No more circuit board

[Incenter12]

Finally finished upgrading to the U14 set and getting rid of the circuit board. No more driving around with no instrument light, non-working gas gauge, one blinker light, and the bright indicator opposite. The number of wires going on back there is pretty insane though. I installed new red LED's in place of the instrument lights and then glued in red neon line behind the lens to shine on the gauges. Placement could use some work but it looks a lot better than before and I'm damn glad to have a tach.

The non-matching needles bugged me for a second. Anyone had any luck pulling the speedo needle off? I have a spare needle just like the tach one but I'm not sure if I want to risk it.

 

[bourbon_scotch]

actually the speedo one looks good as does the shift one. i do remember buying some fluorescent orange? red? paint and then putting paper behind the needle and painting them on the gauge. but i think that was on an old GMC truck, worked good but you'd have to do them all to get them to match. would only work well with the metal needles.

 

[Twisted_Metal]

You took out the printed circuit panel and replaced it all with wires? You're ambitious!!! I would have replaced the printed circuit panel before I went to all that effort.

Yes... the gauge needles can be removed from the shaft.
I have never attempted it though. They feel too fragile to mess with, IMO. (Don't touch the white paint on the gauges either. It smears VERY easily.)

I repainted my needles on the gauge.

 

[bfendick]

Good work ! Where did you get the wiring diagram or instructions to bypass the printed circuit ? I would like to get organized to undertake that same project next winter.

 

[Levi]

Finally finished upgrading to the U14 set and getting rid of the circuit board. No more driving around with no instrument light, non-working gas gauge, one blinker light, and the bright indicator opposite. The number of wires going on back there is pretty insane though. I installed new red LED's in place of the instrument lights and then glued in red neon line behind the lens to shine on the gauges. Placement could use some work but it looks a lot better than before and I'm damn glad to have a tach.

The non-matching needles bugged me for a second. Anyone had any luck pulling the speedo needle off? I have a spare needle just like the tach one but I'm not sure if I want to risk it.

So where do you get this upgrade set? 3 of my gauges dont work in the board, and im interested to fix it

 

[Incenter12]

So where do you get this upgrade set? 3 of my gauges dont work in the board, and im interested to fix it

I bought all the gauges off ebay. I got the tach by itself and the three other gauges together. I then bought a new housing because the one that came with my idiot light set-up wouldn't fit gauges and just used the busted clock out of that for looks. The temp gauge work but I still need to change out the temp sender on the block. I'm pretty sure the volt gauge works but just not hooked-up correctly. Next time I pull the cluster out I'll fix that problem.

I got rid of the circuit board because I didn't feel like buying one for gauges vs. my idiot light board and they're so damn flimsy that getting all the connections could be a pain. Hardwired is much more reliable.

 

[kenny77]

I got rid of the circuit board because I didn't feel like buying one for gauges vs. my idiot light board and they're so damn flimsy that getting all the connections could be a pain. Hardwired is much more reliable.

If I did it I would always be wondering what connection was going to short out next.

That's why the last time I had the cluster out, I had to just buy a new board, instead of trying to fix the old one. It's great the way the circuit board just peels apart when you pull the big connector out!!

I doubt that GM at the time made them to even last 10 years...let alone 30.>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Ken

 

[Incenter12]

If I did it I would always be wondering what connection was going to short out next.

I used a whole bunch of male-female connections (female on the wiring harness side) so I'm hoping to be completely rid of the shorting out problem I saw on my circuit board.

And just for reference:

I couldn't find this here but the correct hook-up for the voltmeter (since it isn't on the circuit board I think) is 12v to the spade and ground to the top peg. I guessed wrong the first time but fixed it today. Now I'm showing right around 14-15v.

 

[1970z28camaro]

Similar Issue

I have a 1970 Z28 with the U14 gauge package and I just bought a new printed circuit less than 2 months ago and I recently have been blowing the 10amp gauge fuse in my painless wire harness which says "gauges". I disconnected ALL of the wires into the printed circuit plug except the power to number 3 which jumps to number 7 and the chassis ground on number 6.

I still blew the fuse! Is it the circuit board? If you have any pictures of the new wiring job to the entire backside of the gauge pod that would be a miracle on earth because I am thinking of hardwiring the entire set of gauges as well.

 

[Eaglefixer]

The gages in a 70 Z for the instrument cluster has a 3 or 4 amp fuse so i think you have other problems. I just got done installing all new wiring harnesses from M&H and installed my instrument cluster. Boy was that fun.