be ;) find summat that fits and undo it  :y


A torch and a mirror will help.
Small Torx is likeliest.
Halfords sell Torx screwdriver sets that are useful sizes for trim work, and a lot more reasonably priced than the Snap-on ones I indulged in.
The separate bits are often too big to reach sunken screws, but an extensive set of those is well worth having too.
Logged

andyc

  • Omega Knight
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Gender: Male
  • Norfolk
  • Posts: 1273
    • View Profile

The bulbs are normally to bright to use at night and have to be turned down. Have you checked the dimmer is working correctly before stripping out.

Andy
Logged
Iceni Automotive. Classic Vauxhall/Opel Specialist. Service, Repairs, Restoration
Thetford. Norfolk

Nick W

  • Omega Queen
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Gender: Male
  • Chatham, Kent
  • Posts: 10836
  • Rover Metro 1.8VVC
    • 3.0l Elite estate
    • View Profile

The bulbs are normally to bright to use at night and have to be turned down. Have you checked the dimmer is working correctly before stripping out.

Andy


I'm glad it's not just me that thinks that way; I turn the panel dimmer down the first time I switch on the lights and never touch it again. I once replaced the dash bulbs on a Capri, and hated them so much I put the old ones back!
Logged

Doctor Gollum

  • Get A Life!!
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Gender: Male
  • In a colds and darks puddleses
  • Posts: 28089
  • If you can't eat them, join them...
    • Feetses.
    • View Profile

The dimmer on the MK2 Grandad was more of an on/off device ;D
Logged
Onanists always think outside the box.

terry paget

  • Omega Baron
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Gender: Male
  • Midsomer Norton Somerset
  • Posts: 4633
    • 3 Astras 2 Vectra
    • View Profile

Thanks for all the advice. I found a box of screwdriver bits I have had for years, and a CR-V T20 engaged in the screw, and easily removed it.
Logged

terry paget

  • Omega Baron
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Gender: Male
  • Midsomer Norton Somerset
  • Posts: 4633
    • 3 Astras 2 Vectra
    • View Profile

The bulbs are normally to bright to use at night and have to be turned down. Have you checked the dimmer is working correctly before stripping out.

Andy
On all the Omegas I have ever owned the instrument illumination is dimmed from full intensity when I turn on the sidelights, and can be further dimmed to taste with a dimmer. In daylight, especially in my PFL estate with the Phillips CCRT 700 audio system, the instruments and the information panel are too dimly lit to read half the while, even with new bulbs fitted.

Instrumemt bulbs are illuminated all the time the engine is running. After 10 years the bulbs are much dimmed by a black deposit on the inside.
Logged

terry paget

  • Omega Baron
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Gender: Male
  • Midsomer Norton Somerset
  • Posts: 4633
    • 3 Astras 2 Vectra
    • View Profile

Gentlemen, you were right and I was wrong. Having removed the instrument panel, I find it is a sealed unit and, as Haynes says, no dismantling is possible. I don't know what the bulbs are, but there is no way I can replace them.  Now I must put it all back again.
Logged

dave the builder

  • Omega Lord
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Gender: Male
  • Derbyshire
  • Posts: 7760
    • omega b2 2.6 cdxi
    • View Profile

SMD LEDs in some places on the astra G PCB  , I've not removed a binnacle from an astra H to look
have you tried the dimmer button above the headlamp level control  :-\
Logged

terry paget

  • Omega Baron
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Gender: Male
  • Midsomer Norton Somerset
  • Posts: 4633
    • 3 Astras 2 Vectra
    • View Profile

SMD LEDs in some places on the astra G PCB  , I've not removed a binnacle from an astra H to look
have you tried the dimmer button above the headlamp level control  :-\
Car no longer here, but I am pretty sure instrument illumination is full power with exterior lights off,  dimmed with sidelights on and can be further dimmed with the dimmer. On the Omegas, bulbs were tungsten filament, and dimmed with age. On the Astra they may well be LEDs, anyway are not changeable. Removing the instrument panel is trickier too.
Logged
Pages: [1]   Go Up
 

Page created in 0.038 seconds with 22 queries.