Remove and Repair Dash Circuit Board
May 16th, 2014, 10:04 PM
#1
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Remove and Repair Dash Circuit Board
Tips to remove the dash printed circuit board for pin repair >
1st pull the neg. battery cable for spark free fun. Forming your body in a contortion manner is a bad idea. Figure out how to get your head and hands under there somewhat comfortably by experimenting.
Disconnect the speedometer cable and move aside. Pull the round female harness connector off carefully as possible. Examine the end for pins retained in the connector that have snapped off. Don't lose these, you'll need them later for the repair. Remove all of the board's surrounding screws paying attention to location by length. Twist out all of the little socketed lamps. Locate the pass-through screws that connect to the gauges and clock. The gauges will stay in place where the board should now become loose flopping in and out. Move the wiring away slightly and "slip" the board out sideways.
The pins were riveted in place from the factory and now may be wiggly or broken off? The repair is made on the top side of the board with the copper traces. It's preferred to have some soldering experience. You'll be soldering the pins in place by scraping off trace oxide and coating at the rivet holes and out into the trace area where the pin bases rest. This prep step is a must, the copper traces need to be fresh and shiny! The solder will be built up onto the pin base flowing out to the traces in a mound manner. The "mound" will mechanically hold the pin better then the rivets and is strong! The pin base build-up area is well below the connector when fully pushed back on.
Broken off pins are aligned by finding a brad nail that fits snugly sliding into them. Press the nails through the original holes from the back side of the board. Place a piece of duct tape over the nail heads to keep them in place. Now with the board laid down on a flat, supporting surface, press the broken pins down onto the brads sticking up. You'll remove the brads later when soldering is complete. Use a 35-45 watt soldering pencil and electronics solder. You already aligned the pins but watch it as you solder them in place. Use a probe tool to keep them aligned while knocking them around with the iron tip. I solder flowed all of the pins, the "good" ones, the broken-off babies and the wiggly devils. The connector went back on slightly tight (from "eye" pin alignment) but was forgiving enough to slide in place. Great fix, all my stuff came back and it's holding up dandy fine.
1st pull the neg. battery cable for spark free fun. Forming your body in a contortion manner is a bad idea. Figure out how to get your head and hands under there somewhat comfortably by experimenting.
Disconnect the speedometer cable and move aside. Pull the round female harness connector off carefully as possible. Examine the end for pins retained in the connector that have snapped off. Don't lose these, you'll need them later for the repair. Remove all of the board's surrounding screws paying attention to location by length. Twist out all of the little socketed lamps. Locate the pass-through screws that connect to the gauges and clock. The gauges will stay in place where the board should now become loose flopping in and out. Move the wiring away slightly and "slip" the board out sideways.
The pins were riveted in place from the factory and now may be wiggly or broken off? The repair is made on the top side of the board with the copper traces. It's preferred to have some soldering experience. You'll be soldering the pins in place by scraping off trace oxide and coating at the rivet holes and out into the trace area where the pin bases rest. This prep step is a must, the copper traces need to be fresh and shiny! The solder will be built up onto the pin base flowing out to the traces in a mound manner. The "mound" will mechanically hold the pin better then the rivets and is strong! The pin base build-up area is well below the connector when fully pushed back on.
Broken off pins are aligned by finding a brad nail that fits snugly sliding into them. Press the nails through the original holes from the back side of the board. Place a piece of duct tape over the nail heads to keep them in place. Now with the board laid down on a flat, supporting surface, press the broken pins down onto the brads sticking up. You'll remove the brads later when soldering is complete. Use a 35-45 watt soldering pencil and electronics solder. You already aligned the pins but watch it as you solder them in place. Use a probe tool to keep them aligned while knocking them around with the iron tip. I solder flowed all of the pins, the "good" ones, the broken-off babies and the wiggly devils. The connector went back on slightly tight (from "eye" pin alignment) but was forgiving enough to slide in place. Great fix, all my stuff came back and it's holding up dandy fine.
Last edited by White_Knuckles; May 16th, 2014 at 10:18 PM.
May 17th, 2014, 10:15 AM
#2
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More on the solder connection ...
Like welding where you need to grind material down to fresh metal before starting, the same applies to soldering. The copper traces routing all over the the circuit board appear dark from coating or oxidation. To prep the soldering area, use a small blade and scrape the surface back on the traces where the pin base sits. So, from the hole outward, you create a clean, shiny copper area about a 1/4" back. Solder will not stick to anything but clean metal. The male pin can be cleaned with fine sandpaper first but the pin metal is normally clean enough to attach. The soldering iron tip is placed on both the copper trace and the pin base at once. Allow heat to soak for a few seconds and then feed solder into the joint building out the "flow" onto the trace. We are trying to extend the pin base connection out onto the trace surface for mechanical strength. The solder joint will taper from the pin bottom outward like a cone. Each pin has one trace you scrape and bridge solder to its pin base. The finished solder joint should appear shiny. If it's grey, not enough heat was applied or what's known as a "cold" solder joint.
