So Intermittently the cluster will not work as in guages speedo etc. Sometimes when this happens the battery light will come on. I am. still charging however as I have a volt meter in-line . Other times no lights no charging period. It was only a cold weather problem but appears to be getting worse.
I am wondering which pins on the round cluster connector give power to the
1) the cluster?
2) the oil pressure sensor light? ( sometimes that stays off while all the others light up)
Getting it all working requires pulling the cluster and adjusting(moving it just a tad) the round cluster connector and usually once its back up and going it keeps working.
Turn the car off turn the key to run and it fails again as in no idiots lights which means no power to cluster again. Again its been very infrequently happening until recently.
I am wondering if this a problem with the cluster board(cracked solder joint). There are all those wires pulling downward over they years on cluster . Or a problem with the female side of the connector?
I dont see any corrosion on either the male spade side on the board or the female side on the car.
I am on the road for a week and of course its getting worse and worse.
I have the console just sitting in the hole with no screws for easy access to correct when it happens.
Thank you all!!

Hi Joe,

Welcome to the cluster club.

If this were mine, I would remove the cluster, and then remove the speedometer from the board. The 3 pins that connect the speedo to board slide into 3 rectangular tubes. There are spring arms on these tubes that can be pushed inwards using a small pick or needle, and this will provide better contact at those critical points.

I haven't read other posts on these connections being problematic, but on 2 separate cases where I had intermittent loss of power to the cluster with tapping providing temporary relief, re-tensioning those spring arms solved the problem.

While the cluster's out, I would reach into the dash and re-tension the L connector for good measure. Ask if you're not sure how to do that.

It's optional, but an investment in a small tube of DE-OXIT may be worthwhile. I've recently come to learn that it's very effective. I've had static problems for years on my land line that was cured with a single drop on the connector.

good luck,
Peter

Peter,
Thank you as thats how this all started and a tap on the dash would correct it. No longer the case.
I know exactly what your talking about with the speedo head connectors as I recently had to replace the speedo gears on my 87.
De Oxit sounds like a must have as well.
As far as the L connector adjustment that I am not sure of?

Joseph

Joseph,

The L connector holds 3 wires that plug into the back of the speedo. Power, ground and speed signal from the differential. Blue, black, and something else.

The white plastic cover, shaped like an L, can be unclipped with a small screwdriver to release the wires. There's a hinge on it.

Note the position of the wires, and take them out one at a time. Their terminals are little 2 tined forks. Squeeze the tines together to reduce the gap, and put it back together.

Art B has a good picture of it here somewhere, but it should be self evident when you look at it.

Peter

Peter,
Re-tensioning the L-connectors 3 leads appears to have done the trick. It was very loose on the board for sure. Nice and tight now. Road test will happen later or tomorrow. Still on the road and do not want to dismantle the cluster if I dont need too.
Thank you for your help.

HI,

If that doesn't stabilize the connection, for the wee amount currents/voltage signals, I'll suggest you lay down a "thin layer" of solder onto the traces.
This way the clip will plow into the solder and create more contact the sides let alone it will be slightly thicker.

I saw that you know to use a pencil eraser to remove copper oxidation with a minimal loss of the copper.

FYI, On brass terminals, I have used some typewriter ink eraser pencils to get at the oxides of various soft metals and still have a smooth finish.

I have some spare luck laying around, so I'll wish you a good outcome!
(:)

Phil

PETER,
I could not for the life of me remember Art's website. I am having some delayed covid brain fog symptoms I'm told. Cleanflametrap.com is where all the goodies are!!! That L shaped ground (Black) wire not grounding can cause no speedo and no cluster lights!! Hopefully that will do the trick.

I have an 87, which basically has the same set up as the 88.

This winter there were times when none of the 'idiot lights' would come on, when I first started the car after a few days sitting The wagon is kept in an unheated garage, but I live in a stream valley, so dampness is unavoidable.

The clustler lights so far they have all come on after a brief warm-up.
But reaching behind and jiggling the conectionss to the board never got them to come on before it ran for a bit.

It has about 215,000 on it. Tho the OD stopped at 194K, about the same time I took it out of commuter service around 2013. So not driven that much.

So depending on your car's exposure to the elements over time and a general history...knowing that would help to make more educated guesses about where to look.....

---

Have you checked -- pulled apart cleaned off the contacts in that Grey MultiConnector on the Firewall under the hood-drivers side. Also check the engineside wires leading from it for frayed/failed insulation, before they snakedown under the intake manifold and get wrapped in sheathing.

The 85-87 had wire harness issues as in rotting apart and causing all kinds of issues. I would not want to touch the grey box connector under the hood due to its age. The wiring there looks good as well.
The car lives outside with no water intrusion from windshield etc. I know its something simple but its getting worse as it started happening even in the warmer weather. Its getting very annoying now I am not home and do not want to dissect it to much as I dont want to cause a complete failure.

Hi,

The symptoms you have described appears to me to be the whole cluster is being affected.

You have failed to mention that you have cleaned all the fuse terminals and fuses themselves of any corrosion in the driver’s door hinge.
Since you so many problems with cluster, at the same time or separately it’s always good maintenance and a mechanics procedure to start with power sources going to the equipment.
I.E. “ Did you check the plug, Miss or Sir?”
If you clear that area of corrosion and weak clips by restringing them closer, then, you may want to give the circuits a look that are located on the back of the cluster.

There is a fuse link that goes over the top of the speedometer head that is held in place by two screws that you may want to inspect for cleanliness and the screw are definitely holding that piece of plastic trace down.

Of course, all of the other connections or plugs that you have looked into could be suspects but it appears that you have chased that rabbit far enough.

Keep putting forth what you do as we here on our armchairs need all the clues we can get!
(:-)

Phil

I will spin the fuses just in case. I did clean the female side of the large 20 pin or so connector with a round file. I tried to make the female side clips tighter with a smaller jewelers screwdriver but I do not want to mess that connector up!!! I will use an eraser next on the male side pins on the cluster board. Its definitely appears to be from either that connector or cluster board where my problems are happening as when its in a failed state moving it just a tad brings it back to life but it doesn't last. The problem has been intermittent for about 10 yrs now and only in below freezing temps.
I am the 2nd owner purchased in 2002 for $500 with 48 k on it has 245k now replaced the speedo gears yrs ago and removed temp faker board . I am confident the speedo fuse is intact and functional.
Again I am on the road and do not want to cause complete failure at this point.