10,000 subscribers, 3,700 views, you've got to be kidding me. This channel is the best at this kind of work, tutorial for free, and solder technique. This deserves a lot more!
You all probably dont give a damn but does anybody know a way to log back into an Instagram account?? I stupidly forgot my login password. I would love any help you can offer me!
@Graham Ben I really appreciate your reply. I found the site on google and Im trying it out now. Looks like it's gonna take a while so I will get back to you later when my account password hopefully is recovered.
@@rutilorocha3457 look at his description, he has the address on that. Also several videos back he did one naming other people and their address as well.
Hey Jeff, I just wanted to thank you for your channel and the videos you put out. I used your technique of scraping off the solder mask and installing a jumper to repair damaged traces on a 40 volt battery with water infiltration. Somehow, a test point and surrounding trace dissolved, rendering the circuit open and the battery useless. With five minutes of work and a few cents worth of material, I was able to restore the battery to service.
I'll rebuild an engine, I'll replace a clutch, I'll fix brakes or fuel delivery...but when a customer has cluster issues...that's the time to send it to a specialist. Seems some cluster repair people jsut can't do it, but ya got Jeff here who can bring a near death unrepairable one back from the brink, even going as far as adding some support (hot glue) to the motors screams you care. Good on ya sir.
@@builditwithrob that's normal, especially for 03-04. As long as you find someone that knows what they are doing they can include that repair within a rebuild service.
the DIC is still missing pixels. You make fixing missing pads look trivial, I wondered what kind of wire you were using until I saw what looked like an led on the other end of the wire ;)
Looks like I missed a video clip during editing. After tracing out the PCB, I came to the conclusion either the VFD chip or VFD was ESD damaged by the first repair attempt. To fix it completely it would need a new board, I have no more donor VFD's as of now.
I rebuilt one of these a few weeks ago for a guy from Florida. It's was dead in his Hummer when he bought it but the p/o had someone work on it because the whole board was covered in flux probably 2 mils deep and the main IC was dead on it. It pulled like 4 or 5 amps if you tried to turn it on. I ended up just putting a Silverado board in it and reflashing the mileage off his old eeprom.
Yes as long as you can get the hummer lens you can build a replacement out of Silverado parts. Face and needles are slightly different for looks, but compatible. Too bad someone had to mess up the one you worked on, was probably just fractured solder joints from the start. Glad to hear you got that person squared away.
My favorite boards are the ones someone else messed up because it gives me something different to do. Amplifiers I can't stand to get one that someone messed up because then I'm trying to figure out if it was their mod that killed it or what.
It was troubleshooted. But it would have required parts/labor not covered with a rebuild service. The customer was ok with accepting it with the missing pixels.
Just curious about the cluster repairs, do you only work on American 'same type' clusters, i.e. they all seem to use the same stepper motors, I haven't seen you repair European/JDM manufacturer clusters. Love watching the repairs by the way, keep the vids coming
I didn't show the trouble shooting on that since it ended up to be a dead end. I try to keep the videos as brief as possible, I aim for under 20 minuets.
@@jeffescortlx that's a good idea but weirdos like me are out there and are interested. Next time if you can please make a part two. Did you figure it out and what did ended up being the cause of the dead pixels?
@@tomlindo2863 I believe ESD damage was caused from all the handling, probably the first repair attempt, if there weren't equipped with the right soldering tools, they probably were also not prepared for ESD.
I have an 06 escalade ext with 190k. I really dont want to risk screwing up my cluster and would rather have you fix it. But I'm not sure if its the problem. My gauges all seem to start up correctly, where when you turn the key, they sweep from max to 0 like normal, but then when they start to actually read, the oil pressure goes to 80 even when the key is on and engine off. When driving the gauge would sometimes drop to 0 and the information center would say low oil pressure, but the motor kept running fine, even though it said 0 pressure for up to 5 minutes. It would randomly go from 80,to 0 pretty randomly. So I changed the sending unit, and it still goes to 80 and stays there, but it hasn't done done the random going to 0 thing since then (about 3 months now).do you think this is the gauge? Even considering its doing the initial sweep thing normally? The gauges are all original, even all the bulbs work fine (tho I would like LED's). What do you think?
