Cascade Crew

Al Hasse · Posted: Mon Oct 30, 2006 7:58 pm Post subject: Instrument panel grounds

I hate the copper traces on the mylar backside of these insrument panels. This weekend, on my 89 I replaced all of the lights (half of which were burned out). When I put it pack in, the brake indicator was on constantly, the right blinker indicator didn't indicate, and 2 or 3 other lights didn't light. I fixed the brake indicator - the ground trace on the edge of the mylar slid up and made contact with the ground trace for the light. I soldered a trace back together (easier than I thought it would be) by bridging the break to fix one light. I bent the "prongs" of the right blinker socket forward a bit so they made better contact with the copper traces. All seemed to be working well until this morning. About 3 lights on the right side of the panel (for tach and oil pressure) initially light, then go out after a few miles, and tonight, the tach went on its own and the oil pressure gauge went to zero at the same time for a couple of minutes. Looks like I have another ground trace to find and repair. If it keeps up, I may have more wire on the back side than copper traces.

chevymad · Posted: Mon Oct 30, 2006 8:19 pm Post subject:

I tried bridging with wire on my truck when I put a dash tach in. Didnt take long for the wires to break the milar. Finally gave up and ordered a tach style printed circuit. Installing that dash tach was the stupidest thing I ever did on the truck. Paid $75 at the swap meet for a new tach.. thought wow what a deal. They want $350 for an original tach dash..

Well, about $300 later I finally got the tach and dash back together. So much for my good deal.

Hope you have better luck then I did. Should be easy enough to find a new printed circuit though if you have to.

Al Hasse · Posted: Mon Oct 30, 2006 8:31 pm Post subject:

I'm going to "borrow" a few feet of 24 - 30 awg wire from work and find some of that black duct tape and go after it this weekend by bridging the appropriate traces and taping the wires down.

Al Hasse · Posted: Sun Nov 05, 2006 1:39 pm Post subject:

I think I fixed my "ground" problem. Happened not to be a ground at all, but a broken trace for 12V to the lights themselves (last 3 in the string). the break would keep contact until it warmed up enough to cauce the mylar to flex a little, causing the line to open.

See the red wire I used to bridge the break. I also removed the copper trace where I made the bridge.

I also had a problem with the VSS wires interfering with the connector under the speedo, so I had to move them up out of the way.