My 83GS exhibited strange behaviour this morning. Started OK, but there is a 'tick tick' from under the dash and all the meters read low or nothing (voltage, fuel, tach, temp) and two idiot lites glow dimly.

Looks like it might be a lifted ground (so that all current goes thru meters in series) or maybe an intermittent relay (the 'tick-tick' might pulse volts thru the dash thus causing low readings because of low duty-cycle).

But the engine runs fine and I drove around the block OK. the radio (original equipment) works fine. Sometimes the tick-tick stops and the meters come to attention.

Anyone experience this before? Any ideas?

B

 

Someone set us up the bomb, lol.

 

Start with the basics....

Verify your grounds are clean and in good shape. Check all wiring to/from battery, alternator, and starter.

Good luck, sometimes these things can be a drag to chase down...

 

OK, I'll start checking. I'll run around the grounds, etc., with a voltmeter.

B

 

I had to replace a fuseholder in the fusebox a couple years ago: wonder if that's related.

B

 

I have the same issue. I'm thinking it's the alternator. Did you have any luck in fixing it?

 

The alternator should light up more than two idiot lights...
My money would be on a bad ground...
There might be a relay in the dash that's not reliably getting power and that's causing your clicking noise. (that is, it has power, exceeds the current sink capacity with the bad ground, then goes off, then suddenly has more power again, so it turns back on, ad nauseum)
With my wiring diagrams all at home I can't make a better guess as to *which* ground it might be though :-(

 

It's intermittent - comes and goes. Next time I'll try spraying some Contact Cleaner around underneath the dash and tapping on relays and connectors. If the alternator goes out ALL the idiot lights come on.

B

 

Ok, here's my list of things it's NOT:
1. Alternator
2. Trailing coil
3. Trailing ignitor (although it did turn out to be bad)
4. E.C.U.
5. Instrument cluster
6. Ground between engine and chassis

Any other thoughts?

 

there is a ground somewheres around the fuse box. perhaps by the speaker by the drivers foot.

 

Was this problem ever fixed? Someone has to have an idea.

 

could it be a dash lights shorting out? any lose wires in the cluster.
I would think GROUNDS...

 

Haven't had to solve it yet. fortunately i have 2 other FBs and a REPU to drive.

B

 

bump

 

Sprayed some Contact Cleaner up under the dash and over the fuse box, etc., and then took it out for a spin, and it was OK. Still haven't done any extensive driving yet, tho.

B