'85 instrument panel lighting/ground issue
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 20
Likes: 0
'85 instrument panel lighting/ground issue
Hi guys.
I'm working on getting my 1985 instrument panel to light up. The speedometer, rpm and everything else works fine, but doesn't light up. The high beams and turn signal are always lit.
I thought it was just the bulbs, so i bought some 882's off ebay and installed them but this didn't work. I didn't learn until after that the ground could be at fault.
I spent a good deal of time trying to follow the ground wire. I found it on the plug which connects to the instrument panel, but i just can't follow where it goes inside the car. I read that it should connect to the left side of the steering column. I found a black wire there but it doesn't seem to be the same one coming from the plug, though i may be wrong. I read on batee but it doesn't seem to have that much information regarding the ground wire. Any detailed information on this would certainly help.
In the mean time i went on to option 2: a bad solder somewhere on the circuit board. While opening the instrument panel to change the bulbs i noticed this:
Could this be the source of my problem? If so, how/can i repair this?
I know how to solder, just not sure how to approach this.
I'm working on getting my 1985 instrument panel to light up. The speedometer, rpm and everything else works fine, but doesn't light up. The high beams and turn signal are always lit.
I thought it was just the bulbs, so i bought some 882's off ebay and installed them but this didn't work. I didn't learn until after that the ground could be at fault.
I spent a good deal of time trying to follow the ground wire. I found it on the plug which connects to the instrument panel, but i just can't follow where it goes inside the car. I read that it should connect to the left side of the steering column. I found a black wire there but it doesn't seem to be the same one coming from the plug, though i may be wrong. I read on batee but it doesn't seem to have that much information regarding the ground wire. Any detailed information on this would certainly help.
In the mean time i went on to option 2: a bad solder somewhere on the circuit board. While opening the instrument panel to change the bulbs i noticed this:
Could this be the source of my problem? If so, how/can i repair this?
I know how to solder, just not sure how to approach this.
Last edited by hobbez; Aug 18, 2012 at 04:58 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2006
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From: Phoenix AZ
2021 C4 of the Year - Modified Finalist
Just a hint, wrap some needlenose pliers with masking tape. do overkill, and you can remove the bulbs easy through the holes in front.'
If you have a pair of metal spark plug pliers, sometimes if they are slim enough, they will grasp the bulbs really good too. Usually, they are dipped in liquid rubber such as pliers handles, and don't break the bulbs when you you grip them.
If you have a pair of metal spark plug pliers, sometimes if they are slim enough, they will grasp the bulbs really good too. Usually, they are dipped in liquid rubber such as pliers handles, and don't break the bulbs when you you grip them.
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 20
Likes: 0
It worked!
I didn't have to follow that darn ground wire after all. I re-soldered those joints and cleaned them up a bit and it works. It's so beautiful to see the whole thing light up.
It's a nice feeling to successfully fix something rather than take it apart to learn how it works and then forget how it goes back together (my childhood in a nutshell
).
Thanks for the suggestion coupeguy2001, but i ended up replacing even the bulb housing, since it was in the kit.
Next on my list is to fix the mess the previous owner made of the radio and speakers.
I didn't have to follow that darn ground wire after all. I re-soldered those joints and cleaned them up a bit and it works. It's so beautiful to see the whole thing light up.
It's a nice feeling to successfully fix something rather than take it apart to learn how it works and then forget how it goes back together (my childhood in a nutshell
).Thanks for the suggestion coupeguy2001, but i ended up replacing even the bulb housing, since it was in the kit.
Next on my list is to fix the mess the previous owner made of the radio and speakers.
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 20
Likes: 0
The batee page suggests to solder a few other key points. I didn't do them all, but when the time comes that i'll have to reopen the instrument panel, i'll do all the key points for sure.
http://www.batee.com/corvette/dcrg/r...tor/repair.htm
this will have all the information needed on re-soldering.
Let me know what happens. I'm curious to know what's up with your instrument panel.
Last edited by hobbez; Aug 20, 2012 at 02:34 PM.
