[Frank69]

This is a puzzle.. Have the orig pc board and did compare it to the one now in the car and the spare and they are the same. Since the power to the dash comes from the ignition switch (down on the column) could there be a failure somewhere here? Everything seems to get a signal from the ignition being turned on. This is my last great hope before a serious dash operation. I am not sure about the green wire from the temp sender having a short. Had a tech look at it and he checked it with an instrument and said it had a short....
Sure do appreciate you guys helping with this puzzle. I think when this is fixed the ole Bird will be in great condition. (Has not been wet in over 5 years so it gets pretty good care) Thanks very much. Frank69

["QUICK-SILVER"]

Originally Posted by Frank69

Since the power to the dash comes from the ignition switch (down on the column) could there be a failure somewhere here? Everything seems to get a signal from the ignition being turned on.

Gauge fuse being hot when you turn the switch on pretty much gurantees that part of the wiring is good and working like it's suppose to.

Originally Posted by Frank69

This is my last great hope before a serious dash operation.

That's not looking to promising right now.

Originally Posted by Frank69

I am not sure about the green wire from the temp sender having a short. Had a tech look at it and he checked it with an instrument and said it had a short.

It would be normal to get some kind of ohm reading while testing the green temp sending unit wire under the hood. At minimum it would've had temp light bulb resistance and ever how much resistance/ohms the fuel guage has. This is just because of the way the printed circuit is layed out with one power wire going to several different things.
So depending on what kind of reading the tech guy got....there may not be a short at all. It would be nice to know what kind of reading he got.

If you haven't all ready tried; turn the switch on and touch the temp sending unit wire straight to the engine somewhere. That would make the temp light come on if (BIG IF) the temp bulb is getting power the same as the oil light.
Temp bulb test coming on while cranking is a different set of ground wires that works through the ignition switch in crank position only.

So ground the sending unit wire and let us know what happens. If the temp light comes on, things aren't quite as bad as it seems.

Got to remember that bulbs or sockets not making good contact on the back of the cluster might be the whole problem.

Good luck again
Clay

[Frank69]

Have turned the ign switch on with the green wire under the hood grounded and no lite. When I installed the panel last time I installed new sockets and new bulbs and tested all of them. All worked well and were tight. Also examined the new board carefully to be sure it was the same as the old and as well as I could tell it looked great. I too am wondering what the tech found and said it was a short. Doubt if he would remember now. The low brake fluid sensor is not connected properly but it never has been as long as I can remember. This is the wire that hooks to side of the
master cylinder to turn on the brake lite when fluid is low. Still wonder why the alt and oil lite and everything else works and this temp lite is not being agreeable! Thanks again for all your time and effort. Frank69

["QUICK-SILVER"]

Originally Posted by Frank69

I installed new sockets and new bulbs and tested all of them. All worked well and were tight.

I can't count the times that I've had to tweak/bend the wires on new bulbs so they would make contact when you put them in the socket. And just because a socket sticks in and twists tight doesn't mean the brass socket contacts are tight against the flatwire in the printed circuit.

Originally Posted by Frank69

The low brake fluid sensor is not connected properly but it never has been as long as I can remember.

Wouldn't worry about that for now. The wire to it and the e-brake switch wire are spliced together at the bulkhead connector. So got to get the e-brake straightened out and the other will work when you hook it up right.

Originally Posted by Frank69

Still wonder why the alt and oil lite and everything else works and this temp lite is not being agreeable!

Somewhere someplace something isn't making contact like it should. Bulb fit in the socket, socket to printed circuit contact, Poor terminal contact between connector/plug-in and printed circuit...And could be a break, tear or defect on one of the flatwires in the printed circuit.
Other than access these are about as simple as it gets when it comes to diagnose and repair.
Just gonna have to dig in and get er done
Clay

[Frank69]

Clay, now have a Digital Multimeter. Have tried to get a reading on the green wire hooked to the temp sender (wire tech said had a short) and can get nothing.. What is the correct way to get a reading on this wire? Ign switch must be on, meter set @20M, red test wire to the green wire and black grounded to motor? Any way I have tried this it will not respond on readout. Would having no reading at all be what the tech says is a short?
I know nothing about this meter as is plain to see. What should I do? Thanks for your help on this puzzle.. Frank69

["QUICK-SILVER"]

First things first: DON'T take ohm readings with the ignition switch on.

