mk2 8v gti

[jod]

Hi,Just completed a head gasket change and rebuild.Car running great apart from one problem.The oil warning light,coolant warning light are not working when the ignition is turned on before start up.The mfa and rev counter are not working.All other electrics working ok.
I've removed no 21 fuse for 30 secs,no difference.The oil press sender and coolant senders were replaced on the rebuild.i,ve checked all the vac connections,fuses, and earths.Everything appears to be okay.
Any thoughts,ideas or suggestion would be appreciated.
Cheers

[drybeer]

That does sound more like an electrical problem with your instrument cluster...

Hence no feed to rev and MFA...

And some warning lights inop..

Maybe the cluster has just had enough and it coincided with the head gasket job?

[jod]

That is maybe the next thing to look at,has anyone taken there dash apart?

[nel]

The electrics on mine can go haywire sometimes when I re-connect the battery after charging - meaningless wibble on the LCD display, rev counter not working, fuel and temp gauges doolally, etc. It's always gone back to normal when I disconnect the battery and then re-connect it again. Try to make the battery connection in a single movement with minimal arcing, connecting negative terminal last.

Don't know if your problem is as simple as this, but at least try it. I thought the electrics on mine were completely fried until I discovered that remaking a clean connection solved the issue.

If it isn't that then it'll be hard to diagnose via the net - best of luck.

[jod]

Hi Nel,
Thanks for the info,tried that several times but to no avail.

[LaSarthe&Back]

Have a look/post on www.clubgti.co.uk, loads of nice MkII's over there, and decent people too.

[jod]

Hi,
Have posted on gti aswell but to no avail.
Just a update,replaced every earth in the engine compartment,cleaned and remade every spade connection.Found a loose earth to the side of the fuse box but all the problems still exist.I am in the process of taking the fuse box out,removed the retaining clips but it still will not come out.
Any suggestions.
Thanks

[drybeer]

jod said:

Hi,
Have posted on gti aswell but to no avail.
Just a update,replaced every earth in the engine compartment,cleaned and remade every spade connection.Found a loose earth to the side of the fuse box but all the problems still exist.I am in the process of taking the fuse box out,removed the retaining clips but it still will not come out.
Any suggestions.
Thanks

Yes.

I don't think it has to anything to do with your engine bay connections - that was my whole point.

I think it's the instrument cluster that has broken, and coincidentally it happened at the same time as you were doing the other jobs.

If you can find a new or second hand donor part, and take both it and your own broken one apart, be VERY carefull not to break any printed circuit boards and soldered connections,

Insert the Speedomoter from your broken cluster into the new one, and you'll have a working cluster still retaining the original mileage reading for your car...

This is not easy, but is possible!

[jod]

Hi Drybear,
I wanted to check all the obvious thing's before removing the cluster.Even though it has taken longer i did find a loose earth inside the door pillar.I've taken the cluster off and intend swopping over the speedo.Tried several breakers but cant locate one at present,apparently they are as rare as rocking horse s--t.
Cheers

[I Cooke]

I don't really know much about Golfs, but have you checked you are getting power to the cluster? ie done a continuity check?

[drybeer]

jod said:

Hi Drybear,
I wanted to check all the obvious thing's before removing the cluster.Even though it has taken longer i did find a loose earth inside the door pillar.I've taken the cluster off and intend swopping over the speedo.Tried several breakers but cant locate one at present,apparently they are as rare as rocking horse s--t.
Cheers

Hi Jod.

Well that's good - it's only sensible to try all the alternatives before doing a difficult job...

I hate to say it, but Mk2s are getting to the stage now that I would consider buying yourself a car to use as donor.

Or alternatively consider buying a BRILLIANT Mk2 and use your own as donor...

Whole Gtis are making what, £100 - £1500 for a genuinely useable car with hundreds of parts on board?

That's what I'd be doing.

That being said, where do you keep a whole other car?

[jod]

Hi Drybear,
My gti is completely original 1991 with only 62k on the clock,so i won't be using bits off that.
I don't think the wife would like me getting yet another motor,we have already got a golf vr6,tvr, merc and jeep in the drive.I do all the maintenance on them all,i just need to put a bed in the garage.
Help'''''

[tino]

Are any of the dash electrics working at all? If you do get some life from the cluster, does anything change when you turn the ignition? Could it be an ignition supply to the cluster fault?
Sounds like you have a supply problem to the dash cluster.
IIRC the rev counter takes its readings from possibly the coil? Have you left a wire disconnected, or connected incorrectly?
As for the lights, if the senders arent connected, i thing the lights would stay on, so not sure on that one.

[choppers]

I had a similar problem with my mk2 after a had a imobiliser fitted.
If you remove the bottom cowling from around the steering collum, look underneath and you should see a large white electrical conector.This connects to the back of the dash which controls some of the problems you have. Give it a wiggle or a clean and refit it and see if it works.

Edited by choppers on Wednesday 7th March 14:30

[jod]

Thanks for the help,the problem was the instrument cluster,replaced and now working ok.
Drybear you were spot on mate.It took me ages to find one,i know a place that has several in stock so if anyone needs one drop me a e-mail.
Cheers
John.
p.s.check out my new thread,i don't think you will believe the back luck i am having at the moment.

[drybeer]

Jod glad to hear you're sorted!!

Keep MkIIs going, that's what I say.

Best golf built to date!

Andrew Dryburgh.