Note: The soldering pencil tip must also be CLEAN. Before the task, use a file and clean off all the black stuff on the tip. Heat up the iron to temp (often a few minutes) and "tin" the tip applying new solder. The shiny tip is now ready for the job. Keep the tip clean rolling it often on a water damped sponge or rag. Roll the tip on the sponge and re-tin before attacking each pin. A contaminated tip can get black bits into the solder joint - not good!
Like welding where you need to grind material down to fresh metal before starting, the same applies to soldering. The copper traces routing all over the the circuit board appear dark from coating or oxidation. To prep the soldering area, use a small blade and scrape the surface back on the traces where the pin base sits. So, from the hole outward, you create a clean, shiny copper area about a 1/4" back. Solder will not stick to anything but clean metal. The male pin can be cleaned with fine sandpaper first but the pin metal is normally clean enough to attach. The soldering iron tip is placed on both the copper trace and the pin base at once. Allow heat to soak for a few seconds and then feed solder into the joint building out the "flow" onto the trace. We are trying to extend the pin base connection out onto the trace surface for mechanical strength. The solder joint will taper from the pin bottom outward like a cone. Each pin has one trace you scrape and bridge solder to its pin base. The finished solder joint should appear shiny. If it's grey, not enough heat was applied or what's known as a "cold" solder joint.
Note: The soldering pencil tip must also be CLEAN. Before the task, use a file and clean off all the black stuff on the tip. Heat up the iron to temp (often a few minutes) and "tin" the tip applying new solder. The shiny tip is now ready for the job. Keep the tip clean rolling it often on a water damped sponge or rag. Roll the tip on the sponge and re-tin before attacking each pin. A contaminated tip can get black bits into the solder joint - not good!
Last edited by White_Knuckles; May 17th, 2014 at 10:46 AM.
May 17th, 2014, 11:45 AM
#3
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Location: New Mexico
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Great info, and right on. One word of caution is don't get the the copper trace on the board too hot, or you can 'lift' the trace (it separates, or lifts, from the base strata) and then further work is necessary for a popper repair. You only need to get it hot enough for the solder to flow. An easy way to do that is to apply solder (60/40 or 63/37 rosin core) to the area you are heating with the iron and you will see the solder start to melt as the joint warms. The solder acts as a conductor to heat the area more quickly and uniformly.
I have soldered literaly thousands of connections in my other hobbies, and would be glad to work on your circuit board for you, no charge. Just pay for postage. I can get it done in a day and sent right back to you.
Send me a PM or email if interested.
I have soldered literaly thousands of connections in my other hobbies, and would be glad to work on your circuit board for you, no charge. Just pay for postage. I can get it done in a day and sent right back to you.
Send me a PM or email if interested.
May 17th, 2014, 12:42 PM
#4
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One disclaimer I'll share is, without a proper jig to hold alignment, the pin pattern may result being slightly off? Therefore, with any hand repaired boards, you need to "feel" and gently assist the female connector back on. Don't go gorilla on it. If its jamming, you stop and study the pin pattern for the problem. You can simply heat up and tweak offending pins into alignment.
Secondly, I was a component level tech soldering for years. This technique is mastered quickly if you pay attention to all suggested details. Should you try this as the first solder job ever, it's about a 7 on a 1-10 for difficulty. As RandyS points out, you can damage the board which takes the fun out. Seek a pro or board exchange if unsure about your skills.
Secondly, I was a component level tech soldering for years. This technique is mastered quickly if you pay attention to all suggested details. Should you try this as the first solder job ever, it's about a 7 on a 1-10 for difficulty. As RandyS points out, you can damage the board which takes the fun out. Seek a pro or board exchange if unsure about your skills.
Last edited by White_Knuckles; May 17th, 2014 at 12:59 PM.
May 17th, 2014, 12:58 PM
#5
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Location: Grove City, Ohio
Posts: 375
Guys:
Listen to what the other guys tell you, I also have years of working w/ small wires and soldering in other hobbies in the past years. Please DO NOT use a pistol type soldering gun to do this, it will only destroy the board and make the delicate copper lift, which only makes the next guys job tougher. If done incorrectly, you must also relay new a new copper path if too much heat cracks or breaks the OEM strip.
Thanks Ron
Listen to what the other guys tell you, I also have years of working w/ small wires and soldering in other hobbies in the past years. Please DO NOT use a pistol type soldering gun to do this, it will only destroy the board and make the delicate copper lift, which only makes the next guys job tougher. If done incorrectly, you must also relay new a new copper path if too much heat cracks or breaks the OEM strip.
Thanks Ron
August 5th, 2014, 02:03 PM
#6
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Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 1
I read this and was about to use my dads old pistol style soldering gun. If you recommend not using the pistol grip which type specifically should I use? I wasn't aware there was a difference. Also would anyone know where I could get some replacement pins. Unfortunately before I read this post I threw the pins away thinking there was no hope for repairing them.
August 5th, 2014, 03:16 PM
#8
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I have 8 Circuit boards that are like Brand New..This is the Main Artery to all of your Electrical.Soldering doesn't always work.Screws dont always work..Removing a dash after the fact is a lot of Fun..Call me if I can help. Ron 586-556-1234
August 5th, 2014, 03:58 PM
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Location: Phoenix, AZ
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August 5th, 2014, 04:23 PM
#10
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