Subject: Re: WAS ( Re: GTI h-h-hesitation )  NOW : A1 instrument cluster printed circuit replacement :
From: enorvell@bellsouth.net
Date: 5/3/99 12:39 PM Central Daylight Time
Message-id: <372ddced.3526294@news.rdu.bellsouth.net>

On Mon, 03 May 1999 16:50:28 GMT, enorvell@bellsouth.net wrote:

>On Sun, 2 May 1999 23:07:41 -0700, <wilbilt@jps.net> wrote:
>
>>I just got a '83 gti.
>>very clean    very fast  very cheap...anyway. There is a weird problem in
>>the electrical. Temp guage freaks(gauge and light) Brake light bounces on
>>and off constantly... with the buzzer in sync. All this along with a cut out
>>that happens in relation to the above. The guy I got the car from says that
>>the previous wrench said the " imprinted board behind the speedo cluster
>>needed to be replaced" What... I guess the windsheild leaaks and maybe the
>>water f***ed up the cars nervous system right? Anybody got a clue?




>FIRST :
>I'd clean up all the chassis electrical ground connections

the ones in the engine compartment, espescially. Pay special attention
to the multiple ground wires which attach to the end of the cylinder
head. See below for the contact spray cleaner of choice. 

>, and coat
>the connectors with vaseline, before re-assy. Recall that this car is
>16 years old - lots of corrosion can set in in that time. 
>
>As for the "printed circuit " - it's an easy job to replace it :  just
>remove the dash faceplate, 

You'll also need to remove your radio, at least partially - to ease
removal of the dash fascia. 

> and the steering wheel (24mm), and then
>remove the speedo cable from the back side of the instrument cluster.

It's attached with a knurled ring nut - your fingers should work here.
You'll have to lie on your back and reach behind the instruments to
get this one ( unless you are an orangutan ). 

>Then, remove the instrument cluster ( four 8mm nuts ) 

They are actually 8mm self - tapping screws. Oops. It's nice to have a
magnetic socket or some chewing gum when it comes time to re-install
these. You'll see what I mean. 



>The printed
>circuit connector is found on the back side of the instrument cluster.
>It will be obvious how to r&r it. 

Just in case ;-)   it's held on by 8mm nuts. Be sure to clean the
copper contacts on the wiring connector which attaches to the
instrument cluster and all the points on the circuit board where
electrical connections are made, too. A good tool for this cleaning is
a pencil eraser ( you'll need several ) and some CRC "QD" electronic
parts spray cleaner ( it's the best !).  "Erase" the oxidation first,
then spray clean the parts and re-assemble. 

>I'd get a whole instrument cluster from a junkyard, and swap it in. 
>
>Alternatively, you could pirate the parts needed off the junkyard
>cluster, so as to keep that precious 85mph speedometer. 
>
>Any questions, post them on the newsgroup