How to bench test a gm Silverado, Tahoe, sierra suburban yukon escalade and many other instrament panel , ipc speedometer gauges using just your scanner autel 906bt 908 or any other by directional scan tool.
Thank you for the wealth of information you provide in your videos. I really appreciate the details that you go into to make sure the job is done right.
Fantastic video, this convinced me to buy a bi-directional scanner. So far though, it's just raised more questions.. I've had an inop tach since buying the truck about a month ago, replaced stepper, needles move/act normal when starting the vehicle, but that tach just doesn't register. All gauges pass the sweep test, hptuners can read rpms when plugged into the truck, autel reads 0, wires from cam sensor to ecm and pcm to tach all checked for continuity and have no issues. Sort of hit a wall lol
Hello, good day. Great video again sir to be honest this is the first time i saw testing a cluster with a scanner. Subscribing to your channel is worth. Sir i notice the oil pressure did not point to zero. Thanks.
Laurence Lee Roceta thanks . It was late and I was tired. After doing the sweep test it should align all the gauges to zero. I went back and reset all the needles . Usually I leave the front cover off to test and make sure they are all put on correctly.
Great info man!! Just what I was looking for to test the LEDs I just put in the dash. It's a pain to put it all back together just to pull it back out because a couple bulbs aren't working 😡😱..lol... Thx for the vid!!
I see your leds are casting intense light in one area and poor light surrounding them. I had this same issue and would recommend adding a silicone cap over your leds. They make them for model train hobbies, in all different colors. I didn't know that at the time so I dipped my leds in white silicone caulking and let dry before installing. Adds a perfect glow to every part of the cluster.
Gosh your videos are so very interesting. Will definitely be watching everyone. Something I would definitely dive into. Have been teaching myself electrical by joining classes like Scannerdanner to learn how systems but would like to expand into how the components work. Hope you don’t mind if I ask questions as I watch your videos on what equipment to purchase. Very interesting. Thanks for sharing. Would love find out where to find out all I can on my Honda equipment. Like I’ve said earlier I’m just a retired aircraft mechanic but want to expand on my skills. Thanks much Artie ❤️ would it be possible for you to list some of the tools and solder you use. Like the desolder gun and heat gun for removing the chips and any other equipment to get started. I have some but would like more. Thank you 😊
Nice video, good information. I was disappointed to see the DIC film on the face to get some nasty screw driver damage. If you unclip the lens from the top 3 clips first, the bottom two will normally pop off with a little tilt. No need to force it. I normally try to talk people out of red LED's. With the built in blue color filtering it's hard to get the color red to come through nice and strong. Also, I don't recommend using dome focused style 5mm LED's. They focus the light into a sharp beam and don't spread the light evenly across the face. Use flat top instead. Some times called straw hat, or even some SMD's have a wider beam then 5mm dome.
jeffescortlx I hear ya. I've repaired probably 850 of these at the very least in the past decade for multiple dealers and a huge (won't say the name) nationwide used car chain . I have 25 of my own spare clusters of various models I use as loaners . I know my way around the gm clusters pretty well. He actually attempted to disassemble the cluster himself hence the screwdriver mark. He brought me his own leds. I tried to tell him not to go red. There is no diffusion and you end up with red dots showing through the face but he wanted what he wanted. I only use the flat top 3 strip dimmables when I supply the parts. A lot of people go on Amazon and buy kits then realize they might destroy their panel trying to diy them. I end up with them and parts I don't prefer to use. Probably why I try to stay away from public work and usually stick to the dealers, repair shops and car lots. Thank you for the info. I appreciate the feedback from my viewers always.
Hay Jack Meyers.. So in your video where you light up all the lights on the cluster I didn't see the check engine light ever come on whenever you done the bulb test. Is it just burned out or does it not work when you do one of these bench tests?? Thanks. Have an 02 That neath the check engine light works nor the speedometer.. But my scanner shows that the VSS is working now since I replaced it.. The truck is an 02 Chevy 1500 4.3l automatic..
Hey I have my ipc station set up and halfway working I can’t get my gauges to sweep though. I’ve hooked it up like yours and looking to see if u have some pointers thanks in advance
nice testing! so do you know what is the wire from PCM that triggers the warning low oil level on in the Cluster.? am rebuilding an LS harness and i saved low oil sensor so i would like to know what wire from pcm turns the low oil level on when oil pan is low.
