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Printed circuit board replacement
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Author:  windymatt [ August 22nd, 2012, 11:38 am ]
Post subject:  Printed circuit board replacement

I was having problems with erratic instrument lights and had the dash partially off about 5 times until I relented and removed the whole thing. I found a burned out circuit for one series of lights, which isn't good, and discovered that someone had attached the turn signal flasher mount to the back of the cluster, instead of where it's supposed to be. Looks like the metal body of the flasher had come in contact with the grounded dashboard. They had mounted it right on the hot circuit for the bulbs!

The good news is that there is an outfit making new PC boards for B series vans - Premium Dash Decals .com The other news is that the run $159.00 a copy. Have mercy.

Author:  NicksGarage [ August 23rd, 2012, 7:01 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Printed circuit board replacement

Seems like you could easily find a good one in the junkyard.

Author:  windymatt [ August 23rd, 2012, 1:10 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Printed circuit board replacement

Not around these parts! I couldn't find a single van or MH of the vintage in the county that still had the instrument cluster. I could always go further afield, but how far away would I get before ending up with the same or more cost as a new one? I really feel that replacing old electronics with old electronics is a second choice anyway...

Author:  NicksGarage [ August 23rd, 2012, 6:06 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Printed circuit board replacement

Maybe I should stock up down here. I wonder about the quality of the aftermarket part.

Author:  windymatt [ August 24th, 2012, 10:20 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Printed circuit board replacement

The company that makes them appears to do a really nice job. They make a lot of them for Chrysler Corp stuff going back to when they started with PC boards. The shipping notice info says that it's a Canadian outfit.

Author:  NicksGarage [ August 25th, 2012, 12:25 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Printed circuit board replacement

So you ordered one?

Author:  windymatt [ August 30th, 2012, 11:12 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Printed circuit board replacement

That I did, and it is now installed and working perfectly. AS claimed, it was made better than the original, using silver circuits rather than copper. The pins also were way more substantially attached to the board and not even broken! :)

Author:  NicksGarage [ August 30th, 2012, 1:01 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Printed circuit board replacement

Here is a link in case anyone else is interested in them. http://premiumdashdecals.com/Dodge%20Tr ... 20Vans.htm

I'm glad mine just works. I'm sure pulling the dash multiple times really puts a stress on the main connector. Those have always been a pain in chrysler products as they are very tight after being on there for 20-30 years.

Author:  Swanson [ August 30th, 2012, 2:43 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Printed circuit board replacement

Yeah mine was in bad shape.. I did a DIY fix on the main connector..(See my blog) however I still have a lingering issue of no power to some of the dash gauges and no wipers. Price you pay for messing with things to much. I plan to pull it back out this winter to fix the few little issues. Got to say though its running really good these days :)

Author:  NicksGarage [ August 30th, 2012, 8:23 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Printed circuit board replacement

On Chrysler products, the voltage limiter that plugs into the back of the instrument panel can be problematic. It will make the gas and temp gauges go whacky. You can get solid state ones now that even out the fluctuations in the gauges. Another big problem with mopars is that the alternator power goes through the amp gauge. Some vehicles with plastic panel housings melt from the heat. The later vans have a plastic panel but ours are metal. There is a way to bypass the amp gauge where the gauge still works but all the power is not going through it.

Author:  windymatt [ September 3rd, 2012, 5:52 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Printed circuit board replacement

A-men to that, brother. I bought a new limiter from NAPA for only $60.00 that gave completely incorrect readings and now I can't find the receipt. Grrrrr. Remember that I up-graded to a 75 amp alternator? Since the stock ammeter is only 50 amps, and doesn't work with a shunt, it showed heat discoloration and the insulator strip on the back was actually burned away enough that one of the connection bolts came in contact with the (grounded) case. This is what caused the circuit board to go up in smoke and me to pay big bucks for a new one. I did, however, install a parallel conductor directly from alt to battery, but it must have been after the damage had been done. I was able to repair the now non-functional gauge, which is pretty much useless anyway, and got a volt meter that plugs into the lighter socket.

Author:  NicksGarage [ September 4th, 2012, 6:15 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Printed circuit board replacement

Here are some links that might be helpful.

Update to voltage limiter - http://www.moparts.org/Tech/Archive/elec/11.html

Bypassing amp gauge - http://www.madelectrical.com/electrical ... uges.shtml

Author:  Swanson [ May 8th, 2013, 2:20 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Printed circuit board replacement

Thanks for these Links I somehow missed them last summer then again we spent most of the last half of 2012 in hospitals for one reason or another.

Update to voltage limiter - http://www.moparts.org/Tech/Archive/elec/11.html

Bypassing amp gauge - http://www.madelectrical.com/electrical ... uges.shtml

I just got the GTC back over to my house and going to start working on it again and will be doing these 2 mods over the next week or 2 as I think this is why I have some wacky 5volt issues going on.

I also have some 194 led lights left over I got for another car that I think I can use on the GTC.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00877 ... UTF8&psc=1

Author:  windymatt [ May 14th, 2013, 9:01 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Printed circuit board replacement

FYI, I replaced my 5 volt limiter with a solid-state one that works great. MUCH better than the original design. I now know that my oil pressure goes clean off the map when running down the highway at 60 with a cold engine. Gulp. Not sure what to do about this, but I've been on several long trips this way and it all seems to be holding together.

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