Cluster packed it in today!

[Darrellg1]

Hey guys.
Anyone have, or know anyone, that has a digi cluster for an 87?

My 5 amp fuse keeps popping and dash is dark and garbled.

I JUST lost about 1 pound of skin in my license plate are changing my right outside turn signal. (PIA that was!!!) started the car and no dash..........grrrrreat lol... too bad CF dont fix it lmao.

 

[Darrellg1]

Got a cluster repair kit on its way from Batee, new power supply too!!! Looks like brain surgery down the road lol!!! Pics on how to do this also for our vicarious viewers ;-), although its general knowledge out there for the general Corvette C4 repair enthusiast consumption .

BATEE.COM - 84-96 Corvette Digital Cluster Parts and Services

 

[C4dhr]

Hi,

It’s a simple fix...

It’s the lack of proper grounding on the cluster board. It you remove the cluster and open it up, you will notice that one of the pins that connects one board to the other has lost contact (ground) with the other board.

 

[Darrellg1]

Hi,

It’s a simple fix...

It’s the lack of proper grounding on the cluster board. It you remove the cluster and open it up, you will notice that one of the pins that connects one board to the other has lost contact (ground) with the other board.

Hi C4hdr;
I wish it were that easy lol. It blew 2 fuses 5 amps for the LCD and I had partial lights , they went out, turned car off and checked fuses, LCD 5 AMP blew, yanked battery negative, I reinstalled it. Reconnected battery, blew again. Now totally dark. I opened it up, and my caps for the power board leaked out PCB's I assume. I f not PCB's prob mineral oil. Either way...I aint touchin it lol. The substance I mean lol.
SO...Bryan at Batee to the rescue. I get all new polarized lenses too along with LED bulbs. (Got the upgrade for 25 bucks for the LEDS). New light sensor in the kit too.
Gonna have me a new rebuilt dash cluster soon

 

[Darrellg1]

Hi C4hdr;
I wish it were that easy lol. It blew 2 fuses 5 amps for the LCD and I had partial lights , they went out, turned car off and checked fuses, LCD 5 AMP blew, yanked battery negative, I reinstalled it. Reconnected battery, blew again. Now totally dark. I opened it up, and my caps for the power board leaked out PCB's I assume. I f not PCB's prob mineral oil. Either way...I aint touchin it lol. The substance I mean lol.
SO...Bryan at Batee to the rescue. I get all new polarized lenses too along with LED bulbs. (Got the upgrade for 25 bucks for the LEDS). New light sensor in the kit too.
Gonna have me a new rebuilt dash cluster soon

 

[Riley P]

Yuck. Looks like the inside of the old Intelevision video game system.

 

[Darrellg1]

Yuck. Looks like the inside of the old Intelevision video game system.

Yeah, its pretty gnarly in there with 31 years of dirt accumulating.
The WORST part of this has been by far is that 8 wire ribbon cable to the left.
BIATCH!!!!!
Cutting it is easy, soldering in the new power supply was an effort requiring a mag glass, and patience the Dali-Lama would've been proud of, without screwing up any of the VIA'S ( Small Connectors inside the holes in PC board that connect one side to the other side. Think a small sleeve, inside a hole, made of brass I assume?).

Photos to follow soon.

 

[Darrellg1]

Here's the disassembly photos. I pulled the enunciation (aka, info) panel, and replaced those while I had the dash apart. Assembly photos to follow.

 

[Darrellg1]

Here's the disassembly photos. I pulled the enunciation (aka, info) panel, and replaced those while I had the dash apart. Assembly photos to follow.View attachment 16404View attachment 16405View attachment 16406View attachment 16407View attachment 16408View attachment 16409View attachment 16410View attachment 16411View attachment 16412View attachment 16413View attachment 16414View attachment 16415View attachment 16416View attachment 16417

Incase anyone else does this job themselves, a note for you.....tracer/lead 7. Which is the second wire on the left in the ribbon from the power supply to the board. That lead is no longer used. According to Bryan at Batee.com. There is no VIA in the board on my 87. Which I thought I buggered up but didnt, on the account it was never there. WHEW!! SO breath easy oh Intrepid one. As your stress level may go up doing this job, as the implications of messing it up are huge lol. NO PRESSURE!

 

[AlbertaZ06]

Nice Job!

 

[Darrellg1]

These pink rubber pieces are conductive! They have a black conductor in the center, and if your dash has missing segments in the LCD, its more than likely that these are dirty. They connect the LCD to the PC Board via that black chit. I washed all of them in almost hot water, dried them off, and cleaned the electrical surface with slapshot, AND the mating LCD section. CAUTION>>>>If they are stuck, gently peel them off by slowly bending them over near the base.. Contact cleaner works just as good. Dont use any solvents on the LCD side (black side) and be careful not to scratch it!!

 

[Darrellg1]

This is what mine looked like....stuck. Note the black surface and my oily finger prints. Lol. I cleaned it off using 70% Isopropyl...I know I said no solvents, but 70% alcool is ok. GENTLY!!

 

[Darrellg1]

New Photo cell installed.

 

[Darrellg1]

Cleaned up and ready for re-assembly.

 

[Darrellg1]

Make sure the LCD's are flush!!! If not, they WILL break when you tighten the 1st board down. Small tabs, (not those grey rubber ones) make sure your home all the way, one can be seen by the tach on top of photo to the left. Be sure it doesnt slide around. New polarized lens on opposite side. Couldn't photo it and do the install.

 

[Darrellg1]

Color screens next, tab everything in!! double check your bottom panel placements too along the way, by feeling the edge behind the assembly by the panel edges. This way it cuts down on the flipping it over.

 

[Darrellg1]

Diffuser panels next. TAB TAB TAB!!!!

 

[Darrellg1]

Clean pads in place, make sure they are all sitting proud, so they make contact with the next higher assembly. This is the critical point of restoring lost segments guys! I cleaned the LCD contact with ISO just to get any crud that attached itself over 31 years. (I did this when I cleaned the LCD during polarized lens replacement. Sorry I should have mentioned this before)

 

[Darrellg1]

1st panel laid down....only put a few screws in LIGHTLY!!, check panel flushness AGAIN a final time! If all good, giver till yer liver quivers and install the rest of the screws on this panel.

 

[Darrellg1]

Last panel. New power supply, LED lights on 1st panel, thought it was worth the 25 bucks, mkae sure your pins are aligned on the top right and seated fully, hook up the odometer (red connector top leftish center), last chance to clean up the contacts on the ribbon interface on left, by my black screwdriver. I wire brushed in there. Contact cleaned it and gave each tine a wee bit o vasoline!!
;-)