Help! John

[bulitvette]

;help My name is John could use some help on an electrical issue with the gauges on my 82 collector. Installed a new radio it works well. I had to remove the gauge cluster to get at the wiring. 1st mistake. Long story short. Gauges were working until I pulled out the light switch. Volt , Fuel, Oil pressure gauges went to zero. like negative or a back feed. blew out the instrument 7.5 amp fuse. wondering if I got some wires crossed. was carefull not to. looking for help thanks,John

 

[bill81vette]

1st,welcome to CAC!!!
2nd,sounds like you crossed a wire that you should not have,Double check your work and see if you by chance got a wire wrong...

 

[killain]

1st,welcome to CAC!!!
2nd,sounds like you crossed a wire that you should not have,Double check your work and see if you by chance got a wire wrong...

I agree with Bill 100%, plus the center guage cluster is on a wire grid, it's a thin plastic grid containing all the wires to the guages. You might have cracked it, ( after twenty some odd years they are very brittle) and or in wiring the new radio you shorted out the wire grid. I'd remove the radio, make sure of what wires are hot and where the ground is, and then inspect the wire grid. Almost all the CAC vendors have the grids in stock, so geting a new one isn't a big deal. When I restored my 79 for NCRS flight judging, I installed a rebuilt 1979 AM/FM cass radio, and while I was at it and in there, I replace the wire grid since their cheap and easy to replace. Also, make sure if your car has a power antenna that you haven't wire it into the main wiring to the radio. Good luck !

 

[82ColEd]

Welcome to the CAC John.


I agree with the above posters. Sounds like you crossed a wire and/or cracked the grid.

Also, i assume you checked all fuses.. how about the rest of the car, do you still have other stuff working? Maybe you'll be able to trace voltage up to a certain point.

Good luck with it and let us know how things go..



-Stefan

 

[bulitvette]

bulitvette/john--- thanks

thanks fore the reply /wouldnt surprize me if I got a wire or two crossed. got the cluster out again ; talked to a corvette guy near home thinks mybe the ground wire is hot ? checking it out thanks i'll keep you all posted thanks againJohn

1st,welcome to CAC!!!
2nd,sounds like you crossed a wire that you should not have,Double check your work and see if you by chance got a wire wrong...

 

[bulitvette]

bulitvette/john

Stefan, thanks I am blowing the insturament lamp fuse, 7.5 at the same time witch would indicate a short., my grid seems to be ok not fried or black any where. still trying to fix the problem. today after work thanks John

Welcome to the CAC John.


I agree with the above posters. Sounds like you crossed a wire and/or cracked the grid.

Also, i assume you checked all fuses.. how about the rest of the car, do you still have other stuff working? Maybe you'll be able to trace voltage up to a certain point.

Good luck with it and let us know how things go..



-Stefan

 

[bulitvette]

bulitvette/john

thanks for the reply /wouldnt surprize me if I got a wire or two crossed. got the cluster out again ; talked to a corvette guy near home thinks mybe the ground wire is hot ? checking it out thanks i'll keep you all posted thanks again, keep you posted. where do you reside?
John
te=bill81vette;954941]1st,welcome to CAC!!!
2nd,sounds like you crossed a wire that you should not have,Double check your work and see if you by chance got a wire wrong...[/quote]

 

[killain]

thanks for the reply /wouldnt surprize me if I got a wire or two crossed. got the cluster out again ; talked to a corvette guy near home thinks mybe the ground wire is hot ? checking it out thanks i'll keep you all posted thanks again, keep you posted. where do you reside?
John
te=bill81vette;954941]1st,welcome to CAC!!!
2nd,sounds like you crossed a wire that you should not have,Double check your work and see if you by chance got a wire wrong...

[/quote]

A really good tool is to have a 12 volt tester or continuity test light, and once you find a wire thats running hot or has power to it, then mark it with a piece of masking tape with a red mark on it so you know what is 'hot' and make sure you do this with the key out of the switch and with the key in and turned to the 'on' position.