1981 C30 cluster issue

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

ConnorD

Junior Member
Joined
Sep 8, 2024
Posts
1
Reaction score
0
Location
Alberta
First Name
Connor
Truck Year
1981
Truck Model
C30
Engine Size
350
I've got a 1981 c30 that I bought a few months ago, very beautiful truck. But I seem be having cluster issues. I've tried a few different cluster and all the same things

Speedo isn't working (must be something other than the cluster I know what)

And all the gauges work, except the volt meter, but they ALL stop working once the lights are turned on, they all. Go to zero, including the fuel gauge, could this be as simple as a short in between the switch and the cluster bulbs? Any advice is appreciated. I'm very new to working on anything in the dash.
 

Attachments

  • Snapchat-422830742.jpg
    Snapchat-422830742.jpg
    88.3 KB · Views: 27

mano

Junior Member
Joined
Dec 12, 2022
Posts
8
Reaction score
39
Location
Florida
First Name
mano
Truck Year
1979
Truck Model
k10
Engine Size
350
Probably a short in the printed circuit.
 

Max Headroom

Junior Member
Joined
Sep 19, 2024
Posts
6
Reaction score
14
Location
Louisiana
First Name
Michael
Truck Year
1983
Truck Model
c10
Engine Size
350ci
Wouldn't a short keep the guages off all of the time? Could it be a ground issue. My 60's and early 70's vehicles were real twitchy about grounding.
 

75gmck25

Full Access Member
Joined
Oct 13, 2016
Posts
2,257
Reaction score
2,197
Location
Northern Virginia
First Name
Bruce
Truck Year
1975
Truck Model
K25 Camper Special TH350 NP203
Engine Size
5.7
Did you make sure you connected the cluster ground? It’s usually a black wire connected to a post on the emergency brake mechanism, or on newer trucks they added a ground bar up under the dash.
 

mano

Junior Member
Joined
Dec 12, 2022
Posts
8
Reaction score
39
Location
Florida
First Name
mano
Truck Year
1979
Truck Model
k10
Engine Size
350
I had the same thing happened to mine, and when I unplugged the connector, I noticed that where the printed circuit bends down to where the plug goes two of the little tabs were overlapping. I straightened them all out and the problem went away. I don’t remember which tabs it was.
 

Forum statistics

Threads
44,133
Posts
949,984
Members
36,238
Latest member
C10Sparky
Top