99% sure it is not a problem with the Instument cluster. My guess is you have a wiring issue, or some oil sender issue going on. What your describing is not stepper motor failure. And even if it was stepper motor failure, it's can't cause the cluster message center to display oil pressure warning.
@@jeffescortlx ahh okay. Thanks! I really appreciate the response. If it is ever a problem in the future, I'll make sure to give you a shout. Do you by chance work on computers? I have a 1999 suburban with the common ignition module voltage issue. Do you fix those by chance? I don't want to get into a 411 computer swap. Thanks!
I find missing pads on all gauges except the speedometer to very simple repairs since theres a spot they can be jumpered to a quarter inch away. There's pads that can be jumpered too for the speedo even that are a little bit harder to find aren't exactly right there. Still nothing compared to repacing the VFDs especially the odometer( I have nightmares of lining up the pins for the odometer)
Nice repair video! As for the boards, one can figure that the car manufactures use the cheapest boards on the market when their suppliers create these boards. Poor quality fiberglass and thin copper plating will always lead to some problem down the road. They figure they can get an easy sale for a new assembly. I have seen this same problem in the past with commercial two way radios in the shop. ROHS compliant boards are notorious for this issue. They use inferior solder from the start and if you don't use just the right temperature from the start to de solder this is the net result.
The lead free solder does see some fracturing over time. But in all fairness these PCB's hold up pretty well as long as someone doesn't come along with a blowtorch and a pair of players and start ripping parts off the board.
i learned a lot watching yor videos, i just need to figure out the how to test the gauges, but i think i fixed my original Sonoma gauges, I just dont want to go back in the dash on a maybe the rpm works, atl east all the rest of the loose connections i had i know are fixed and tabletop tested thanks to your videos!
I charge $130 plus shipping. It's more than some on eBay, but it's a complete rebuild, and it's a flat charge, meaning I don't nickel and dime when issues come up.
Am I to understand that on my 2004 Silverado I can add a transmission temp gauge? My cluster readouts are getting so dim I can't see them in the daylight ao I may need it serviced soon.
@@jamesb1221222 it will sometimes work but definitely not guaranteed. Some have the flash. Does anyone happen to know what line of the eeprom has to be changed for transmission temp to work ? That's the one I haven't figured out yet. To be clear I'm talking about with like a minipro where you are editing a dump not using like a digiprog
@@rcpasc1948 Some early non-trans temp 2003's clusters will have the trans temp gauge active. But a 2004 will need to have the cluster eeprom programmed to unlock it. After that it's plug and play and nothing else needs programming for it to work.
What wire do you use? I want to experiment doing trace repairs, and I have an old computer motherboard that has severe damage. It's worth nothing, but I want to practice and learn, and I feel these videos help me with some of it. I appreciate them as they are very useful.
The short jumpers are just bare solid strand wire, I get them from the lamp leads. And the longer jumpers that have the potential to short out are the coated wire. But just about any kind of wire can be made to work. So get to it!
Could you use a electric glue gun to the hold the motors in or since you already have the soldering stations set up it faster for you to just melt the wax in. Looks like the wax you use is from a electric heat gun is why I asked.
The fault brought to me was the board was damaged from someone trying to fix it. But the original fault would have been failing stepper motors, that is common for the 03-06 GM's to do.
Thankfully the i.c's were not played with, people can be real pillocks. I have to admit jeff that i've lifted a few pads over the years of repairing electronics, sometimes it's down to poor quality pcbs, or me having a bad hair day lol. But i have to repair my own mistakes, i don't pass it on to some other poor sod.
@jeffescortlx hi jeff great video I have hummer h2 my cluster acting weird speedometer & RPM working but gas temp bat oil not working what you recommend what is your address
If you can't fix an item then don't try, (unless it's your own). Just have the balls to put your hands up and say I CAN'T DO IT! Now lets get it fixed buy someone who knows what they are doing. Crack on Jeff!
