From: John Doherty (mofta@hiwaay.net)
Date: Sun Jan 30 2005 - 15:14:28 PST
Continueing on the wiring theme;
I had no dash lights, no gauges etc., but the lights worked in the
voltmeter and heater control panel.
I pulled the instrument cluster, disassembled it and cleaned all the crud
from the plastics. The plastic 'wiring' overlay contacts were literally
black, and not making any type of connections at all. The plastic lens for
all the idiot lights were blacked out from all the dust on them. I cleaned
the overlay and lens with '409', and after it dried overnight I gently
scuffed the contact points with some 3M scotchbrite to shine 'em up. Did
the same thing to the tiny contacts on each of the light sockets brass
contacts. Every bulb in the cluster was good, but just wasn't getting any
connection before. I confirmed each one with a set of leads off a small UPS
battery on the test bench.
Before I reinstalled the cluster, I scuffed the wiring harness connector
contacts and sprung the leads out a bit more for better tension.
While I had the cluster disassembled I spray painted that green plastic with
some silver metallic paint, and also the back side of the metal trim panel
around the speedometer and fuel gauge. I painted the front side of the
metal with semi gloss black. Now the dash lights don't seem so dim, and I
can actually see the speedo at night. But it does show up how filthy that
heater control unit is. It'll get disassembled and cleaned up next.
I noticed something while the instrument panel was out for a few of days.
The front battery seems to drain fast, and the drivers side alternator
wasn't charging. I figured it was just bad timing for an alternator to die.
But after reinstalling the instrument cluster, everything is working fine
again. Alternator is charging, and the battery is staying charged up fine.
Guess that cluster is a necessity for everything to work properly.
John
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