t-topsavage

When I use my right blinker, the oil gauge, the battery gauge and the rpm gauge all fluctuate according to the blinker. When I turn on my lights, (even just the driving lights) my oil pressure gauge, my battery voltage gauge drop to 0. My rpm gauge sticks on whatever rpm I turned my lights on at. Also when I turn my lights on my right blinker indicator stays on, however when I use the blinker it operates correctly then after I make my turn in sticks on. When I turn my lights off and my turn signal everything goes back to normal..

I'm confused as ****.. any help would be much appreciated or any thoughts. thanks for the time guys

t-topsavage

Oh but all my lights and turn signals on the exterior work just fine.

kauboy

Check your dash gauge ground circuits

t-topsavage

One problem, your really going to have to dumb this down for me. I do not understand electrical at all. I do mechanical repair. I'm a garage parts changer mechanic. Ohms law does not apply to me haha.

91phoenix

iTrader: (5)

I feel your pain. I hate electrical too. Though I can not tell you wire colors etc. I believe kauboy is right. You need to trace the grounds for the headlights and turnsignals as I would think that that is where the problem is. I would expect that one of the grounds for these items is barely working causing a feedback through the other gauges for a good ground. Also check body to engine ground.

irock88

Did this just happen or has it been like this for a while.
Could be that some wires have been crossed .
Has anyone been doing any work on the electrical recently.

t-topsavage

Yeah it just happened out of the blue. No one has done anything to those systems at all or any that would possibly affect them. *** for the grounds I have checked them all and they're all tight and solid. I have not checked under the dash yet cause well its spaghetti of wire down there and I don't know where to start..

irock88

Check your right front and rear bulbs could be corrosion causing a short .
Do your right and rear bulbs actually flash when right turn signal turned on

89rscamaro89

This is going to sound bad, for as long as this thread has been dead. I have the SAME problem. With the dash lights or headlights on, the right side of the dash (IE: rpms, oil psi, battery) all drops to 0 and does not move.

If I adjust the dimmer to where the dash lights are off while the headlights and park lights are on, then the gauges work again, but when I adjust it to where it's back on, the gauges stop again. Yet, if the park/head lights are OFF, the gauges all work perfect.

Have you discovered the solution to fix this?

I already replaced the dimmer and park/head light switch with a brand new one.

devestator_x

iTrader: (1)

Bringing back another deceased thread. I too have just discovered this problem in my 83. I replaced the headlight switch assembly today because none of my interior lights would come on, nor my parking lights. Switch had tons of corrosion on it. Parking lights work fine now, and Im able to turn on the dome light with the switch. Then I noticed that when I turn on the lights, at first, the right side of the cluster would die. Before I reassembled everything I did a few extra test runs. First it killed the right side of the cluster. Then with some wiggling, I got everything to work normally. Tighten down the lower nuts that hold the cluster and all the gauges died while both turn indicators lit up (not just the right side). Loosen the nuts up and back to normal.

So tomorrow when I have more time, I am pulling the cluster completely out again and making sure all the contacts on both the cluster and the dash are clean. Im 99% certain this is the culprit since I was able to see everything working normally just by moving the cluster around a bit. Ill post again with my results after cleaning.

rusty vango

under the dash on the steering column support is like two or three black wires on a common ring type end.this is the wire you should look for .its the dash ground circuit

devestator_x

iTrader: (1)

Ok, So I pulled my cluster again. Cleaned the contacts and had no change in performance. What I did discover is after installation of the cluster and removal of the center lower dash panel, I had access to both wire looms. With the lights on and shorting out the gauges, I could wiggle the wires and the gauges would return to normal, but the backlighting for the gauges would not light. Further investigation will be required with the plugs and wiring into those plugs.

