Dashlights and charging issues

[powerline84]

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Well restored cluster with eds card, used led's and a regular bulb for battery light. Used brass nuts and washers. Still no battery light. All lights came on except lambda , park brake, fuel low (has gas), and the damn battery light. Fuze 5 is good, alternator is new. Dash restored. New 83 harness on engine. I am out of ideas. Does the harness that connects the horns up front have anything to do with this circuit? My horns are not installed at the moment.

[Drive Stainless]

20170605_132029.jpg20170605_130613.jpg20170605_135621.jpg


Well restored cluster with eds card, used led's and a regular bulb for battery light. Used brass nuts and washers. Still no battery light. All lights came on except lambda , park brake, fuel low (has gas), and the damn battery light. Fuze 5 is good, alternator is new. Dash restored. New 83 harness on engine. I am out of ideas. Does the harness that connects the horns up front have anything to do with this circuit? My horns are not installed at the moment.

Ed's PCB is a really awesome piece. Light years better than what was previously available.

[DMC5180]

20170605_132029.jpg20170605_130613.jpg20170605_135621.jpg


Well restored cluster with eds card, used led's and a regular bulb for battery light. Used brass nuts and washers. Still no battery light. All lights came on except lambda , park brake, fuel low (has gas), and the damn battery light. Fuze 5 is good, alternator is new. Dash restored. New 83 harness on engine. I am out of ideas. Does the harness that connects the horns up front have anything to do with this circuit? My horns are not installed at the moment.

Lambda won't come on unless counter switch is tripped, same with low Fuel. If you want to check low fuel, unscrew the sending unit cover and lift it out of the tank if you still have the OEM style unit. Parking brake, pull up on the lever. Also if you are using LEDs, you may need to remove and reinstall the base 180 turned if they are polarized assemblies.

Alternator light: did you ever do a continuity ring out between the instrument cluster connector and the field wire end at the alternator?

Large cluster connector pin 7 Brown/Yellow to BR/yellow at alternator. Typically you will need to make a long wire and clip/clamp it to the alternator end and complete the series with your DVM at the cluster end. I made a 6 ft Alligator clip test lead for doing things like this. Very handy.

Did you confirm the bulb is good by Ohm checking with DVM. Never assume anything.

The one thing that is common to all the lights you stated not coming on is the Ground wire trace. Do a continuity check between any black wire in the cluster connector to a known ground point to verify continuity.

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[powerline84]

So randomly I put key in and battery light came on and alternator charged battery. Turned car off and circuit failed again 20170605_185415.jpg20170605_185441.jpg


Tried wiggled connector at binnacle. Played with bulb and socket. Wiggled bulkhead connectors then wiggled alternator....nothing

[DMC5180]

Nothing, meaning what? The cluster is dead or just parts of it? Your photo shows the engine running and the first photo is with key on engine off.

Makes me think you have a flaky ignition switch. The good part is you have at least confirmed the basic circuit wiring to be intact.

Btw, why was the Rpm at 2500, or did all the gauges float off of Zero when it wasn't running. I always forget these gauges do quirky things when Off.

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[powerline84]

Nothing as in I couldn't get battery light to come back on. I was breaking in the cam that's why the rpm was so high. I am starting to wonder what's left to be the problem. ?@?!?!?!?!?? Lol

[DMC5180]

Okay, I get it.

Have you pulled the BH connections off to verify none of the pins are pushed back? It has been known to happen. I lost power to my WUR heating element because that happened once.


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[powerline84]

Good idea ...I have but I'll check again

[Rich_NYS]

I haven't been paying close attention...you checked the battery light circuit, right? As in: you can make the light go on & off with just the alternator lead (without the alternator.)

I've been dealing with some weirdness I haven't posted, I'll share here since it's relative to your issue:

-Installed a new alternator on my car during my restoration.
-Battery light came on, volt gauge showed ~12.5V...new alternator went bad (not sure why.)
-Installed 2nd alternator, everything's good in the 'hood.
-2 weeks later battery light is on again. ~12V when the car first starts, 13.5V soon thereafter. Had the alternator tested....bad.
-2nd reman alternator is in my garage waiting for install.


Throughout all this I was sure to test my battery light circuit repeatedly for a good gut check. Everything is guilty until proven innocent.

[DMC5180]

Rich,

You bring up a good point I had forgotten about. Just grounding the field wire should make the light come ON as long as the key is in position II. He did get a batt light earlier as seen in the photo posted earlier. Now that makes me wonder if the voltage regulator is suspect or there is poor grounding of the alternator case to the engine.

I think this is a refurbished engine with paint or powder coated surfaces.

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