Electrical Gremlin. Need help asap!
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Drifting
Joined: May 2007
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From: North Royaton Ohio
Electrical Gremlin. Need help asap!
Well I ripped open my dash to see if I could find what's causing my 81 to keep popping fuses for the dash lights. It will pop a fuse anywhere from within 2 seconds to about 5 minutes after putting in a new fuse. I pulled the center cluster today after reading another thread stating that sometimes the center connection on the back of the center cluster will cause it to pop fuses. So I put in a new fuse, disconnected both connections to the center cluster (main connection in the back and the bulb at the top), and no problems. Everything is lighting up fine. Next I lightly sanded the contacts on the bulb that sits on top of the cluster because they were corroded a bit. Plugged that connection back in, and no problems. Then I plugged the main connector into the back of the cluster, and all of the lights were on. The problem is it seems to have some crazy effect on my gauges now. When the lights are on, the gauges all peg, but when the lights are off, they go where they should be.
Sorry for the long post. I really need everyone's help on this one.
Sorry for the long post. I really need everyone's help on this one.
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 1,430
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From: Hamilton NJ
http://www.ecklers.com/product.asp?p...7&dept_id=1678
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 1,491
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From: North Royaton Ohio
I agree...also check that all of the copper paths on the flexible circuit board are intact...if not you may want to replace:
http://www.ecklers.com/product.asp?p...7&dept_id=1678
http://www.ecklers.com/product.asp?p...7&dept_id=1678
I looked closer, and some of the copper paths are indeed not connected properly. Is there any kind of glue that i can use to just glue them back down? It's not broken or anything, just separated from the board.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: May 2007
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From: North Royaton Ohio
Here's a picture of the problem. Apologies for the lousy quality. I only had my camera phone with me. The top three leads on the left hand side are being held up by a screwdriver to show the separation.
I see no way I could solder it without melting the plastic that it should be connected to. Is there some kind of glue availabe?
I see no way I could solder it without melting the plastic that it should be connected to. Is there some kind of glue availabe?
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 1,430
Likes: 8
From: Hamilton NJ
Otherwise, there are cheaper alternatives on our favorite unmentionable auction site, but they're not as robust as the OEM.
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Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: May 2007
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From: North Royaton Ohio
That's cool...at least you know where the problem is. I expect they were glued the first time so there's clearly something safe to use to attach it. Personally I would probably try the tiniest spot of superglue just to get it to stay in place, then the connector will lock it in place and keep it honest. I bet you even a glue stick would work just to keep them aligned until you get it in place?
Otherwise, there are cheaper alternatives on our favorite unmentionable auction site, but they're not as robust as the OEM.
Otherwise, there are cheaper alternatives on our favorite unmentionable auction site, but they're not as robust as the OEM.
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2007
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(the foam type tape, not the scotch type)
Last edited by pbcanney; Jun 23, 2008 at 03:55 PM.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 1,491
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From: North Royaton Ohio
Well I used a precision applicator for the super glue and everything seemed to be fine. I buttoned everything back up, and sure enough, I turned the lights on and gauges were pegged again.
However, when I turned the lights off, I noticed my battery was dead. Went to start the car, and nothing.
I did have the door open most of the day working on the thing. I've got the charger on it now. Maybe a dead batter could cause some gauge malfunctions and couldn't supply enough power to run both the gauges and the lights at the same time. We'll see in a few hours.
However, when I turned the lights off, I noticed my battery was dead. Went to start the car, and nothing.
I did have the door open most of the day working on the thing. I've got the charger on it now. Maybe a dead batter could cause some gauge malfunctions and couldn't supply enough power to run both the gauges and the lights at the same time. We'll see in a few hours.
Last edited by guitarcrazy02; Jun 23, 2008 at 05:43 PM.
Burning Brakes
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From: THE OLDER I GET THE BETTER I WAS! NORTHERN ONTARIO
Race Director
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From: Dayton, Ohio
Here's a picture of the problem. Apologies for the lousy quality. I only had my camera phone with me. The top three leads on the left hand side are being held up by a screwdriver to show the separation.
I see no way I could solder it without melting the plastic that it should be connected to. Is there some kind of glue availabe?
I see no way I could solder it without melting the plastic that it should be connected to. Is there some kind of glue availabe?
EDIT-ok in your pic above the 2nd terminal down on the left is the gauge ground.The lack of ground will cause your gauges to go crazy but wont blow the inst. lamp fuse.Do you have stock bulbs in your cluster,brighter bulbs could cause the fuse to blow with a delay.Have you checked the back of the printed circuit for burns? I just dont think your gauge issue is the same as the dash light issue.Other than sharing grounds and the same plug they use seperate fuses.
If you have a multi meter using the 10amp scale check the draw across the inst. fuse terminals.