Does the wire from a2 of the data link to a6 of tge cluster need power alligator clip connected from where you connected the wires or is it straight plug in by itself?
I have a question with the scanner you are using can it do mileage correctios and can you use it to program the cluster to tell it you added a trans temp gauge?
After watching your video so many times it is almost memorized I got a bench test wiring harness together and have successfully connected it to my Tech 2. The Tech 2 sweeps the gauges no matter what is enabled (MIL lights etc) with the CANDI module unplugged and does not power up the backlighting. It is a 2007 Silverado 2500 6.6. Looking for some help determining if the issue is in my wiring or? And why is there no option to power up the backlighting on the Tech 2?
Hello Jack, and thank you for your videos. How did you get started in troubleshooting and fixing clusters and modules? Is there a trade school you attended for this?
Wish you could fix my cluster on a manual transmission 2000 Nissan Maxima. Speedometer and Odometer faults out until I tap or apply pressure on the cluster. I think it's a crack solder but I cant find it.
Hi Jack,,Thank You much for the informative videos you provide. A question. As of late our old rusty trusty 2003 Chev Suburban if it is let sit for about 4-5 days without starting it,,the battery is dead. Bought new battery,,so that is out of equation,and also checked new battery for good CCA testwith meter . Found: Using DVOM to test parastic draw,,and plucking fuses one at a time, the IPC is drawing about .25 amps. Taking out that fuse after about 30 seconds there is no draw. So,,,took out cluster replaced stepper motors,,and bench testing the amps go down to zero,,with only battery and ground connected after the specified 25 seconds. BUT when i plug cluster back into truck,i still get the .25 amp draw. Tying to picture what could be causing the draw that is plugged into IPC. Any ideas how to back trace? Thanks.
I'm really struggling to get this to work. I have a stack of GM clusters and I can't get a single one of them to do anything. If I connect A12 and B12 to ground and B11 and B9 to +12 it should do something right? Does A6 need to be hooked up for the cluster to just power up?
Helpful advice and tips but i have a question i have 2002 monte carlo cluster temperature gauge went out and the mileage and the park drive reverse lights went out so i went to the junkyard and found one bought it and it work but the mileage are different mines show 144 and other one shows 288 i there any to fix this? Thanks
I got a used cluster that I want to use for my Chevy 5.3 stand alone. I labeled my wires coming from the PCM. The white wire runs the tach, green white runs the speedo, brown MIL and a gray wire is marked as IPC class 2 serial data. It also has a tan wire for oil pressure. My question is, should I hook my wires come from PCM to the corresponding colors on my cluster? I know that the oil pressure is not going to work because I deleted that wire from my engine harness. The fuel gauge is not going to work either, but I don't really care about some of the other functions, I'm only interested in having the tach, speedo and temp, can I tap into my serial data line on the DCL, or some people call it the aldl
Jack, been doing small repairs on my clusters here and there and I would like to be able to test my gauges gm. Do you have a suggestion on a cheap tester that you can do a sweep with. I have researched many bidirectional and can't find a cheap one that would support this. thanks so much for any help. Great videos by the way, very informative!!
If I have a cluster that I've replaced all stepper motors and speed sensor and still get no speedo reading or odometer recording, do you think the entire cluster is just bad? Any way to know without a setup like this except buying one?
Nice video, on the pin out, You show 12 connectors. I salvaged a cluster pigtail from a vehicle marked as a 2008 Tahoe, but it only has 10 pins on the connector that was dangling where the cluster would install. Did Tahoes have a different pin out from the 2007 suburban? I didn't see any remnant of the there ever being another set of wires in the cluster area. Also would you know the part numbers for the display driver chip and R92 the 100 ohm resistor?
Is there an in-vehicle diagnostic (or at least sweep) you can do through the OBDII? I have a bluetooth interface (NOT sure if it's bi-directional, which if it isn't I know I'll need to replace with one) and the Torque app on my Android phone. My brother in law's 03 Silverado gauge needles have always been off (all except the speedo, funnily enough), and since I just did the PRNDL light fix I'm going to go ahead and fix the background lighting and swap out the stepper motors (which I suspect are going bad anyway because of jerky motion on the tach and voltmeter, so just replace em all and start fresh). Thing is I want the needles to read accurately this time so if I can do a sweep on the gauges I can at least line the needles up so when they hit "max" on each gauge the needles are spot on. I'm competent with electronics but still trying to figure everything out with GM clusters of this era.
