Early 86 dash problem
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Instructor
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 160
Likes: 1
From: Fl
Early 86 dash problem
Hello,
I am about to being getting my old 86 road worthy again (has been sitting for close to three years (
) do to school and other life events... Anyways, the car seems to have gotten some moisture inside some how (not much, no growths or anything crazy like that, just a little musky smell and paper/cardboard inside were damp) and now for the first time since owning the car (10 years or so) the dash will not light up. When it was parked the back lighting worked find for the dash. I can see the information for the dash but the lighting circuit does not appear to be working. After some research I believe it is a ground problem (both turn signal indicator and the bright light indicator are on all the time). My thinking is, since the car has just been sitting I do not see how a physical ground to the block or frame could be affected. I have looked on batee and saw that there can be issues with a pin inside the cluster that can need cleaning to ensure proper grounding. Should I look this direction first considering the information provided?
Thanks guys!
I am about to being getting my old 86 road worthy again (has been sitting for close to three years (
) do to school and other life events... Anyways, the car seems to have gotten some moisture inside some how (not much, no growths or anything crazy like that, just a little musky smell and paper/cardboard inside were damp) and now for the first time since owning the car (10 years or so) the dash will not light up. When it was parked the back lighting worked find for the dash. I can see the information for the dash but the lighting circuit does not appear to be working. After some research I believe it is a ground problem (both turn signal indicator and the bright light indicator are on all the time). My thinking is, since the car has just been sitting I do not see how a physical ground to the block or frame could be affected. I have looked on batee and saw that there can be issues with a pin inside the cluster that can need cleaning to ensure proper grounding. Should I look this direction first considering the information provided?Thanks guys!
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 3,751
Likes: 276
From: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Hello,
I am about to being getting my old 86 road worthy again (has been sitting for close to three years () do to school and other life events... Anyways, the car seems to have gotten some moisture inside some how (not much, no growths or anything crazy like that, just a little musky smell and paper/cardboard inside were damp) and now for the first time since owning the car (10 years or so) the dash will not light up. When it was parked the back lighting worked find for the dash. I can see the information for the dash but the lighting circuit does not appear to be working. After some research I believe it is a ground problem (both turn signal indicator and the bright light indicator are on all the time). My thinking is, since the car has just been sitting I do not see how a physical ground to the block or frame could be affected. I have looked on batee and saw that there can be issues with a pin inside the cluster that can need cleaning to ensure proper grounding. Should I look this direction first considering the information provided?
Thanks guys!
I am about to being getting my old 86 road worthy again (has been sitting for close to three years (
) do to school and other life events... Anyways, the car seems to have gotten some moisture inside some how (not much, no growths or anything crazy like that, just a little musky smell and paper/cardboard inside were damp) and now for the first time since owning the car (10 years or so) the dash will not light up. When it was parked the back lighting worked find for the dash. I can see the information for the dash but the lighting circuit does not appear to be working. After some research I believe it is a ground problem (both turn signal indicator and the bright light indicator are on all the time). My thinking is, since the car has just been sitting I do not see how a physical ground to the block or frame could be affected. I have looked on batee and saw that there can be issues with a pin inside the cluster that can need cleaning to ensure proper grounding. Should I look this direction first considering the information provided?Thanks guys!
First check the ground connections and the fuses, the dash can be affected by moisture but you may need to pull the star wars dash from the car to check it.
A hint it is easier to do when you remove the dash pad, remove the screws at the demister vent 2x and 2x at the center console above the vents. There are another couple screws as well.
Then you do not have to drop the steering collumn.
See below links to batee's ebay site with the common problem areas as kits, like the connector backlights and photocell that controls the brightness of the dash during the day.
At night the headlight switch **** can be turned to adjust the dash brightness.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Backlight-Repair-Kit-Connector-C4-Corvette-Digital-Cluster-Gauge-Instrument-Dash-/121365222514?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item1c41ee5472#ht_3430wt_4558
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Power-Supply-Repair-Kit-C4-Corvette-Digital-Cluster-Gauge-Instrument-Panel-Dash-/121367237546?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item1c420d13aa#ht_3927wt_4490
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Xenon-Bulb-Kit-C4-Corvette-Digital-Cluster-Gauge-Instrument-Panel-Gauge-Dash-/111360076709?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item19ed93eba5
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Photocell-Repair-Kit-C4-Corvette-Digital-Cluster-Gauge-Instrument-Panel-Dash-/121365222876?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item1c41ee55dc#ht_5785wt_4742
Last edited by gerardvg; Jul 1, 2014 at 08:13 PM. Reason: Fixed some bad links
