rotarybeat1287

iTrader: (16)

Hey guys,

I am on vacation right now and the drive down here was as so. I was about 2 hours into the drive and everything was fine. I suddenly noticed that my gauges (tachometer, oil pressure, boost, and gas gauge) went out. I pulled over to check the meter fuse and replaced it b/c it had blown. I replaced it and it held for about 20 minutes on the freeway until it blew again.

It seems that there is a short somewhere b/c it can't keep a fuse in it now for more than the time it takes to blow it. lol.

Searching found that its pretty common for this to happen, I found some info about the trailing coil pack being related to the meter fuse and powering the tach... if the coil pack goes, then the gauges will go with it??????

I am about to step out side and try to pull the gauge cluster harness to see if there is a burned part on the harness itself but have tried to unplug the trailing coil pack and try out a new fuse to see if it would help... it blew to.

who here has recently had this problem and what did they do to fix it? Sorry to make a thread but searching, working on the car here and there, along with writing this gives me some more options before I make the journey back home.

-Allen G.

misterstyx69

iTrader: (142)

sounds like one of the Big connectors on teh back of the dash is Loose.In order to get at it,you have to Remove the Gauge surround,Unclip the Headlight,wiper,cruise and Turn signal Connectors.(the surround will come off easier too,If you Remove the Steering column Surround,and If you have the Column TILTED down if you have tilt steering).Once that is done,Unscrew the Gauge cluster screws and remove it from Left to right...look in the back from the Driver's side,back into the rear of the cluster..you should be able to see the First connector(it's big and round)..FEEL in the Center of the Mess of wires.There is a clip in teh center of the connector,If you Press it Down you should be able to pull the wires off of the cluster..If it isn't already Loose.Good luck to ya,.Hope that helps.

rotarybeat1287

iTrader: (16)

yeah I know how to access all that jazz pretty easy but if that was the case, why would it keep blowing fuses and give an erratic idle as soon as the gauges went out???

gxl90rx7

iTrader: (1)

sounds like the cluster is bad. try upplugging the two round connectors on the back of the cluster and see if the fuse still blows. if so, something is shorted internal to teh cluster. you can always leave the gauge cluster unplugged for the trip back.. the speedo will still work at least. if it was a bad trailing coil, it will only affect the tach

rotarybeat1287

iTrader: (16)

well I'll climb into it today and pull the cluster out and investigate.

Icemark

The most common reason for the meter fuse to blow is recent tranny work.

The Reverse lights get their power from the meter fuse, and often when tranny work is done the mechanic forgets to unplug the switch and busts or damages the wires at the tranny.

rotarybeat1287

iTrader: (16)

^most common tranny work was replacing the clutch about 7k miles ago from myself and a friend. I made sure the wires for the reverse lights and such were unplugged and tucked away before removing the transmission

other than that, the only other work that involves the reverse lights is installed S5 tails on the car.

...anywho, I just got back from removing the gauge cluster and inspecting the gauge cluster harness that runs from the cluster to the main harness. I couldn't find anything that stood out like when my light switch burned out (like a burned section of the plug or something). Everything looked fine and such so I put a fuse back in and it popped it as soon as I turned the ignition on.

I am stumped on this one. lol.

Also... when I was driving on the freeway down here, The tachometer would read around 1-2k rpms, when I was off the gas. When I would press the gas pedal it would immediately drop to 0 rpms. The buzzer was constantly on but not loud, it would go in and out with throttle input.

Icemark

If you unplug the reverse wires at the tranny, or unplug your S5 tails, does the fuse stop blowing?

rotarybeat1287

iTrader: (16)

I haven't thought about that, I did notice some slight brown spots of corrosion or something on the back side of the cluster but nothing too out of the ordinary. Nothing that seemed that it would cause a problem.

Noticed the reverse lights are out as well. But I guess that was pretty obvious as my problems would make those go out as well.

I will try and unplug the reverse lights tomorrow when I have access to a jack.

Thanks for your input and all the info you guys have given. I am searching along with this thread. I have been messing with the car but Florida's weather and mosquito population make it difficult. lol.

Icemark

I wold be very very doubtful that the gauges themselves or the wiring to the gauges have any issues.

I would be looking at the things that people **** with, like the tranny and tail lights.

rotarybeat1287

iTrader: (16)

I don't see how the tail lights would have anything to do with it... I just swapped the housings and used the same bulbs/harness that are original to the car.

Icemark

and your gauges don't work, yet mine do...

So, since you messed with your's (and I didn't) unplugging them rules out the lights being the problem.

If you don't want to figure out the problem, then don't post. If you want to figure out the problem, then go do what I suggested (again, plug the tail lights, and unplug the reverse switch each one at a time, and see if you still have the problem of the fuse blowing).

rotarybeat1287

iTrader: (16)

you can save the "I'm a badass" persona. I understand what you mean. I'll get right on trying what you suggested.

dash lights...? I assume you are talking of the idiot cluster. If so, then ok. But my illumination works fine as the problem I posted was for the gauges themselves not working.

-gauges (tach, oil p, boost, fuel, and temp) not working
-awkward idle... sounds ported
-7.5a meter fuse blew and still does
-idiot cluster is not working
-logicon is not working as well
-warning buzzer going off but goes in and out w/ throttle input
-tach reads 1-2k cruising down the freeway when no gas, but drops to 0 w/ throttle input

I will unplug the reverse switch tomorrow but if that doesn't work then I have already pulled a trailing coil-pack off of my other FC to swap in and see if that works along w/ cleaning up where it grounds to.

rotarybeat1287

iTrader: (16)

installed a working trailing coil-pack and no dice when putting in a new 7.5a fuse. Still popped it. I also unplugged the tail lights and put a new fuse in... it blew as well.

rotarybeat1287

iTrader: (16)

ok guys... just got back in from messing w/ it again.

checked the cooling fan relay b/c found some other members had my symptoms and that was the source of the problem. It didn't help any when swapping w/ a known good relay and the original didn't look to be corroded or whatever.

the AC cooling fans are turning on and staying on when I turn the ignition over tho. Does that 7.5a meter fuse control the cooling fan control unit and logicon as well?

I am going straight after work tomorrow to the barn and putting it up in the air to check out the reverse switch and see if that are is damaged.

rotarybeat1287

iTrader: (16)

Fixed. Turns out it was the reverse switch on the transmission. They wires and sensor where burned up from corrosion. Easy fix and as soon as the new 7.5a fuse went in... it held and still is.

Thanks Icemark for the reference and even tho it was the last thing I checked (didn't have access to a jack and stands), I am glad it worked and now have everything running the way it should again.

Sorry for the eagerness and confusion.

-Allen G.