Can a jumpstart damage a cluster? I have a 2006 gmc sierra and after a jumpstart ive had alot of issues with the cluster. During inspection on the cluster i found that the display screen had burnt up.
JACK MEYERS xxx I disconnected the Temperature sending unit/temp sense, so How can I test the instrumentation temp gauge in my cars dash board by itself to check if its working correctly, what do I need to do?
@4:23 in your video: Am I correct that the cluster is receiving PRDNL from A6 (data feed)? In your list there I don't see any other labels where PRNDL might be getting transmitted to the cluster PCB... so by process of elimination I am guessing A6 is where that information is transmitted (among other things)?
Great video Jack - Thanks! I also have an Autel and am wondering if you have figured out a way to sweep the individual gauges, turn on specific lights, etc? The Autel shows all of these as choices, but I can't change any of them. Thanks!
I liked the video and I wanted to know what dlc wires you used to turn on all the lights and do a gauge sweep and what wires should I use for a gmc pickup and which wire are positive and negative and ignition because I have a snap-on scanner that dose bi-directional
Great video Jack! I posted a video of my 2002 Silverado's issue. Would love your opinion. Alternator light comes on, at the same time the fuel and temp gauges fall to zero. A few moments pass and it all goes back to normal. Noticed the prndl stays lit, but the selection indicator vanishes! Sometimes I also get an airbag light and sometimes a seatbelt light. Again, all the is brief, but continuous. Security light will come on after it cycles a few times. Replaced the negative battery cable. Any ideas? Thank you!
I only thought of this now, but RE: your RGB LED video, it would be cool to use a window switch to make the tach backlight go yellow and red at different RPM thresholds...
+Paesan Control Centre That's a cool idea, but the lights are controlled by the BCM dimmer circuit, while a single multi-color LED requires different current or voltage levels. Serial Data as he marked is Class 2 serial data that communicates between modules. High Speed serial data is CAN or controller are network and is two wires, but not used to low speed devices like this IPC. The class 2 toggles from 0 volts DC to 7 volts DC, then the circuitry see an address and reads the message and directs action. This is true for most GM car since 1992, more so on the Corvette in 1997, but most all after 2000. Trucks & Vans falls behind for cost but are in a different category, but they usually get the newer tech a few years later. The factory scan-tool will work for this purpose, but he has some aftermarket equipment but still $2k and up. ASE Master Tech since 1978 / Retired
Sweet video, keep em coming, this comment is about an old video but I would be interested in seeing how u partitioned your labtop, if you happen to make another partition could you film it.
James Svetlovics thanks. I'm almost done with the laptop video. Have had a lot of interest but it's a tough buddies to make . I have so much on that laptop I didn't even realize it.
I don't think so. I checked Mitchell Repair (ProDemand) and the pinouts are different for different year/models. For instance, the 2002 Silverado shows Ckt. No. A-5 as the class 2 data pin instead of A-6 on the 2003 Silverado. Also, on my 2003 GMC Envoy it shows B1 as the IPC Class 2 Serial Data pin. So you'll need to verify before making these connections.
If I cut the wire going to pin A9, will my ABS warning light go out on the instrument cluster? This constant light drives me crazy and I can't keep it fixed for more that a week or so.
Cutting the signal input line is a bad idea. Why is the light coming on? Have you read the codes? I do not recommend it. Cutting a data line input is always a bad idea. I have rebuilt many clusters that someone has dissasembled and simply taken the bulb off. If you're absolutley determined to eliminate it maybe just take the front cover off and cover the bulb with aluminum tape? That way when you do repair the problem its easy to correct. Disclaimer * In the gm clusters the ebrake ,abs and brake fluid lights are all interconnected so if you leave your ebrake on or your brake fluid gets low you will have no warning.
hey jack, good day, where can i find the diagram of the plug (which function does each cable color) could you share that information ??? I have a silverado 2003 2WD V8 5.3L. Thanks for your attention
I know this is a year later but to help someone else with the same need, Mitchell offers a month access to the factory service manual for $19.95 that all the pinout info can be accessed.
