Cleaning the console area and other questions

[spikeygg]

Hi guys, so I have my console out and I just worked my way into the area behind the radio panel. I took the temp switch out and noticed that it is crazy dirty. At first I was thinking of putting it in a plastic bag to separate it from the wiring all around it and hitting it with some throttle body cleaner to try to strip off the gross coating then applying clean smear of grease to it but I started thinking... I bet someone in the forums would have some ideas of how to effectively clean this thing. So here I am. Ideas?

45021

I also want to clean the actual console underneath all the wiring harness and stuff. There's dust and dirt and sand and all kinds of stuff in there. I found a few nuts and bolts that were apparently lost be previous people working in there. What should I use to clean up the raw console bump?

45024

While I was upside down on the driver's side, I noticed that next to one of the vacuum actuators there is a plug hanging down with two green wires going to it. Is this supposed to be hanging or should it be plugged into something? I couldn't find anywhere that it should be plugged in under there but there's a lot happening. :) The wires don't appear to have any colored stripe on them, just solid green.

45023

While I was under the dash on the passenger's side I was looking up after removing the knee pads and I saw a ring terminal which looks like a ground. I also found a stud with a loose nut on it. I peered around looking for other places that this could go and it appears that this stud is the only location where I could screw down this ring terminal. Should the ring terminal be attached to this stud and nut?

45022

Thanks for the help!
-Greg

[spikeygg]

While removing the binnacle I noticed that the door switches did not both have conductors attached to them. When I pulled out the air pipe above the steering column I noticed a couple of wires with terminal ends on them that were bundled up in electrical tape. One of them appears to be for the door switch and fits but I don't want to connect it until I'm sure it goes there.. :) The bottom switch has a Purple/Blue wire and and a Black wire running to it. The top switch is disconnected but the other two wires I found were Purple/Blue and Purple/White. Should these connect to the door switch? Maybe someone could take a photo of their driver's side door switches for reference?

45045 45046

I noticed when driving my car that the door ajar light never goes completely off and I bet this might be why. Just need to know how to fix it.

When I removed the binnacle I immediately noticed that the RPM gauge is very loose. It's so loose that I can blow on it and it wavers. If I give it a good gust it'll loop all the way around. Is this normal? It seems the temp is a little loose like this too. The rest of the gauges don't move when blown on.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jlxTRkyhew

I mostly took the gauge cluster out because I wanted to check out the oil pressure gauge connection (since my oil pressure won't read anything but 80psi). Is there some way to test the gauge's functionality with the binnacle removed from the car?

(I've already tested my oil pressure gauge sender and it seems to be working. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ErbqVs52OiM), the pressure at the gauge never comes down from 80psi. I don't know if the resistance is correct though. 80Ω sound right for cold oil pressure at the sender?, it was ~5Ω with the car off.)

[DMC-81]

Hi Greg,

For general cleaning, I start with Mr. Clean and water. Then I try a little bit of solvent( paint thinner) in a small bowl and a tooth brush to clean greasy things like the temperature switch. Don't forget to re grease it afterwards.

I'll try to get pics of the door switch wiring tonight unless someone else responds in the meantime.

Cheers,

[Jonathan]

Answers to some of your questions, but not all:


While I was upside down on the driver's side, I noticed that next to one of the vacuum actuators there is a plug hanging down with two green wires going to it. Is this supposed to be hanging or should it be plugged into something? I couldn't find anywhere that it should be plugged in under there but there's a lot happening. :) The wires don't appear to have any colored stripe on them, just solid green.

The green wire connector doesn't plug into anything. On my car anyway. I believe it was meant for something that never got implemented. Or something along those lines. Or maybe you don't need it with the automatic transmission, but do with the manual? I doubt that's the case, but someone else with a manual car can tell you.

45073


While I was under the dash on the passenger's side I was looking up after removing the knee pads and I saw a ring terminal which looks like a ground. I also found a stud with a loose nut on it. I peered around looking for other places that this could go and it appears that this stud is the only location where I could screw down this ring terminal. Should the ring terminal be attached to this stud and nut?

I don't recall where this ring connector ground is from, but the grounds don't connect through the fiberglass. The grounds must go through metal, i.e. the frame, or a daisy chain of grounds that eventually get back to the metal frame (or engine block). Is that purple wired connection the backside of the glovebox light? It seems too far towards the door, but what came to mind with this ring connector ground was the bunch of them that all get terminated on the lower right hand side stud on the centre console (stereo) bracket. That ground is a daisy chain example in that the stud itself isn't the ground, but one of those wires you must group together is a ground coming from the fuse/relay area. Those grounds are mostly from the centre console components, like the little light bulbs and whatnot.


While removing the binnacle I noticed that the door switches did not both have conductors attached to them. When I pulled out the air pipe above the steering column I noticed a couple of wires with terminal ends on them that were bundled up in electrical tape. One of them appears to be for the door switch and fits but I don't want to connect it until I'm sure it goes there.. :) The bottom switch has a Purple/Blue wire and and a Black wire running to it. The top switch is disconnected but the other two wires I found were Purple/Blue and Purple/White. Should these connect to the door switch? Maybe someone could take a photo of their driver's side door switches for reference?

I noticed when driving my car that the door ajar light never goes completely off and I bet this might be why. Just need to know how to fix it.

Have a look at the pictures and also go look at the wiring diagram in the resources section of the forum.

