Electrical issues after installing a new cluster

kylefoto

I am not ASIAN!
May 7, 2006
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So, I installed a stock gauge cluster to replace the one I had in that had aftermarket blue/green back light gauges (put in by the former owner) that had gone out.
Before putting it in, I cut out the white housing to install my aftermarket boost and water temperature gauges, so I had to take off the green circuit board to Dremel away at it.
Anyways, skipping forward to the problem..
Yesterday, I was noticing my sub wasn't hitting all the notes, kind of being slow. I checked the connections and everything seemed to be fine. I later noticed that it was really doing it when I had my lights up and on.
I didn't think much of it until that little bit, but still kind of disregarded it because I have my sub ghetto mounted and my amp is crap.
So today, I stopped in at Jamba Juice (smoothie place) before I came to work, and I noticed that my turbo timer and stereo just shut off as I was sitting at the light to turn in.
After I got my smoothie and came back out, I started it up and it was kind of a weak start, just from the sound of it.
And again, as soon as I got into 2nd gear, low rpm's, maybne 2000-2500, my radio and turbo timer shut off. I get into our parking garage at work, and depress my clutch, and they come back on, time to countdown still correct on the turbo timer...
Put it back in gear, shuts off again.
As I'm about to pull into a parking spot, my car dies and won't restart, so I push it into the space.
I haven't gone back out to check it yet and don't get off for a couple hours.

So my question is, did I screw something up and possibly started to fry something connected to my whole harness? It seems to be affecting quite a few things.
Another thing to add is that the only thing working on my cluster is my speedo, the fuel, rpms and oil aren't working. I think I put the small green board (the smallest of the 3 that connect to your gauge cluster) on wrong, I think I put it on first, but i think it was supposed to go on last possibly?
 

plaaya69

87T Supra
Nov 18, 2006
947
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Lake County, IL
Are your fuses ok(like your gauge fuse). If all of your fuses are ok then I would think that you might have a short somewhere in the wiring. Also when you say that you removed the green circuit board did you check to make sure that nothing is riped or loose in the connections?
 

kylefoto

I am not ASIAN!
May 7, 2006
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plaaya69 said:
Are your fuses ok(like your gauge fuse). If all of your fuses are ok then I would think that you might have a short somewhere in the wiring. Also when you say that you removed the green circuit board did you check to make sure that nothing is riped or loose in the connections?
As far as I know the fuses are okay.
I didn't see any rips or anything of any sort when I was doing it.

Something to add,
I went out to get food here about 15 minutes ago,
and my car started fine
but I got it down a block or so to a stop sign, and it starts idling weird and my turbo timer shuts off, I took out my faceplate for my stereo in hopes of giving other things more power, turned off my climate control and that made a little difference.
However, once I started moving, it was idling really bad, and when I started to give it gas, it wasn't responding correctly, it took a second to rev, almost as if there was a vacuum leak type issue, but obviously electrical...

Also my windshield wipers weren't being very responsive, they were slow and sluggish.
 

ra24man

New Member
Dec 11, 2006
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Vantucky, WA
Sounds like you've got some extra wiring under the dash that needs to be attended to Kyle, maybe a loose wire is close to the clutch pedal and finally shorted causing a fuse to blow. I'd take the cluster back out, check all the add on accessory wiring (boost gauge, turbo timer, etc.) and make sure nothing is roaming around loose. All the accessory wiring needs to be bundled to keep it away from other moving parts like steering shaft, clutch, brake and accelerator pedals. I'd start there bro! Good luck!
 

jdub

Official SM Expert: Motor Oil, Lubricants & Fil
SM Expert
Feb 10, 2006
10,730
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Valley of the Sun
Sounds like you're running off battery power to me...and your battery is about dead. Charge your battery, have it and the alternator checked.
 

kylefoto

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May 7, 2006
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jdub said:
Sounds like you're running off battery power to me...and you're battery is about dead. Charge your battery, have it and the alternator checked.
I was thinking myself it might be the alternator...
Lexustech117 (aka Dave) is gunna take his off his supra and bring it on down to mine and we're gunna see if that's the problem.
Thanks jdub.
 

supra90turbo

shaeff is FTMFW!
Mar 30, 2005
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I would check behind the cluster for loose wires. The metal bracing back there is so sharp that it would take the insulation off of a wire in short order. That would cause a drain, and also make for a confusing scenario such as this.
 

ra24man

New Member
Dec 11, 2006
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Vantucky, WA
kylefoto said:
Holla!
Dave came to the rescue.
Now I owe him 140 bucks.
Man I love owning a car!:biglaugh:
Man...I'm really suprised that it was an alternator...if the battery was discharging enough to start shutting off accessories there shouldn't have been enough reserve charge in the battery to start the thing...weird.:squint: