I burnt it out in two places. Can i use solder or aluminum foil to complete the circuit. Should I put some type of cover over the repaired sections? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

I wouldn't know how, but I imagine if you use solder, you'll start melting the laminate in the immediate area.

I also know new ones are $150+ from the dealer.

Maybe there's a way to peel it apart, repair the leads, then re-laminate it. Just tossing out ideas, because I've often wondered the same thing. I had a screw inside the cluster housing wear through the fuel gauge lead that routes under the cluster.

 

Sure, and it's easy if you have mastered the basic soldering skills. If you don't have experience soldering, then it'd probably be difficult, but certainly not beyond the capabilities of a hobbiest.

I've done it many times. I prefer using a surgerical scalpel with a #15 blade that I use to scrape the laminate that protects the circuit tracings, but any knife will work. X-acto knifes would be a good alternative. (Techni-tool, www.techni-tool.com p/n 146PR046, and an excellent source for electronic tools.) Make sure that you do not damage the copper circuit tracing when removing this protective covering!

Once you scrape the protective coating off the circuit board, you should see only copper. This is where you will make your solder connection. This is where experience is needed. If you apply too hot a temperature, or for too long, you will damage the flexible circuit. If you don't get it hot enough, you won't have a good connection.

When you're done, simply put a little silicone rubber over the connection to insulate it and also physically support the wire. I put a little silicone over the wire a few inches from the connection to keep the wire secure. Use the thinnest wire you have. For repairing a circuit trace, I use 30 gauge wire-wrap wire. If the repair is not too long, you can just use a single piece of wire strand taken from a 18-20 gauge wire. This is good when repairing a crack in a circuit trace.

If you don't know how to solder, you can practice and then take your chances. I've seen people that still don't know how to solder properly even after years of doing it.

[This message has been edited by Stuart Moss (edited July 30, 2001).]