69 Ralleye Cluster Problems

[dkn1997]

Hey all, I restored a cluster I had here and sold it on ebay.  They buyer called me and is having some problems.  Although I tested it before I sent it out, He cannot get one of the lights and the oil pressure gauge to work.  it's one of the lights that gets power from the circuit board on the back. 

He swapped it with another bulb/holder that was working and no go.  He tested power on the copper part where the bulb goes in and got a pulsating 12v like he should.  also, he grounded the post on the oil press gauge and it did go up.  all of the other gauges work.  I feel bad and he is sending it back to me and I will do anything I have to make it right.  I tested it before I restored it and it all worked great.  He said his old oil pressure gauge in his old cluster worked too.

I will test whatever I have to, just wanted some of your thoughts on this. 

[Back N Black]

Check for continuity between the two post on the gauge. The windings are brittle in 38 year old gauges and maybe being tossed around during shipping the windings could have broken?

[dkn1997]

could be.  although he grounded the one post and the needle swept...but I'll throw the resistors on it when it gets back.  hopefully the socket thing is an easy one.  I have an extra circuit board, maybe that's bad and causing both problems.  would explain why his old gauge worked, new one sweeps when you ground it directly, but not when hooked up to car.....

[Charger-Bodie]

sometimes its just a bad connection at the nuts which hold the gauge to the panel try to lossen and then tighen them and it may come out of it

[dkn1997]

sometimes its just a bad connection at the nuts which hold the gauge to the panel try to lossen and then tighen them and it may come out of it

thanks, guys.  I am going to check that.  I plan on getting it all to work and send it back with bulb sockets in it.  I think I have a few. 

[hemi68charger]

The other bulbs work? If so, you should be getting 12v source then.... All three bulbs use the same 12v feed......... Has he checked the little black twist-socket the bulb pushes into? Sometimes the tabs on the socket break off due to age. That being said, there could be a poor contact area on one of the two metal tabs on the socket that touch the printed circuit board...

Troy

[dkn1997]

yeah, and he claims he's getting 12v at the socket, and he tried other bulb/holder.  This may all be the result of some unseen problem with the circuit board.  I will test first, and if i cannot get it to go, I will swap in another board I have.

[dkn1997]

thanks for the help, guys.  He sent it back to me and I cleaned the posts on oil press gauge better and that works. I also recalibrated all of the gauges again.  I swapped the circuit board for a better one and now all of the dash lights work.

got an email from the buyer last week, he got the cluster back and it all works!!  so it's all good and I see this as a good thing that shows I will live up to my end when i sell a cluster.  I paid shipping back to me and back to him 2nd time, so he was not out of pocket any extra cash, just a little more down time than he had hoped, about a week.  I cannot wait to do my next one!!!

anyone know where to get the odometer wheel redone?  or a decal kit?  that's the only thing that kept this cluster from being 100% perfect in my opinion (I know, the decals too, the purists like to silkscreen)