Do you know your instrument cluster?
06-11-2001, 11:53 AM
#1
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Do you know your instrument cluster?
Here I go again, gritting my teeth about insignificant electrical gremlins... part two!
My gauges die, all of them, just go kaput on some bumpy road at random. Car runs fine and such, but I like the needles to tell me whats going on!
I had my cluster out Friday tracing my battery drain/staying on problem (found and solving this week, it was the ignition after all, thanks!). Keep in mind I found the general ground under the dash, they looked perferct. With my cluster out I tried using some wire ties to keep the plugs on the cluster to stay taught...
Well, that didn't work as on my way in today, I had gauge info for about 3 minutes out of 30.
And my questions for the collective good:
* Which connector controls the needles? (as to where to put my most attention) The signal indicators, and lights all work fine, its just the gauges.
* My mechanic just suggested this electrical "grease" of which I know nothing about, any insight?
* Please, any other ideas??? Could this even be tied to the ignition gremlins?
TIA
My gauges die, all of them, just go kaput on some bumpy road at random. Car runs fine and such, but I like the needles to tell me whats going on!
I had my cluster out Friday tracing my battery drain/staying on problem (found and solving this week, it was the ignition after all, thanks!). Keep in mind I found the general ground under the dash, they looked perferct. With my cluster out I tried using some wire ties to keep the plugs on the cluster to stay taught...
Well, that didn't work as on my way in today, I had gauge info for about 3 minutes out of 30.
And my questions for the collective good:
* Which connector controls the needles? (as to where to put my most attention) The signal indicators, and lights all work fine, its just the gauges.
* My mechanic just suggested this electrical "grease" of which I know nothing about, any insight?
* Please, any other ideas??? Could this even be tied to the ignition gremlins?
TIA
06-11-2001, 12:31 PM
#2
Burning Brakes
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How many key's on that key ring????? Nothing will kill an ignition switch faster than a key ring with weight... I would say that your Ignition is in its deaththrows.. suprised it starts. try driving with just the key itself? or start and see if the cluster comes on and then move key up and down with some gusto and see if the cluster goes out.. move mostly downward... hope that helps.....
06-11-2001, 12:52 PM
#3
Nordschleife Master
The grease he is talking about is dielectric grease. Used to prevent future corrosion though it will also tend to hold a plug together a bit better and can cause a contact cleaning function by wiping corrosion off.
Don't know enough about the cluster to help much, but sounds like a ground is broken (maybe within the wire) or something common to the whole gauge cluster. When multipin connectors fail, you usually don't see the whole lot of them go at the same time unless something unusual happened like the whole wire bundle was mechanicaly abused in one event, i.e. cut.
Don't know enough about the cluster to help much, but sounds like a ground is broken (maybe within the wire) or something common to the whole gauge cluster. When multipin connectors fail, you usually don't see the whole lot of them go at the same time unless something unusual happened like the whole wire bundle was mechanicaly abused in one event, i.e. cut.
06-11-2001, 12:55 PM
#4
Nordschleife Master
The grease he is talking about is dielectric grease. Used to prevent future corrosion though it will also tend to hold a plug together a bit better and can cause a contact cleaning function by wiping corrosion off.
Don't know enough about the cluster to help much, but sounds like a ground is broken (maybe within the wire) or something common to the whole gauge cluster. When multipin connectors fail, you usually don't see the whole lot of them go at the same time unless something unusual happened like the whole wire bundle was mechanicaly abused in one event, i.e. cut.
Don't know enough about the cluster to help much, but sounds like a ground is broken (maybe within the wire) or something common to the whole gauge cluster. When multipin connectors fail, you usually don't see the whole lot of them go at the same time unless something unusual happened like the whole wire bundle was mechanicaly abused in one event, i.e. cut.
06-11-2001, 12:55 PM
#5
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check the connetions on the bottom of the fuse box. my wifes 87'n/a had a simmular prob ,but with the fuel pump. worked great for a undeturmend amount of time then bam the car was dead! i tried all sorts of stuff to fix it(new fuel pump,new regulator,filter, fuel lines, ect)come to find out the whole prob was corrosion in the fuse box! 
i cleaned all the contacts about 2 years ago and have no prob's since 
and it was intermitant just as you say you gauges are.i hope you prob can be a easy fix for you .
i tried all sorts of stuff to fix it(new fuel pump,new regulator,filter, fuel lines, ect)come to find out the whole prob was corrosion in the fuse box! i cleaned all the contacts about 2 years ago and have no prob's since and it was intermitant just as you say you gauges are.i hope you prob can be a easy fix for you .
06-11-2001, 03:50 PM
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Drifting
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Just for kicks check out your positive leads off your (elements exposed) battery. I had some gremlins a while back, replaced the lugs on my battery, and haven't had a problem since. With my electrical system anyways!! 
06-11-2001, 11:55 PM
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OK, I have a similar problem, but it's only my BAR gauge. Hit a bump, it stops working, hit another and it springs back to life. Anyone have any ideas???
TIA
ColinM
TIA
ColinM
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06-12-2001, 10:48 AM
#8
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Well, thanks all for your replys, still not sure of the problem, but as I said before, tis mysterious... and it has mysteriously dissappeared again.
As for Keys? Well the "barrel" is a little loose, but not as loose as some other cars I have been in! My keys aren't excessively heavy but I'm taking that as a general advisement and making sure of it now.
Tried the jiggle test too, no response, will try further if/when the cluster rain-mans on me again.
I plan on hitting Radio Shack or somewhere for that dielectric grease, can't hurt, right?
I once tried looking under my fuse box (another gremlin hunt), I barely got it high enough to see how many wires were crammed in there... self explanitory, only going back on a last resort basis!
My battery could use some work, I'll give that a shot too sometime soon, but it should be ok as I did some work on the mess not too long ago, again, can't hurt.
And ColinM, as I understand it (while trying to figure this out), the gauges are controlled by signals (grounds) sent from the various sensors, I'd look there first, HTH!
Thanks again all, I'll win yet!
As for Keys? Well the "barrel" is a little loose, but not as loose as some other cars I have been in! My keys aren't excessively heavy but I'm taking that as a general advisement and making sure of it now.
Tried the jiggle test too, no response, will try further if/when the cluster rain-mans on me again.
I plan on hitting Radio Shack or somewhere for that dielectric grease, can't hurt, right?
I once tried looking under my fuse box (another gremlin hunt), I barely got it high enough to see how many wires were crammed in there...
self explanitory, only going back on a last resort basis!My battery could use some work, I'll give that a shot too sometime soon, but it should be ok as I did some work on the mess not too long ago, again, can't hurt.
And ColinM, as I understand it (while trying to figure this out), the gauges are controlled by signals (grounds) sent from the various sensors, I'd look there first, HTH!
Thanks again all, I'll win yet!
