96 GTI Hood/Instrument Removal - Help!

[sookati]

Hey Everyone,

I have a 96 GTI, and I can not for the life of me figure out how to get the instruments out of the hood. Do I need to remove the top cowling to do so?

Also, I have a replacement hood that's much nicer than the one I currently have. It appears that the ends of the wire connections are too wide to be wither pulled out of the ski or out of the hood, to remove it. Do I need to cut/solder/heatshrink them? I've never minded cutting and joining cables, but I'm not looking forward to the prospect of doing it 20 times.

Have any of you removed this stuff? I have the manuals, but they don't go into any depth on this part of the ski.

Thanks!

 

[LouDoo]

If your's is like mine the gauges are mounted in rubber cups, take a small pry tool or a blunt screwdriver and pry the instruments out from the front. Unplug the connectors, the wiring harness should pull through the holes an the front of the hood, remove the hood, four bolts.

Lou

 

[sookati]

Lou you're a lifesaver! I knew you had a 96 GTI and was hoping you'd see this. Thanks!

Yea my first GTI had aftermarket flame arrestors on it when I bought it... long story short it now has low compression in one cylinder. I found another local 96 GTI with good compression for $500 (has to look the same so my wife won't notice ) and I'm in the process of making a franken-ski.