Struggling to figure this one out
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 44
Likes: 0
From: Spotsylvania,VA
Struggling to figure this one out
Ok here is my situation .... I have an 87 IROC that i just recently bought.... it had a charging problem i figured it out it was a loose wire under my dash ..charging at 13.5V... .. i did take my gauge cluster out in order to help find the problem... once i put the cluster back in .. i started to see weird things happening ... i can not get my gauge lights to come on .. the SES light works and only my right turn signal ... after playing with it for a while i noticed that when i turn my headlights on .. all my gauges die... but if i turn the dimmer all the way down they do come up some.... also when i turn my right turn signal on the guages bonce up and down.... i have and extra 84 Z28 cluster that i stuck in to see if the same thing would happen .. and it did.... i did do a search in the boards for a problem like this and haven't found on just like it so i hope someone can help me out some .. thanks ahead of time .. Matt
(all the outside lights work fine including my headlights and turn signals)
(all the outside lights work fine including my headlights and turn signals)
Junior Member
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 38
Likes: 0
From: Richmond VA
to me and with all me limited experience you'r ECM is messing up ( i'm not sure what year your car is) or you have a short in a/multiple wires. but you'r car isn't gonna pass inspection like that. what wire was the problem? what was wrong with it and how did you fix it?
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 44
Likes: 0
From: Spotsylvania,VA
Like i siad it is an 87 IROC with a 5.7L 
The charging problem was due to a loose wire that runs from the alternator into my fuse box ... i have went over it all again to double check to see if i bumped a wire off .. eveything was nice a tight.. i wouldn't think it would be the ECM because unless i am mistaking it has no control over the headlights and gague lights except the SES light which is working fine.. the car it self still runs great ..... i did go a play with it somemore and i notice the gauge light do come on but they are VERY VERY VERY dim.... anyone else have any clue on what it could be ??? thanks again matt
The charging problem was due to a loose wire that runs from the alternator into my fuse box ... i have went over it all again to double check to see if i bumped a wire off .. eveything was nice a tight.. i wouldn't think it would be the ECM because unless i am mistaking it has no control over the headlights and gague lights except the SES light which is working fine.. the car it self still runs great ..... i did go a play with it somemore and i notice the gauge light do come on but they are VERY VERY VERY dim.... anyone else have any clue on what it could be ??? thanks again matt 
Supreme Member
iTrader: (9)
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 3,871
Likes: 24
From: Mass
Engine: 350 TPI
Transmission: A4
Axle/Gears: 3.23
try taking the gauge cluster aprt and clean al the terminals that connect to something back there. i bet you have a dirty or correded connector. if you say you had a charging problem then you may have a corroded plug behind the dash. electricity has mind of its own sometimes. i know its PITA to take your gauges apart but clean everything up behind there. buy some electric tune up grease for plugs and put that stuff on the connectors
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post