I like to encourage DIY. But if a person pulls a set of pads, they need to either try a different technique or stop before ripping of every singe one. Oh well. It gives me work.
If you're and electronics repair tech and you can't do simple trace repair, then maybe its time to get into another trade. And at the very least, if you're going to condemn it as "unrepairable", promptly let your customer know of such a diagnosis. Don't leave them in the dark for a few months. I guess the moral of the story is: steer clear of those super cheap eBay repair deals folks. Those guys are just practicing on your stuff.
I did a quick look up of the shop that had it last. Custer service was not a priority with them. Seemed about 50% of the comments where happy customers and the other half not happy. Poor communication and inconsistent lead times. I try to give the same level of service I would like to see in return.
i used to work for a hummer dealership that sold H2. and they all had problems with the IPC cluster. another issue was wind noise around the windshield
@@Reaglesracing44_ Yes, they have all the same wonderful cluster problems as the other full size GM's (same PCB). I guess wind noise comes with aerodynamic styling of a brick? : )
I know it's an older video but all these "non-repairable" clusters you actually repair are just from lazy folks, I think I've only seen you give up on one cause it was that big chip between the speedo and oil pressure gauges.
Correct. I'm set up to replace anything but the microcontroller. For that I send them over to Matt at the channel fixed until broken. He's a pro at reflashing replacement microcontrollers.
10,000 subscribers, 3,700 views, you've got to be kidding me. This channel is the best at this kind of work, tutorial for free, and solder technique. This deserves a lot more!
It's a niche market for repair. I imagine lots of people are not even aware that these items can be repaired.
You all probably dont give a damn but does anybody know a way to log back into an Instagram account??
I stupidly forgot my login password. I would love any help you can offer me!
@Alfredo Aldo Instablaster =)
@Graham Ben I really appreciate your reply. I found the site on google and Im trying it out now.
Looks like it's gonna take a while so I will get back to you later when my account password hopefully is recovered.
@Graham Ben it did the trick and I actually got access to my account again. I am so happy!
Thanks so much, you saved my ass!
There is nothing more refreshing than watching someone who knows their shit.
I had Jeff do the repair on my 2003 silverado cluster. Great work. Im very happy
He also repaired my back lighting on my HVAC controls - turned out great!
Can you pass me the link or how I can send my cluster to hem my is 03 ss
@@rutilorocha3457 goto his TH-cam channel and click the About tab. His email is there.
@@rutilorocha3457 look at his description, he has the address on that. Also several videos back he did one naming other people and their address as well.
@@StuckInNE I can't found it his email address
I love seeing a artist at work. Great job Jeff
Whoever did the original repair should be flogged. Fantastic work as usual Jeff, I bet you made another happy customer.
Looks like the owner attempted to fix and phucked it up majorly
Hey Jeff, I just wanted to thank you for your channel and the videos you put out. I used your technique of scraping off the solder mask and installing a jumper to repair damaged traces on a 40 volt battery with water infiltration. Somehow, a test point and surrounding trace dissolved, rendering the circuit open and the battery useless. With five minutes of work and a few cents worth of material, I was able to restore the battery to service.
Great to hear you got it fixed!
This channel is pure gold. Thank you for sharing your knowledge
That microscope is a godsend for this type of work. Oh and the theme of this video JUMPERS LOL
It sure is.
You have impressed me!! Super work on rebuilding those lost pads. Great tech!! Learn something new everyday!!! Thanks!
Mesmerizing, I can't believe you don't have more subscribers
I'll rebuild an engine, I'll replace a clutch, I'll fix brakes or fuel delivery...but when a customer has cluster issues...that's the time to send it to a specialist. Seems some cluster repair people jsut can't do it, but ya got Jeff here who can bring a near death unrepairable one back from the brink, even going as far as adding some support (hot glue) to the motors screams you care. Good on ya sir.
He does nice jumpers watching him has really inspired me to do better than the bodge wire jobs I have done in the past.
