MN JIM

I have asked this question before of the forum but have yet to come up with an answer. The display with gas gauge / odometer is dim. Contrast is very good just is dim. The odd part is when I turn the key to start the car the display is bright. As soon as the car starts it goes back to being dim.A rebuild is pretty expensive and seeing the display is bright when I go to start it tells me the display is probably OK. Any ideas would be appreciated.

antfarmer2

Did you check the ground under the carpet just in front of the drivers door?

antfarmer2

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dbdreams
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Default 1995 digital speedo gas gauge dim and hard to see
My friend has a 1995 Corvette and the digital speedometer and gas gauge is dim and hard to see. Any ideas on how to fix and what the cost may be?
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Old 08-21-2014, 06:11 PM #2
WVZR-1
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My friend has a 1995 Corvette and the digital speedometer and gas gauge is dim and hard to see. Any ideas on how to fix and what the cost may be?
Shine a very bright flashlight/LED maybe into the lens on the DIC and see what happens. Maybe clean the lens?

Do you need the LCD? Maybe but I wouldn't rush to judgment.
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Old 08-21-2014, 06:29 PM #3
Williamlindsey
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did he by chance hit the dimmer when he turned the lights off?
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Old 08-21-2014, 08:38 PM #4
8valve
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I have this same apparent problem on my 95. In bright sun, you can hardly read the speedo. Shinning a light into the photocell does increase the brilliance of the speedo, so the electronics are working.

The big problem, for which there is no answer, what is normal, as designed. The Factory Shop Manual does not give any kind of benchmark for what is considered proper brilliance.

If I take my 95 out in bright sun, and shine a flashlight into the photo cell, the speedo gets much brighter and becomes easily readable.

My fix, that I have actually done is to take a super bright white LED. Feed it with 12 volts thru a 680 ohm resistor and stuff the LED into the recessed hole where the photocell sits.

This winter during layup, I will permanently mount the LED in the photo cell hole, paint the rear of the LED satin black to match the dash. Run power up inside the console, dash and come out by the dash AC duct and from there to the LED. I can really hide the wires so its not seen.

If the General even gave us a Voltage at the LED illumination under a given condition, we could then determine if the system was working properly. But the lack of any given tests in the FSM leads us to ambiguous determination, if there is or if there is not a problem.

8Valve
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Old 08-21-2014, 09:19 PM #5
dbdreams
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Ill try shining a light like suggested but it I can tell the speedo is working but it is really dim, day or night. I checked the dimmer but it was set right. Ill try shining the light tomorrow.
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Found this for you

antfarmer2

The usual way to do this is to remove the cluster from the car and then put a glob of solder across the photocell pins to short them together. That will keep the dash back lighting at maximum brightness all the time (even at night, which might not be the best).


Cliff posted this

Cliff Harris

You can buy replacement photocells from Batee or...

I determined that part number VT90N1 is a suitable replacement. They are available from Newark for less than a dollar each: http://www.newark.com/excelitas-tech...ar%20Resistors

whalepirot

the link dead-ended for me.

Thanks for the PN. I have my dash out now, with new LEDs from bates so i may as well change the sensor.

This link to Newark has them at $3.87 each, plus shipping:

http://www.newark.com/excelitas-tech...ies/dp/99F4265

this is another source, for 99 cents plus shipping of $8! : http://www.mcmelectronics.com/produc...paign=octopart

MN JIM

Lots of good things to check. Thanks for the help.

whalepirot

the least expensive i can find:

Andy Brach

I'm buying a '93 and the speedo/dash contrast is so weak it's barely readable. The panel seems to be well lit but the contrast is the problem. Any thoughts as I've been out of the loop for many years.