Electrical problem
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 807
Likes: 2
From: VIRGINIA BEACH VIRGINIA
Electrical problem
I recently pulled my interior out to change the carpet and re-dye the leather. Pulled everything out except the dash. I put everything back together and it actually looks pretty good. Got the carpet and dye from WILLCOX (thank you). Started it up yesterday after it was sitting for 2 months and all the center gauges and tach go all the way to the right. The charging is barried at 18, the temp is in the red, tach over at 9000 rpm and oil pressure is at 80 and I know all those readings are false. Do you have any idea where I should start looking for problems?
Don't really want to pull the clusters out again but it looks like I may have to. Everything works correctly, windows, wipers, lights, blinkers so I am not sure.
Thanks
Dan
Don't really want to pull the clusters out again but it looks like I may have to. Everything works correctly, windows, wipers, lights, blinkers so I am not sure.
Thanks
Dan
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 8,918
Likes: 27
From: New Hill NC
I haven't the foggiest what year car it is, but if it is a later C3 the plug in the cluster that contacts the printed circuit board is likely the problem. When you pull the plug out it usually brings some of the contacts with it. Straighten them up and try again.
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,116
From: Crossville TN
Before you do anything else, get a 3-4 foot long piece of wire awg #16 or larger. Turn your ignition key to ON (without starting the engine); the gauges should go to full-right position [based on your first post].
Connect one end of that wire to a known-good grounding point....something metal that connects to the frame/birdcage...or a spot where you see a black wire connected to metal framework. Now, touch the other end of that wire to the chrome surface on the gauge cluster bezel. If you are missing the ground to that bezel (very common problem, by the way), the gauges will start working properly.
If that is it, you can dig into the guts to find the missing ground wire and hook it up properly; or you can just rig up a little jumper wire behind the center dash area that connects bare metal on the gauge bezel with a good grounding point.
Connect one end of that wire to a known-good grounding point....something metal that connects to the frame/birdcage...or a spot where you see a black wire connected to metal framework. Now, touch the other end of that wire to the chrome surface on the gauge cluster bezel. If you are missing the ground to that bezel (very common problem, by the way), the gauges will start working properly.
If that is it, you can dig into the guts to find the missing ground wire and hook it up properly; or you can just rig up a little jumper wire behind the center dash area that connects bare metal on the gauge bezel with a good grounding point.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 807
Likes: 2
From: VIRGINIA BEACH VIRGINIA
Took the center gauges out today and saw that a couple of the copper runs were crossed on the circuit board that attaches to the connector for the center gauges. All better now. Thanks everyone.
Dan
Dan
