Instrument Cluster - Help Tracing Power Needed
11-11-2012, 08:17 AM
#1
Super Member
Thread Starter
Instrument Cluster - Help Tracing Power Needed
Hi Fellas,
As you might have read I have had some issue's with a ground not working on the instrument cluster, specifically to the tacho/clock.
I found that if i pushed the cluster in part way the tacho would work but if I pushed it in the whole way it would stop.
By putting a separate ground lead in place to the back of the tacho side of the cluster bingo all is well - so it appeared.....................
The firggin clock still doesn;t work ONCE the ignition is switched off.
So more to the point rather than it being just an earthing issuie I think something more reaching is in error.
Could some kind soul with a circuit diagram give me some clues as to where the "constant power" and earth are being sourced in so I can see which leads are screwing up ? Or any alternative ideas ?
Thanks Guys
As you might have read I have had some issue's with a ground not working on the instrument cluster, specifically to the tacho/clock.
I found that if i pushed the cluster in part way the tacho would work but if I pushed it in the whole way it would stop.
By putting a separate ground lead in place to the back of the tacho side of the cluster bingo all is well - so it appeared.....................
The firggin clock still doesn;t work ONCE the ignition is switched off.
So more to the point rather than it being just an earthing issuie I think something more reaching is in error.
Could some kind soul with a circuit diagram give me some clues as to where the "constant power" and earth are being sourced in so I can see which leads are screwing up ? Or any alternative ideas ?
Thanks Guys
11-11-2012, 09:25 PM
#2
Super Member
Thread Starter
PROBLEM SOLVED
PROBLEM SOLVED
Many Thanks to CBCATL & SBAERT & ZEITGEIST
I got out the multimeter !
Now I don't know why I purchased as I have idea ZERO about how to use one.
However a couple of you tube tutorials and Crutchlow instruction sheet later I figured I had it down so I wandered to the car.
This supposedly always hot Red/White lead to the back of the clock.
Nothing on any settings including some that probably were useless even if they did show something.
So I started looking behind the dash to see where that lead went.
Of course it's buried in the loom with the big brown mother of all plugs so no tracing it from there.
So I figured hang on it's been working with the ignition on so lets just see what happens with this lead when the ignition switch is on.
Bingo suddenly voltage starts showing up.
Now that's kinda strange I would have thought because it's supposed to be hot all the time, so I checked it 3 times. Yep Voltage on ignition.
Has someone wired this up wiring maybe ?
Under the hood no hope in hell of finding it under there.
What's under the fuse box stays under the fusebox !
So I thought let's have a look at FUSE 9 and see if voltage is going through it.
1 end - YEP - voltage and yet at the other end nothing.
Hmmmm is that correct I wonder ?
Maybe it's the wrong color fuse and there's insufficient votlage getting through (remember I am a complete electrical dufus !).
So I pull the fuse and the red FUSE 8 also too inspect.
Bugger me if it doesn't fall apart in my hand !
The end knob that locks it into the fusebox has broken away from the copper strip and the copper strip just falls in half !
Worse still where the fuse was is a curly piece of old alloy fuse material.
So I am thinking either
(a) I screwed it when I was installing the cluster by perhaps grounding the always hot on something (I don't recall doing it though BUT the plastic cover does slide back off very easily exposing the bare connector so it's quite possible)
Or
(b) the old alloy fuse dropping may have shorted the new copper fuse.
Needless to say - the clock is not going tick tick tick (because they don't make any noise) but it still going yipppeeeeee !
ADDED NOTE:
I also painted the gauge needles a while back. I fear the big hand may be catching on the little hand when they meet as it has lost 9 minutes since starting and was at around 7 past 1. But that means opening up the cluster again and making sure the needles are not impinging on each other.
Bloody pesky thing !
12-12-2012, 05:05 PM
#4
Super Member
Thread Starter
A New Grounding Source was Supplied !
PROBLEM SOLVED (FOR REAL THIS TIME) CLOCK BEEN RUNNING FOR 4 DAYS
Okay well I went back to basics again, removed,checked refitted still no joy.
Then as a last ditch attempt, I re-did a hard ground for the right side of the cluster despite the "cross cluster grounding strip" appearing intact and fine.
This time I anchored one end on the "massive brown earthing block" behind the cluster on the firewall and the other end is anchored on the cluster screw at the upper left side (looking at the rear of the cluster).
And as an extra note I replaced the cluster but watching it from a top view could see the cluster was catching on the dash at the "curving section". So I lifted the bottom slightly to slide it in under and darned if it didn't go all the way back in (which it has refused to do for ages) simply and easily.
Tachometer working fine - clock working fine !
YEEEEEHAAWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW
Okay well I went back to basics again, removed,checked refitted still no joy.
Then as a last ditch attempt, I re-did a hard ground for the right side of the cluster despite the "cross cluster grounding strip" appearing intact and fine.
This time I anchored one end on the "massive brown earthing block" behind the cluster on the firewall and the other end is anchored on the cluster screw at the upper left side (looking at the rear of the cluster).
And as an extra note I replaced the cluster but watching it from a top view could see the cluster was catching on the dash at the "curving section". So I lifted the bottom slightly to slide it in under and darned if it didn't go all the way back in (which it has refused to do for ages) simply and easily.
Tachometer working fine - clock working fine !
YEEEEEHAAWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW
