Ok,here's the problem, the dash on my 84 berlanetta is one of them half and half deals...half works and half doesn't...My oil press,fuel level,volt,and temp gauges work along with the choke light....the spendo,tach and every thing on the left side of the dash doesn't work..(the blinkers,head lights controls,buttons for speedo and tach.) all the stuff on the right side does work though(heater controls,wipers ect.) what caused this?? I checked all the fueses...all ok...the car was like this when I got it an I would like to have all the stuff working again, also the harder the engine is reving the brighter every thing gets...at idle the gauge shows about 11 volts and @ around 4K it shows 16 volts...I put a brand new alt. on the car....any ideas?? thanks for your help!
mike

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84 berlanetta...smokes when u start her up...no speedo,or tach...no blinkers or head lights...but she will burn the hell out of the tires! :-)

 

hi -I just retro-fitted a digital dash to a non-digital firebird so as I attached it section by section, the firebird dig dash consists of about 8 earth connections and about as many positive connections -if only one earth is faulty or bad connection (or the same for positive) it affects the whole of that side -it's highly unlikely to have anything to do with the DIST if half is ok...

Here's what to do...

first -swap the bulbs round from one side to the other to check it's not that

second...

you'll need a multimeter -if you've not got one, get one...

Remove the dash (a fairly time consuming job, but done carefully should take about half an hour to an hour.

set ignition to second position, so that you hear the slow ding seat belt reminder (as you won't have any dash to look at!)

test each terminal on the connectors -try the rear as you get a better contact point.

ON the firebird, earth is either black or blak w/white stripe. positive is mainly brown or brown/ w/white stipe... DON'T CONFUSE or you'll blow it... but I would recommend you double check from a GM manual what the actual colours are for your peace of mind -you don't want to blow it all!

test by leaving the black electrode on each earth in turn and do the same for +ive

hope that helps!