Dash pod problems
10-24-2001, 04:12 PM
#1
3rd Gear
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Location: Ventura CA
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Dash pod problems
Hey everyone, I have a 79 euro 5spd. that has some dash pod electrical problems. Let me explain.
Most of the dash illumination lights do not work. I think only 1 or 2 are working, however all the warning indicators do come on. The speedometer works 90% of the time as do the oil pressure and voltage indicators. My oil pressure is pegged at 5 all the time. The voltage guage seems to read correctly but it sometimes does not read at all. Fuel guage only gets to 3/4 full cause the fuel tank breather hose must be crimped and the temperature guage seems to work all the time but its dark in that corner at night so i cant see it all the time.
I was thinking about pulling the dash pod out and taking a closer look. What do you think? Should i take it in somewhere and have it worked on? Where and how much? Do you think its a 100 buck or a 500 buck fix? I have all the bulbs to replace the old ones but i realize that the speedo gears are probably bad. but what about the oil pressure. Is it just a bad connection or is it the sender unit.
One more thing. My two interior lights do not come on when the doors or the hatch are open. I can get them to come on in the "always on" position. Would that be a wiring problem. Please remember that i check fuses on a weekly basis.
Any help would much be appreciated
Thanks
Curt Cook
Ventura CA
Most of the dash illumination lights do not work. I think only 1 or 2 are working, however all the warning indicators do come on. The speedometer works 90% of the time as do the oil pressure and voltage indicators. My oil pressure is pegged at 5 all the time. The voltage guage seems to read correctly but it sometimes does not read at all. Fuel guage only gets to 3/4 full cause the fuel tank breather hose must be crimped and the temperature guage seems to work all the time but its dark in that corner at night so i cant see it all the time.
I was thinking about pulling the dash pod out and taking a closer look. What do you think? Should i take it in somewhere and have it worked on? Where and how much? Do you think its a 100 buck or a 500 buck fix? I have all the bulbs to replace the old ones but i realize that the speedo gears are probably bad. but what about the oil pressure. Is it just a bad connection or is it the sender unit.
One more thing. My two interior lights do not come on when the doors or the hatch are open. I can get them to come on in the "always on" position. Would that be a wiring problem. Please remember that i check fuses on a weekly basis.
Any help would much be appreciated
Thanks
Curt Cook
Ventura CA
10-24-2001, 07:11 PM
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Curt:
My .02
>>My two interior lights do not come on when the doors or the hatch are open. I can get them to come on in the "always on" position.
This could be the same problem as a recent thread (Big Dave, was that you?), where bad connections in the lights caused a host of electrical problems.
The interior lights, as you know, rock between the always on, always off, and switched positions. If that switched position is not making contact, no interior lights on door open. If it's frayed or grounding itself elsewhere, the car can have an electrical temper tantrum. Pop each of the two lights out and check them carefully for connections and contact at all switch positions. Might wanna yank the fuse before pulling 'em out.
Also check the plungers in the doors for operation.
Re: the instruments. I'm not so sure it's the instrument panel per se. The instruments get their signal through three connectors which attach to the printed circuit board on the back of the panel. Those connections can get nasty and can be cleaned (as with the PCB) with a pencil eraser.
BUT...
1. Dash illumination - i.e lighting up the instruments, not the warning lights - is 3 bulbs on the bottom of the instrument panel. Pull the pod, pull the panel, and use a couple known good bulbs to test. Don't be afraid to move the sockets a little, too - my center one was making a bad, intermittent connection.
I would also check the illumination adjustment rheostat at the bottom left of the pod. For some reason, it seems to corrode, and cause lighting problems (and the occasional dash fire). Easy to clean, two screws and remove the bottom plastic panel on the pod.
>>My oil pressure is pegged at 5 all the time.
Again, possibly, but not certainly pod related. Pull, clean, and reinstall the sending unit (both parts). Check here for Tony's excellent example. Gook tends to accumulate inside and will cause the 5 bar pin. Make sure wires are solid to the sender, and that the sender is wired correctly. As I recall, swapping wires will cause a constant pin.
>>Fuel guage only gets to 3/4 full cause the fuel tank breather hose must be crimped.
A few other things to consider... The in-tank sending unit might be stuck or bad and/or the gauge may be off calibration.
>>I realize that the speedo gears are probably bad.
