Bob Dunworth

Hey everyone,

Have an 82 that I am doing some interior work to...

I could really use some help/ideas. I just finished dyeing my interior from red to black, and got the dash back in today. When I took it out tonight for a ride, all of the dash lights lit up, but none of my gauges (except for the speedo) work. Before I remove the dash, all gauges worked. I replaced all of my dash lights with LED's, but I don't think that could be the problem.

Does anyone have any idea what it might be? If the circuit boards were bad, I assume the lights wouldn't come on. It's too dark right now to check fuses...but it seems odd that both my center cluster and speedo/tach boards both aren't working.

Thanks in advance for any help you guys can give me!

72LS1Vette

The speedometer is mechanical so that should always work unless you kink the cable. There is a fuse for the gauge lights and they are not related to the gauges themselves. I'm not sure if there is a fuse for gauge power but my guess is that if all of the gauges are off it's either a blown fuse (meaning you pinched a wire somewhere and caused a short circuit) or you knocked the ground loose for the assembly.



Rick B.

C3-PO

if you took your dash out ...

1) by dropping the steering column, you could have pulled the two main ignition connectors (on top of the column) loose. it is also tied to the "harmonica" connector. they must be tight.

2) if you pinched the "cruise control wire" it will cause a short. it's the 3-strand wire from the stick that runs down insdie the steering column and comes out at the mount. the guages would act really strange and not work. my "choke" light would stay "on". and my horns would always be on .... arrrggghhh. a real pisser.

hope this helps... good luck.

Bob Dunworth

Thanks guys. I guess I'll check the fuses first, then work towards the harder options. I forgot to mention that my power seat doesn't work either. I checked the AIM for the fuse list, and didn't see any that were just for the gauges (but did see one just for the power seat). Do you think it would have been just coincidence that I could have blown two fuses at the same time?

Thanks again!

kevakasper

Are you saying that the tach doesn't work, or the center gauges don't work, or everything except the speedo ( mechanical) doesn't work? The tach is driven off the connector for the speedo-tach binacle connector which also is supplying the connection for the lights there, the center console has it's own connector. The lights as I remember were through that connector also. Sounds like you missed another connection, or have a fuse blown powering all of the gauges. I would doubt that it is the connections at the back of the two gauge assemblies if you have lights in them both. That also applies to the printed circuit boards, but I have seen strange things happen in mine, and always assume that Bubba may have been there before!

Easy Mike

Fuse.

Bob Dunworth

Thanks for the ideas. The fuse solved the tach issue. But the gauges still weren't working. The lights would go on, but no response from the gauges themselves. I pulled the center console, and it looked like at least one of the lines on the circuit board was fried...and when I disconnected the accordian plug and plugged it back in, then the lights came on even though I didn't turn them on.

If the circuit board was bad, would it still illuminate the gauges? And just cause the gauges to not respond?

C3-PO

The 'ignition connectors' on top of the steering column are there to prevent tampering with the electrical system and anti-theft system. they are the heart of the cars' power distribution. it takes about 5 minutes to remove the light vacuum switch panel below the column and seconds to remove the heater vent tube. you can feel the connectors, but they are hard to see without a hand mirror and flashlight. look for the criuse control wire and make sure it's not pinched in the steering mount plate. good luck.

Bob Dunworth

Thanks c3-PO. I'll check that out today. I appreciate the insight!

dalethomas22

I have an 82 CE that has just started to give me problems. The Battery gauge and the Oil Pressure gauge go off when I turn the headlights on. This has never happened before. I haven't had the dash apart or the center gauge console. I hope someone can help me?

2001convertable

I just went though the same thing on my 82. My tach and gauge stopped working. I changed the gauge fuse ten times. I posted and was told that the gauge circuit maybe the problem. I pulled the gauge cluster out and drove around with it out and the fuse blew again. I put back the cluster and figured I would check the tach speedo circuit in my spare time. Guess what, the fuse has not blown since the cluster was put back in. I think something was pinched and grounding out.