Dash Lights Flicker @ Idle

[jacob9582]

Can anyone think of a reason I could be experiencing this? Ground wire loose? Where should I look? Any help is much appreciated. 1984 C4

Kevin

 

[JJS]

Ground wire

I think you hit it right on the head with the loose ground wire.
I had a similar issues when my F150 was brand new - the dealership kept telling me "it's a known problem - we're waiting for the engineering team to come up with a fix."
It turned out to be a loose ground. Love the truck but talk about annoying - and some real slackers in the service dept.

 

[jacob9582]

Anyone know where I should start looking for a loose ground wire?

 

[Schrade]

ECM grounds, under the ECM...

 

[jacob9582]

Sorry but I'm not very electronic savy... Can you provide a more detailed discription? Thanks!

 

[Schrade]

You really gotta' get savy with a vette...

The ECM is under the hood, right in front of the firewall driver's side, above the battery. 4 harnesses plug into the backside of the ECM. You have to follow each harness for a foot or so, until you find a couple wires that head for the framerail just below it. Where they attach probably has corrosion. Hit them with WD40, loosen them, spin the ring connector loose, spray again, and tighten.

You really need FACTORY Shop Manual, not Chiltons / Haynes. And a multimeter. If not, mechanics will take your money. ALL OF IT - especially for electronics problems.

Electricity flow is just like water through a hose - just harder to see leaks. It doesn't flow through the wire, unless it has a place to go. And it can be IN the hose, but still won't flow...

And one more BIG difference - they don't TASTE the same, especially to the organic analog battery tester! Higher voltage = louder holler :L

 

[jacob9582]

Thanks a lot, I'll let u know if thus fixes my issue!

 

[Sierra'sVette]

What fixed it? Ive gotta 1984 myself and I'm having the same issue. I'm thinking I've got a loose ground somewhere to but I don't know where to start. I guess I will start with the ECM.

 

[DaveP85C4]

I had this problem in my 85. Flickering dash at idle. Turns out I had not tightened the battery NEG cable. Just started by hand, never put the wrench on it. It still started and ran fine, but the dash flickered. Tightened the battery cables, and problem was gone.

 

[WhalePirot]

The ECM is under the hood

No it's not, on that model series.

On the '84, the ECM is a silver-metal box, with three large plugs into the side, residing above the passenger's footwell, behind the 'breadbox'.

Grounds are CRUCIAL to any computer-controlled car, as is the minimum voltage of around 10VDC +/-.
In later years, the ECM was moved under the hood.

 

[TimminsGuy]

Grounds

There is a couple ground wires at "A" pillar beside brake pedal,..also apply silicon grease to the pins on rear of dash cluster, cured mine!