Help me out here, people, but I don't think there ARE speedo gears outside of the trip odometer reset gears. The speedo is not cable-driven.
Anyhow, my speedo worked intermittently due to a bad crimp in the connection to the sender (4 plug connection in the spare tire well). Try that first; rebuilding the speedo is $140 at N. Hollywood Speedo.
Good luck; these problems that may or may not be related can take some time.
James
My .02
>>My two interior lights do not come on when the doors or the hatch are open. I can get them to come on in the "always on" position.
This could be the same problem as a recent thread (Big Dave, was that you?), where bad connections in the lights caused a host of electrical problems.
The interior lights, as you know, rock between the always on, always off, and switched positions. If that switched position is not making contact, no interior lights on door open. If it's frayed or grounding itself elsewhere, the car can have an electrical temper tantrum. Pop each of the two lights out and check them carefully for connections and contact at all switch positions. Might wanna yank the fuse before pulling 'em out.
Also check the plungers in the doors for operation.
Re: the instruments. I'm not so sure it's the instrument panel per se. The instruments get their signal through three connectors which attach to the printed circuit board on the back of the panel. Those connections can get nasty and can be cleaned (as with the PCB) with a pencil eraser.
BUT...
1. Dash illumination - i.e lighting up the instruments, not the warning lights - is 3 bulbs on the bottom of the instrument panel. Pull the pod, pull the panel, and use a couple known good bulbs to test. Don't be afraid to move the sockets a little, too - my center one was making a bad, intermittent connection.
I would also check the illumination adjustment rheostat at the bottom left of the pod. For some reason, it seems to corrode, and cause lighting problems (and the occasional dash fire). Easy to clean, two screws and remove the bottom plastic panel on the pod.
>>My oil pressure is pegged at 5 all the time.
Again, possibly, but not certainly pod related. Pull, clean, and reinstall the sending unit (both parts). Check here for Tony's excellent example. Gook tends to accumulate inside and will cause the 5 bar pin. Make sure wires are solid to the sender, and that the sender is wired correctly. As I recall, swapping wires will cause a constant pin.
>>Fuel guage only gets to 3/4 full cause the fuel tank breather hose must be crimped.
A few other things to consider... The in-tank sending unit might be stuck or bad and/or the gauge may be off calibration.
>>I realize that the speedo gears are probably bad.
Help me out here, people, but I don't think there ARE speedo gears outside of the trip odometer reset gears. The speedo is not cable-driven.
Anyhow, my speedo worked intermittently due to a bad crimp in the connection to the sender (4 plug connection in the spare tire well). Try that first; rebuilding the speedo is $140 at N. Hollywood Speedo.
Good luck; these problems that may or may not be related can take some time.
James
10-29-2001, 11:44 AM
#4
928 Engine Re-Re-Rebuild Specialist
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James:
Yep, it was me with the interior light problems. I had to replace a cracked dome light that was allowing a wire to ground out or touch other wires with each bump in the road.
I used to have a problem with the interior lights not illuminating when the driver's door opened but I took out the plunger switch, cleaned it up a bit and screwed it back in. Viola! Lights working again. I bought a new plunger but didn't need it.
My oil pressure gauge jumps to 5 at start up but then moves up and down as I press and release the gas pedal, so I think mine's OK.
All my warning lights illuminate at startup but go out and operate normally after I rev the engine once. It worried me at first, but not any more.
My speedo needle sometimes doesn't move until I hit 20MPH, but then quickly jumps to the right speed and works normally. Again, another thing that doesn't bother me.
I don't have any advice about the other problems....I'm still learning about the 928 myself!
Yep, it was me with the interior light problems. I had to replace a cracked dome light that was allowing a wire to ground out or touch other wires with each bump in the road.
I used to have a problem with the interior lights not illuminating when the driver's door opened but I took out the plunger switch, cleaned it up a bit and screwed it back in. Viola! Lights working again. I bought a new plunger but didn't need it.
My oil pressure gauge jumps to 5 at start up but then moves up and down as I press and release the gas pedal, so I think mine's OK.
All my warning lights illuminate at startup but go out and operate normally after I rev the engine once. It worried me at first, but not any more.
My speedo needle sometimes doesn't move until I hit 20MPH, but then quickly jumps to the right speed and works normally. Again, another thing that doesn't bother me.
I don't have any advice about the other problems....I'm still learning about the 928 myself!
