Help with malfunctioning cluster.

[mtbadbob]

On the 87' cluster, there are 2 screws to remove the black metal plate over the green plastic cluster housing.
In order to verify the gauges are actually contacting correctly and the light bulbs are inserted or working, you have to pull the needle to expose the inside of the cluster. It's not hard to do, just getting it back on accurately can be a pain.
Old plastic breaks easy. Mine went back on 10mph wrong and messing with it broake it.
I'm running a Sport Comp Speedometer and using the odometer for fuel ups for now, until spring when I can rewire my fuel gauge.

My dash wash all broken plastic parts. Dakota is too much money with my transmission being modified.

It's easier to just unhook speedo & pull the whole unit out. The lights just twist into the back of the housing onto the circuit board.

 

[wingman50]

I had a similar problem with dash lights in my cluster. The bulbs kept falling out. My solution was to put in aftermarket gauges fro Nu Vintage USA. That was in 2018. They are still working great.

 

[Dano500]

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@mtbadbob I think I just made things worse. lol I guess the board is bad because of seating. When I seat the cluster plug in all the way, nothing works, except the brake light, which didn’t work before. If I push the top in and leave the bottom out a little, the lights come on like you see here.

 

[AuroraGirl]

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@mtbadbob I think I just made things worse. lol I guess the board is bad because of seating. When I seat the cluster plug in all the way, nothing works, except the brake light, which didn’t work before. If I push the top in and leave the bottom out a little, the lights come on like you see here.

sounds like you are either looking at dirty connections or the wires in the connector may need to be reseated in the plug first or the board is pushing too far into the cavity that the plug pushes in

 

[Dano500]

sounds like you are either looking at dirty connections or the wires in the connector may need to be reseated in the plug first or the board is pushing too far into the cavity that the plug pushes in

Yeah, I don’t know. I used contact cleaner for the plug and the contacts on the board. I bent all the pins out slightly in the plug thinking maybe it would help contact the board better, didn’t do anything. I don’t think it’s the wires in the plug, I think it’s the contact between the plug and board, but I hate to buy another board and still have the same problem. Lol

 

[RanchWelder]

Yah, like I said, it's old.
It will break easily and drive you up the wall with issues.
Nu Vintage is a lot more affordable, however the Dakota Digital has the secret sauce for an electronic transmission upgrade down the road.
They have a proprietary controller algorithm that decodes various VSS, crankshaft and cam sensors, that nobody I called can match.

 

[Dano500]

Yah, like I said, it's old.
It will break easily and drive you up the wall with issues.
Nu Vintage is a lot more affordable, however the Dakota Digital has the secret sauce for an electronic transmission upgrade down the road.
They have a proprietary controller algorithm that decodes various VSS, crankshaft and cam sensors, that nobody I called can match.

I have a 4L 80 E and the Cadillac 500 that are going in next, but I need the Dakota digital speedo, with this transmission?

 

[AuroraGirl]

I have a 4L 80 E and the Cadillac 500 that are going in next, but I need the Dakota digital speedo, with this transmission?

you dont need it but im pretty sure dakota can use a gm factory VSS from a 4l80e vs other ones probably need their own speed sensor.


Do you plan to use a 4l80e and EFI on the 500? Or just a 4l80e and carbed 500? I ask because if they arre bOP housings, a 200r4 came in BOP bellhousings and is 4 speeds

but if you want electronic compatibility the 4l80e would be great too

 

[Dano500]

you dont need it but im pretty sure dakota can use a gm factory VSS from a 4l80e vs other ones probably need their own speed sensor.


Do you plan to use a 4l80e and EFI on the 500? Or just a 4l80e and carbed 500? I ask because if they arre bOP housings, a 200r4 came in BOP bellhousings and is 4 speeds

but if you want electronic compatibility the 4l80e would be great too

I see. Im going to keep it carbed, but I want the overdrive because I do a little highway driving, but will primarily be using it for my 5th wheel.

 

[AuroraGirl]

I see. Im going to keep it carbed, but I want the overdrive because I do a little highway driving, but will primarily be using it for my 5th wheel.

you may consider then using a 200r4 because a 4l80e is gonna need a controller of some kind. and best ties in iwth EFI but you dont have to for sure

 

[Dano500]

Correct, I have the controller already.

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Got’em! The light at corner of fuel gauge won’t seat tight enough and keeps falling out. I replaced the lights with leds. Fuel gauge problem was in back by tank, so I got that squared away.

I screwed up the little spring thing for the shifter, so I don’t know what to do about that.

The red brake light won’t go off, but I did bleed brakes recently.

Now I have NO turn signals, where as they were just slow before.

Tracked the green temp wire behind distributor, but lost it at this junction/plug which is right beside the oil sensor:

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Lastly, maybe this is wrong sensor for pressure only and should be different one for gauge?

Thanks for your continued advice!
-Dan

 

[Dano500]

Bump…

 

[Jgonick]

Brake light- I believe it grounds @ emergency brake pedal & brake proportioning valve.

 

[Randy and Easton]

Brake light connection on proportioning valve was our culprit with brake light staying on for what it’s worth…

Randy and E

 

[Dano500]

@Jgonick @Randy and Easton thanks, I’ll check over those tomorrow. Any idea why my blinkers stopped working? There was still something wrong before, but all I did was take out cluster and clean contacts.
All lights are led, but I did already switch to led flasjer. I don’t know what else to check.