Dash gauges quit

[smagown]

When it rains it pours! (except it doesn't rain much down here on the Mexican border!) I was pulling in the Chevy dealer in Laredo, Tx to get my dinghy fixed when my dash gauges stopped working, tach, speedo, everything except battery voltage. I called Cressely at Newell ( Ext. 235) and he told me how to remove the dash pad on my 97 #458. Really simple. Under the pad along the bottom edge down by the windshields are three little christmas trees that fasten into holes in the metal. There are three of them,one in the middle and one on each side. You put two fingers under the dash on each side of the fastener and gently pull up. They pop out. The object here is for them to remain in the dash pad. Then move to the front and there are seven of them. You can then lift the pad and see all the instrument wires and ground wires. Mine were perfect so I called back and Cressely got Ron the dash man on the phone. He said check the fuses in front of the passenger seat, #15. Duh. It was burned. I replaced it and now have functioning gauges! Love Newell service!

[smagown]

Update:

Made it to Ft. Worth with everything working. Checked this morning and the fuse is blown. I don't know which end to start on. Replaced the fuse and they work with just the key on. Wiggled the wires behind the dash and it didn't blow. After cranking the engine the fuse blows after a couple of minutes. Maybe a sensor?


Thanks,

[prairieschooner]

Check the Ground Wires. Sometimes this can create this type of issue. Otherwise you may need to use a Meter with an Amp reading to help identify the cause.
I just got this meter, works great!
http://shop.pkys.com/blueseasystems8110miniclamponmultimeter.aspx

It is a Clamp On AC/DC Amp/Volt or Ohm Meter

[smagown]

Steve:
The grounds look perfect. I undid two groups above the steering column and cleaned them before bolting them down. I'm sure there are more but it looks like a short somewhere is blowing the fuse. I've got a multimeter with me but left my clamp on at home. I can pick one up tomorrow here locally. I need to fly Tom, Michael, and Richard in!!

Thanks,

[Richard and Rhonda]

You may also have any of the hot wires going to the guages or the sensors that have rubbed against the frame shorting out. That is going to be one Sherlock Holmes to find.

If a detailed physical inspection of the area doesn't show some burned insulation then using the VDO wiring diagrams, you could disconnect the sensor lead one gauge at a time till you find the culprit. That's a lot of time and fuses.

Are your genny gauges on the same circuit?

[smagown]

Genny gauges are all working, plus the volts and amp gauge too. The lighting to all the gauges are working. The fuse says Instrument Ignition/Chime Ignition. I'll call Newell and see what circuits are on this fuse and power the circuits one at a time. That will narrow the search. I've got a "tool" with me that my dad "invented" years ago for shorts. It's a headlight with the low beam soldered to a fuse. You put it in the fuse holder and as long as the short is there the light burns. When you remove the short, the light goes off.

Thanks,