Last edited by ...Roger...; Jun 23, 2008 at 09:34 PM.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: May 2007
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From: North Royaton Ohio
Ok so here's what's going on.
The fuse popping issue seems to be fixed. I believe the problem was the bulb that sits on top of the center cluster was too corroded to make a good connection. I lightly sanded all of the connection points, and the fuse hasn't popped since, and I had the lights on more than an hour.
Now my problem is that when I turn the lights on, my center cluster gauges go haywire. I thought the problem might be because my battery was dead. I charged it all night, but I'm still having the same issue.
I can, however, get the gauges to temporarily work properly if I move the plug, but it is easier to do this if I move the wires right before the plug. The next thing I'm going to try is bending out the terminals on the plug just a bit to make sure they're contacting the board all the way.
It's just frustrating that the whole thing works, then I go to put it back together and it stops working again. Oh well. I'll get this going one way or another.
The fuse popping issue seems to be fixed. I believe the problem was the bulb that sits on top of the center cluster was too corroded to make a good connection. I lightly sanded all of the connection points, and the fuse hasn't popped since, and I had the lights on more than an hour.
Now my problem is that when I turn the lights on, my center cluster gauges go haywire. I thought the problem might be because my battery was dead. I charged it all night, but I'm still having the same issue.
I can, however, get the gauges to temporarily work properly if I move the plug, but it is easier to do this if I move the wires right before the plug. The next thing I'm going to try is bending out the terminals on the plug just a bit to make sure they're contacting the board all the way.
It's just frustrating that the whole thing works, then I go to put it back together and it stops working again. Oh well. I'll get this going one way or another.
Last edited by guitarcrazy02; Jun 24, 2008 at 08:19 AM.
Race Director
Joined: May 2006
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From: Dayton, Ohio
I hope you did fix the dash light issue by cleaning the corrosion on the upper light but I doubt that was the actual problem.I'm guessing that your problem was one of the thin copper leads in your pic that you showed held by the screwdriver was folded over another one.
On your guages gone crazy I would say your gauges are getting their ground through the dash lights until you turn them on and then they lose their ground and go crazy.
I would suggest you go back in and glue the back sides of each of the thin copper term. back down to the plastic.This will insure that the term. do not cross.After you glue the term. down I would suggest that you pull the plastic up on both sides of where the plug goes in and put a thick piece of tape under the plastic on the metal frame-this will raise the terminals slightly and make the contact between the copper term. and the plug tighter.
On your guages gone crazy I would say your gauges are getting their ground through the dash lights until you turn them on and then they lose their ground and go crazy.
I would suggest you go back in and glue the back sides of each of the thin copper term. back down to the plastic.This will insure that the term. do not cross.After you glue the term. down I would suggest that you pull the plastic up on both sides of where the plug goes in and put a thick piece of tape under the plastic on the metal frame-this will raise the terminals slightly and make the contact between the copper term. and the plug tighter.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 1,491
Likes: 2
From: North Royaton Ohio
I hope you did fix the dash light issue by cleaning the corrosion on the upper light but I doubt that was the actual problem.I'm guessing that your problem was one of the thin copper leads in your pic that you showed held by the screwdriver was folded over another one.
On your guages gone crazy I would say your gauges are getting their ground through the dash lights until you turn them on and then they lose their ground and go crazy.
I would suggest you go back in and glue the back sides of each of the thin copper term. back down to the plastic.This will insure that the term. do not cross.After you glue the term. down I would suggest that you pull the plastic up on both sides of where the plug goes in and put a thick piece of tape under the plastic on the metal frame-this will raise the terminals slightly and make the contact between the copper term. and the plug tighter.
On your guages gone crazy I would say your gauges are getting their ground through the dash lights until you turn them on and then they lose their ground and go crazy.
I would suggest you go back in and glue the back sides of each of the thin copper term. back down to the plastic.This will insure that the term. do not cross.After you glue the term. down I would suggest that you pull the plastic up on both sides of where the plug goes in and put a thick piece of tape under the plastic on the metal frame-this will raise the terminals slightly and make the contact between the copper term. and the plug tighter.
However, I'm heading back out to the garage for day two of the battle of the bulbs (that was a joke, there's nothing wrong with the bulbs). I already superglued the leads and I'm positive they're not contacting each other. I'll try your tape suggestion, and I'm going to try and bent out the leads on the plug slightly. If this doesn't do it, I don't know what else it could be. The circuit board is in good condition. There aren't any burn marks or anything.
We'll see what happens... ::sigh::
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 1,491
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From: North Royaton Ohio
Well, I give up. I'm just going to buy a new board. I tried raising the circuit board with tape like DWncchs suggested, but it made the board just crumble. The heck with it. I'll just buy a new one.
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2005
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From: Hamilton NJ