Digital dash

[dadmomcat]

I have the digital dash and it has not worked 100% since i have owned the car. The gas gauge does work good, the Trip odometer also works, the boost gauge works fine also. The speedometer does work at all. It reads 00, the lights work, but the speed-o doing happens when you are running.

Is there a sensor for the speedometer to work with, if so where is it located. Any thing i should be looking for at the dash ??? I have had the dash apart, just looking for any thing loose or ???

Any help would be helpful, the only good side of this is that the wife can not tell how fast I'm going !!!

many thanks

 

[turbojimmy]

The digital dash typically either works or doesn't work - there's not much in between. When it's not showing the right things, it's usually a result of the devices that feed it information.

When I got my car, the speedo stayed at 0 all the time, and the fuel gauge showed "- -". Tripometer lit up, but never changed because the speedo didn't work. Odometer worked because it works off the cable from the trans. The boost "gauge" is just a couple of lights controlled by a Hobbes switch mounted on the RH fender. Not much to go wrong there.

The speedo didn't work because the VSS was unplugged (my car was a recovered theft and the theives snipped the wires to the VSS when the stole the stereo). It's behind the radio. The fuel gauge didn't work because there was a dead spot in the sender.

In short, I wouldn't suspect the dash itself unless it's completely blank.

Good luck,
Jim

 

[dadmomcat]

thanks for the info, i will give it a try !!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[terryk]

Oh there's definitely an in-between.

I ran out of gas at 3 gallons on the dash last night. Now to find out what's wrong.

 

[turbojimmy]

Originally posted by terryk
Oh there's definitely an in-between.

I ran out of gas at 3 gallons on the dash last night. Now to find out what's wrong.

I meant with the dash itself meaning it's typically either lit up or not. Wrong or no numbers in the display are rarely caused by the dash itself. Running out of gas at 3 gallons is probably the sender, not the dash. I run out anywhere between 2 and 7

Jim

 

[terryk]

It seems unfair that you get to run out of gas with more gallons on the display than me.......

I agree, I think it's the sender. If I come to stop fast, the gallons display goes to dashes for a split second which I believe means open circuit.

Terry
86 T-Type

 

[dannyv6]

I would pull the dash cluster out of the car and see if the vehicle speed sensor is plugged in. If it is disconnected it will not read mph. Mine was disconnected when i got my car and it just sat at 0 mph. Plugged it in and it worked fine.

 

[dadmomcat]

speed sensor

ok where is the speed sensor located on the cluster. what do i look for ?????
Thanks

 

[glenn c]

I replaced my fuel sender, still out of gas @ 3 gal.

 

[BLACK6PACK]

My car used to run out of gas as soon as it hit 4 gallons. After a fuel pump install, it gets to 3 gallons and stays there. When it hits 3 gallons, I actually have 3 gallons, but it never goes lower. I hit 3 gallons once, drove 60 miles to the track and 3 miles before I got there she ran out of gas. Opened the trunk put in 5 gallons of c116 and was ready to go.

 

[tjthorson]

Heh - mine either says F when its full, pretty much stays on 17 all the time after 60 miles or so and all of sudden jumps to 6.

I just watch the mileage and fill up around 200 miles or so.

 

[ksmmspt]

Digital Dash help

Give John Spina a call at Caspers or check their website out http://www.casperselectronics.com/

They helped me with my "dead dash" problems. Hope that helps.

 

[dannyv6]

the vss is on the back of the dash cluster. When you pull the dash out there is a sensor with 2 wires going to it. It has a black plastic end. There is a hole in it where a bolt goes through the connector to hold it inplace in the dash.

 

[cturboaddict]

what about when the speedo dosent even light. Mine lit up yesterday and worked and now nothing-everything else works except for the turbo gauge. Checked fuses everything is good.

 

[FJM568]

Bad power supply...John Spina at Casper's can fix that for ya and can even make it read up to 199 mph...Beware, though, it ain't cheap...

 

[cturboaddict]

Do you know what wires I should check.

 

[dpok69]

My car runs out of gas also like around 3 gallons.

My mph readings are innacurate above 20 mph hour. I could be going 80mph and the dash will say only 40mph. And my scanmaster confirms this is what the vss sensor and ECM is seeing. Maybe my VSS sensor went bad OR it is because i have a stock regal tranny on my car. Someone pointed out to me there was some weird coupling(adapter) configuration in my engine compartment from the tranny. I guess the vss sensor picks up speed info from this cable with the unusual coupling adapter.

Whenever i hit a bump in my car, the dash goes wild. It looks like all the segments are cycling. It only takes another bump in the road to make things "normal" again. I figure i have a bad ground somewhere. Most likey behing the passnger valve cover area, where the ground for the Digital Dash as well other important devices (ecm,cooling fan relay,) are located. I had a problem there once with the cooling fan ground there, but since i could not get to the bolt there i just snipped the wire for the fan and relocated it to the firewall.

Besides all these problem i still like the way the dash looks. Kinda modern looking and different then alot of GN's out there.