Look forward to your videos, thanks for showing every step of the way it makes me feel included.
This video has just saved me serious ££££££££ I was ready to throw cluster out and buy new, thank you
Definitely don't throw it out. It can be rebuilt.
jeffescortlx I’ve got a no power issue, no light gauges nothing works.
@@builditwithrob that's normal, especially for 03-04. As long as you find someone that knows what they are doing they can include that repair within a rebuild service.
jeffescortlx thanks bud appreciate the advice
Excellent work. Appreciate your attention to detail!
Very informative. Great job. I really like the way you explain what you are doing. Thanks
Very neat repair
Another great video! Thanks!
Noticed the VFD had missing pixels, was this not fixable?
Louis would be proud !
Fan spin!
outstanding job sir
An Artisan at work.
the DIC is still missing pixels. You make fixing missing pads look trivial, I wondered what kind of wire you were using until I saw what looked like an led on the other end of the wire ;)
Looks like I missed a video clip during editing. After tracing out the PCB, I came to the conclusion either the VFD chip or VFD was ESD damaged by the first repair attempt. To fix it completely it would need a new board, I have no more donor VFD's as of now.
Great video
I rebuilt one of these a few weeks ago for a guy from Florida. It's was dead in his Hummer when he bought it but the p/o had someone work on it because the whole board was covered in flux probably 2 mils deep and the main IC was dead on it. It pulled like 4 or 5 amps if you tried to turn it on. I ended up just putting a Silverado board in it and reflashing the mileage off his old eeprom.
Yes as long as you can get the hummer lens you can build a replacement out of Silverado parts. Face and needles are slightly different for looks, but compatible. Too bad someone had to mess up the one you worked on, was probably just fractured solder joints from the start. Glad to hear you got that person squared away.
My favorite boards are the ones someone else messed up because it gives me something different to do. Amplifiers I can't stand to get one that someone messed up because then I'm trying to figure out if it was their mod that killed it or what.
@@FixedUntilBroken I hear ya!
just a heads up your amazon links are broken or items unavailable. great video as always, thanks for sharing.
Could you please tell me where I could find that solid silver and copper wire your using for the jumpers? Thank you.
The silver wire is just left over leads from lamps. The copper color wire is enamel coated wire scavenged from an old transformer.
Excellent work.
Fantastic!
Why did you not look into the LCD display? It clearly still has pixels missing at the end of the video.
It was troubleshooted. But it would have required parts/labor not covered with a rebuild service. The customer was ok with accepting it with the missing pixels.
wow nice work
Just curious about the cluster repairs, do you only work on American 'same type' clusters, i.e. they all seem to use the same stepper motors, I haven't seen you repair European/JDM manufacturer clusters.
Love watching the repairs by the way, keep the vids coming
Thanks. I prefer working on mid 2000's GM's. I'm familiar and stocked up for them.
Where do you find the GM cluster connector pin out information and what do you use for the gauge test ?
Please sir if you have that info.
Pinout is available with a google search.
Are you using (insulated) "magnet wire" for your long jumpers? Does the varnish insulation come off just with the heat of the soldering iron?
Yes and yes!
Did I miss the dead pixel attempt fix?
I didn't show the trouble shooting on that since it ended up to be a dead end. I try to keep the videos as brief as possible, I aim for under 20 minuets.
Good point, it must not have been an issue after the all the jumper work?
@@jeffescortlx that's a good idea but weirdos like me are out there and are interested. Next time if you can please make a part two. Did you figure it out and what did ended up being the cause of the dead pixels?
@@tomlindo2863 I believe ESD damage was caused from all the handling, probably the first repair attempt, if there weren't equipped with the right soldering tools, they probably were also not prepared for ESD.
