Cluster guages wont function and some lights

[doomedfob]

Hey guys. So today I tried to swap my analog cluster with a digital cluster. I had some trouble with the digital cluster so I took it out. While taking it out I guess the back touched something metal and the lights on my cluster shut off. I tried plugging in my analog and it did the same also. I got no tach, speedometer, and all the lights on the right. The signals work (left/right emergency lights) and when I turn on my headlights the backlight turns on for the clusters. The clock still works as well. I honestly don't know whats going on. Anyone care to help? Its a 90 s13

I checked my fuses (type As) and I swapped whatever fuse was blown. My taillights started working XD but I still haven't gotten the gauges to work. I was reading some posts and one said to replace my TCU box, but the chime from the TCU box works when I keep my door open and put my key in the ignition. What else could be the problem? I'm needing some help this weekend cause I'm starting to drive next week

[compactfean]

Look at shouldahadav8's thread ...I just covered this so after you read that, if you have any questions let me know. Oh and you don't need that buzzer box...mine has been disconnected for years.

[doomedfob]

oh.. hahaha I had a feeling it was just a buzzer box.. okay thanks ill read that section now

[doomedfob]

Alright soo I checked the power for the wires when the ign was on and I'm not getting any volts from Tam or Tp. Thats pretty much the only places where I'm not getting power. I get power from batt and ign, but just not those two.

[doomedfob]

Could you possibly short a tach? the digital cluster had a doch tach in it and i swapped it with my analog. When I shorted something out, the soch tach was in the digital cluster, and I swapped it back into the analog. Well I'm fairly stumped right now. Could it possibly be the wiring harness inside the dash thats the problem?

[compactfean]

Yeah its possible to short a tach...its also possible to short the tach signal in the ecu... I fried an ecu trying to figure out how to hook up a tach adapter. And the rest of the ecu still worked. For the tach, check voltage at the ecu and see if you have voltage when running. Tam on your cluster is tach input.tp is your temp input. To test the temp circuit unplug the single prong cts and ground that wire straight to ground. If the gauge maxes out than the problem. Is the sensor. Before condemning the cluster, check continuity from ground to gnd on cluster. If there is none run a new ground. Other than that im steering taward bad gauges if this doesn't work.(maybe ecu for tach)

[doomedfob]

alright I'll check out everything tomorrow. What would you think is the problem with my dummy lights? I got volts running everywhere else but still I get no dummy lights working. I tested them out on the clock and each bulb is fine. Possibly ecu?

[compactfean]

No ecu doesn't affect dummy lights at all except for the check engine bulb ...(if you have one) if you have power to everything I would check the cluster grounds.

[doomedfob]

hmm.. then that means.. If my check engine bulb doesnt light up when i put the key in the ign then somethings up with the ecu. Ill check it out tomorrow. Am I just gonna have to follow the wires for tam? Im assuming my wire colors dont match up with doch.

[compactfean]

Actually they do match up. And yes to my knowledge all cars with a check engine light should illuminate with the key on and not running (as well as dummy lights). The tach is very simple. If you see the three tiny bolts on the back that hold the tach to the plastic. Those three bolts when tightened give the tach power ground and signal because the bolts make contact with the circuit film. If you notice the rest of the cluster is like that so to diagnose just fall the "maze" and where there are bolts its rather power ground or signal. Than you can fallow it back to the harness and test that wire.

[doomedfob]

This might be random, but would the car light in the middle of the headliner be apart of the ecu? When I open my door the light doesn't turn on and I have to switch it on myself. It's always been in the middle switch. I'm checking out my ecu right now and finding out which wires go where

[doomedfob]

alright found something very strange. When my key isnt in the ign I get 12vs coming from the tam. As soon as the keys in and turned It falls back to 1-2vs. I'm gonna track this wiring down

[compactfean]

This might be random, but would the car light in the middle of the headliner be apart of the ecu? When I open my door the light doesn't turn on and I have to switch it on myself. It's always been in the middle switch. I'm checking out my ecu right now and finding out which wires go where

Nope that runs off. Of the switch from the door.

[compactfean]

alright found something very strange. When my key isnt in the ign I get 12vs coming from the tam. As soon as the keys in and turned It falls back to 1-2vs. I'm gonna track this wiring down

If your able to track the wiring down let us know because when this stuff happens my final solution has always been to rewire.

[doomedfob]

So the tam wire led all the way to this small little module with 3 other wires. Is it the speed sensor? Probably not. Could I just cut it and wire it someplace else?

[compactfean]

All the gauges can be wired individually. Im gonna do a Wright up tonight with pics about just the gauge cluster. This seems to be an ongoing issue so I hope it helps some people.

[doomedfob]

ohh yeah thank you soo mnuch!