instrument cluster

luapopel · 08-09-2007

this is the first car that i have seen that the outside of the gauges are hot. Is this the way they were designed or do i have a short somewhere?

yellaopelgt · 08-09-2007

What kind of Opel? Could just be a plugged or broken or disconnected heater/cool air vent pipe or vent. Might just be hot air from the engine compartment. I would think that If somthing got that hot you should have seen smoke by now. Especially a short in the electricals.
Joe

luapopel · 08-09-2007

i meant hot as in elecrtical if u put a test light on the outside of the speedometer or any gauge it has power on it.

71 gt

Wolfman3002 · 08-09-2007

On the GT, I believe the cases of all the instruments are the grounds, for the lights, and probably for the instruments. There could be a hot wire shorted to one of the cases, but I don't know why that wouldn't cause at least one of the wires to smoke, or a fuse to blow.
Randy

namba209 · 08-09-2007

Each gage is insulated from the electrical system due to the fact they are mounted in a plastic panel. Each gage is grounded by a separate ground wire to the case for illumination and depending on the system indicated will have another ground source for the gage to function. If all your gages have 12V positive on the cases, then your ground wire to each gage is shorted to a positive source. If that is the case the gage illumination will not function but the gage itself may function properly. HTH.

tomking · 08-10-2007

If the cases are hot then it suggests to me that the ground wire is open. The cases are NOT grounded when they are supposed to be. That would make them show 12 volts. Install a temporary ground wire and see if all is not well then.

luapopel · 08-10-2007

I found the problem last night had a chewed thru ground wire leading up to the harness.

thanks

08-09-2007	#1 (permalink)
luapopel Opeler Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: alabama Posts: 29	Unanswered: instrument cluster this is the first car that i have seen that the outside of the gauges are hot. Is this the way they were designed or do i have a short somewhere?

08-09-2007	#2 (permalink)
yellaopelgt No....its not a Buick.... Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: IL. Posts: 1,042 Provided Answers: 1	What kind of Opel? Could just be a plugged or broken or disconnected heater/cool air vent pipe or vent. Might just be hot air from the engine compartment. I would think that If somthing got that hot you should have seen smoke by now. Especially a short in the electricals. Joe __________________ What ...we got here...is........failure......................... to communicate.... Some men,you just cant reach...so you get what we had here last week...which is the way he wants it. Well, he gets it...I dont like it, any more than you men...

08-09-2007	#3 (permalink)
luapopel Opeler Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: alabama Posts: 29	hot i meant hot as in elecrtical if u put a test light on the outside of the speedometer or any gauge it has power on it. 71 gt

08-09-2007	#4 (permalink)
Wolfman3002 Opel Obsessed Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Hillsboro, Oregon Posts: 171	On the GT, I believe the cases of all the instruments are the grounds, for the lights, and probably for the instruments. There could be a hot wire shorted to one of the cases, but I don't know why that wouldn't cause at least one of the wires to smoke, or a fuse to blow. Randy __________________ Wolfman (aka: Randy) 1969 Opel GT (in the 70s) 1973 Opel GT (in the 80s) 1973 Opel GT (now) 1973 Opel GT (parts car)

08-09-2007	#5 (permalink)
namba209 6,000 Post Club Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Imperial Beach, CA South of San Diego Posts: 6,054 Provided Answers: 6	Each gage is insulated from the electrical system due to the fact they are mounted in a plastic panel. Each gage is grounded by a separate ground wire to the case for illumination and depending on the system indicated will have another ground source for the gage to function. If all your gages have 12V positive on the cases, then your ground wire to each gage is shorted to a positive source. If that is the case the gage illumination will not function but the gage itself may function properly. HTH. __________________ Ron 72 GT 3.4L V-6/T-5/ZF posi - almost done - Just need AC installed. 75 Chevy monza 5.7L/TH350/Auburn 3.08 posi - Next

08-10-2007	#6 (permalink)
tomking tomking Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: SW Missouri Posts: 1,287	If the cases are hot then it suggests to me that the ground wire is open. The cases are NOT grounded when they are supposed to be. That would make them show 12 volts. Install a temporary ground wire and see if all is not well then. __________________ TMK

08-10-2007	#7 (permalink)
luapopel Opeler Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: alabama Posts: 29	ground I found the problem last night had a chewed thru ground wire leading up to the harness. thanks

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