topj

Im not sure how you can tell the year of the cluster or what, but i removed it to see if it was causing any issues with my fuel level readings and i noticed the plastic circuit board was kinda hanging off wasnt sure if that was normal. What can yall tell me about my instrument cluster ?heres some pics

topj

A minute after i made this thread i found a pic of where the extra flaps tuck behind lol smh and yes i know im missing some bulbs lol but thats how she came. can the cluster not being grounded properly be an issue for the fuel gauge?

Joe Tag

iTrader: (4)

Absolutely can. the fuel gauge has a hot a ground and a signal ground from the tank sender.

topj

interesting...im gonna have to do some investigating tonight thanks joe

Scorpner

iTrader: (4)

Wow, I was confused when I first looked at the speedo until I realized that you're up in Canada. 185 mph!
All of those copper lines are called traces and the thicker ones are typically the ground paths. The plastic becomes brittle over time and I have seen traces in general crack before. (It's usually the thinner ones though.)
There's a way to test the fuel gauge and it's been posted on here before. I keep forgetting how it goes, but with the cluster outside of the car you'd need to find out which of the three prongs match up with the wires going out. Yes, a bad ground can affect the fuel gauge, but at the cluster circuit location I would think it would affect other gauges and possibly the lighting around it. It will be easy to check the grounds from the fuel gauge to the output connector. At this time with the cluster out, you could also go out to the car and test the lines going out to the sending unit and grounds.

If you mean the bulbs along the bottom, there may be some unused sockets depending on the options of your car. You can see where they match up to the black faceplate if you hold it up to the light. An example might be an up-shift warning on an automatic car. You won't see any up-shift symbol, just a blank spot.

It's hard to see but it looks like the trace may be damaged on this pic. You should be able to follow it to wherever it leads to. Good time to change the bulbs but be careful as the plastic can be brittle and the layers can separate. Could carefully clean up the interface contacts with a Q-tip and alcohol too.

topj

Thx for the reply scorpner , i was thinking it could be a short as well cause i do have some lighting issues but it might be the light **** cause its pretty wiggly , but yea i think imma try and clean up the connections as well and i noticed on the two male connecters (pics below ) that theres a few tabs missing does that vary with the options? And i posted another pic of a plug hanging there tapped iwth two greys going into it up is that for digital or something?

Scorpner

iTrader: (4)

Yeah, I suppose the tabs could vary depending on the options too, I wouldn't worry about it unless you see some loose wires behind there. I have no idea what that connector is for. Can you follow it and see where it leads to, or does it go into the harness?

topj

Ya it goes into the whole bunch , i remember when i first brought it to the shop my dude was telling me it was digital and i needed mechanical, mayb my tranny and cluster was swapped before? Not sure on that ,sometimes i have a eiry feeling i might have a frank-stein car on my hands lol

Scorpner

iTrader: (4)

As far as I know the digital version of Camaro clusters are shaped differently so it wouldn't be possible to swap a digital for mechanical unless the entire dash was swapped along with the harness. I'm basing that mostly on the speedometer.

rusty vango

I use a pencil eraser to clean the circuit board terminals. it works very well . I also use a DVOM to test the circuit board before I put it back in. you can ,if needed get NOS gauges to replace ones that are suspect.

topj

Ya im not sure i mean it was working alright before i removed the cluster (give or take some bouncing of the needle) and then put it back and the needle went strait up... Ugh