Digital Dash Fix
#1
Digital Dash Fix
Hey all! Just wanted to post a quick thing about how to fix a digital dash (maybe, it worked for mine).
When I got my truck (1991 GMC JIMMY 4.3L TBI 4 door 4x4) it had the digital dash and all I could see on it was the speed in the center...no other lights. I didn't know how much gas was in it or anything. I tried calling around, tried ebay, wreckers etc, but I couldn't find a working replacement. I ended up removing it (instructions in the Chilton manual) and taking it apart all the way down to the circuit board. I have some soldering experience and knew that sometimes, especially with solder points that get hot and cold alot, solders could have micro cracks and essentially be dead (called a cold solder).
I sat in my basement one afternoon with a soldering iron and reheated and melted most of the solder points on the circuit board (the ones that looked suspicious). Installed it back in the truck and crossed my fingers....and voila, the whole thing fired up. Lights galore, it looked like my old Atari video games. I also replaced the burned out bulbs for the switches (high beams etc).
The hardest thing about the job is removing and replacing the vacuum lines for the heater controls. It's been working solid for two years now.
Anyway, just thought I'd share. Good luck!
When I got my truck (1991 GMC JIMMY 4.3L TBI 4 door 4x4) it had the digital dash and all I could see on it was the speed in the center...no other lights. I didn't know how much gas was in it or anything. I tried calling around, tried ebay, wreckers etc, but I couldn't find a working replacement. I ended up removing it (instructions in the Chilton manual) and taking it apart all the way down to the circuit board. I have some soldering experience and knew that sometimes, especially with solder points that get hot and cold alot, solders could have micro cracks and essentially be dead (called a cold solder).
I sat in my basement one afternoon with a soldering iron and reheated and melted most of the solder points on the circuit board (the ones that looked suspicious). Installed it back in the truck and crossed my fingers....and voila, the whole thing fired up. Lights galore, it looked like my old Atari video games. I also replaced the burned out bulbs for the switches (high beams etc).
The hardest thing about the job is removing and replacing the vacuum lines for the heater controls. It's been working solid for two years now.
Anyway, just thought I'd share. Good luck!
Last edited by yuka42; 11-04-2013 at 02:13 PM.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
r_marczak_83
Full Size K5 (1969-1991) GMT415 (1992-1994) Tech
17
03-09-2013 10:33 AM
Aneurysm
1st Generation S-series (1983-1994) Tech
13
05-03-2008 12:27 AM
Talusgirl
1st Generation S-series (1983-1994) Tech
3
07-29-2007 03:21 AM