[V8] the dreaded blue wire debacle

Thu Jan 27 17:45:57 EST 2005

Hmm.  Good Question.  I've gotten to the point where I can remove the dash
pad in less than 20 minutes and give another 10 to (carefully) remove the
IC.  Add 25 minutes to reinstall.  As to the work on the IC -- the last time
(the one that fixed my IC problems took me about 1/2 hr -- but I knew
exactly where to look and what needed to be done.  Just basic soldering was
all that was required.

Some techs won't even attempt to mess with an IC as sophisticated as this
one.  If you can remove it yourself and want to send it to me -- that would
also be an option.  I can't guarantee a solution, just sharing my
experiences

-Ingo

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Steve Kramer" <skramer at mac.com>
To: "Ingo Rautenberg" <i.rautenberg at waratap.com>; <v8 at audifans.com>
Sent: Thursday, January 27, 2005 5:08 PM
Subject: Re: [V8] the dreaded blue wire debacle

> Ingo,
>
> My god.  This is just like my car.  Is there a Type 44 out there without
all
> these electrical problems.
>
> My car would also do the low oil pressure light thing.  Hasn't happened
this
> year.  See, I used to bang the top of my dash to get the gas/temp gauges
to
> work.  Now, I have second thoughts about that approach - as perhaps this
led
> to the blue wire debacle.  Also maybe the rear end collision  from a car
> doing 20 mph and forcing me into another car might also be to blame.
> When the gauges come to life so does the seat belt indicator and the
chime.
> It seems like I might have some bad solder connections and/or oxidized
> connections.  Perhaps the blue wire connection is related.
>
> Wondering most of you say the cluster don't go bad.  Are they available
for
> sale?   Audiconnection?  Or would it cost less just to pay my mechanic
clean
> all the contacts and repair any bad solder joints.  How many hours do you
> think? I've already spent $500 the last go around.
>
> Thnaks for your reply,
>
> Steve Kramer
> 1990 v8q
>
>  ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Ingo Rautenberg" <i.rautenberg at waratap.com>
> To: "Steve Kramer" <skramer at mac.com>; "Buchholz, Steven"
> <Steven.Buchholz at kla-tencor.com>; <v8 at audifans.com>
> Sent: Thursday, January 27, 2005 2:35 PM
> Subject: Re: [V8] the dreaded blue wire debacle
>
>
> > Steve,
> >
> > Yes you did :-)  The alternator comes complete with new voltage
> > regulator/brush pack.  Have you checked climate control head voltage
when
> > this occurs?  The fact that you have occasionally three IC lights
> > dimly-lit
> > at the same time has me thinking a bad solder joint or other connection
in
> > the instrument cluster, but I can't say for sure.
> >
> > Bad solder joints can do aggravating things.  See:
> > http://www.audifans.com/pipermail/v8/2004-September/003714.html
> >
> > -Ingo
> >
> > ----- Original Message ----- 
> > From: "Steve Kramer" <skramer at mac.com>
> > To: "Buchholz, Steven" <Steven.Buchholz at kla-tencor.com>;
<v8 at audifans.com>
> > Sent: Thursday, January 27, 2005 2:54 PM
> > Subject: Re: [V8] the dreaded blue wire debacle
> >
> >
> >> I did have the alternator replaced last year but not the voltage
> > regulator.
> >> What do you use to clean the battery posts - ground locations.
> >>
> >> Dumb question -  Also could the battery short out if the posts touch
the
> >> metal on the rear bench.
> >>
> >> Steve Kramer
> >> 1990 v8
> >>
> >>
> >> ----- Original Message ----- 
> >> From: "Buchholz, Steven" <Steven.Buchholz at kla-tencor.com>
> >> To: <v8 at audifans.com>
> >> Sent: Thursday, January 27, 2005 12:59 PM
> >> Subject: RE: [V8] the dreaded blue wire debacle
> >>
> >>
> >> ... by any chance has this crack mechanic pulled the regulator module
> >> off the alternator to see if the brushes are getting to the end of
their
> >> life?  To be honest I've forgotten the details of the journey that got
> >> us to this point, but I remember a similar chain in my younger days ...
> >> I think it was on the old '78 Fox ... I went up and down the charging
> >> system ... and all it took was getting the alternator rebuilt!  Think
> >> about it ... most all of the other bits do not tend to wear or get
moved
> >> about ...
> >>
> >> Other items that can lead to charging system issues are the ground
braid
> >> from the engine block to the frame, and on some models there are poorly
> >> crimped high current cables that can develop high resistance ... but I
> >> don't think this applies to the V8 ... and even if it did would not
> >> likely result in the ALT light coming on ...
> >>
> >> Steve B
> >> San Jose, CA (USA)
> >> >
> >> > Well, it's happened again.  One week after having the cluster
> >> > taken out and
> >> > the blue wire fixed  I thought I was through with the blue wire
thing.
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> >>
> >>
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> > contributions welcome!
> >>
> >
> >
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