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Topic: Digital instrument cluster (Read 808 times) previous topic - next topic

Digital instrument cluster

Hey guys, I have an 88 XR7 5.0. My digital instrument cluster is black. Im sure its just a bulb. Its only on the left side but thats the important side with oil press, water temp, fuel level. So if anyone has any ideas please let me know! Thank you.

Digital instrument cluster

Reply #1 –
Take it out and replace the bulb?
11.96 @ 118 MPH old 306 KB; 428W coming soon.

Digital instrument cluster

Reply #2 –
Do you know the size bulb? Is it right behind the cluster or in it?

Digital instrument cluster

Reply #3 –
They are little locking sockets that you twist to remove - real easy. The original bulbs are some sort of halogen push-in bulb, but I (and others) have used 194 bulbs and they work fine. Once you remove the front bezel around the dash (yes, that whole big piece), there are 4 small hex-head screws that have to be removed around the outside of the dash, then you pull it out. Two large plugs have to be removed before you can get it very far - they have snap-catches on either side - just press in tabs and pull out plugs. You'll see all the bulb-sockets and you can remove and replace as needed (I think the general gauge lighting are the 3 pairs of bulbs at the top.) You can plug in and test before putting it all back together.
11.96 @ 118 MPH old 306 KB; 428W coming soon.

Digital instrument cluster

Reply #4 –
Yep I changed all the bulbs and it is still blacked out. Im confused?

Digital instrument cluster

Reply #5 –
Quote from: Jack Semper Fi;289023
Yep I changed all the bulbs and it is still blacked out. Im confused?


The bulb sockets may have a bad contact with the printed circuit when twisted and locked in. The contacts on the socket itself will develop enough surface corrosion to not make good contact. I just removed and reinstalled the instrument cluster in my 1984 not too long ago.  I had several bulbs out but the bulbs were not burned out. I had to remove each and every socket and se the contacts clean so that they would have good contact on the printed circuit.


Back, when I had my 1985 Tbird I had to do the same exact thing...

Digital instrument cluster

Reply #6 –
Yeah, I have one bulb that blinks on and off that I've had out a couple of times. I don't know if the ribbon circuit develops cracks over time or perhaps it does just need a good cleaning.
11.96 @ 118 MPH old 306 KB; 428W coming soon.

Digital instrument cluster

Reply #7 –
Quote from: Cougar5.0;289056
Yeah, I have one bulb that blinks on and off that I've had out a couple of times. I don't know if the ribbon circuit develops cracks over time or perhaps it does just need a good cleaning.


Well believe it or not the ribbon circuit on the back of my cluster is in perfect shape. It's not that you need to clean the contacts on the ribbon circuit unless for some reason the exposed copper is very dark. Most of the time it's just the contacts on the bulb sockets which come into contact with the printed circuit that was the problem. Just se the corrosion build-up with an x-acto knife.  If that doesn't work just insure the contacts inside the sockets where the bulbs insert are not damaged or spread too far apart to make contact with the base of the bulbs.

ALSO, if the bulb sockets don't feel tight when you twist them in, you may need to bend out the contacts so that they will have more tension against the ribbon circuit for a better contact and to keep from vibrating loose.

The light output is so ed poor on the 1984 buttstuffog cluster that I added blue LED lights close to the perimeter of the top of the gauge faces for more light output. I simply soldered the LED wires to an unused bulb socket contact on the printed circuit. It's like why did it ever take so long for manufacturers to use gauge faces with the numbers and markings cut through or transluscent so light could shine through them instead of depending on a halo of light shining behind and around them.
 

Digital instrument cluster

Reply #8 –
I would reach behind and wiggle connections first , something else is going on here with the full left side out.

If you have had the cluster out before, there is a ribbon cable dead center bottom that is in conflict with the top steering column cover.  As the top column cover is removed, the plastic flap or cover itself will rip against the flex print directly below the speedo module.  This flex print being cut usually results in no speedo display so i doubt its the problem.

start here.....