What is a good part number for a blue replacement led? And also where can you buy replacement PRND display
I have an 06 escalade ext with 190k. I really dont want to risk screwing up my cluster and would rather have you fix it. But I'm not sure if its the problem. My gauges all seem to start up correctly, where when you turn the key, they sweep from max to 0 like normal, but then when they start to actually read, the oil pressure goes to 80 even when the key is on and engine off. When driving the gauge would sometimes drop to 0 and the information center would say low oil pressure, but the motor kept running fine, even though it said 0 pressure for up to 5 minutes. It would randomly go from 80,to 0 pretty randomly. So I changed the sending unit, and it still goes to 80 and stays there, but it hasn't done done the random going to 0 thing since then (about 3 months now).do you think this is the gauge? Even considering its doing the initial sweep thing normally? The gauges are all original, even all the bulbs work fine (tho I would like LED's). What do you think?
99% sure it is not a problem with the Instument cluster. My guess is you have a wiring issue, or some oil sender issue going on. What your describing is not stepper motor failure. And even if it was stepper motor failure, it's can't cause the cluster message center to display oil pressure warning.
@@jeffescortlx ahh okay. Thanks! I really appreciate the response. If it is ever a problem in the future, I'll make sure to give you a shout.
Do you by chance work on computers? I have a 1999 suburban with the common ignition module voltage issue. Do you fix those by chance? I don't want to get into a 411 computer swap. Thanks!
@@jeffescortlx *1999 suburban c1500 5.7l old body style
I find missing pads on all gauges except the speedometer to very simple repairs since theres a spot they can be jumpered to a quarter inch away. There's pads that can be jumpered too for the speedo even that are a little bit harder to find aren't exactly right there. Still nothing compared to repacing the VFDs especially the odometer( I have nightmares of lining up the pins for the odometer)
Nice repair video!
As for the boards, one can figure that the car manufactures use the cheapest boards on the market when their suppliers create these boards. Poor quality fiberglass and thin copper plating will always lead to some problem down the road. They figure they can get an easy sale for a new assembly. I have seen this same problem in the past with commercial two way radios in the shop. ROHS compliant boards are notorious for this issue. They use inferior solder from the start and if you don't use just the right temperature from the start to de solder this is the net result.
The lead free solder does see some fracturing over time. But in all fairness these PCB's hold up pretty well as long as someone doesn't come along with a blowtorch and a pair of players and start ripping parts off the board.
Awesome job , it's great you can save people some money , that's always a good thing ! :-)
i learned a lot watching yor videos, i just need to figure out the how to test the gauges, but i think i fixed my original Sonoma gauges, I just dont want to go back in the dash on a maybe the rpm works, atl east all the rest of the loose connections i had i know are fixed and tabletop tested thanks to your videos!
How can A person get in contact with you for a repair? Thanks.
Same question here, the email was gone.
How much would you expect to pay get a unit repaired and shipped back and forth I saw a lot of low ball prices on eBay scares me
I charge $130 plus shipping. It's more than some on eBay, but it's a complete rebuild, and it's a flat charge, meaning I don't nickel and dime when issues come up.
HI, CAN YOU PROVIDE YOUR DETAILS FOR REPAIR JOB ON SAME CLUSTER ?
My email address is 1mr.repairman@gmail.com
Am I to understand that on my 2004 Silverado I can add a transmission temp gauge? My cluster readouts are getting so dim I can't see them in the daylight ao I may need it serviced soon.
You can physically add a trans temp gauge, but it won't work without programming. Ask me how I know :)
@@jamesb1221222 it will sometimes work but definitely not guaranteed. Some have the flash. Does anyone happen to know what line of the eeprom has to be changed for transmission temp to work ? That's the one I haven't figured out yet. To be clear I'm talking about with like a minipro where you are editing a dump not using like a digiprog
@@jamesb1221222 Thanks for the reply.What needs to be programmed? The cluster or a control module.
@@rcpasc1948 Some early non-trans temp 2003's clusters will have the trans temp gauge active. But a 2004 will need to have the cluster eeprom programmed to unlock it. After that it's plug and play and nothing else needs programming for it to work.
@@jeffescortlx How much extra $$$ is it to do that upgrade?
Out of interest, I'm just wondering what liquid you used on the board while soldering, before and after?
Rubbing alcohol
Still need mine done whenever you're ready?
My contact information is listed on my video that is titled how to contact for repair.