Urocmyiroc

Hey guys,

I want to know if any of your were lucky enough to fix this issue... My cluster works fine without the headlights on but as soon as the **** is pulled the lights works but the batt, oil, rpm, stop working... they get stuck... turning the dimmer helps restore function but then I can not see my instruments. Anyway, any suggestions will greatly help. Also, I opened the cluster and could not see anything obvious... 87' iroc

devestator_x

iTrader: (1)

Ok, I did have success with my issue. I pulled my cluster out and cleaned the contacts with ketchup. Yes, ketchup. After some research online, it turns out that the acids in ketchup help clean corrosion off of copper. It wasnt an immediate fix though. It took a few days for the "gremlins" to be killed off. I think the residue on the cluster side of the contacts helped clean the plug side in the car. After about a week or so, everything was working how it should and has since then.... which made me happy since I got sick of yanking that cluster out.

Urocmyiroc

ketchup, wow... I'll go and try it now.

Urocmyiroc

Thank you so much DEVESTATOR_X...
So I took the the ketchup and put it all over the copper harness connections and I also put a dab on the dashboard connecters and worked it in a lil' with my fingers then wiped clean with some paper towel. The copper did look cleaner but the tach side of my instrument cluster still gets wacky when the headlights are turned on. I hope it works... will let you know in about a week.

kauboy

Use a pencil eraser, it doesn't attract roaches and bugs that will really screw up your gauges.

TreeFiddy

I've always just used a light amount of metho, wd40, acetone etc on a rag or tissue, whatever was to hand at the time. I'd suspect the sugars in the sauce would cause connection problems down the track.

Mz.Makiz75

Hello im having the same issues when i turn on my lights and/or dim them the gauges go all wacky. I just barely got this car. 89 camaro RS. Any ideas of what it could be? I'm new to this things, and i want to learn what i can do and where to look. Thank you

devestator_x

iTrader: (1)

@Makiz75 - It certainly sounds like a connection problem with the gauge cluster. Try removing the screws that hold the bezel in place while the dash is powered up. If the gauges suddenly go normal once things start shifting, then you know the gauges are working properly and its just a connection issue. If they just go dead as you remove the cluster, then the issue may lie in the wiring harness. Most likely though you will find the copper connections on the back side of the cluster to be tarnished and just need cleaning.

@Others - I cleaned my contacts using the ketchup method over a year ago. Everything still works perfectly. Not a single issue. The key is to make sure you wash the ketchup residue off after cleaning the contacts. You dont just slather on a bunch of ketchup and leave it there. Use a damp paper towel and clean it off properly. I will say if I were to do it over again I would use NeverDull Magic Wadding instead, but at the time it was a quick easy fix using what I had in the house. It worked then and continues to work now.

Mz.Makiz75

Thank you devestator_x for taking the time in reading my post up here. I'm going to try to remove the cluster and check it out. By any chance do you know anything about the rear latch? I'm not sure if the motor works, but its all unscrewed and thats how i got it. I'm trying to figure it out. I'm learning as i go. This is my first project and i want to do this right. Thank you,

devestator_x

iTrader: (1)

Unfortunately, no I dont. My car was built before they made the electric pulldown, so Im unfamiliar with it. Im sure there are hundreds of topics on here covering it though as its a common problem. Use the search function and Im sure you will find your answer.

Mz.Makiz75

damn im still trying to remove the cluster so i can clean how its mentioned here, but im having trouble, ok i lowered the steering column, then i took off all the nuts except the glass on thats on the gauges, i took of the dash pad, i've gotten the wires loose already the one u pinch and come off, ok now i still its still holding on by some grey or sliver pipe looking thing behind the speedometer, ok now what else must i do before removing it, cus im getting pissed off, lol help pleaseee thank you.

Mz.Makiz75

OK I GOT THAT CLUSTER OFF!!!! OK NOW DO I CLEAN THE COPPER FROM THE CLUSTER ITSELF OR THE PLUG. THANK U PLEASEE HELP

devestator_x

iTrader: (1)

I cleaned the copper on the cluster itself, just the contact area where it meets the plugs not, the whole thing.

