wicked - PM sent to you ....

Does anyone have any trouble shooting tips or documentation on the Cavalier digital instrument cluster? Mine went out. Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks, Mike

quote Originally posted by Cajun: Does anyone have any trouble shooting tips or documentation on the Cavalier digital instrument cluster? Mine went out. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks, Mike

Power supply toasted - there is a guy on eVilbay that sells replacements or you can fix it yourself if you know a bit about electronics (needs the mosfet changed as well as the capacitors).

does anyone know how to test one of these to make sure everything lights up? i can bring a 12v alarm battery (from my HID spotlight ) to the junk yard to test one before i go and spend money on it.

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First LX9 Fiero GT, 1987 | My Fiero Fuel Economy | MPG Display for OBD I
Youtube Videos of My GT | 87 GT Inside Test Run | 3500 Fiero GT Test Run 01
3500 Fiero GT Test Run 02 | 3500 Fiero GT Test Run 03 | 3500 Fiero GT Test Run 04
If you can't fix it with a hammer, you've got an electrical problem
Fiero's are people too. We pay just as much attention to them, if not more than our loved ones
screw paying those bastards. im not going to become rich by paying for things.....

quote Originally posted by americasfuture2k: does anyone know how to test one of these to make sure everything lights up? i can bring a 12v alarm battery (from my HID spotlight ) to the junk yard to test one before i go and spend money on it.

Just supply power to the correct pins, if it starts up, it's all good.

NOTE: this does not mean it will quit in the near or distant future - the power supplies are an issue with any of the vacuum fluorescent displays (the green ones) - usually the capacitors dry up and change value, stressing the mosfet till it fails. Cold solder connections are also another weak point. Personally I would replace all the electrolytic caps on the power power and touch up all the soldering.

The power board is the small circuit board on the back of these displays.

i plan on doing that. merlot had one and we couldnt cross reference any parts. and it looked like some had been replaced before.

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First LX9 Fiero GT, 1987 | My Fiero Fuel Economy | MPG Display for OBD I
Youtube Videos of My GT | 87 GT Inside Test Run | 3500 Fiero GT Test Run 01
3500 Fiero GT Test Run 02 | 3500 Fiero GT Test Run 03 | 3500 Fiero GT Test Run 04
If you can't fix it with a hammer, you've got an electrical problem
Fiero's are people too. We pay just as much attention to them, if not more than our loved ones
screw paying those bastards. im not going to become rich by paying for things.....

i see some pins listed as a ground which should be listed as a low. then i see some plain grounds. and them some fused power wires. which pins do i need to apply power and ground to so i can test the gauge cluster at the junkyard before i purchase a possible dud

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First LX9 Fiero GT, 1987 | My Fiero Fuel Economy | MPG Display for OBD I
Youtube Videos of My GT | 87 GT Inside Test Run | 3500 Fiero GT Test Run 01
3500 Fiero GT Test Run 02 | 3500 Fiero GT Test Run 03 | 3500 Fiero GT Test Run 04
If you can't fix it with a hammer, you've got an electrical problem
Fiero's are people too. We pay just as much attention to them, if not more than our loved ones
screw paying those bastards. im not going to become rich by paying for things.....

quote Originally posted by alex de jorge: OK guys, My C1 is also different form everyone else. I have a '86 GT. My C1 connector is as follows: P-Black/white R- Purple S- Yellow T- Yellow/Black U- Dark Brown B/D- these two have a white wire that loops. It is from B and loops to D. Can anyone explain? As you can see, my C1-U is not dark green/white, it is dark brown. Do I still take the brown wire and connect it to the cavaliers C1-10 and 11?

I have an 86 duke, but my harness is the same as his, I never saw an answer to this question on here, and I need some help. I have , I'd say about 80% functionality on this dash. My speedo doesn't work, probably because my c1 is different, and I don't know what to hook up, my temp gauge doesn't seem to work, and that is very important, and my gate ajar light doesn't work, it's not essential, but nice to have. My tach starts out low, and seems to rise very slowly, and stay there. I knew the tach wouldn't read properly, as it'a made for a 6, but I was not concerned about this because I'm building a 3.4 right now, however it's behavior doesn't seem right, even for an improperly calibrated tach
I know someone has to have done this swap on an 86 4 banger, so any help would be appreciated, thanks

quote Originally posted by americasfuture2k: which pins do i need to apply power and ground to so i can test the gauge cluster at the junkyard before i purchase a possible dud

help?