Meter should've been set on DC Volts with key on.
We all ready know, from previously grounding the sending unit wire, that voltage isn't making it through the temp bulb out to the sending unit wire.

Key off, if everything was working "RIGHT" on your car, you should have got some kind of ohm reading checking sending unit wire to ground. With the single power supply to the printed circuit, at minimum you would have seen temp bulb resistance (in ohm's) and fuel guage resistance from hot to ground, plus any resistance in the wire length envolved.
Most fuel gauges, in those years, will give around a 150 ohm resistance reading from hot to ground. Add bulb, wiring and resistance through engine/body, you could end up with something in the 150~200 ohm range. That's testing sending unit wire to ground resistance in ohms.

This is important: you need to play with the new meter and learn the difference between 0 (zero) ohms and infinite. Both can show zero's on the meter. 0 (zero) ohms is no resistance at all. That's the reading you should get when touching the two probe ends together...... Probe ends not touching anything is an infinite or open reading. Typically it's a figure eight laying on its side in front of the zeros. Like this: ∞00.00π.

Not knowing how to use a meter correctly will hurt more than help.
So play with your meter and get a feel for it. Check a straight piece of wire, resistance through a bulb, plug wires are really interesting, across a coil, just whatever it takes to get to know it.
Applying that new found knowledge to diagnosing electrical problems with cars ....That'll be another learning experience.

Have fun with it and let us know what you find..or don't find.
Clay

[Frank69]

Thanks for all your wisdom and advice. I will play with the new toy and see what I can do but so far I can test a 9V batt!. Wonder if the Heat lite conn is keeping the E brake from working or would it have the same prob? That may be determined when I get the panel out again. Taking car to a big show Sat as the weather is beautiful, no rain in forecast.
Drove it to a cruise Tues nite and everything works great but those two lites. New dash lites are awesome! Thanks again for the assistance. Frank69

["QUICK-SILVER"]

Originally Posted by Frank69

Wonder if the Heat lite conn is keeping the E brake from working or would it have the same prob? That may be determined when I get the panel out again.

Wont know till you get in there and look. It's possible that the flat wire is broke/defective that carries power to those two bulbs.
The sender/switch, ground side of those two bulbs, are on opposite corners of the plugin. Unless the flatwire tabs are misaligned I doubt the plugin being the problem..BUT..That's if the plugin terminals are making good tight contact with the flatwire in the printed circuit.
Could be some of the plastic backing is covering flatwire where it's suppose to be bare. That'll need checked at the plugin and where the socket contacts make connection.
Just gonna take a good inspection.

Originally Posted by Frank69

Taking car to a big show Sat as the weather is beautiful, no rain in forecast.

Have fun at the show. My bird cleans up and shows good. I'm just not able to do it anymore. This is it on one of it's last outings. Got "QUICK SILVER" across the bottom of the front spoiler.
Clay

[Frank69]

Hi Clay, Nice car you have there! Have been off the net since Fri. Went to the show and it was fun. Decided to look at the lite prob and removed the Panel under the steering wheel for a little closer look. Could see the btm of the panel and part of the pc board which seemed to be stuck in a bind between the panel and an iron brace for the dash.
Pried on it with a screw driver, put the em brake on, turned on the switch and zingo the brake lite came on. Now am working on the heat lite. Let you know if anything new shows.
Frank69

[Frank69]

Have the dash on the bench. Visual check of the connections seem to be ok. All conn have connection marks and the main plugin conn looks good too. Corrected the prob with brake lite. Was into the dash frame enough for the prob. Bent the frame slightly and it works ok now. Put cluster back into car for a test. Temp lite is still out and when I first tried it the oil lite failed. I changed the temp bulb base and tested it with the bulb and its good.
Will install spare Board tomorrow and see what happens. Don't the Temp lite get its test power from another source? Let ya know if anything changes. Thanks for your
patience and assistance.. Frank69

[Frank69]

Hope you miss the Storm! Soo Baad! Am putting another pc in the panel today. Let ya know results. Any Ideas or advice? Frank69