Custom Dash Cluster

[Ivan141]

I stripped a couple of clusters and they are really low-tech. Nothing complicated enough
to warrant such drastic measures as replacing the whole unit.

Basically it goes like this (from lightbulb back to power and ground):
-Lightbulb
->Bulb holders with contact 'wings'
->Flexible circuit board
->Connector
->Switched 12V (from tail relay and tail fuse)
->Rheostat -> Ground

-You can visually check the circuit board, you can measure the resistance from bulbholder to connector.
-You can check 12v at the connector
-You can check if there is continuity to chassis ground from the connector
-You can check if 12V reaches the PCB.

That is really all there is to it. If the flexiPCB isnt borked and you have power + ground then the illumination should work.
I've had a rheostat go bad once which I fixed by bypassing it to a chassis ground, I suspect that whatever is wrong with
your cluster (if it's the cluster and not the in-car wiring) can be fixed with an equally simple measure.

[mad.matt]

If you're wanting clocks Kazi, I've got my working set here to sell

Means you can have yours to strip out and experiment with. Not sure just what you can do with the speed signal etc as you'd need to maintain an odometer (driven by mechanical) but you'll need a wheel speed which will likely come from a digital signal.

[kazi]

(10-17-2017 07:06 PM)Ivan141 Wrote:  I stripped a couple of clusters and they are really low-tech. Nothing complicated enough
to warrant such drastic measures as replacing the whole unit.

Basically it goes like this (from lightbulb back to power and ground):
-Lightbulb
->Bulb holders with contact 'wings'
->Flexible circuit board
->Connector
->Switched 12V (from tail relay and tail fuse)
->Rheostat -> Ground

-You can visually check the circuit board, you can measure the resistance from bulbholder to connector.
-You can check 12v at the connector
-You can check if there is continuity to chassis ground from the connector
-You can check if 12V reaches the PCB.

That is really all there is to it. If the flexiPCB isnt borked and you have power + ground then the illumination should work.
I've had a rheostat go bad once which I fixed by bypassing it to a chassis ground, I suspect that whatever is wrong with
your cluster (if it's the cluster and not the in-car wiring) can be fixed with an equally simple measure.

Wouldn't call it drastic to be honest. If it was a standard concourse car then yes it would be. But the matter is, OEM clock in mine (lighting wise) doesn't work. And the stuff that does work is pretty inaccurate. I use the car for fast road and track so want the dash to read as accurately as possible. If that means making a dash out of Defi gauges then that it is. And even if they did work properly then the modification side alone would make me want to do this.

Do you have any wiring diagrams form the clocks and where to check them?

[Ivan141]

You can find them here:
http://www.aeu86.org/technical/ae86-manuals/

As far as gauges being inaccurate, this is a built in thing for most cars, mostly just the speedometer though.
I dont think the tachometer is inaccurate, and that is the most important gauge in there.
It's your choice offcourse, I just happen to like the look of the stock cluster much better than the cobbled together
bunch of aftermarket gauges look.

[kazi]

(10-19-2017 09:33 AM)Ivan141 Wrote:  You can find them here:
http://www.aeu86.org/technical/ae86-manuals/

As far as gauges being inaccurate, this is a built in thing for most cars, mostly just the speedometer though.
I dont think the tachometer is inaccurate, and that is the most important gauge in there.
It's your choice offcourse, I just happen to like the look of the stock cluster much better than the cobbled together
bunch of aftermarket gauges look.

Yeh speedo in any car normally reads anywhere between 3-7 MPH/KMH under what it says. I was surprised by the tachometer being out. I only noticed it being out once I fitted my Apexi RSM for Nürburgring. Would explain why I had such a hard time setting the idle. On OEM clocks my idle shows 1100 when in actual fact it's around 850rpm. Same for higher up the rev range. On regular occasions I've noticed the OEM clocks at around 6800 RPM but at the same time the Apexi RSM was reading 8200rpm. I have a photo of it somewhere on my phone so will try dig it out. Not overly worried about the speedo as it still reads in KPH anyway, but want the RPM to be on point.