binnacle

[glockworks21]

I have yet to remove my dash and binnacle... my fuel gage will now sometimes drop to empty when i start the car. If i lightly smack the binnacle it pops back to level.. Thats the reason for taking it out... So i figured i would upgrade to led since its out.. what else should i go ahead and order (since im in there) to replace? Trying to put an order together now so everything is here when i tear it apart.. just looking for suggestions.. are there common "cheap" things that i should do or that i will probably break when taking out..

Thanks for your time...
Dave..

[JohnZ]

First thing that comes to mind is a new printed circuit board for all the bulbs and the gauges! Secondly check your plastic glass, if it is scratched beyond repair or muddy you can replace that as well... I'm told it's a day and night difference!

Moreover: don't replace the battery light bulb! It needs to be incandescent for the alternator to actually charge the battery, as dumb as it sounds :)

[dn010]

Could possibly be the same problem you have: I had to put little stop pegs for the needle in my gauges a little past the high line and low line. Without them, when I'd shut off the car, the needle would swing to a position that it could not reset when I went to start again. Only way to get it to reset was to smack the side of the binnacle. The pegs keep the needle in a range where it will now reset without issue.

[glockworks21]

Could possibly be the same problem you have: I had to put little stop pegs for the needle in my gauges a little past the high line and low line. Without them, when I'd shut off the car, the needle would swing to a position that it could not reset when I went to start again. Only way to get it to reset was to smack the side of the binnacle. The pegs keep the needle in a range where it will now reset without issue.


sounds about right. what did you use?

[dn010]

sounds about right. what did you use?

Paper clips and gorilla glue.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20251017/41673d99f2f09f244ab00b84145a2c15.jpg

[glockworks21]

that looks clean.. im going to try and clean up grounds and make it work first.. I noticed that a small washer was put under the ground side of the fuel gage. i checked for continuity and it was fine with and without it... not sure why its there... after changing the bulbs and putting it back together the fuel gage is worse... it pings all the way up or all the way down now.. and a lot more of a smack to make it move. I tracked back and to the main connector and found that some of the copper is coming up off the plastic wrapping paper they made a circuit board out of.. im going to try to use some super glue to keep the copper in place and support behind it to give it more pressure on the connector..

[iflights]

There's always a replacement option if you need it. https://store.classicdmc.com/instrument-cluster-printed-circuit-reproduction.html

Highly rated by reviewers.

[dn010]

...some of the copper is coming up off the plastic wrapping paper they made a circuit board out of.. im going to try to use some super glue to keep the copper in place and support behind it to give it more pressure on the connector..

Mine was the same and I tackled it using the same approach- glued them back into place and continued on my way.

[Timeless]

There's always a replacement option if you need it. https://store.classicdmc.com/instrument-cluster-printed-circuit-reproduction.html

Highly rated by reviewers.
I have that and it is working well.

[glockworks21]

Is the gage just bad? I don't see a replacement. is there anything else i can do to clean up that gage? it pings high and low now and doesn't want to reset every time i hit it.. i can start and stop the engine and every couple times it will set properly.. maybe wiring at the fuel pump? but if so why would it have reset when i hit binnacle? what am i missing here? Im going to go through all my grounds as suggested by Dave S. but if this was a ground issue wouldn't all the gages on the dash stop working? I see one ground track





Im going to order that replacement circuit board you sent. I dont trust this one and dont wish to take it out again..

[dn010]

Did you put the pins in to prevent the needle from swinging out of range? Are you running the modern pump with float or are you using the stock sending unit? Either way, I would take whichever you are using out and move the arm by hand to see what happens with the needle. I would also check the wiring and grounds up front, I could be wrong but I think the wiring is part of the front harness that connects to the rest of the car through a connector that is stuffed up near the washer reservoir box, I would check that out for issues/corrosion. Should be a simple large rubber grommet around the wiring that releases and you can pull the wiring/connector down to see what you've got. I would really doubt your gauge is bad.

Also, I know a lot of people have not done it and their cars run great. But for me, I solved a lot of electrical issues by running a ground bus from the engine to the radiator, connecting all the grounds to it along the way. There was also a noticeable improvement on the voltage gauge; it did not drop nearly as low as it did without the ground bus, when I was running every single electrical unit I could in the car all at the same time (lights, ac etc.).

[glockworks21]

well im done..

killed the battery.. noticed it was not showing that it was charging. tested with multimeter and sure enough it was not.. so whatever ive done removing this binnacle now the car wont charge. Ran perfectly yesterday. never had a charging issue.. I did not change the battery light bulb to led.. i guess i will just order that new board. if i jiggle around the connector the brake light flickers. Im hoping that for whatever reason the connection for the battery light is messed up on there also and is causing my problem. not sure if thats how it works.. Im guessing whenever i removed that connector is when the copper track starting coming off the board and started this problem..


I will do the paperclip hack since im now taking it completely apart..
Thanks

Dave

[glockworks21]

I went back to it..
plugged in board wiggling connector around and without it being fully seated the batt light came on. I started it up and its charging again. if i fully click the harness in it does not work.. at least now i know.

[glockworks21]

Did you put the pins in to prevent the needle from swinging out of range? Are you running the modern pump with float or are you using the stock sending unit? Either way, I would take whichever you are using out and move the arm by hand to see what happens with the needle. I would also check the wiring and grounds up front, I could be wrong but I think the wiring is part of the front harness that connects to the rest of the car through a connector that is stuffed up near the washer reservoir box, I would check that out for issues/corrosion. Should be a simple large rubber grommet around the wiring that releases and you can pull the wiring/connector down to see what you've got. I would really doubt your gauge is bad.

Also, I know a lot of people have not done it and their cars run great. But for me, I solved a lot of electrical issues by running a ground bus from the engine to the radiator, connecting all the grounds to it along the way. There was also a noticeable improvement on the voltage gauge; it did not drop nearly as low as it did without the ground bus, when I was running every single electrical unit I could in the car all at the same time (lights, ac etc.).


This is going to be my next project.. thanks for the help

[glockworks21]

https://youtube.com/shorts/K_qv4wZcAWM?si=aEBfPRK_HeFLYjGj

[glockworks21]

took out circuit board
flattened out with heat gun
used metal background and soldering iron to heat copper and melt back into plastic (glue was not holding)
did the paperclip hack!!!! THANK YOU!!
all seems to be working now..

side note, the oil pressure light never lit up when i turned on ignition before.. but it does now..
the seat belt light never worked, maybe because i immediately disconnected the buzzers when i got car.. idk and dont care...

i will button everything else back up tomorrow...