My Dash Blinks
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 13
Likes: 0
From: Paso Robles California
My Dash Blinks
First off I must confess that that while I am an experienced hobby mechanic I have always owned a competitors cars. That being so I don't understand what Vet abbreviations mean. so if you use them please write out what it means as well. For instance I have seen the Abbreviation "DIC" Which means to me Double inter-cooler. I was reading about dash problems. So I know my understanding and what was meant is different. To my problem:
History: I recently bought a 1984 Vet with a totally blown motor. I replaced it and am now fixing other things. There is one thing that I am unsure about. There are I think 4 tan connectors to the distributor Tach terminal. I have one left over. Can anyone help me with where these all go?
Symptoms: Now that the motor is in the car I have discovered that the digital dash Flashes when the motor is revving between 1200 and 2400 rpm. (Aside: it idles at 900 rpm which I think is high.) Outside those ranges it is lit constantly except for the coolant temp gauge is dark and never reads the temperature. The other functions of that gauge also don't work. I only mention the next problem as it might be related. The stereo turns on but there is now sound at the speakers.
Any help is appreciated.
History: I recently bought a 1984 Vet with a totally blown motor. I replaced it and am now fixing other things. There is one thing that I am unsure about. There are I think 4 tan connectors to the distributor Tach terminal. I have one left over. Can anyone help me with where these all go?
Symptoms: Now that the motor is in the car I have discovered that the digital dash Flashes when the motor is revving between 1200 and 2400 rpm. (Aside: it idles at 900 rpm which I think is high.) Outside those ranges it is lit constantly except for the coolant temp gauge is dark and never reads the temperature. The other functions of that gauge also don't work. I only mention the next problem as it might be related. The stereo turns on but there is now sound at the speakers.
Any help is appreciated.
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 15,926
Likes: 579
First off I must confess that that while I am an experienced hobby mechanic I have always owned a competitors cars. That being so I don't understand what Vet abbreviations mean. so if you use them please write out what it means as well. For instance I have seen the Abbreviation "DIC" Which means to me Double inter-cooler. I was reading about dash problems. So I know my understanding and what was meant is different. To my problem:
History: I recently bought a 1984 Vet with a totally blown motor. I replaced it and am now fixing other things. There is one thing that I am unsure about. There are I think 4 tan connectors to the distributor Tach terminal. I have one left over. Can anyone help me with where these all go?
Symptoms: Now that the motor is in the car I have discovered that the digital dash Flashes when the motor is revving between 1200 and 2400 rpm. (Aside: it idles at 900 rpm which I think is high.) Outside those ranges it is lit constantly except for the coolant temp gauge is dark and never reads the temperature. The other functions of that gauge also don't work. I only mention the next problem as it might be related. The stereo turns on but there is now sound at the speakers.
Any help is appreciated.
History: I recently bought a 1984 Vet with a totally blown motor. I replaced it and am now fixing other things. There is one thing that I am unsure about. There are I think 4 tan connectors to the distributor Tach terminal. I have one left over. Can anyone help me with where these all go?
Symptoms: Now that the motor is in the car I have discovered that the digital dash Flashes when the motor is revving between 1200 and 2400 rpm. (Aside: it idles at 900 rpm which I think is high.) Outside those ranges it is lit constantly except for the coolant temp gauge is dark and never reads the temperature. The other functions of that gauge also don't work. I only mention the next problem as it might be related. The stereo turns on but there is now sound at the speakers.
Any help is appreciated.
Pro
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 706
Likes: 47
From: Denver Colorado
The extra distributor connection is for test equipment. The speakers each have dedicated amps that turn on through a relay that may be toast (it is a BOSE Radio, right??). There are 4 halogen bulbs that light the dash... is the problem that one is burned out on the TEMP gauge or is the gauge display inop?
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 13
Likes: 0
From: Paso Robles California
Thanks. Still working on it.
Nice to know what DIC is, and That I did not miss something on the extra tach lead at the Distributor. When I look at the stereo I know to check for that relay.
To clarify the problem with the dash is that the whole digital dash display blinks at the specified RPM even the gauge areas that don't work. Every pixel lights up so all letters and numerals look like "8". Then it all goes blank and then repeats at about 3-5 cycles per second. When out of that RPM range the coolent temp is black, Every part of it. The areas of the dash are lit and function just fine.
To clarify the problem with the dash is that the whole digital dash display blinks at the specified RPM even the gauge areas that don't work. Every pixel lights up so all letters and numerals look like "8". Then it all goes blank and then repeats at about 3-5 cycles per second. When out of that RPM range the coolent temp is black, Every part of it. The areas of the dash are lit and function just fine.
Racer
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 429
Likes: 29
From: Brooklyn, MI
Dash blinks
Nice to know what DIC is, and That I did not miss something on the extra tach lead at the Distributor. When I look at the stereo I know to check for that relay.
To clarify the problem with the dash is that the whole digital dash display blinks at the specified RPM even the gauge areas that don't work. Every pixel lights up so all letters and numerals look like "8". Then it all goes blank and then repeats at about 3-5 cycles per second. When out of that RPM range the coolent temp is black, Every part of it. The areas of the dash are lit and function just fine.
To clarify the problem with the dash is that the whole digital dash display blinks at the specified RPM even the gauge areas that don't work. Every pixel lights up so all letters and numerals look like "8". Then it all goes blank and then repeats at about 3-5 cycles per second. When out of that RPM range the coolent temp is black, Every part of it. The areas of the dash are lit and function just fine.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 10,036
Likes: 346
From: Anaheim CA
The readouts in the center of the cluster are controlled by 4 switches to the left of the DIC. If one of those switches is in the center position (off) then the corresponding display will be dark.
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 13
Likes: 0
From: Paso Robles California
that's not the problem, Cliff, but if a switch is bad that could be it. Thanks it gives me another clue. Today I just put the repaired inner fender back in. Sunday is when I'll start on the Dash. thanks all for the hints.
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Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 3,751
Likes: 276
From: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
See his services on the http://www.batee.com/
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Backlight-Repair-Kit-Connector-C4-Corvette-Digital-Cluster-Gauge-Instrument-Dash-/111632568157?hash=item19fdd1cf5d
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Xenon-Bulb-Kit-C4-Corvette-Digital-Cluster-Gauge-Instrument-Panel-Gauge-Dash-/121612920654?hash=item1c50b1e74e
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Photocell-Repair-Kit-C4-Corvette-Digital-Cluster-Gauge-Instrument-Panel-Dash-/121614846194?hash=item1c50cf48f2
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 13
Likes: 0
From: Paso Robles California
Robert Perkins...
...was right. We sent the dash to him and he fixed it. We also found that the tach input near the distributor needed to be cleaned and tightened up. Thiose 2 things fixed it. Now to figure out why it backfires intermittently.
Kudos to Robert Perkins.
Kudos to Robert Perkins.