Printed circuit board for instruments

[GPster]

I didn't want to put this under the "What are you doing today" Forum because I have been working around it for months. I'm using the instrument panel from the '87 GMC S15 to match everything else that I'm using my Jeepster build (kind of like a Ford truck Mustang). In my trying to trim off all the extra plastic to make the instrument cluster  work in a "flat dash" I managed to scar the printed circuit board in my cutting. I had thought that S10 Or S15 parts wouldn't be any problem coming up with. Because nobody mentions interchanges and there seems to be so many options that might change things .I need some sort of direction.The printed circuit board is of Packard Electric manufacture and has part# 25086175 on it. This is an A C instrument cluster (rather than just indicator lights) with an 80 MPH cable driven speedometer on it and a speed sensor for the computer. I'd rather replace the circuit board than try to solder a jumper on it (one suggestion) or using the repair kits for rear-window de-frosters. I thought at one time I'd ask at a Radio Shack for suggestions but for as long as they've been going down hill their clerks can hardly come up with batteries for my hearing aid. I had thought that searching with the part number in A C would come up with something but no. I tried Packard Electric but that didn't fly either. With the amount of information I needed to get the wiring diagram for this truck I'm afraid that the difference in wiring could effect this part and I'd really like to keep this all together. Please offer suggestions. GPster

[moose]

Short of trying to source a replacement I agree that if you only need to repair a couple of traces the best method is to solder in a jumper or repair trace. This method works well and has save me countless boards when I was a working person.

[rooster]

Don't know if this would work are not Joe.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Conductive-Paint/

[enjenjo]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/86-87-88-S10-PICKUP-SPEEDOMETER-/390980158178?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item5b083bc2e2&vxp=mtr

It has a buy it now of $35

[58 Yeoman]

Plus $20 shipping.  Farther down, it mentions a core charge, but doesn't say if there is one or not.  That could all add up pretty quickly.

[GPster]

Plus $20 shipping.  Farther down, it mentions a core charge, but doesn't say if there is one or not.  That could all add up pretty quickly.

Yeh! but it gives me an interchange chart. GPster

[rooster]

here ya go , 2 bucks shipped

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Conductive-Glue-Wire-Electrically-Paste-Adhesive-Paint-PCB-Repair-0-2ML-Silver-G-/350967787926?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_2&hash=item51b74f7196

[UGLY OLDS]

Yeh! but it gives me an interchange chart. GPster

[/quote]

 It does have the interchange list ,but all of them say "Head Only" ... I  wonder if that means just the speedo head will interchange & not the printed circuit board ... :?:

Do you have the VIN number from the original truck that you removed the speedo assembly from  

I think that I would try Denny's suggestion above ..^^^    Get a couple of them just in case ....

Bob....

[GPster]

Yeh! but it gives me an interchange chart. GPster

 It does have the interchange list ,but all of them say "Head Only" ... I  wonder if that means just the speedo head will interchange & not the printed circuit board ... :?:

Do you have the VIN number from the original truck that you removed the speedo assembly from  

I think that I would try Denny's suggestion above ..^^^    Get a couple of them just in case ....

Bob....

That is my current plan. Part of what's in my mind that had me worried about exchanges was that I thought at one time I had seen one of these dashes with a higher speed speedometer in it.  The computer does take a feed from a speed sensor in the instruments.  Also. there is a difference in the lower left of the face for the indicator for the gear position for automatic transmissions. I also wasn't sure when the speedometers changed from cable driven to drive by wire. The two circuits that I've "nicked" are for the temperature gauge  but I haven't taken the time with the wiring diagram to see if they continue through the instrument under the dash to the computer or if the temperature sensor feeds the computer under the hood. Also according to the wiring diagram some of the base model trucks only have indicator lights, not gauges. When I stripped this truck for parts I pulled the tags, plus my bill of sale has the numbers on it in case they tried to make me have a re-constructed vehicle title even though I have the original Jeepster title (but that's about the only thing that is original on this Jeepster). All of this plus I'm "cheap" and I hate paying $16.00 to have something shipped to me that is more than I need and I would have to cut all the extra plastic off of it to use it as planned. Electrical parts in junkyards are pay-then-pull and I'd be a little freer with some sort of an interchange. Plus '86 to '88 just a trucks are drying up around here with a local "shredder". I'll discuss it with my resident "Pay Pal" account holder. GPster

[GPster]

here ya go , 2 bucks shipped

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Conductive-Glue-Wire-Electrically-Paste-Adhesive-Paint-PCB-Repair-0-2ML-Silver-G-/350967787926?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_2&hash=item51b74f7196

Well, The PayPal user in the residence ordered the conductive glue for me yesterday. Then I looked at the instrument panel again. The scared place is on a narrow run right on a corner. The backing is cut and there are 3 tracks in a space probably only 5/8" wide and of course the board is mounted with the circuits on the under side. In the 18 days allowed for the expected delivery I'm sure I will have convinced myself that I'm not capable of this repair. I did check the truck's wiring diagram  and the computer's wiring from any temperature sender is from under the hood rather than from the instrument panel.  The two circuits that are scared are from the sender and from instrument power and those tracks travel completely around the outside edge of the board. Maybe I can hard wire those tracks or maybe our computer repair man has some experience with this kind of repair. It's raining today so I'm typing rather than troding in the mud looking at old trucks. GPster

[GPster]

Friday the 13th had me looking at the situation a little different. At first look I was thinking that I needed to remove the circuit board completely to be able to have it "face up" for repair. That would have had me removing about 9 light bulbs and the three instruments to even get to the board and it's anchors that have tips that have been melted over to keep the board in place. Looking at it yesterday I saw that I only needed to loosen up the one corner where the "scar" is and because of the "step" the board makes at it's "plug-in"  the board would flatten out at that corner and if I put the dash "face-up" the tracks on the board would be "face-up" too. Doing this I see that only the outside track has been severed and the track next to is only has a scar on the board and that track is intact. I think it would be a good idea to glue(?) some kind of stiffener to the back side (which would be face-up when installed) for stiffener and support before the PCB conductivity repair. I was thinking a small piece of 1/16" thick plexiglass and "super glue". I looked on the internet and could not find any suggestions or "NOs!" so I'd like to hear any thoughts. GPster

[jaybee]

Seems like it ought to work. Super glue is nonconductive.