When I pulled the plugs off the back of the gauges 2 pins remained in the plug and several others are loose. Can these be soldered back on or is more extensive repair needed? Also can someone help idenify the leads on the back of the tach, it wasnt connected so I dont know what wire goes where? Thanks, Rob

 

Looking at your clock-tach first, here's how mine is wired: The top middle nut has nothing on it, the bottom row left nut has the hot (orange) wire, the bottom middle has the brown (tach to neg side of coil) wire, and the little screw on the right has the grey (dash lights) wire. There should also be a short black wire that comes over to the tach pod from the speedometer pod.

With regards to the pins, I've heard that people can solder them back onto the printed circuit board without damaging the board. It most likely requires someone that is good at it, though, and I am not. My solution to reattach those pins ( had 4 of them) was to go to a model airplane store and buy some very small (2mm) fine thread screws. They were just the right size that they would self thread and screw into the back sides of the detached pins (the pins are hollow) and snug the pins up nicely to the circuit board. It's a tedious process. If you try it, take your time, make sure you have a good grip on each pin as you work it, and be very careful with the screwdriver as you turn each screw. It worked for me.

Randy C.

 

great idea, one of mine started to crack off.

 

I've had a couple that were soldered, but I like Randy's idea. That sounds like a more stable fix. John

 

I have had to solder pins back on and it is tricky. I like the screw idea and if I had to do it again, I'd probably do both. Having the pin held firm and steady would make soldering it in place MUCH easier. The pins appear to me to simply be crimped in place originally.
Since they are crimped on, if yours are damaged where the little flanges that spread out or fold over are, you might be able to remove some good pins from an idiot light pod to replace your pins with.

By the way, I am pretty sure that the later 77 or so rally gauge circuit board is the same board. Those gauge pods used to be pretty inexpensive. Not sure if they've gone up in the past 4 years or so or not. It is worth a shot if you can find one.

 

A screw through the back of the pin sounds like a real good plan. I think I will also put a dab of solder on just to make sure. Thanks very much. On the tach I will assume the top middle nut is ground.
Thanks, Rob

 

Just a head's up - I didn't say it in my original post - the short black wire that comes over from the speedo pod to the tach pod is the ground. It's attached to the screw that holds the right side of the speedo pod in place, and to the screw that holds the left side of the tach pod in place. I have nothing on that top nut to my clock-tach.

Randy C.

 

This is the real fix. Insert screw first, then solder. A big iron will be needed but try to do it fast to avoid damaging the copper trace on the PCB. Use only electronics type flux.

 

Any ideas on how to test these guages to make sure they work before assembly?