1992 VP Cooling Problems

[MikeC]

It won't have a speedo cable. The speed sensor is a round black plug thing at the back of the transmission with three wires coming out of it, make sure its white plug is plugged in to the wiring harness. The plug connectors are 3 sets of plugs at the back of the dash cluster- to remove the cluster you need to follow the instructions on this forum. You have to be methodical and careful of the old plastic.
I have a level 3 cluster and i find I don't have to remove the steering wheel if I turn the wheel so it's pointing down from its normal position and the bevel on the hub is at the top. The cluster can then be slid over it and out to the left.
Break, clean with contact cleaner and reconnect all the cluster plugs. Make sure all the plugs are re fitted tightly.

Don't worry about the questions- we all had to start somewhere with our first cars.

 

[Darcy Warhurst]

It won't have a speedo cable. The speed sensor is a round black plug thing at the back of the transmission with three wires coming out of it, make sure its white plug is plugged in to the wiring harness. The plug connectors are 3 sets of plugs at the back of the dash cluster- to remove the cluster you need to follow the instructions on this forum. You have to be methodical and careful of the old plastic.
I have a level 3 cluster and i find I don't have to remove the steering wheel if I turn the wheel so it's pointing down from its normal position and the bevel on the hub is at the top. The cluster can then be slid over it and out to the left.
Break, clean with contact cleaner and reconnect all the cluster plugs. Make sure all the plugs are re fitted tightly.

Don't worry about the questions- we all had to start somewhere with our first cars.

Thanks, i already know about the old pastic, I went to take the radio out and to take it out you have to unscrew the climate control knobs, the plastic broke the moment I turned the screw

 

[MikeC]

Thanks, i already know about the old pastic, I went to take the radio out and to take it out you have to unscrew the climate control knobs, the plastic broke the moment I turned the screw

If you pull the cluster out you may as well touch up the soldered joints in the voltage regulator board with a fine pointed soldering iron- see the link above, and carefully lube the gauge spindles with silicon spray- don't overdo it and keep it away from the trip meter if you have one.

 

[gtrboyy]

Old diy trick for temp/oil/fuel gauges is to earth the wire out then see if gauge goes to highest setting then back to lowest when unearthed..if it tests out ok then get new sender unit.

Dry solder fix works for awhile,expect issue to come back after a year or two...while your there replace odometer cog if plan on registering it.

 

[Darcy Warhurst]

If you pull the cluster out you may as well touch up the soldered joints in the voltage regulator board with a fine pointed soldering iron- see the link above, and carefully lube the gauge spindles with silicon spray- don't overdo it and keep it away from the trip meter if you have one.

Ok, thanks, i dont wanna break that or the odometer cause they still both work.

 

[Darcy Warhurst]

I might send some photos of the car so you can see what we are working with (Warning she looks very sad on the outside but runs ok)
Also could the speed sensor be fine if the odometer and trip meter are still working or is it run of a wheel hub ?

 

[MikeC]

If the odometer and trip meter are working the speed sensor must be working. On mine the speed sender sends the same signal to the speedo and trip computer.
My speedo gets the following signals from wires to the cluster;
speed-violet/white wire
power-pink/black wire from fuse 10
earth-black wire
If everything looks good have a look at the plugs and the PCB on the back of the cluster for small cracks across the tracks, especially where it's bent or been rubbing.

 

[Darcy Warhurst]

If the odometer and trip meter are working the speed sensor must be working. On mine the speed sender sends the same signal to the speedo and trip computer.
My speedo gets the following signals from wires to the cluster;
speed-violet/white wire
power-pink/black wire from fuse 10
earth-black wire
If everything looks good have a look at the plugs and the PCB on the back of the cluster for small cracks across the tracks, especially where it's bent or been rubbing.

Thanks a lot! i can't do anything until the weekend really but thanks very much for ya help, the commodores a bit weird TBH, theres no key hole in the passnger door jam for the anti theft and when i went looking for the ALDL once i couldn't find even after i removed the kick panel, i'll just look harder. Neither does the lock unlock feature, the doors just lock for a second and then unlock, but know it doesn;t work at all.

 

[Darcy Warhurst]

What could cause the lock function to lock and unlock withing a second, and how can i remove it or turn it off cause it is very annoying having an unlocked car in the backyard.

 

[MikeC]

Door locking wiring may take a bit of sorting out like the cluster. In the meantime can you deadlock the driver's door by turning the key until it is flat- this should mechanically lock the drivers door and electrically lock the other 3.