Paullyh50

Hi All,

Since my first post I have started to pull the dash on my 1980 apart.
Removed the central gauge cluster and found the central plug was unplugged. When I sorted that started the car and oil pressure jumped to 40psi at idle Phew!!

Ammeter and clock dont work lights either. I am thinking that the dodgey printed circuit might be worthwhile replacing?

I am starting to get into the warning lights behind the speedo and tacho will post if I have problems Waiting on wiring diagrams from Hecklers and brake parts. Will post when I have started that.

I am loving this project Basically rapt in the car.

Regards Paul Haselgrove

SIXFOOTER

Well your making progress. Contact Papawana on here, he can email you a good set of schematics. Post a couple pics of the center console if you can.

cooper9811

Back in 2009, I went through the interior of my (Then new to me) 79 and tackled interior issues - A few things that I learned pretty quickly:

-Get an AIM (Assembly Instruction Manual) - helps with disassembly/reassembly
Working behind the dash id much easier if you pull it out entirely - not as hard as it seems, especially if you have some documentation to rely on (and one more reason the AIM is valuable).
-Grounding and dirty contacts on the circuit boards may be an issue, even on a clean car. You might still need new PCBs, but I found cleaning and ensuring solid contact between connectors fixed quite a bit. Look for old/brittle wiring too. I did have to replace some of the bulbs inside the speedo and tach unit.
-It's common to need to replace or rebuild the clock (I replaced mine, a bit more expensive but simpler if you have a lot of other stuff to fix).
If the dash is out, now is the time to check all your vacuum hoses and actuators if this is an AC car.
-If dash is out, this is also a good time to check fuse box ground connections while you have easy access.

Just some of my observations, hope this helps.

Jim

0Willcox Corvette

You can look at the printed circuit and see if it's burned, if so replace it. But.... the printed circuits and the connectors have a history of issues. The fingers that make contact with the terminals can come loose from the circuit and contact either a different terminal or nothing at all If the fingers are loose, glue them in place and install.

Do the other gauges work? Fuel, Temp ect.. .

Willcox

Paullyh50

Thanks so much for that Will do Rgds Paul

Paullyh50

Thanks Jim.
I have an AIM booklet for ha model coming and wiring diagram. I will wait for that before I go much further. I will bare in mind you ideas and post if I have problems. Thanks again Paul.

Paullyh50

Thanks Willcox

The printed board looks OK Not burnt in any way Fuel and oil gauges are the only ones that seem to working Clock doesnt work. Car has a second temp gauge added (mounted under dash) So I assume the original is stuffed The fingers you are talking about look OK. I am away from home at the moment but will investigate further when I get home tomorrow. Thanks so much for you response Paul H

0Willcox Corvette

The clock is on a different circuit than the amp and temp gauges.. and it's probably just a movement issue. When you have the cluster out test the power wire shown below on the connector. It will be the left hand lower looking at the connector. If you have power there then I'd go watch our video on how to rebuild the clock... it's not that hard.

On 77-82 cars you can test the amp gauge pretty easy. Since it is only reading the voltage that is present and not the change in amps you can use a jumper and a ground to input 12 volts. You do this by running a wire to the power wire shown below and to the ground. You should see the gauge change and it should match what the battery test out at.

If you don't get any deflection then remove the resistor and test for ohms on it, it should be around 80-90 ohms. If the resistor ohms out then you have a gauge issue.

You didn't tell me

Paullyh50

Thanks so much for the diagram Fantastic I am home now and will do basic tests this afternoon Rgds Paul H