Help....Nothing on my dashboard... Fuse keeps blowing

[Tam]

Hi all,

Got a problem with no dashboard at all (no gauges or lights) and she keeps blowing gauge fuses. Just happened while I was cruising back to Ireland. I found a thread saying someone had similar problem and I think it was the speedo sensor he replaced and that fixed it (http://www.clubvr4.com/forum/showthread.php?18943-Fuse-keeps-blowing).

The problem I have is that I'm moving to Canada and I have no tools ( well a motorbike tool kit I found) so I have no multimeter. I was wondering if anyone had anything I can try with limited tooling.

If it is the speedo sensor the one on viamoto (http://www.viamoto.co.uk/proddetail.php?prod=Speedometer+Sensor+-+Gearbox+Speedo+Sensor+-+Manual+Legnum%2FGalant+VR4) looks like is does not come with a wire. Can anyone confirm or deny this as I could do with a new wire as its in a big of a mess when the resistor was fitted. I have a new resistor to fit. I have removed this to see of it was the resistor but that did not help either.

Any help or advice will be great fully received.

Marc

[Nick Mann]

It's a shame that the pictures don't work any more in that thread.
I would be suprised if it is the actual speedo sensor, I think it would be much more likely to be the wires coming up which are on the loom side. Often the kmph to mph converter sits on the wiring there so that could be a possibility too.

[Tam]

Well just to keep the thread going I removed the resistor for the conversion and it kept blowing the fuses still. So disconnected the plug and checked the console that I had removed for the MOT. Console was all good and turned her on and with the plug disconnected the fuse fries not blow. However when I connect it it blows the fuse straight away again.

So I'm thinking it either the wiring from the plug to the sensor or it's the actual sensor. I don't have time to confirm this as the car needs to work to get me home before I go abroad for a while. Going to order the sensor and replace it when I return. But it does look like a shot job.

Marc

[Nick Mann]

It could be the signal wire is shorting to ground. It could also be the sensor. I have never seen a speedo converter that is just a resistor, they are normally four wires. The three wires to the sensor are 12v, ground and signal. Converters are normally four wires, 12v spliced in, ground spliced in and then signal in and signal out.