Hey jack everything in my cluster works except the mileage will not display. The display works as it shows other function. Do you think the steering wheel switch is bad or what. Amy idea
Jack, thanks for a great video! I repair GM and Ford clusters in the North Carolina area. I have a test setup with a GM computer I use for testing the clusters, but I am interested in that Autel scanner you use, Autel has a cheaper one than that 906BT which is their model number MK808BT, Do you know if it has the same features to excersize the cluster as the 906BT? If so, I plan to buy one. Also if you would could you provide your contact info for me>
It looks like the MK808 doesn't have bidirectional functions, which you will need to perform this task. The Autel DS808 is bidirectional though. Of course at nearly $800, this may be out of our price range. What I ended up getting, is the THINKDIAG unit. It has full bidirectional capabilities & only costs about $120 ! I just got it & verified it will do the all-gauge sweep, & and the all-light & odometer test on the IPC of my 2003 GMC Envoy. It comes with a one year subscription for two manufacturers of your choice. You can add any of the (I think 132?) Manufacturers for $39.99/year per make. It is a VCI/Dongle that interfaces with your android smartphone, tablet or iPhone. The app is free & user-friendly. (The app isn't compatible yet with older android OS version's) Considering how much it costs to update the Autel, Snap on Verus etc., I think this is the way to go. You can check it out here: www.mythinkcar.com/ProductPage/3/t1
Nice video. I'm on IATN, but I'm wondering if there are any online forums that deal exclusively with computer / cluster / module repairs and programming?
Is there a way to reprogram the mileage displayed in the odometer? The reason I ask is, my Chevy dealer effed up my truck ('04 Colorado). They traced a PassLock security issue back to the BCM. New ones aren't available anymore, so they found a used one and put that in. But obviously it didn't have the same mileage as my truck. So now the cluster displays the mileage of the vehicle that the used BCM came out of. They were able to find a refurbished BCM that has all data wiped. They put that in and programmed it, but the cluster still shows wrong mileage. Now they tell me it needs another cluster. But they're not available new. So now they're looking for a used cluster. I was hoping that there might be some way to wipe the memory of the odometer/cluster so that the BCM can rewrite the proper mileage back to it. Is that a pipe dream? The whole thing has been a nightmare. They've had the truck for 5 weeks now.
Nice videos bro, just got finished watching your last video. I liked that test light very cool no ground wire. Do u know were I can pick one up. Thanks
RotoDan I'll find out and get back to you. I got my first one from a snap on dealer. Lost it and bought my second on Amazon. Just searched and couldn't find it. I'll do a little research and find it where you get them. It's seriously my favorite tool. I can check every fuse in a car in no time at all.
Man I have a 2003 Chevy Silverado I'm trying to put a 2001 dash cluster in it and the wire harness is different. Where can I find a good diagram for both of those connectors so that I can swap the connector? Definitely love the video but like you said I don't want to short my cluster out thank you
Yeah that's gonna be a pain. Things like the Volt and oil in the older cluster is going to be looking for a analog signal that doesn't exist in the 03 chassis.
Have you done any work to it? Push on the 511 resistors while it's powered and see if it comes on. If not put pressue on various parts of the board until it powers up and that will point you where the problem is. Works for about 99 percent of the ones i fix.
Yea for sure. Ive actually built 3 really nice ones in the last couple years. I keep adding features like a dimmer control for the lighting and a sweep test button. My newest one has 3 outputs . 99 to 02 . 03 to 06 and 07 to 2010. A basic one that gets the job done is pretty easy to build.
:-) no worries we found a good guy here... or he is so far. Waiting for him to rebuild mine, the board shorted out some how! thanks for the reply back.
Good Job Dude, i like it. but.. one thing i dont like.. your Hands and under your fingernails is really dirty.. i have an idea, take a pen to give us near informations? 😊 i understand dirty hands and so but for a video i think i scrubb my fingers antil they blood 😂
Michael Box maybe. Not sure which brand you used. To each his own i guess.I bought 400 of them aftert using my first set. They are quieter, faster and come with a lifetime warranty. I know that much. I have about 30 of the 400 left and have never had a cluster come back with a bad one. All the white ones out there even the jenken snap together, are noisy and slow. For me they work better. The fact that they screw together instead of snapping together and are not an identical clone of the failure prone originals will keep me using them.
I know this is a old post, but just wanted to add, even though I'm using genuine X27's, I've seen pretty much zero failures on the black screwed together steppers.