The driver's side switches do both the interior lights and the (annoying) buzzer that reminds you about putting your seatbelt on. The passenger side switch only does the interior lights. Each door is supposed to only turn on that door's lights as well as either door turning on the interior dome lights. That's what the diodes are for near that green wire you asked about. I believe the door ajar light on the dash is tied into the door lights switch and not the seatbelt buzzer one as my buzzer related one isn't connected (as you can see in the picture) but my door ajar light goes on and off. Come to think of it, my seatbelt buzzer does come on, but only for a few seconds once you get in the car and get the door closed. I think the part of the buzzer I disconnected was the part that buzzes if you leave the key in the ignition. Good feature for not forgetting your key. Also a good feature for inducing headaches, hence why it isn't plugged in.

4507245074


I mostly took the gauge cluster out because I wanted to check out the oil pressure gauge connection (since my oil pressure won't read anything but 80psi). Is there some way to test the gauge's functionality with the binnacle removed from the car?

(I've already tested my oil pressure gauge sender and it seems to be working. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ErbqVs52OiM), the pressure at the gauge never comes down from 80psi. I don't know if the resistance is correct though. 80Ω sound right for cold oil pressure at the sender?, it was ~5Ω with the car off.)

There may very well be more to this, but the usual explanation for an oil pressure gauge being pegged at full with the engine running is that the original sending units weren't calibrated well. The replacements will show you the pressure dipping down while at idle and then go back up higher when out driving. This might be all you're seeing, or it might not be. You can tell whether you have the new or old sender by looking at it. I just don't remember what to look for.

[DMC-81]

The green wire connector doesn't plug into anything. On my car anyway. I believe it was meant for something that never got implemented. Or something along those lines. Or maybe you don't need it with the automatic transmission, but do with the manual? I doubt that's the case, but someone else with a manual car can tell you.



On my manual car, the green wire connector isn't plugged into anything either.

Also, here is where the ringed terminal goes on mine..

45075

[Rich]

Also, here is where the ringed terminal goes on mine..

45075

That would likely be the "dashboard bolt" shown in the ground circuit diagram in the first post of this thread:

LINK: http://dmctalk.org/showthread.php?1301 (http://dmctalk.org/showthread.php?1301)

For owners dealing with PO ground wiring hacks or corroded/bad grounds this thread can help you ID most of it.

[Rich]

Have a look at the pictures and also go look at the wiring diagram in the resources section of the forum.



Yes, there's this simplified set of circuit diagrams and the bottom one in the first post (added as a file at end of first post) has the door/interior/ajar light circuit details LINK: http://dmctalk.org/showthread.php?40-All-Wiring-Schematics (http://dmctalk.org/showthread.php?40-All-Wiring-Schematics)

[spikeygg]

Well, tonight I got the oil pressure gauge fixed. I had pulled the binnacle so I had access to the binnacle plug which has the oil pressure line in it. I first measured continuity between the binnacle and the sensor wire -- OPEN. Dang, I pulled the bulkhead connectors and tested from there to the binnacle -- CLOSED, excellent. I measured from the bulkhead to the sensor -- OPEN, dang! Then I realized that the terminal on that wire seemed like it wasn't done very well. I could see the conductor behind the terminal before the wire jacket started. So I stuck my alligator clip onto it and the connection was complete! I cut off that end and crimped on another one and now I have continuity all the way to the binnacle!

Thank you so much guys for helping with the door switch/buzzer, loose green cables, and the ground terminal at the "dashboard bolt". I also went at the console with a damp rag and hit that temperature switch with some de-greaser (in a bag to contain it). It looks tons better in there now, not nearly as dusty and dirty.

Anyone have any input on the loose RPM gauge? I wonder if that's normal or weird and, really, is there anything I can do about it?

Also, I have ordered a bunch of the LED wedge bulbs from the superbrightleds.com based on this detailed article: Going 100% LEDs on your car is a good idea, and more feasible than ever. (http://delorean2109.blogspot.com/2011/07/going-100-leds-on-your-car-is-good-idea.html) so I'm trying to remove the incandescent bulbs from the hazard and headlight switches. Any input on how to take them apart and remove the little wedge bulb from them?

Thanks again,
-Greg

[cpistocco]

Hi Greg,

For general cleaning, I start with Mr. Clean and water. Then I try a little bit of solvent( paint thinner) in a small bowl and a tooth brush to clean greasy things like the temperature switch. Don't forget to re grease it afterwards.

I'll try to get pics of the door switch wiring tonight unless someone else responds in the meantime.

Cheers,

I would be careful with paint thinner (It is pretty strong stuff)......Maybe prep-solvent would be milder. :)

[spikeygg]

Anyone know where I can find one of these? I've hit Autozone, NAPA and Home Depot without any luck. I just need one... :(

http://www.toby.co.uk/images/series/PC3L25004.jpg

[DMC-81]

Anyone know where I can find one of these? I've hit Autozone, NAPA and Home Depot without any luck. I just need one... :(

http://www.toby.co.uk/images/series/PC3L25004.jpg


That looks like a stud mount 90 degree spade/tab connector. It's probably special order item. Here's one place that has them..

https://us.straightparts.com/products_activity.php?id=2

[spikeygg]

That looks like a stud mount 90 degree spade/tab connector. It's probably special order item. Here's one place that has them..

https://us.straightparts.com/products_activity.php?id=2

Thanks Dana. I haven't heard of this place before. Free shipping on a $2 item? Order in. :)