Do you need a digital cluster repaired - Free?

[JayArr]

Hello All

Car = 1990 Nissan 240SX S13 Coupe.

I want to resurrect my Digital cluster with HUD, it failed 15 years ago and despite replacing the capacitor and attempting to repair it a couple of times it still failed altogether. I had an analogue cluster from a 92 and that's been in the car ever since.

I run an electronics repair shop - JR Electronics - so I've got the know-how and in the last 15 years I've added some great stuff like microscopes and surface mount repair stations that should make this easy, I'd like to take another run at it. What I don't have is a second unit to compare to, which is always a great asset when troubleshooting.

So... I'm looking to borrow a digital cluster. I doubt anyone wants to just send me a perfectly good working cluster so my offer is to repair a broken cluster in exchange for having your cluster as a reference. The concept is that with two units to compare I can repair both. I get the reference unit I need and you get a free repair.

Do you have a cluster you'd like repaired for free?

JayArr

To be clear, I'm looking for the part out of the dash cluster, not the actual HUD unit on top of the dash.

[Hijacker]

Let me ask around. I MIGHT know someone that would be willing to loan you one.

[PapaSmurf2k3]

I'll tell you what would be nice... someone that can repair the HVAC assembly and replace all the blown bulbs in there.
Maybe have 2 options... traditional and LED.
That's the type of fiddley bits that I just don't like dealing with.

[dvldrvr]

I do
And I really want it back in
Sitting on a shelf at my uncles

[JayArr]

Hi dvldrvr

Let's do this.

The big problem with these clusters was always that the ceramic boards that Hitachi chose to make for Nissan were a very poor choice for a vibration heavy environment. I think that by replacing the three ceramic boards with regular circuit boards the problems will go away forever.

In the last month I've reverse engineered the three problem stand up boards in the cluster and reproduced them into CAD drawings so that I can have new ones made from standard fibreglass PCB materials. I hope to have a few sets in my shop in the next week. (I'm tacking the CAD drawings onto a project for a customer so that I don't have to pay any set up charges or freight :-) )

My plan is to populate the new board sets and insert them into my HUD and get it working. If there is any problem having your HUD would allow me to take measurements and comparisons to troubleshoot mine. I'll keep yours completely intact until I have mine working and only then will I replace your three boards. In the end we should each have a working HUD and I'll have designs and a few spare boards for the future.

My email is Jeff at JRElectronics dot ca. Shoot me an email and I'll give you my address, you can just mail it to me.

JayArr

[94_240sx]

I have 3 digital clusters. 1 works, but 2 don't. Let me know the deal with dvldrvr falls through. I can send mine in.

[JayArr]

Hi 94_240SX

Sounds good!, I never heard back from dvldrvr so I guess he's not interested.

Here's a couple of pics of the finished circuit boards as they now sit in my shop. I'll get some surface mount parts ordered in the next week or two and we'll see if we can solve this problem once and for all.





JayArr

[94_240sx]

I shipped it and it was $36.50 to Canada.
I hope you can fix it.
Thanks!!!