tshirttom

I have an intermitent problem with my instrument cluster. It works most of the time but occasionally blacks out only to come back on if I hit a bump in the road. I have a 6-speed and I learned that the cluster is different in automatics. Does anyone have repair advice or know of someone selling one?

Thanks alot
Tom

mikebassman

I have a 91 automatic but mine is doing the same thing . I found the ground strap that goes from the frame to the bell housing was missing so I am hopeful that solved the problem however I have the TPI all apart right now to replace injectors (and polish everything I can find )

1991Z07

I had an intermittent issue with mine...the grounding nut had come loose. Check that ground...on the drivers side, 3rd bolt up on the bell housing. Either it is loose, or one of your grounds broke from the solderless connector.

Good Luck

Edit: ALL the grounds terminate @ a single point on the body...like I said, my dash did the same thing but was intermittent under load. Those grounds all terminate on your bellhousing, with a ground strap going from there to the chassis. Check them out closely (and a real PITA if you don't have a lift handy, or long-tube headers in the way ). Make sure some of the wires didn't break, etc. I'd check there first. It's a LOT easier than ripping the dash apart. If they are all solid, then move on to the dash cluster connections as mentioned here.

Intermittent problems are the ones I hate the most. It's easy to find if it just stops working.

Good luck...

OkieC4

By blanking, do you mean the just the LCD, or the gauges as well?

I agree, it could be the G106 ground as stated, but....

If it's just the LCD, it plugs in to a short (about 1" long) wiring harness with a connector on the IP circuit board. Over time, the connector gets worn and/or the pins on the lcd get corroded.

If it's LCD and gauges, the IP cluster plug in connector on the dash can get weak contacts.

Either way.. If it's not a grounding issue, some disassembly required. The IP cluster needs to come out.

On my 91, my LCD connector was worn, but I was able to repair it by sliding small pieces of wire in next to the pins to tighten up the contact. (Full disclousure - I used aircraft .020 safety wire inserted through the back of the connector, like backprobing). It,s been rock solid for well over a year and I didn't have to sent the circuit board off for repair.

tshirttom

I mean it goes kaput nothing on any gauge.

Does anyone know for sure if a gauge cluster from an automatic will work in a 6sp given it's the same 90-91 years?

Thanks for all the advice.

OkieC4

Yes, they should be interchangable..

But if it blanks then comes back when you hit a bump in the road, you most probably have a contact problem where the IP cluster plugs in to the dash connector.

Pull the cluster, check and clean the pins on the cluster and the sockets on the dash connector. On the lower row, left to right, A1 is the ground, A3 and A4 are power feeds from your CLSTR fuse.

rmytych

Having the same issue. Will check grounds! Great info.

gerardvg

Hi

Batee is the guru of corvette dash problems, be it early or late C4's check out his website and scroll down he has lots of information available.

http://www.batee.com

rmytych

Just got the instrument cluster back from Bryan at Batee. Works great now. Thanks for the lead.