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First LX9 Fiero GT, 1987 | My Fiero Fuel Economy | MPG Display for OBD I
Youtube Videos of My GT | 87 GT Inside Test Run | 3500 Fiero GT Test Run 01
3500 Fiero GT Test Run 02 | 3500 Fiero GT Test Run 03 | 3500 Fiero GT Test Run 04
If you can't fix it with a hammer, you've got an electrical problem
Fiero's are people too. We pay just as much attention to them, if not more than our loved ones
screw paying those bastards. im not going to become rich by paying for things.....

All you really have to do is connect up the power and ground wires. Once you done that, and turn on the power the dash will go through a self diagnostics. All the segments will light up and then return to the ?home? state. Connect the following:
ground: C1/9, C2/1, C2/2
+12v: C1/1, C1/8, C1/18, C2/3, C2/4, C5/15

quote Originally posted by Wicked86: All you really have to do is connect up the power and ground wires. Once you done that, and turn on the power the dash will go through a self diagnostics. All the segments will light up and then return to the ?home? state. Connect the following: ground: C1/9, C2/1, C2/2 +12v: C1/1, C1/8, C1/18, C2/3, C2/4, C5/15

sweet thanks.

I may have been a little frustrated

[This message has been edited by Wicked86 (edited 08-17-2009).]

Ok, so I may have been a little frustrated before, and as such, been pissy in this post before I edited it. I have stepped back for a few weeks, and not touched my cluster, and am thinking about trying this again. I have re-read all of the posts on wireing, and I have a question that didn't even occour to me before.

quote Originally posted by ig88vsbobafett: C1-M VSS (4000PPM) when speedo board is pluged in) (88 only) BRN C1-N Above on 85-87 Fieros Colors dont really matter on this side

Does this mean that I have to leave the stock speedo plugged in somewhere to get the 4000 ppm signal to the digital dash? I am really hoping that someone will answer me, as I have repinned everything back to stock, and I really don't want to "play " with it, I usually like to have a clear idea of what I am doing before I start any project. Someone please help

Ok, it has been an issue with these clusters, getting the tachometer to work, everybody seems to agree on that. Well, the more I thought about it, I remembered that when I owned a Cavy, and wanted to install a monster tach, it was also an issue, the way the coils are set up, you need to run a PULSE X2 box, to get it to red properly. So it should stand to reason that installing the dash out of one of these cars would require the oposite. It doesn't seem that anyone makes a box to divide the pulse, so I impervised. I have gotten mine working beautifully using the stock Fiero tach board.
First, you're going to want to somehow cover the 3 traces on the back of the Cavalier tach board, so that they cannot make any contact, Only cover the three that go into the actual tach servo, you still need all of the lights on the board to function. then you will run lead wires from the servo motor
Now, onto the Fiero board
Totally remove the tach from the board, you will only want the board for this. Nicely enough, this board is well labled, for the positive, ground, and coil. I ran a lead wire from the 12v to one of the ignition wires going into the cluster, and did the same with the ground. For the coil, I simply removed the coil wire from the dash harness, and ran it directly into this board. Now, you will want to connect it to the cavalier tach. The middle of the three leads, connects to the middle hole in the fiero board, the other two, you will have to test, one way will cause it to spike all the way up, and of course, the right way will make it read correctly. The only other thing worth noting here is this. Be very careful not to short the tach board against anything. I fried my first board, after it was all hooked up, and I was putting the dash back together. Luckilly I had a spare dash, that I could pull from. I completely wrapped the second board with electrical tape, to protect it.

and hows the end result?

Bump for an update

Anyone ever consider doing a cadillac allante cluster?

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2008 Kawasaki Z1000.
2006 Subaru B9 Tribeca.
1996 Subaru Impreza L-T -201 awhp 213 awtq- 200+k miles. Stock internals.
1984 Pontiac Fiero 2M4.
1981 Oldsmobile Cutlass. 307
1980 Oldsmobile Cutlass. 455

i was thinking of the cimmeron for a second lol. i was gonna say its a j-body, they have the same cluster. what does the allante cluster look like lit up?

