dead dash
Thread Starter
3rd Gear
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
From: Brandon Manitoba
dead dash
I purchased an 87 coupe that was written off due to its proximity to a house fire. The body is great other than the cracked roof and spoiler, the electrics not so great. I am assuming that water got on the dash as displays were shot. I have the car running great and everything works except the dash. The entire dash is dead including; gauges, centre display, heater controls and radio. I have instrument cluster tested and rebuilt. None of the connectors I checked show any sign of corrosion or heat. I have power on all fuses, but none on radio or gauge cluster. I have not checked centre display of heater controls yet as I did not have wiring diagram with me. Has anyone had a similar problem and is there a common component that could kill all these circuits simultaneously. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank You
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 5,043
Likes: 8
From: Tampa Florida
If the fuses checked out then your going to need to dig a bit deeper. Chances are if the car was "hosed" your going to want to pick up a FSM (factory service manual) for your 'vette to help narrow things down to specific circuits or one at a time - remove the dash cluster, radio, AC - turn the ignition key to "on" check for +12 VDC at the specific component's connector to see what is what.
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 1,853
Likes: 8
From: Westerly RI
I too suggest getting the FSM (not Chilton's, etc.), both for now and going forward- this investment will save you much misery in the long term and, as stated, will go a long way to solving your current (no pun intended) issues.
Thread Starter
3rd Gear
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
From: Brandon Manitoba
I have all the components out of the dash and have schematic for instrument cluster. I checked for voltage at the pins that supply the 12 volts and there is no power. I have also checked at the supply for the radio and I have no supply or ground. I will have to get correct manual, as Chilton’s does not show pin layout for heater and centre info panel.
Racer
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 308
Likes: 2
From: Kansas City MO
Double-check all the grounds in the engine compartment and clean them.
Next check all the relays as they may have gotten wet and are no longer 'tripping' and making connection.
Then check fuses and fusable links...
It really sounds like you know what you're after if you've got everything out so far - the factory wiring diagram is going to help immensely!
Next check all the relays as they may have gotten wet and are no longer 'tripping' and making connection.
Then check fuses and fusable links...
It really sounds like you know what you're after if you've got everything out so far - the factory wiring diagram is going to help immensely!
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 54,124
Likes: 30
From: Cincinnati, Oh USA
You should buy the GM electrical diagnosis service manual supplement. It has schematics, diagnosis procedures and pictures of component locations. The cluster gets power from four sources, LCD, CLSTR, INST and TAIL fuses. You need to see if 12v is on both sides of these fuses
and if so, see where 12v stops on each wire from these fuses to the cluster. You also need to confirm that you have a very low resistance connection from the cluster connector D1 to ground.
and if so, see where 12v stops on each wire from these fuses to the cluster. You also need to confirm that you have a very low resistance connection from the cluster connector D1 to ground.
Thread Starter
3rd Gear
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
From: Brandon Manitoba
I do not have ground to the radio or D1. Weird thing is, I have ground at the pin outside D1 that is not connected to anything. I stripped the black wire that goes to D1 and it shows I have ground. I also pulled the fuse and did a continuity test to yellow feed wire to radio, it shows continuity, but no 12 volts. There is no continuity between fuse 16 and D16 or C16. Radio and wipers are fed from the same brown wire to ignition switch and the wipers work fine. This makes no sense to me. I am contemplating striping the tape off the main wiring harness and following wires form fuses to dead components, however I am very reluctant to strip the last of the dash off as it has numerous components riveted to it. I have all the wiring diagrams and they do not show any connectors or components between the fuses and the radio or cluster. Could there be another connector or component in lie that could explain any of this? Thank you guys for the help, but this is the strangest wiring problem I have ever faced.
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Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 54,124
Likes: 30
From: Cincinnati, Oh USA
There are no fusible links at the starter motor on 87's. There is a bolt behind the battery with 9 red wires, one from the battery positive cable and 8 with their own fusible link going to almost all of the car's electrical devices.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 54,124
Likes: 30
From: Cincinnati, Oh USA
I do not have ground to the radio or D1. Weird thing is, I have ground at the pin outside D1 that is not connected to anything. I stripped the black wire that goes to D1 and it shows I have ground. I also pulled the fuse and did a continuity test to yellow feed wire to radio, it shows continuity, but no 12 volts. There is no continuity between fuse 16 and D16 or C16. Radio and wipers are fed from the same brown wire to ignition switch and the wipers work fine. This makes no sense to me. I am contemplating striping the tape off the main wiring harness and following wires form fuses to dead components, however I am very reluctant to strip the last of the dash off as it has numerous components riveted to it. I have all the wiring diagrams and they do not show any connectors or components between the fuses and the radio or cluster. Could there be another connector or component in lie that could explain any of this? Thank you guys for the help, but this is the strangest wiring problem I have ever faced.