Dash is dark and car won't start
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 1,493
Likes: 94
From: Westfield MA
Dash is dark and car won't start
I have an 86 with manual transsmission and last week, the car wouldn't crank over but otherwise seemed fine, ie. all the lights worked. The next day the car started fine and did so for a few days. Tonight, I got in and tried to start it and the dash does not light up and the car doesn't crank over. The headlights work as do the interior lights. The dash is dark but the directional indictors and the high beam light are lit up. My guess here is that I have a bad ground and the directional lights are being lit by this ungrounded ground circuit. Any ideas????
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 9,715
Likes: 27
From: Kempner Texas
Re: Dash is dark and car won't start (skybolt31)
A darkened dash accompanied by the turn signal/high beam indicators being lit is a common sign of a dash ground problem. I believe it's circuit 153. There's a site that has nice photos showing exactly where to solder a ground wire on the circuit board. I'll try to find it if you want to take a look.
The no crank condition may well be caused by the same bad ground condition.
Here's a link that talks about it:
http://www.corvettemagazine.com/1999...ash/dashp1.asp
Jake
The no crank condition may well be caused by the same bad ground condition.
Here's a link that talks about it:
http://www.corvettemagazine.com/1999...ash/dashp1.asp
Jake
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 54,124
Likes: 30
From: Cincinnati, Oh USA
Re: Dash is dark and car won't start (skybolt31)
The cluster ground is open and the cluster current is passing through the turn signal lamps through their ground keeping them lit. No cranking is probably VATS. First try your spare ign key as its pellet contacts are not worn like your everyday key. Next unplug the clutch safety switch and jump it and try a crank. Find the two wires from your ign tumbler (on my 87 they come out the bottom of the steering column and go under the carpet) and unplug the 2 pin connector and with the key inserted measure the resistance across the wires from the column. It should measure the same as the pellet and over 13k ohms, you need a new tumbler which has new contacts that make with pellet. You can prove your starter is ok by jumping 12v to one of the two contacts on the clutch safety switch socket.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 1,493
Likes: 94
From: Westfield MA
Re: Dash is dark and car won't start (jfb)
Well I didn't get a chance to work on the car today, but I did try to start it, and it cranked right over and fired right up, but the dash is still dark, so it appears that the problems may not be as related as I would like. I think tomorrow I will be able to follow the directions in the link provided above and fix the dash problem. Then it will be on to the starter!!
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 9,715
Likes: 27
From: Kempner Texas
Re: Dash is dark and car won't start (skybolt31)
Here's a link that may have answers to your questions.
http://www.batee.com/corvette/dcrg/index.shtml
Jake
http://www.batee.com/corvette/dcrg/index.shtml
Jake
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Re: Dash is dark and car won't start (skybolt31)
Re-read jfb's post. He says the problems are unrelated and gives you info on troubleshooting you intermittant no-start. There's a very good chance it's not your starter.
Good Luck.
Good Luck.