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First LX9 Fiero GT, 1987 | My Fiero Fuel Economy | MPG Display for OBD I
Youtube Videos of My GT | modernize your fiero with technology!
If you can't fix it with a hammer, you've got an electrical problem
Fiero's are people too. We pay just as much attention to them, if not more than our loved ones
screw paying those bastards. im not going to become rich by paying for things.....

quote Originally posted by americasfuture2k: i was thinking of the cimmeron for a second lol. i was gonna say its a j-body, they have the same cluster. what does the allante cluster look like lit up?

I cant find any pics of it, but its multi colored digital with whites, blues, reds.

I found a pic

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85 GT 4 speed 2.8L auto X'er

www.freewebs.com/saskatoonfieros/

.

[This message has been edited by americasfuture2k (edited 11-22-2011).]

I can't seem to get my screens to light up, only the warning lights and the tach do anything...I have an 87 Fiero, wired properly I believe. I followed the charts, created my own chart to double check it. After everything was right, I decided to then run a power test to the unit and only got the warning lights, bad unit?

Been screwing with this off and on, to get the actual look that I wanted, and even pulled it out shortly after installing a 3.4, but just couldnt stand the look of my stock cluster again. after going through everything from the standard tinted lexan, to a complete fiberglass bezel, I still just couldnt get that "could have been stock" feel that I was looking for. I think I've finally got it, Oh, and I hadnt been on this thread in a long time, but to the guy that asked how the tach board thing worked, it worked like a charm. I am now running a 6 cyllinder, and was fortunate enough to find a tach out of a 6 cyllinder cavalier. aparently the 6's dont have the same coil pack issue, because that ran with no mods.
I may just beef up the backlighting a little, for the tach, and install some always on backlighting for the gauge labels, but I think the brushed aluminum, and tinted lexan has finally done the trick, now, just add aluminum trim the the rest of the car, and it'll blend in exactly like I had planned

quote Originally posted by americasfuture2k: i was thinking of the cimmeron for a second lol. i was gonna say its a j-body, they have the same cluster. what does the allante cluster look like lit up?

Cimmeron cluster won't work either...I went thru the motions of custom installing one into one of my cars, only to find out it needs the data line from the ecm to run most of the functions...I tried in vain to wire it to the ecm, it just didn't work.. Although, It "may" work with a 7730 ecm, but not with the stock Fiero one.

But, now that I think about it. I was trying an 86 ecm, way back when..I never tried it with an 87-88. I wonder if it would work. I still have it around, I might just try it again. -Jason

Anyone ever tried one of these? Awesome dash, it's got a digital tach as well. I've been playing around with the idea of taking the tach out of the Cavy cluster, and attempting to wire in the tach lcd from an 80's vette, but if this could work, it would solve my tach issue, with a whole cluster. this is out of a '90 Riviera

I have been playing with attempts of installing a Riviera instrument cluster for sometime now. I have been able to get most, if not all of the functions to work except coolant temp. In fact, I have accummulated 3 or 4 91 Riviera clusters in my efforts. In either case, the cluster requires a BCM (Body Control Module) to operate. Another computer so to speak.

quote Originally posted by Wicked86: Anyone ever tried one of these? Awesome dash, it's got a digital tach as well. I've been playing around with the idea of taking the tach out of the Cavy cluster, and attempting to wire in the tach lcd from an 80's vette, but if this could work, it would solve my tach issue, with a whole cluster. this is out of a '90 Riviera

I like this idea of using the riviera panel. Make any head way on the gremlins?

Do you have any pics of it in the car yet or are even that far along the process?

Nexus,

I have placed that project on hold for a spell. Might start it back up in the spring as I will have plenty of time to work and play with my toys. I retire at the end of the year.

The reason for the hold is that I am in the process of installing a Digital HVAC system from a Grand Prix. The Rivieria cluster also has the functionality for the installation of a digital HVAC system. For the record, I was successful in getting the Riviera digital instrument cluster to work. As mentioned, the only instrument that is not or was not functional was the coolent temp gauge. That unit receives its informaiton for the PCM and not the BCM (Body Control Module) that is needed for the instrument cluster install.

If interested, I can provide wiring diagrams for the install.

Good luck.

Mike

That would be great information for sure

I really want to change the guages in my car...I hate the stock look and the Riviera cluster seemd to peak my interest...My only issue is that it will be some time before I get to changing it. I have other projects that need finnishing first.

I'm just doing my research and brain storming to get preparred for the Guage switch

Would you be willing to show me pics of the Grand Prix Cluster?

