I was able to get the cluster out of my 89. I think I have a bad bulb or bad ground somewhere. The connesctors don't look dirty but what do I use to clean them with, I figure I'll clean them up since its out. Also where inside the cluster should I look for a bad bulb, bad ground, etc. It isn't apart yet just out of the car in one peice.
Tim

 

If I recall correctly, there are small round shiny silver covers over the bulbs. You gently pry these up to get at the bulbs. Finding replacement bulbs may be a little more difficult...

 

"The connesctors don't look dirty but what do I use to clean them with "

Electrical switch cleaner aerosol

 

Tim, be sure to wear latex gloves when you start taking the instrument cluster apart, to avoid static electricity, and even better would be one of those wrist gound starps that you can get at electronics stores. Handle it like you're working on a computer. I just changed one of the bulbs in my '85. Here's a "copy" of my most recent results from a different thread.
I knew about the fact that you can open the little metal "port holes" to gain access to the light bulbs, but it didn't seem secure enough to pull the bulb out of the base and insert a glass bottom bulb into the slot in the old base. Since this is a project car, and I don't have to rely on it to be ready in the morning to go to work, I thought that I would go ahead and replace the bulbs from the back side, so that I could replace the bases with new bases and bulbs. I had the unit all apart, but I couldn't get that printed circuit board off of the unit, because the ground unit just wouldn't budge. I took it to the Corvette parts store, Coast Corvette, and Gene told me that you just have to work the thing back and forth until the ground unit loosens up and lets you slide the printed circuit board off. I took it home and messed with it until I finally said "screw it" and "I'm going to end up breaking this circuit board, then I'll be in a world of do-do". So I was able to lift the cicuit board up just enough to replace the burned out bulb with a new one and put the unit back together. I used curved needle nose plyers to insert the bulb and base into the hole and turn and lock it. It was the only one I could access this way. Put it all back together and put the car back together and the new bulb works. Of course, it's brighter than the old bulbs, but at least I can see my temperature reading clearly. I watch the temperature gauge the most. I ordered a set of bulbs from the Corvette parts store, so that when I find out what the "magic" is to remove the printed circuit board ground unit, I'll tear it all apart and do it again. By the time I get done with this I'll be an expert. While I had it apart, I did some "repairs" on some of the broken dashboard parts that are usually hidden from sight. I think the WWF wrestled in this car.
Tim, if you suceed in getting the printed circuit board out, then you're home free to replace all of the light bulbs. Hope you have better luck than I did.

 

Thanks everyone for the help. I replaced the bulbs and looked for anything that ddin't look good. My tach is working properly and everything is fine except that my high beam indicator is on with my low beams. I may put in brighter bulbs on my dash but being that everything is lit I'm happy. I can overlook the high beam light untill I'm feeling adventurous again.
Tim

 

Check http://www.batee.com He has graciously posted extensive material on the digital cluster and repairing the various problems encountered with it. Lots of good pictures.

 

Tim, were you able to remove the printed circuit board that the light bulbs are hidden under?

 

Im not sure which one the printed is. I went in from the back first taking off the metal sheild. Then I unscrewed the first board I came to and got it off the pins. I was able to replace the bulbs that way. Turns out thats why my tach was dim, bad bulb. Im still not sure about the high beam light. Im starting to think its a bad ground near the headlights.

 

Tim, you got it. That first board is the one I couldn't budge. I had read that you should clean the metal pins that the cream colored plastic device in the upper right hand corner slides over. I believe they're part of the grounding system and they also connect to the first and second circuit board (the front one) together. Check in the archives. I think I read somewhere, that someone had their turn signal indicators and high beam indicator stuck in the "on" position and someone said to clean the pins because it could be a bad ground. Go to the archived topics and type in "instrument panel" or variations of that title. Glad to see that yo could get that first circuit board off.


[Modified by Netnarc2, 4:55 PM 6/5/2003]

 

Thanks, it was a pain. I found that gently rocking it back and forth while keeping pressure up it finally popped off the pins. Belive it or not the connection I couldn't undo was the clip on the left side. I just kinda turned the board to the side as the wire to the clip was long enough to manuver the printed board around to access the bulbs.
Tim

 

That clip on the left side (upper left side) connects to the odometer. It powers a small geared electric motor that turns the odometer. Use a small bladed screw driver to open the latch on the side furthest from the odometer. It should just slide off of the connection.


[Modified by Netnarc2, 8:03 PM 6/5/2003]

 

Yup, thats how to do it! Scares the hell out of you the first few times you do it swearing it'll snap at any second though. :)