C3 Tech/Performance V8 Technical Info, Internal Engine, External Engine, Basic Tech and Maintenance for the C3 Corvette
Sponsored by:
Sponsored by:

Help, Electrical problem 1980

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old May 22, 2006 | 11:29 AM
  #1  
joefloyd's Avatar
joefloyd
Thread Starter
Instructor
 
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 176
Likes: 0
From: Revere Massachusetts
Default Help, Electrical problem 1980

[SIZE="2"][]All is well without the head lights on, When I put the head lights on they go up and work, the problem is when they are on my fuel, oil pressure, and amp gauges stop working. they all go to 0. I rember a post about this same kind of a problem some time ago but I can't find it. I hope some one can help with information to solve this problem.

Joe.
Reply
Old May 22, 2006 | 12:08 PM
  #2  
big_G's Avatar
big_G
Le Mans Master
15 Year Member
 
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 5,752
Likes: 4
From: Austin Texas
Default

It appears that you have lost a ground for the gauges somewhere, either in the printed circuit or the wiring harness. Use the assembly manual and wiring diagrams to help you with this.
Reply
Old May 22, 2006 | 12:09 PM
  #3  
SIXFOOTER's Avatar
SIXFOOTER
Le Mans Master
Supporting Lifetime Gold
10 Year Member
 
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 9,192
Likes: 27
From: Boca Raton Florida
Default

sounds like a ground problem. Pull the dash panel and look it over carefully, there is a problem there somewhere. Bad ground, intermittent conn etc.
Reply
Old May 22, 2006 | 12:18 PM
  #4  
joefloyd's Avatar
joefloyd
Thread Starter
Instructor
 
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 176
Likes: 0
From: Revere Massachusetts
Default

Originally Posted by big_G
It appears that you have lost a ground for the gauges somewhere, either in the printed circuit or the wiring harness. Use the assembly manual and wiring diagrams to help you with this.

I can't understand how the ground for the gauges can work and not work only when the head lights are on. Do you think they are getting a week ground with out the head lights on, and when I turn the lights on that week ground is lost?
Reply
Old May 22, 2006 | 01:02 PM
  #5  
big_G's Avatar
big_G
Le Mans Master
15 Year Member
 
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 5,752
Likes: 4
From: Austin Texas
Default

Originally Posted by joefloyd
I can't understand how the ground for the gauges can work and not work only when the head lights are on. Do you think they are getting a week ground with out the head lights on, and when I turn the lights on that week ground is lost?
Exactly. When the headlamps are off, the gauges are finding an alternate ground path through your headlamp circuit.
Reply
Old May 22, 2006 | 01:40 PM
  #6  
SIXFOOTER's Avatar
SIXFOOTER
Le Mans Master
Supporting Lifetime Gold
10 Year Member
 
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 9,192
Likes: 27
From: Boca Raton Florida
Default

yep
Reply
Old May 22, 2006 | 02:47 PM
  #7  
LABulldog's Avatar
LABulldog
Burning Brakes
20 Year Member
Conversation Starter
All Eyes On Me
 
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 792
Likes: 1
From: Louisiana, It's Always Party Time!
Default

"I rember a post about this same kind of a problem some time ago but I can't find it. I hope some one can help with information to solve this problem.

Joe"


Joe,

I can't speak for anyone else but I had an almost identical problem.

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1338708

My problem occured after installing an aftermarket CD player. My gauges had worked fine before the installation but died whenever I turned on my lights after the CD player installation. Obviously, my first thought was a screwup in the wiring during installing the player. That turned out to be a wrong assumption. A grounding problem was suggested by numerous people. I ended up removing my dash console and very carefully cleaned the contacts on the wiring harness to the gauge cluster. I plugged it back in, crossed my fingers and turned on the lights and all my gauges worked as they should! I've got to believe that you do have a bad wiring connection or a bad ground somewhere in the console.

Good Luck!

Jay
Reply
Old May 23, 2006 | 12:39 PM
  #8  
joefloyd's Avatar
joefloyd
Thread Starter
Instructor
 
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 176
Likes: 0
From: Revere Massachusetts
Default

Originally Posted by LABulldog
"I rember a post about this same kind of a problem some time ago but I can't find it. I hope some one can help with information to solve this problem.

Joe"


Joe,

I can't speak for anyone else but I had an almost identical problem.

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1338708

My problem occured after installing an aftermarket CD player. My gauges had worked fine before the installation but died whenever I turned on my lights after the CD player installation. Obviously, my first thought was a screwup in the wiring during installing the player. That turned out to be a wrong assumption. A grounding problem was suggested by numerous people. I ended up removing my dash console and very carefully cleaned the contacts on the wiring harness to the gauge cluster. I plugged it back in, crossed my fingers and turned on the lights and all my gauges worked as they should! I've got to believe that you do have a bad wiring connection or a bad ground somewhere in the console.

Good Luck!

Jay
Jay, thank you for your help, I installed an after market radio too and I was thinking that may be the problem. I received other posts that said it was a ground but I could not understand how the ground can work without the lights on. Never new that the gauges found an alternate ground from the head lights when they are off. I will take apart the cluster and clean, check the contacts, I will let you know if ti works.

Joe.
Reply

Get notified of new replies

To Help, Electrical problem 1980

Corvette Stories

The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts

story-0

Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!

 Joe Kucinski
story-1

150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter

 Joe Kucinski
story-2

8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time

 Verdad Gallardo
story-3

Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)

 Joe Kucinski
story-4

Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!

 Verdad Gallardo
story-5

Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!

 Brett Foote
story-6

Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!

 Michael S. Palmer
story-7

10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know

 Joe Kucinski
story-8

5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2

 Michael S. Palmer
story-9

2027 Corvette vs The World: Every C8 vs Its Closest Competitor

 Joe Kucinski




All times are GMT -4. The time now is 05:29 AM.

story-0
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!

Slideshow: The 10 most explosive Corvettes ever built based on power-to-weight ratio.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-20 07:23:03


VIEW MORE
story-1
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter

Slideshow: From C1 to C8 we compare every Corvette generation by the numbers.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-12 16:54:12


VIEW MORE
story-2
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time

Slideshow: Some Corvette pace cars became collectible legends, while others perfectly captured the look and attitude of their era.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-05-11 09:50:51


VIEW MORE
story-3
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)

Slideshow: Ranking the top 10 Corvette engines by torque output.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-05 11:58:09


VIEW MORE
story-4
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!

Slideshow: A Corvette pace car nearly matching IndyCar speeds sounds exaggerated, until you look at the numbers.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-05-04 20:03:36


VIEW MORE
story-5
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!

Among a rather large group of them.

By Brett Foote | 2026-05-04 13:56:44


VIEW MORE
story-6
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!

Slideshow: the top 10 things Corvette owners want in the C9 Corvette

By Michael S. Palmer | 2026-04-30 12:41:15


VIEW MORE
story-7
10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know

Slideshow: 10 Important Corvette 'firsts' that every fan should know.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-04-29 17:02:16


VIEW MORE
story-8
5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2

Slideshow: Should you buy a 2020-2026 Corvette or wait for 2027?

By Michael S. Palmer | 2026-04-22 10:08:58


VIEW MORE
story-9
2027 Corvette vs The World: Every C8 vs Its Closest Competitor

Slideshow: 2027 Corvette lineup vs the world.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-04-24 16:12:42


VIEW MORE