[V8] Instrument cluster fix

[Steve B]

I've got similar symptoms on #2.  While my opinions on the whys and wherefores may be slightly different, I had done all the standard fixes and yet it is still intermittent.  What I found was that by wiggling one of the connectors from the car to the IC I could see the gauges react.  It has been a while, but I think it was the yellow connector.

I think the problem is that the socket connections have worked loose over the years.  My plan its to install longer pins on the IC and hope for the best.  I can't imagine changing the connector on the wiring loom is going to be a simple task.

You may want to try wiggling connectors as I did to see if you can identify bad connections as I saw.

Good luck Ed!
Steve Buchholz



Ed Kellock <ekellock at gmail.com> wrote:

>I know Ingo has reported that he did this and it corrected his issues as
>well.
>
>I have spent the last three nights doing this and still no change in the
>behavior of my IC.
>
>I still have dead fuel and temp gauges and a pegged oil pressure gauge. In
>the morning they will usually be all working correctly, but within a few
>miles, poof again. 
>
>Really annoyed at this point.
>
>Ed
> 
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: v8-bounces at audifans.com [mailto:v8-bounces at audifans.com] On Behalf Of
>Mike Arman
>Sent: Thursday, April 08, 2010 9:29 AM
>To: v8 at audifans.com
>Subject: [V8] Instrument cluster fix
>
>
>
> From 2005 posting:
>
>
>> I had similar very symptoms on my V8 - fuel and temp gauges dropped 
>> sporadically to zero, came back with a whack on the dash pads. The pc 
>> traces were fine, the problem was cold solder joints at the pins that 
>> the interboard ribbon cables connect to.
>> 
>> These are assembled by "wave soldering" - does the whole pc board at 
>> one pass.
>> 
>> Problem is that if there's enough heat to solder the big parts (high 
>> thermal mass), it is too much for the ICs and other smaller parts and 
>> they get toasted.
>> 
>> I've seen this on other electronics equipment - *exactly* the same 
>> thing, cold solder joints on the large pin connectors - PC power 
>> supplies are good for that.
>> 
>> Cure is remove the cluster, take the boards off one at a time, and 
>> with a fine pencil iron, re-solder the bases of the interboard 
>> connection pins one by one. Put it all back together (now is also THE 
>> time to change all the burned out dash lights) and dollars to donuts 
>> your problems will be cured. I found four bad ones and some more 
>> suspect ones. You will be able to wiggle (as opposed to flex) the pins 
>> slightly in the pc board if the solder joint is bad. Also, a cold 
>> solder joint is "grainy" or "pebbly" instead of smooth and shiny. Use 
>> a magnifying glass.
>> 
>> Use some contact enhancer on re-assembly just as extra insurance.
>> 
>> I did mine almost two years (now SEVEN years!!!) ago, and that part 
>> (at least) has worked flawlessly since.
>> 
>> Best Regards,
>> 
>> Mike Arman V8Q, lights, blinks, starts, runs (be afraid . . . )
>
>
>
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