Korwen

Hey folks, I'm having trouble with my gauges.

I recently took off my pod, took out the gauges in an attempt to sort out several issues I'm about to outline below. These are the "before" issues

1. When the headlights came on, the tachometer and oil pressure gauge died. This was only when the headlights themselves came on, not when the switch was turned. Also if I left it in parking lights, they worked fine.

2. Oil pressure reads lower than it should. It used to work well, but a wire on the printed circuit to it is fried. Probably explains this.

3. Voltmeter doesn't work. Wire fried on printed circuit, explained once again.

4. Tachometer appeared off. Vaark has an 81 5-speed, myself an 1982 5-speed comp package. We were travelling on the highway, and we should be at the same RPMs at the same speed. My tachometer was reading a couple hundred RPM lower than it should in 5th gear at 70

So I took the pod out. I cleaned the ground on the steering column. I took the gauges out and cleaned all the copper contacts with contact cleaner on a q-tip. I sprayed contact cleaner in the plugs. I found two places on the gauges where it looks like the tape from the factory came off. So I put tiny pieces of electrical tape over them.

what worries me is the little copper ends to several wires on the printed circuit were, bent. some were slightly ragged looking. I tried to straighten and flatten them best I could. My guess is that my best option is to just get another printed circuit, replace it, and that should resolve most issues, BUT I'm still worried about the tachometer, and since my attempt to fix things, new problems have arisen.

1. The tachometer and oil gauge no longer cease to function when the headlights come on. however.

2. The instrument cluster lights no longer work

The rest of the lights work fine. Clock, HVAC lights, I currently have no radio installed, even the lights for the switches, they all work, and they all work with the dimmer, which works fantastic (I took the opportunity to really clean it up) and it works fantastic. Everything except the dash lights.

So, I'm probably going to have to get a new printed circuit (sigh) and pull the pod again, replace it, and check other stuff. I checked fuse 11 (That's the instrument lights one, right?) and it looks fine. What do I look for next? Thanks again for the help.

SharkSkin

The ground is common with temp & fuel gauges, speedo, and parking light indicator, so most likely the variable power to the instrument lights isn't making contact. According to the wiring diagram that's pin 14 on the right side edge-connector to the PCB.

Korwen

w00t!

Pulled that connector, checked the pin, just made sure it gets on there correctly, and Viola!

My guage illumination, dimmer, AND tachometer now all work as they should! This I think is a first - I've repaired my car and less things are non-functional than when I started!

Thank you for your help. Oil pressure and voltmeter still boned, but once again I can almost 100% be certain that has to do with the printed circuit.

Cosmo Kramer

You can solder a piece of wire to bridge the spot where the printed circuit is burned and restore function.

Korwen

The project never ends.

Also - I spoke too soon. Fuel gauge currently non-op. Oh well, I'll still have it on the road a day or so a week, and being worked on the other 6. That's pretty good for these cars, right

Mrmerlin

could you please add the year and model of your as well as auto or manual, it makes diagnosis easier

Korwen

1982 Competition Package 5-speed.

edit: Holy crap the 1982 gauge cluster is unique to that MY? Damnit, that'd be a pain in the *** to find a replacement of. Guess I better order a decent soldering iron and start learning.

SharkSkin

Some are 1-year only, some(IIRC) are used for more than a year. Call 928 Int'l and see if they have one. Even if you have a replacement in-hand you should try to repair the one you have and confirm you're not dealing with a short before you put a new one in. They are becoming scarce and you don't want to fry a replacement!

Korwen

I guess some updateage

So, dash lights work, dimmer works, pretty much all lights work on the dash. The bulb for my fog light switch is burned out (no biggie) oil pressure and voltmeter still inop, require soldering of the printed circuit. My fuel gauge...fixed itself while I had the car at work. I drove it to work just to get it out, and between when I got back from lunch, and drove home, the fuel gauge started working again. These cars are crazy.

Anyways, it's all working enough at the moment. The soldering will be put off for a little while as another project, currently I have other things to work on.

I guess the big lesson here is - problems with the gauges? Check the connectors and pins. Then double-check the connectors and pins. Then check your grounds.

Mrmerlin

Korwen can you add the car info to your profile??

Korwen

Sig Test, info in profile now, well, best I could put.

Mrmerlin

Great!