[jn.mitchell59]

OK, so after dr.s and an eviction, I'm back to the van. I can't find much info about it, or even locate it on the vehicle, but I believe there is a secondary voltage regulator in the gauge cluster, and according to the diagram every affected item runs through. It. Fuel and temp gauges, prndl display, and charge light. Thoughts??

 

[bryancraftyhands]

If you found it on a diagram, it should be there, but it could be just a circuit on your printed board somewhere and not another actual separate part. Otherwise, this is beyond my scope.

 

[markmitch]

A few years back I got hit with an electrical delema and I got the wiring diagrams and started searching: took about a month but I finally figured out the problem, However If I gad not previously learned how to read the diagrams it would have been a lot longer, I hope you can figure it out electrical problems with a vehicle are not at all fun.

 

[Sailing_Faith]

I posted a link to repair this in the last thread. Search for Prndl fix under my user name.

 

[Big_kid]

*Fix* for 'PRNDL' and Odometer cutting off.

I have been working on this for a couple months. At first my Odometer PRND would drop off ... no rhyme or reason, just sometimes they would not light up. The trip meter did not work either, so I was bugged as I like to track my mileage very carefully. Last week it came on for the last...

www.astrosafari.com

 

[jn.mitchell59]

If you found it on a diagram, it should be there, but it could be just a circuit on your printed board somewhere and not another actual separate part. Otherwise, this is beyond my scope.

President, man

 

[jn.mitchell59]

President, man

Pre shade it man!&

 

[bryancraftyhands]

Whichever one you meant to say if either, I am still confused as to your meaning.
Post a jpg image attachment of the diagrams you are a looking at. Maybe we can have a look.

 

[Big_kid]

Took a second but I got it!

 

[jn.mitchell59]

Whichever one you meant to say if either, I am still confused as to your meaning.
Post a jpg image attachment
of the diagrams you are a looking at. Maybe we can have a look.

It was Louisville-speak for ' appreciate it's. Soon as I get back to the house I'll get it. It just says 'voltage regulator". I can't find any more info on it.

Whichever one you meant to say if either, I am still confused as to your meaning.
Post a jpg image attachment of the diagrams you are a looking at. Maybe we can have a look.

Another symptom I failed to mention, since this happened it has added about 5 extra seconds to the cranking time.

 

[bryancraftyhands]

Ok, I get it now. 😆 Never been there, so not fluent in the speak.
The 5 extra seconds could be a parasitic drain on the battery dropping it's voltage a good bit enough to not have best output, but not enough to stop it from cranking. Said drain could be a short somewhere on the way to the lights you are having the problem with. It could be in this mystery regulator, but my guess it would have to be in the ignition circuit since when the key is off, everything should be too. You would see and / or hear lights and radio, fan, and most anything else on.
The regulator could be tied in with the ignition circuit, and probably is.

 

[realityguy]

I recently pulled my "brake" fuse in the box by the steering column to see if that might affect my "abs" and "brake" lights being on on the dash..Pulling it (or if being bad)also killed most of the dash meters,lights,things you mentioned..check that fuse.. mine's 1990 Astro,yours ?).. I had no idea those were wired through that fuse someway..Nope..didn't fix my problem...but I was hoping for a miracle!..LOL!

 

[Sawmaster]

I haven't read this whole thread, but it seems that nearly everything electrical runs through or relates to the dash cluster. Look up jeffescortlx and Fixed Until Broken on YouTube. They not only explain it all (and it's complicated) but they show you how to diagnose and fix them. Or you can send them your cluster and they'll rebuild it. What everyone I've seen so far says is to AVOID Dorman rebuilt clusters: Mexican shop, poor QC, poor workmanship, and replaces ONLY what's broken.

Don't be scared away by their "Professional" gear- you can do a lot of this with a low-wattage solderig iron and a cheap solder-sucker if you know how to use them well, but chip replacements and calibration steps up the game past simple into needs considerable skill. I was going to send FUB mine for a 'maintenance' rebuild and LED upgrades but I needed my project van on the road ASAP so I hope it holds up.

 

[jn.mitchell59]

Ok, I get it now. 😆 Never been there, so not fluent in the speak.
The 5 extra seconds could be a parasitic drain on the battery dropping it's voltage a good bit enough to not have best output, but not enough to stop it from cranking. Said drain could be a short somewhere on the way to the lights you are having the problem with. It could be in this mystery regulator, but my guess it would have to be in the ignition circuit since when the key is off, everything should be too. You would see and / or hear lights and radio, fan, and most anything else on.
The regulator could be tied in with the ignition circuit, and probably is.

 

[bryancraftyhands]

As best as I can tell, this schematic confirms that the voltage regulator you are looking for is a circuit directly on the instrument cluster board. If you look at the bottom left corner, you will see "instrument cluster" along a line drawn that wraps around every gauge and lamp within it without actually connecting to any line that is actually a traceable part of the circuit. That outline shows that is one whole part.
The different colored lines leading to it, but not actually touching it would be the ribbon attached to it I believe. In reality, since it is not directly drawn, I can't determine where your regulator circuit even gets it's power from and sends it too. I have a guess, but that's about it.
You can see that the pink wire does go between the instrument cluster and directly to the ignition "hot on" fuse though.
I'm sure others here have more information than I in this. If I had a spare instrument cluster laying around, I'd plug it in to see what happens. If the problem is still there, I would know it's not that.