Any information and advice would be greatly appreciated and i thank-you for your response

[This message has been edited by Nexus (edited 10-29-2010).]

quote Originally posted by Wicked86: Anyone ever tried one of these? Awesome dash, it's got a digital tach as well. I've been playing around with the idea of taking the tach out of the Cavy cluster, and attempting to wire in the tach lcd from an 80's vette, but if this could work, it would solve my tach issue, with a whole cluster. this is out of a '90 Riviera

I had one of these, but I also have the DOHC and my RPM redline has been modified to 7400. The Tach only goes up to about 5500-6000 ish. So I tossed it.

Good luck getting this to work, i'll be watching for it. I love the look.

Rob

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88 Coupe, CJB T-TOP, 1996 3.4 DOHC and a GT clip

I have one of those gauge panels as well and need the pin outs for it -- especially to get the tach to work.....
It's called a UB-3 Gauge Cluster by GM - but they have 3 or 4 different styles called UB-3, Olds, Buick and Caddy.....

[This message has been edited by larini74 (edited 10-29-2010).]

This setup is pretty cool I think, does anyone have a pic of it installed in their car?

Through everything that I'm working on, I just keep comming back to this dash, thinking of ways to make it better. Found a digital tach, that I think will look right at home in this cluster, and from my basic estimate, it should fit. Did a quick photoshop, (with my crappy, free software, lol) but you guys'll get the idea.

also, I remembered that in one of these threads, someone had asked about light filters, and modifying the color. I tried, briefly, to find the post, but couldnt. Anyway, guitar center sells color gels very cheap, but they dont stock em, have to be ordered. I went over a lot of light charts, and looks to me like, starting with green, you have some options, could possibly be filtered to blue, white, and shades of yellow, or amber. I'm probably going to try and mess around with this, and see what I can do. It should work, the only problem that I see, is possibly making it too dim, from filtering it, then putting the tinted plexi back on. Personally, i think it would look real slick to use multiple colors, giving the indicators actual warning zones.

That rivera dash would be the nicest digital dash ever if someone could get it to work. Id speend some cash on that

quote Originally posted by Cajun: If interested, I can provide wiring diagrams for the install. Mike

Interested... Can you please provide the information?

quote Originally posted by jscott1: Interested... Can you please provide the information?

Also highly interested in this, I would like this info myself too.

JScott, you have a pm....

A couple of items on these dash units. The Temp sensors is the same one used in all 90-92 Cadillac's. I do have 2 or 3 of these dash's in my garage I grab them when I fine them at Pul-N-Sav. I can use them in either of my cars (88 with a 4.9 and 85 with a 3.4 DOHC). So if anyone wants one drop me an offer (I have all the plugs and Temp sensor).

Joe Sokol

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85 SE Daily driver with a 3.4 DOHC OBD II
88 Formula/GT 4.9 Allante Intake (My Baby)

quote Originally posted by Wicked86: Through everything that I'm working on, I just keep comming back to this dash, thinking of ways to make it better. Found a digital tach, that I think will look right at home in this cluster, and from my basic estimate, it should fit. Did a quick photoshop, (with my crappy, free software, lol) but you guys'll get the idea. also, I remembered that in one of these threads, someone had asked about light filters, and modifying the color. I tried, briefly, to find the post, but couldnt. Anyway, guitar center sells color gels very cheap, but they dont stock em, have to be ordered. I went over a lot of light charts, and looks to me like, starting with green, you have some options, could possibly be filtered to blue, white, and shades of yellow, or amber. I'm probably going to try and mess around with this, and see what I can do. It should work, the only problem that I see, is possibly making it too dim, from filtering it, then putting the tinted plexi back on. Personally, i think it would look real slick to use multiple colors, giving the indicators actual warning zones.

yea, i believe that was me. search for the term vacuum florescent display. i think. or whatever the technical term is for those. VFD?

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First LX9 Fiero GT, 1987 | My Fiero Fuel Economy | MPG Display for OBD I
Youtube Videos of My GT | modernize your fiero with technology!
If you can't fix it with a hammer, you've got an electrical problem
Fiero's are people too. We pay just as much attention to them, if not more than our loved ones
screw paying those bastards. im not going to become rich by paying for things.....

since i seem to be getting so many PM's about my hitch, ill answer right here
the trailor hitch/bike rack hitch jack, lifting and resting points...