Be prepared for the most frustrating part coming up... putting the speedo cable back on (that "silver/grey pipe thing" you removed earlier. It presses on, but is VERY difficult to get your hand in there to push it on tight.

Mz.Makiz75

Thank you Devestator_X once again, I'm going to clean the copper wires in the back of the cluster, just put ketchup on it and letting it sit for a bit. I get back to you once i put it back in and let you know what happens. Thanks again. Now since i have that off i also need to replace the light bulb sockets, im missing two.

Mz.Makiz75

Devestator_X!! WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW, THAT TODAY I FINALLY PUT BACK THE CLUSTER INSTRUMENT, I CLEANED IT HOW I READ HERE AND HOW YOU SAID, IT WAS KIND OF HARD TO PUT IT BACK IN. WHEN I FINALLY GOT IT IN, I TURNED THE CAR ON, AND THE GAUGES WERE STILL LITTLE WACKED UNTIL I TIGHTEN UP THE CLUSTER, PUT THE BOLTS BACK ON. I DIMMERED THE LIGHTS AND NOTHING WENT WACKY, ITS WORKING REALLY GOOD, I ALSO HAD TO REPLACE THE MISSING LIGHT BULB SOCKETS FOR THE WARNING DEVICES AND THEY WORKED PRETTY GOOD TOO. WOW THANK YOU!!! JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW.

devestator_x

iTrader: (1)

Well, Im glad I was able to help. If I were to do it all over again, I'd use Nev'r Dull now, but thats just because I bought it AFTER I cleaned my cluster. The Ketchup method is great for those wanting results without needing to buy something specific just for that. It's not the "right" way to do it, but sometimes home remedies can be just as good as the over the counter methods.

Joe Tag

iTrader: (4)

For the acid, I dont see why you wouldn't use lemon juice or vinegar on a Qtip. Much easier to clean out after.

devestator_x

iTrader: (1)

I used ketchup because its what I had available in the pantry. I dont normally keep lemon juce in the house, and occasionally have vinegar, but always have ketchup. Like I said, if I were to do it again, I'd use the can of Nev'r Dull metal cleaner I now have in the garage. Works 100x faster than ketchup, but if it's what you have at the time, then by all means use it.

Joe Tag

iTrader: (4)

Not saying you were wrong. Just a possibly better option for those looking in their pantry for a solution.

devestator_x

iTrader: (1)

From what I read online, yes lemon and vinegar can both be used as copper cleaners and seem to work better with salt added to them (why Im not sure, maybe as scrubbing media?) So, all 3 are viable options.

All I know is that next time I pull that dang cluster out, it's going to be to replace it with a full set of Autometer guages and until that time, Im NOT touching it again! LOL!

Joe Tag

iTrader: (4)

Speedo cable is a pain in the ****. Just 2 more inches would do wonders.

excessiveego

my car has had this problem off and on, luckily I found this thread, cant seem to find any others on this problem. I know im bumping an old thread but I figured it might help others find it.

Im gonna try pulling my dash apart, im sure its gonna be fun, I thought pulling the cluster in my 90 Iroc sucked, but from the sound of it these older cars are alot worse.

devestator_x

iTrader: (1)

The biggest issue lies in the speedo cable. Its really short and it can be very difficult to reach up inside to release it. Ok, I lied, thats the easier part. Reconnecting it when you go to put it all back together is the hard part. Other than that, its just a bunch of screws to remove.

I'll be honest, I actually took my dremel to some of the lower plastic to make more room for my hand to slide up in there to connect that damn cable. You cant see where I cut when it's all back together, so to me... no harm no foul.

excessiveego

I ended up pulling it all apart and cleaning everything with tarn-x, connections for the lights and the plugs and everything seems to work now, fuel gauge might be alittle flakey still but I need to fill the tank to find out.

ended up pulling the dash pad so I could get to the spedo cable, that made things 100x easier