EA Mid-series cluster voltage gauget problem Help!!

EACRUISER · 24-11-2005, 10:42 AM

I am currently experiencing a gauge cluster issue where as soon as i turn the ignition key on the volt meter goes around to 16 volts and stays there until i turn the car off again. I have checked the back of the gauge cluster and have found the resistor on the gauge itself. I believe this might be what is blown and am trying to source a new one, there is no writing on the resistor and it appears to be blown.

Does anyone have any info on the gauge cluster. I.e. Wiring diagrams or circuit breakdown that i would be able to find out what size this resistor is.

If not i will try and get some info from VDO as it appears to have one of there part no's on the cluster itself.

**Papa Smurf** · 24-11-2005, 12:34 PM

As far as I know, there is no Voltage stabilizer abailable separately? I have checked the Microcat and there is none there and the Guage itself is Obsolete. I would suggest you see if you can find an Instrument repairer and let him have a look?

Has this happened only recently or have you just put the cluster in? could be bad connections at the Alternator as well?

EACRUISER · 24-11-2005, 02:48 PM

My Amplifier Blew a fuse and then the cluster started to go haywire.

I Replaced the fuse and everything else in the car is working as it should except the dash voltmeter.

It is the only thing that is doing the wrong thing. The Voltage at the battery is around 14 volts when the car is running.

The fuse blew about four weeks ago.
been doing it ever since.

The Amplifier is running off its own power cable, 2 gauge feed from both battery terminals to the boot.

GenesiS · 24-11-2005, 02:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EACRUISER

I have checked the back of the gauge cluster and have found the resistor on the gauge itself. I believe this might be what is blown and am trying to source a new one.

Resisitors can become faulty, are you sure it's a resistor? Resistors don't have writing on them, ever. They should have four, sometimes 5 collored bands around them, these color bands when read in order give you the resistance in Ohms and the Tolerance (5% or 10% usual).

A new resistor is about 15cents from Dick Smith, just take it out and take it to a DSE or Jaycar electronics (Maybe Jaycar, more likely to get someone that knows what they're talkking about, I can say that, I worked for DSE for 8yrs) and they should be able to get a new one for you. They're non-polarised, so it doesn't matter which way it goes in either... that's if it is a resistor...

EACRUISER · 24-11-2005, 03:39 PM

The shape of it looks like a resistor. Colour is brown all over and cant really tell what the hell it is.

I Might take it to a dash place in town to get them to take a look at it.

As they will know what the are looking at.

I didn't really have enough time to take a good look at it as i was doing something else and wasn't really interested in fixing it at the time. Might pull my dash apart again on the weekend to get a better look at it.

EACRUISER · 24-11-2005, 03:41 PM

I Though someone on here might have had the same problem and could have given me some advice on how to fix it.

Papa Smurf has probably got the right idea, it is probably easier for me to just take it to an instrument repairer instead of messing around with it.

jjj · 24-11-2005, 05:09 PM

when i had the old ea spak, my dash voltmeter would only read 12volts car on and 10volts ign on. I took the dash apart and found there was a small pot resistor on the back of the gauge. i just adjusted that for 14.4v(had a digital meter and gauge hooked up directly to car battery.

Chucked the gauge back in, and it worked excellant.

cheers

EACRUISER · 24-11-2005, 08:09 PM

Thanks jjj, i might have a look on the weekend. but i don't think it will be that as teh gauge goes up to 16 with the ignition on and stays there with the car running.

jjj · 24-11-2005, 08:58 PM

I'd say if your getting full scale deflection then a wire is broken somewhere. take the gauge out and hook up directly to the battery with a bit of wire. That rule out dash problem or gauge problem straight away.

I know people that put spak dashed in gli models they get fsd(full scale deflection) on the oil gauge because the positive wire is open circuit. Which leads me to think the 12volt rail in the dash may have a dry solder joint or a split rail.

cheers jjj.

EACRUISER · 25-11-2005, 08:48 AM

I Will have a good look using my 12v power invertor from my stereo system in my B/R, tommorow. thanks for your help, jjj.