Fleming442, I was asking if there was a trick or technique to prying the clips out WITHOUT damaging the tracings that are in close proximity. I have a donor gauge cluster setup which I want to remove and swap into another dash housing. That is why I am concerned about trying not to damage the circuit board tracings. However, as stated earlier, I may end up rewiring the whole thing. I am not too keen on doing this since I am NOT an experienced automotive electrical guy and would hate to create a potential fire hazard--short circuit in my '87 El Camino.
Need a little help with my gauges
- Thread starter bazthespazz
- Start date
- Status
My original printed circuit board was bad and only one dash light worked and the left turn signal indicator would stay on all the time. I purchased a new one from Mike's Montes and after installation everything worked perfectly, until the trip to the paint shop.
Is there any way to access the main dash plug from underneath just to check and see if that's the issue, push on the back of the plug to see if it's loose? I'm thinking all the vibration from sanding and body work might have shook it loose.
Doesn't the center section, Oil Pressure, Amps, Fuel and Temp, just push in to the gauge pod on some clips that make the connections? Could that center section have vibrated loose during the body work process?
Correct, the clips that make contact with the gauge pod are the same clips which hold the printed circuit onto the gauge housing. It is possible but since you've stated you've pushed the center pod and no change, it seems there is something else causing the problem.
Several years ago, I installed a towing brake light circuit on my S-10 which required disconnecting and reinstalling a ground. Well, lo and behold, I experienced weird electrical problems with turn signals, lights, and gauges. When strange things like this happen, especially with automotive electrical circuits, I always go back to the last thing I touched. So, I retraced my steps and disconnected everything I installed while making sure that items like grounding straps and bolts were clean and made good contact.
From what you describe and what others have stated, it could be a grounding issue. Your statement that some items work and others don't does not mean that one of the many grounds on our elkys isn't at fault. One way to check is to find and locate all grounds and move upstream of that specific ground and do a continuity checks to validate that it is indeed making good contact.
Yes, very tedious but that is what spark chasing is all about...either you can do it or send it to a shop and pay that guy to do the simple task. Good luck!
Several years ago, I installed a towing brake light circuit on my S-10 which required disconnecting and reinstalling a ground. Well, lo and behold, I experienced weird electrical problems with turn signals, lights, and gauges. When strange things like this happen, especially with automotive electrical circuits, I always go back to the last thing I touched. So, I retraced my steps and disconnected everything I installed while making sure that items like grounding straps and bolts were clean and made good contact.
From what you describe and what others have stated, it could be a grounding issue. Your statement that some items work and others don't does not mean that one of the many grounds on our elkys isn't at fault. One way to check is to find and locate all grounds and move upstream of that specific ground and do a continuity checks to validate that it is indeed making good contact.
Yes, very tedious but that is what spark chasing is all about...either you can do it or send it to a shop and pay that guy to do the simple task. Good luck!
I haven't tried pulling the clear plastic face off the gauges and re-seating the center section yet. I was told to push in on the lower right corner and that made no difference. Hopefully I'll get a chance to take a better look this weekend.
OK, I got time today to check it out in detail. Checked the fuse, have power there and the fuse is good. Pulled the gauge pod, cleaned all the contacts, followed all the directions about putting a block of wood behind the dash connector and foam behind the printed circuit board. Duct taped the back of the bar supporting the steering column. Still no luck. There's a little black connector that screws to the back of the speedometer that has 3 wires coming out of it, black red and green if I remember correctly. Well that little connector really doesn't connect to anything, there's no connection on the back of the speedo and no connection inside the end of the connector. What's it for?
OK, My '84 has the old speedo cable. Am I missing a loose ground somewhere. Any clues?
Last edited:
- Status
Similar threads
