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91 Astro Instrument Cluster Stepper Motor HELP!

4K views 10 replies 5 participants last post by  LrdSatyr8 
#1 ·
Ok... this may sound stupid, but here goes... I'm trying to repair my instrument panel myself. (It's the old style hockey stick cluster) I've got a good knowledge of electronics and mechnical engineering, and my odometer isn't working. I just replaced the VSS and that didn't fix it. I pulled the whole cluster out and it's electrical with 6 stepper motors. 5 of which are working fine with 4 posts connected to the backs that connect to the removable case with contact clips, the 6th however which drives the odometer and is turned sideways with a small stepdown gear box attached to it, has a soldered set of 4 wires ending with a plug that plugs into a small circut board. Now I'm not quite sure if the stepper motor is bad or if there is something wrong with the circut board itself. Is there anyway to test this board or the motor to find out? I am assuming that the circut board is driving the stepper motor that turns the odometer. Now I know there are places I can send this whole cluster to for repair but I can't afford $150-250 to fix a $7 motor. I've made sure all the contacts for every connection is clean and working. I've been pouring over the net trying to find out what kind of motor to replace it with. The only motors I can find are the x25.168's that are the replacements for the 2003+ motors and am wondering if one of those would work with this or if I'm outta luck. I'll post some pics if anyone wants to know more about what I'm talking about. Also, can I get a replacement circut board for this motor? If anyone has any ideas, please let me know! Thanks!



Also... can I upgrade the entire cluster to a digital one or is that a major overhaul under the dashboard?
 
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#2 ·
Have you though about trying the JY ? I should think that M body vans, mini Blazers, and S10 types of that era would be fairly compatable.

Bob
 
#6 ·
You may be in luck. I just looked on top of one of the man cave cabinets and found an old I/P (AC 25084547 1 PP) . Even the gear indicator lanyard is still intact. If you would like it, it can be had for the shipping.
if it will fit into a USPS box. It came from the JY a long time ago... 'nuf said. I have no use for it any more, the 90 died a slow death. PM me with the address, if you are interested.

Bob
 
#7 ·
RECox286 said:
You may be in luck. I just looked on top of one of the man cave cabinets and found an old I/P (AC 25084547 1 PP) . Even the gear indicator lanyard is still intact. If you would like it, it can be had for the shipping.
if it will fit into a USPS box. It came from the JY a long time ago... 'nuf said. I have no use for it any more, the 90 died a slow death. PM me with the address, if you are interested.

Bob
Is that the same motor that plugs into the circut board? If it is, I'm sending a PM right now! :) Lemme know!
 
#8 ·
Re: Stepper motor for inst cluster
Sent: Yesterday, 9:52pm
by LrdSatyr8

QUOTE:
"Got the box yesterday and was completely surprised bro! Wasn't expecting the entire cluster. I pulled out my old cluster and put this one in this evening when I got home from work and it worked perfectly. I'll see how it holds up in the next few days. I think there may be some damage to the little plastic contacts on the back of mine. Not sure if I should take my cluster apart and just replace the motors and the plastic from this one or not. The mileage on mine is only 115k where as the mileage on yours is 259k... I tested out the speedo and it's still off about 3-4 miles+ as I compare to the GPS I have, but I didn't get a chance to test it out fully yet. Just a little driving around my neighborhood. But at least the odometer is working. Any ideas on how to fix the speedo so its more accurate? When I was pulling out my old one, I lost the little clip that a screw goes into to hold the air control panel in place... gonna have to rig something up there! Oh the joys of fixing stuff! I am loving it! Thanks alot bro! I truly appreciate it. Will have a check or cash in the mail come payday!"

Glad that you were surprised. Since the truck that the I/P came out of may have had a different ratio rear axle, it is not surprizing that the MPH may be off a little. I would not worry about it, and just go ahead and
swap in the whole I/P and go merrily on my way. The Odo reading matters very little except to people who need to belong to a "something club". Just recalibrate the computer between your headsets. Ha.

Bob
 
#9 ·
Thanks again bro Truly do appreciate it. Been driving to and from work today with no problems... it's still off about 5+ miles per hour so now I'm looking into recalibrating it. Not sure if I should just remove the needle and move it manually about 1/8th an inch to the left or if I should go thru the whole process of figuring out gear ratios and soldering jumpers. In any event I'm so happy for the help. Only a few things left to get fixed now... the cruise control (think I'm gonna have to remove the doghouse for that), getting the A/C working cold (figured out its the pressure valve I have to replace, no biggy there thank god a new compressor goes for about $300 refurbished), Get the blower motor to where it will blow on the lower settings (right now it only blows when it's on high), figure out why my rear a/c blower stopped blowing and where to find it, get a new/used A.R.E. center cap for one of my rims, find a doghouse bracket (one of them is missing). Figure otu why my gas cap cover doesn't close (it's popped out about a 1/2 and won't latch shut for some reason. I'm not sure if it is suppose to close and latch and then you press it in to pop it open or what. Gotta get some weather stripping for the driver side door, and the rubber for the window at the bottom is all cracked and broken, gotta replace that. Fix the chips in the paint job and a few scratches here and there. Repaint the accent white trim, and then of course make a custom center console with a fridge. All in all, not very many things to do, just little things but time consuming. I wanna get the bigger things working first like the cruise control and the A/C's
 
#10 ·
cruise control not working is almost always due to failed lever stalk multi function switch on the column, the button on the end quits working.

another one from a donor column always fixes the cruise for me, including in my 91 s10 in which i have the 92 astro switch in now.

i also have a good complete cluster this style from the 92 van that i have no use for if anyone else needs one..
 
#11 ·
fast68 said:
cruise control not working is almost always due to failed lever stalk multi function switch on the column, the button on the end quits working.

another one from a donor column always fixes the cruise for me, including in my 91 s10 in which i have the 92 astro switch in now.

i also have a good complete cluster this style from the 92 van that i have no use for if anyone else needs one..
I think it may be a bit more then that... the vacuum reservoir had a hose connected to it (that big round ball looking thing) and the hoses were basically disentagrating. They crumbled when I touched them... so I'm pretty sure the hoses will probably need to be re-strung thru the vacuum system. I already found a new stalk online pretty cheaply only about $20 so that's no problem there. I am just hating having to pull the doghouse out to get to the control module and hope it's working.
 
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