Date: Thu, 24 Feb 2000 15:04:55 -0800
Reply-To: Mark Mages <wasserbox@YAHOO.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Mark Mages <wasserbox@YAHOO.COM>
Subject: Re: '82 printed circuit foil (instr. panel)
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
If your circuit board is bad, you can usually tell
just by looking at it. There will generally be a
burnt hole, or noticeable tear in the board. I think
it is circuit #1 on the drivers side of the cluster.
Make sure the connectors on the bottom of the gauge
housing are tight. If it isn't, all the lights will
work except for the nighttime illumination bulbs. I
have first hand experience with both types of
problems. :)
Mark
--- Alistair Bell <albell@UVIC.CA> wrote:
> Tobin,
>
> at the risk of stating the "bleeding obvious" have
> you checked that you are
> getting power from the headlight switch? The wire
> from the cluster to the
> switch may have come adrift, or the switch itself is
> buggered.
>
> It is easy to check with a multimeter whether the
> foil is broken, i.e.
> continuity form the connector to the light socket
> contact. If you are
> careful you can solder the foil (scrape through to
> the copper, clean with
> alcohol, use a bit of wire to jump the break, be
> quick with the iron).
>
> Foils are quite cheap from the wrecker.
>
>
> And so are seat belts. I got a rear shoulder and lap
> set for $25.
>
> Make sure all of your connections are good to the
> foil circuit board. This
> might make your gas gauge work a bit better.
>
> alistair
>
> on 24/2/00 12:18 pm, Tobin Copley at
> tobin.copley@UBC.CA wrote:
>
> > I've been losing instrument panel illumination
> lights (speedo and middle
> > panel now), and figured it was just burned out
> bulbs. Tried replacing the
> > bulbs, but no go. Switched a working socket unit
> to a socket location that
> > had been burned out, and no go. So I figure the
> foil has got a break (or
> > breaks) in it someplace. Anybody disagree with
> that logic?
> >
> > This is a dealer-only part apparently, and I was
> quoted $116.00 plus taxes
> > from the dealer. That's a lot of money for me.
> (Other dealer humour: in
> > the same phone call I asked for a price on a set
> of rear seat lap
> > belts--that's just one belt pair, male and female
> sides. $201.20 plus
> > taxes!!).
> >
> > The foil is apparently the same for all 81-83
> vanagons, regardless of
> > powerplant or CA, US, or Canadian spec.
> >
> > Are these things repairable? Easily? I'm totally
> a klutz when it comes to
> > soldering, so I'm not optimistic on this.
> >
> > Any other diagnostics anyone can suggest?
> >
> > What would I expect to pay for this foil from a
> wrecker? Anybody have a
> > line on one they'd be interested in selling?
> >
> > My fuel guage also does not work. It reads full
> when full, but then
> > quickly drops down to empty and stays there after
> only about 25 miles. I
> > suspect it's the sender, but heck, maybe I'm
> getting fixated on that foil...
> >
>
=====
Mark
87 Westfalia Gl
84 Scirocco 8v
http://members.tripod.com/~jehanno
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