91 VN dash - no lights and beeping + bad revs

[timmy_tam]

UPDATE DOWN THE BOTTOM OF PAGE


hi all
i had a problem with the heater control which turned out to be trivial tube issue, but upon putting everything in the dash back, i accidenty shorted two wires from the cluster

but i had them resolded, but now the dash cluster lights won't light up (ie, hand brake, etc) only the PRESS REMOTE and low oil light up

plus every minute the hand brake warning beep comes on
plus fuel gauge doesn't move
car revs to 1000 instead of 750 as before
bad fuel smell

i'm thinking maybe the dash cluster is ###ed? but the two wires were resolded
perhaps the ecu is disconnected somehow?


please help guys!

[88GreenVN]

Thats the 4th plug wire for the trip computer (ecu). And yep the cluster may well be very ....well second hand. The alarms are going off because of no signal - probable. more shorts I'd say.

[timmy_tam]

really?
what should i do about it?
i'm guessing resolding won't help?

[88GreenVN]

Without the multi meter and sparky no how.. Could be hard work. You could try a new cluster from the wreckers. But I'd say thats not your prefered option. I'm not a sparky but have read a few theads about beeps and cluster wire diagrams. You'll need to trace out the faulty component wiring by following the printouts on the back of the cluster eg fuel gauge... Connector 1,2,3,4. Good luck - and some one with more info may be able to help

[timmy_tam]

thanks heaps 88greenVN
well, if a dash will fix it all, then i'll get a new second hand one
but the only problems i can see with it is the 2 wires, and possibly a lose connection with the ECU somewhere

anyone selling a calias dash?
anyone else help?

[88GreenVN]

What happened to melt the wires in the first place.. Have you got some thing else melted. Fuses. wire to the hand brake.

[timmy_tam]

tried to start the car and connect teh dash. fitted the wires into the back, and next thing i know, smoke from the back

taht burnt section had touched teh bare metal from the steering wheel
fortunetly, its only a small section, but DAMN, it's causing me alot of shit!

anyone please help?

[88GreenVN]

Do you mean you had the dash half out with the plus in and tryed to start the car? As it sounds to me this could be bad for the cluster. But it may have fried other things too. Putting another cluster in may result in more smoke of the bad type. A sparky may be the only way to go.

[timmy_tam]

yeh i had it half out when i did this, but i didn't start the car, just turned the ignition to "II" (before ignition)

everything else seems to work (ie. the modes)
what could ahve gone wrong?
what's a sparky?

[88GreenVN]

Sparky = auto electrian

[88GreenVN]

The fuel gauge could be cooked and the hand brake warning could mean something electrical cooked there aswell.

[timmy_tam]

oh okay
well, i read on this forum that theres a speedo place close to me
Ringwood Speedometer service
think it's worth taking down to get it checked, or is it just gonna fry it again like u say?

could it be the yellow wire to the ecu?? (as i've heard?)

[timmy_tam]

The fuel gauge could be cooked and the hand brake warning could mean something electrical cooked there aswell.

how come everything cooked so easily? what about the fuse box and fuses?!?!?

does this mean the cluster is out and i'll need a new one??

[88GreenVN]

The cluster has the printed wires - thin copper tracks - (blue backing on the cluster as in your pics) and when you got the smoke it was putting power to a few things via dead short. You have involved the fuel gauge at this point if you inspect the blue backing of the cluster some more of this may be damaged. The fuel gauge may be damaged inside the cluster OR not getting power anymore.

When you have a short like you have it pays to pull all the fuses and inspect as they may have been stressed too.

[timmy_tam]

thansk again 99greenvn
if only u were in vic, i'd ask to bring it over to get it checked out

but yeh, i've checked it, and other than where it's burnt, there aren't any other damages.
i'll look at hte fuses, but i'm guessing that the dash is ###ed and no good anymore?

[timmy_tam]

checked all the fuses, and their all intact
still doesn't light up any except the PRESS REMOTE and oil low
but modes lights up

engine still runs at 1000 rpm
anyone? please? help?

if anyone in vic is willing to help me, i'll pay for the troubles....

[vpbt1ss]

where bouts are you

[timmy_tam]

SE melbourne, near dandenong

[timmy_tam]

UPDATE
tried driving to a mech today
stopped for some oil, and it wouldn't start up again
made clicking noise, so went home and got jumpers and fuel can, filled up 20 L and it started with aid of jumpers

drove 100 m and it just died again, had to jump again
this happened about 4 times going about 1 km
finally got home, and batteries just dead

PLEASE! CAN ANYONE HELP?!?!?
i'm really desperate now!

[88GreenVN]

Sounds sick. Alternator could be dead or the regulator bit. You could have some more melted wires in the loom. Sorry but it sounds like you need a mobile electrician as your car maybe past the point of this forum. Shane.

[timmy_tam]

*sigh* i'm so sick of this s!@#
one loose tube for the heater controls escalades into so much pain and misery

well, i checked the battery connections, and postive had a cracked terminal, replaced it and it's fine
so i think the battery problem is fine

i'm hoping that all the issues will be resolved with the dash
any chance the high idle could be due to ecu?

thansk for all the help shane

[Daniel Gray]

Hey, u know that the cluster has to be pushed all the way onto the rear lugs to work properly? I started mine without the cluster in and it just idled bad, sounded lumpy as... when u had the cluster out it probably rubbed on the rear lug contacts, shorting it out, second hand clusters r cheap on ebay, make sure u get a V6 or V8 specific one or the tacho wont work right

[timmy_tam]

yeh? i'll check it out
thanks man
well, looking for a new 2nd hand one, bit hard on a saturday night
might have to wait till monday :S

[timmy_tam]

okay, so went to a mech friend of mine
he put in a spare VN dash cluster
but this one

- NO LIGHTS other than idicator, lights on and highbeam
- doesn't beep handbrake
- doesn't beep lights left on
- fuel gauge doesn't move
- doesn't beep for overspeed or light up for it

whereas the old one i friend
- NO LIGHTS other than idicator, lights on and highbeam
- beeps handbrake every minute and beeps lights left on
- fuel gauge doesn't move
- beeps that overspeed but doesn't light up

basically, the new cluster is the same, except it doesn't beep for anything
BOTH DON'T have lights! (ie. handbrake, engine, etc)
Cruise control doesn't work for either

i've checked all fuses, except the big black relays, and their all fine
i've bought a new cluster from Chopsy but will still have to wait

i'm worried, have i fried soemthing in the loom???
please help

[Daniel Gray]

okay, so went to a mech friend of mine
he put in a spare VN dash cluster
but this one

- NO LIGHTS other than idicator, lights on and highbeam
- doesn't beep handbrake
- doesn't beep lights left on
- fuel gauge doesn't move
- doesn't beep for overspeed or light up for it

whereas the old one i friend
- NO LIGHTS other than idicator, lights on and highbeam
- beeps handbrake every minute and beeps lights left on
- fuel gauge doesn't move
- beeps that overspeed but doesn't light up

basically, the new cluster is the same, except it doesn't beep for anything
BOTH DON'T have lights! (ie. handbrake, engine, etc)
Cruise control doesn't work for either

i've checked all fuses, except the big black relays, and their all fine
i've bought a new cluster from Chopsy but will still have to wait

i'm worried, have i fried soemthing in the loom???
please help

are the buttons on either side plugged in? they do funny things when the buttons arent connected. when u start the car, let warm up a bit and rev it to 3000rpm, hold it there for 10 seconds, that resets the idle after having the battery off