clusterf***

[Semblance]

so my odo was done and i removed the cluster today to replace the gears. while i was in there i tightened the grounding nuts as my temp gauge was flaky. i tried to get the SI board out to find out what kind of batteries to buy, as they are toasty and my tach stopped also... but was unable to physically remove the SI board from its slot.

put it all back together, and odo works like a charm, and my flaky temp gauge is no longer flaky - it's dead. seems like it's not getting power. i'll pull it all apart to check the connections again, but i'm pretty sure i did ok putting it all back together.

any suggestions on other things to check next time i open it up? i pulled fuses 10,12,21 before the 'fix" so i'll check those too.

and any suggestions on how to actually pry the SI board from its housing without destroying it? i couldn't see what was catching it, but also couldn't really grip it well.

thanks in advance....

e

[george graves]

Did you remove the coding plug before you tried to pull the si board?

[Semblance]

Thanks for that! I had tried to remove it but it wouldn't seem to budge. Ill try the trick in the video next time.

Now, what did I do to my temp gauge... Grr.

[george graves]

Yea. The coding plug can be a bit stubborn. Keep working at it.

[Semblance]

ok, pulled the cluster again today. got the coding plug out and the SI board came out with a little tugging, thanks George! the batteries look really aggravating to replace so i'll probably replace the board. anyone know if there is a difference between the moto and VDO SI boards? interchangeable?

but my temp gage is still dead. i checked all the cluster connections, seem ok. could the dead SI batteries be related? any troubleshooting tips? it was working/flaky before i removed the cluster, but now nothing.

thanks...

[Todd Black 88]

Yes the temp gauge is effected by the dead batteries, also the tach, gas gauge......basically everything but the speedo and odo.

[Semblance]

Good to know, thanks. Fuel gauge is still ok. Guess ill replace the board first and go from there. Thx

[Semblance]

Sorry for bringing back the dead here. I replaced my SI batteries today and the temp gauge is back to life! But still no tach. Any thoughts on how to diagnose? I pulled the tach, the solder looks fine as do the traces on the cluster. I don't have a known-working tach to swap in, any other way to diagnose?

[nando]

Yes the temp gauge is effected by the dead batteries, also the tach, gas gauge......basically everything but the speedo and odo.

the gas gauge is actually completely independent from the SI board, as is the speedo/odo.

[Gregs///M]

Sorry for bringing back the dead here. I replaced my SI batteries today and the temp gauge is back to life! But still no tach. Any thoughts on how to diagnose? I pulled the tach, the solder looks fine as do the traces on the cluster. I don't have a known-working tach to swap in, any other way to diagnose?

Be sure the coding plug is plugged in and the pins are not bent and fuse 10, 12 and 21 are good. The tach assembly is pretty robust and rarely go out in the hundreds of clusters I have worked on but it is possible it died, but rare.

Try those suggestions

[Semblance]

Will do, thanks Greg! I'll just replace the fuses with new, I'll check the coding plug pins though for sure. Guess I'll just reflow the solder joints for good measure too while I have it out.

[Semblance]

So no luck. Coding plug pins look ok. Re-flowed the solder joints on the tach connector an on the boar side. Still no tach. Is there anything outside the cluster that could kill it? Everything else in the cluster is working except the PO pulled the LEDs for the service indicator. But the tach was working up till a few months ago. Replaced the batteries 2 weeks ago and my temp gauge started working again so I think I did that right.

Or is it just time for a new cluster?

[Gregs///M]

So your tach did not work, you replaced the batteries and the tach worked again but failed a few weeks later?

Check the SI board for physical damage, see my thread...

http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=274422

[Semblance]

No, sorry if i wasn't clear. The tach worked, occasionally would stop working for a week or so, until July when i pulled my cluster the first time. Tach was working when i pulled it. At that point i tightened the ground nuts to fix the fuel gauge and temp gauge which were both flaky, and replace odo gears, and both the tach and temp gauge stopped working. i pulled it again a few weeks ago and installed new batteries, temp gauge comes back on, still no tach. pulled it this weekend to reflow some connections including tach pins and check the coding plug, still no tach (fixed the brake lining light though). I have no LEDs on the SI board somehow so i assume my batteries are working ok because the temp gauge came back on and they test ok with the DMM and are holding charge over two weeks.

i've read your thread many times =) and my SI board was not chewed up. connections looked ok. can cracked solder joints be seen under a magnifying glass? otherwise i'll be reflowing every single solder joint on the boards.

from searching around, it looks like this is now one of these:
-bad main cluster board
-bad SI board
-bad connection from ECU
-bad coil
-bad wiring UNDER the dash (3-pronged connector)
-bad ground under dash (checked, it's ok)
-bad fuse (i'll replace them all next week, but the only thing not working electrically is my tach - obc and all other cluster functions and radio are ok - it'll be real embarrassing if this fixes it)

wish i could narrow it down. i guess i'll start with fuses and the connector under the dash. no idea how to check the ecu connection or coil. and if that doesn't solve it i guess i'm replacing the boards.

[Gregs///M]

No LED's working on the LED panel could indicate the SI board is not powered on. There is a jumper switch on many, but not all SI boards. Make sure it is selected on. Also make sure when you replaced the batteries, you installed them in the correct polarity.

If you are confident you put your SI board batteries in correctly, and have the LED panel installed, but still no LED's light up, something is wrong with the SI board.