All-

This is my second post, just got a 1982 CE a month ago. I'm just now getting into to see what works and what needs fixed.

I had a new Alpine stereo installed from a local reputable company, but since then, my battery warning light stays on. I've had the batter checked and the alternator. With the engine running I checked the battery and it was reading about 14.3 volts. What does the battery warning light mean and what should I do to check it.

2ndly, I noticed my oil pressure gauge is no longer working. It is all the way to the right. I had the oil changed recently and it is full. What might be causing this?

I'm pretty green to the vette's mechanically other than I've wanted one my entire life. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

Bill

 

I would suspect the stereo installer goofed some wires. I'd start there first since everything was fine before the install.

 

If I had to guess, I would say that it sounds like something happened to your gauge cluster, when the radio was installed.

On the back side of your cluster, is a flexible printed circuit board, that connects all the lights and gauges. These are very fragile, especially as they get older, and easily damaged. I suspect that something may have happened to the board when the cluster was out.

The battery light is designed to come on when the car is started, and go out shortly after. It will stay on when the key is on, but the car not running. If the light stays on, when the car is running, it is supposed to indicate a low charge situation, though it sounds as if your system is charging. If the light is on when the ignition is off, you have a short between the #1 and #2 terminals of the alternator, but this doesn't appear to be your problem.

The oil gauge has a sending unit in the top left (drivers) side of the block, next to the distributor. Check to make sure the lead is attached to the terminal on the top of the sender. If the sender is bad, I think that the gauge will usually remain at zero. A bad gauge could be pegged at full pressure, show no pressure, or act erratically. My electrical ability is somewhat limited, but normally I would think that an electronic oil gauge that is pegged to the right, has a ground or short problem. This is why I suspect that your problem may be a damaged center gauge cluster printed circuit.

As I'm far from an expert on wiring or gauge operation, hopefully someone else here may be able to offer you a better answer.

 

if your problems started after the stereo install.i would check there work first.just wondering what your rpm at idle is and you just might need a new ground wire.

 

Thanks all for your input. I'll definitely check the gauge cluster. Hopefully it's something simple. That might explain the oil pressure gage too. I'm pretty sure that was working, but only had the car out a few times before taking it in.

If I remember correctly, the car idles about 650 RPMs? I'm not 100% but seem to remember it being what I thought was low. It seems to run pretty good actually. I put a can of sea foam in when I got it.

Currently it's at the shop getting the alignment looked out. Hope to be up and running by the weekend.

I have another dumb question; when you shift gears, on the gear display to the right, does it highlight or have some type of indication which gear your in other than the obvious? i.e. is there some "red line" or something like a passenger car that tells you what gear you're in? Not sure if the Vette is built that way or if something is broken.

Thanks again!

 

if your ideling around 650 that is perfect.if it real low ,it might turn on the battery light.yes there is a indicator for your gear selection.http://www.crossfireinjection.net/for when you want to do some reading on the cross-fire.http://www.zip-corvette.com/ProductD...GR-SR&CTitle=&your indicator

 

There should be a white indicator bar to show what gear you're in. It's attached to the shifter mechanism and should be visible through the clear window.

 

Check the choke heater fuse and relay- if the battery's not charging either one of those could be bad. The wiring from that excites the alternator field.

 

Ok gang, just got a call from my mechanic. The problem was the copper skin on the back of the gauge cluster was bent and "shorting". Apparently (as you suspected) the radio installers must have bumped or bent it while installing the radio. At any rate, the charging system is fine and the battery warning light is off. Also, the oil pressure gauge is working again. A 30 minute job.

Thanks for all the advice!

Bill

 

I figured it was stereo install related. Glad it's fixed.

 

That's the printed circuit I was referring to in my post. Half of the time that there is a problem with something in 77-82 center gauge cluster (especially if you have multiple problems), it's caused by that printed circuit.

Glade you got it straightened out!