Safari instrument cluster issues

[Weasel]

1988 24v Safari TD42.

All gauges were working except speedo...problem since once Ive finished other works it will be cert time!

Autosparky couldnt fix the cluster so sent it to Robinson Instruments who announced the motherboard puckered.

Mudtroll has kindly sent me one of his he had spare to try and get going, but the speedo doesnt go either, and other gauges have issues (oil pressure and temp take 5 minutes of running before they wake up).

Starting to hack me off...is this a known issue? Are any of you sitting back going "Aaagghhh yesss...the old speedo fault eh"?

Anyone in Welly area handy with electrics? (Im in Naenae). Sparky said he's tested output of the cables to the cluster and theyre all fine but...another check cant hurt! Or anybody got the skill to fix these things??

Can travel with the cluster, but truck not driveable around town as no wof, rego, grill, instruments, seats and various other bits

Help!

[darinz]

It sound slike the gauges are fine but the problem is the factory voltage reducer. The guage cluster have most things as 24v but the rev counter, oil and water gauges are 12v. So before you go to far check the voltage coming out of the reducer when the gauges aren't working.

If yours is a manual then the voltage reducer will be in passenger side kick panel and if auto then it is a bit harder.
You will need to remove the jack and the bracket that holds it. Then reach forward inside the panel and it is stuck to the wall above the rear tyre.

[Weasel]

Ah ha...

I got the sparky to wire up for stereo (had been all pulled out), wiring for ARB locker, spotlights etc and he put in an aftermarket reducer for those, and while didnt need to do anything with factory reducer I think he mentioned he tested it anyway and did say it appeared to be faulty...

Thanks for intel, I'll look into that.

[darinz]

I binned the one on mine and ran all 12v from the aftermarket job. It wasn't hard to do but did take some time so if paying then be prepared!!

[Weasel]

It is a manual so that is easier...

Dont suppose you know which colour wire it is in connector on back of speedo that supplies power? Can figure it out but if you know the answer that will make it easier

Revs, temp and oil all work though so if theyre 12v as well...might not be reducer? Will still try running 12v to speedo though.

[Rural53]

I've got a similiar problem. Everthing works except the speedo. Odometer works,even the annoying dinger at 110km/hr works.

Speedo starte off by just not working. Now it resides at 190km/hr most of the time. It then decides to decrease from there as I speed up. Just to piss me off it willwork normally for an hour or so but read pretty inaccurately.

Any thoughts.

[Sadam_Husain]

did you check for a hidden switch under the dash to turn the diesel kms off?

[Swamped]

You can disengage that without affecting anything else very easily I think. I have speedo issues sometimes but my tach is on the fritz all the time. like it has a bad earth or something, switches between on and off all the time making the needle jump all over the show

[Rural53]

did you check for a hidden switch under the dash to turn the diesel kms off?

No, the odo still works, unfortunately.

[darinz]

I've got a similiar problem. Everthing works except the speedo. Odometer works,even the annoying dinger at 110km/hr works.

Speedo starte off by just not working. Now it resides at 190km/hr most of the time. It then decides to decrease from there as I speed up. Just to piss me off it willwork normally for an hour or so but read pretty inaccurately.

Any thoughts.

The dinger is a black 50 cent (old size) sized item on the back, at the top centre of the cluster. You can just remove it with no ill effects.

[Rural53]

Cheers, but I know how to remove the dinger, I'm trying to make the WOF man happy by making the speedo work.

[flyingbrick]

didn't you have a few parts trucks?

The speedo works off the same feed as the odo- so if thats working then there must be an internal issue with the cluster.

Just put in another cluster.

-Nathan

[GQTROL]

Justin,
Inconsistent speedo reading is usually due to cracked soldering on the back of the cluster. Its gets brittle with age.

[sibainmud]

There is an issue with some Nissan's speedos. They work erratically and read under while the odo works fine. I know this sounds too simple to be true, but check to see if the pointy end of the needle is not touching the gauge face. Sometimes in the heat, the needle sags and rests on the face of the gauge. This can cause the same problems.

[Rural53]

Thanks guys, I was after some guidance before I pulled the cluster out.

[STIC]

You can disengage that without affecting anything else very easily I think. I have speedo issues sometimes but my tach is on the fritz all the time. like it has a bad earth or something, switches between on and off all the time making the needle jump all over the show

Mine is the same, although as soon as you turn on the ignition, the needle jumps round to the bottom of the dial and as your revs increase it moves back to redline but no further, switch off and it flicks back to 0...

Everything else on the dash works though...

[Weasel]

Well, next stage in drama unfolds...truck is about done except that we sent the cluster to Christchurch to have odo reset and now look what happens to Chch!!!

So search for new cluster begins again as I cant see Parrotts prioritising fixing it and sending it back.

Anyone help with instrument cluster for 1988 GQ Safari, 4.2 diesel???

Thanks,
Matt 021 806391