Can you fix a Lexus is350 cluster?The needle led and off.
I might have in the past. Sorry I'm not familiar, not a whole lot of those in my neck of the woods.
Would you like to try to fix it?
@@frankreyna7210 the problem is you can find a used replacement for half the cost I would have to charge for service. So it wouldn't be economical.
The problem is that I can’t find one that works. How much would you charge me?
@@frankreyna7210 hard to say since I'm not sure what I'm in for. Your best off finding someone with experience.
What wire do you use? I want to experiment doing trace repairs, and I have an old computer motherboard that has severe damage. It's worth nothing, but I want to practice and learn, and I feel these videos help me with some of it. I appreciate them as they are very useful.
he uses transformer laquer coated wire, this had been explained in an earlier video sometime ago, the laquer is burned off when he solders
The short jumpers are just bare solid strand wire, I get them from the lamp leads. And the longer jumpers that have the potential to short out are the coated wire. But just about any kind of wire can be made to work. So get to it!
Could you use a electric glue gun to the hold the motors in or since you already have the soldering stations set up it faster for you to just melt the wax in. Looks like the wax you use is from a electric heat gun is why I asked.
Yes It's a hot glue gun stick. And yes since my soldering iron is already hot I use that instead of waiting for the glue gun to heat up.
I have a 03 hummer h2 same problem dead cluster, can you fix it?
Yes.
@@jeffescortlx can you send me your phone number so i can contac you
@@yefrivicentesalvador7082 contact information here: th-cam.com/video/T_2WnJMsZaU/w-d-xo.html
Are you still doing service? Your email had been removed from the About section. Great video.
Do you have a way of contact?
Yep, follow this link for contact information:
th-cam.com/video/T_2WnJMsZaU/w-d-xo.htmlsi=FOrNH7QjzfOoFyt2
I know you fixed the repair but what was the original fault ?
The fault brought to me was the board was damaged from someone trying to fix it. But the original fault would have been failing stepper motors, that is common for the 03-06 GM's to do.
@@jeffescortlx Thanks I was wondering !
Thankfully the i.c's were not played with, people can be real pillocks.
I have to admit jeff that i've lifted a few pads over the years of repairing electronics, sometimes it's down to poor quality pcbs, or me having a bad hair day lol.
But i have to repair my own mistakes, i don't pass it on to some other poor sod.
Yes, PCB with heat damage can pull pads easy. Also when through hole leads are bent over it can add a extra challenge.
Do you do repairs for people?
Yes
Do you fix 1992 bmw 320i clusters ?
Sorry but I do not.
@jeffescortlx hi jeff great video I have hummer h2 my cluster acting weird speedometer & RPM working but gas temp bat oil not working what you recommend what is your address
I would reccomended a rebuild:
th-cam.com/video/T_2WnJMsZaU/w-d-xo.html
I think you forgot to repair the missing pixels on the display
Tried clicking view email and it isn’t working. What is your email sir?
th-cam.com/video/T_2WnJMsZaU/w-d-xo.html
"pad that has not been molested"😇
Sure a lot of damage . wow.
What's ur email I need my cluster fix or address
My contact information is here:
th-cam.com/video/T_2WnJMsZaU/w-d-xo.html
I would like to send you my gauge cluster 2003 Chevy Suburban
My email address can be found at the top of this video description:
th-cam.com/video/T_2WnJMsZaU/w-d-xo.html
So you ever have to fix Japanese car gauges...i dont think they fail.
Toyota, Nissan and Audi clusters have issues to, just not as many of those on the road where I'm located.
If you can't fix an item then don't try, (unless it's your own). Just have the balls to put your hands up and say I CAN'T DO IT! Now lets get it fixed buy someone who knows what they are doing. Crack on Jeff!
I like to encourage DIY. But if a person pulls a set of pads, they need to either try a different technique or stop before ripping of every singe one. Oh well. It gives me work.
If it ain't broke I'll fix it till it is
If you're and electronics repair tech and you can't do simple trace repair, then maybe its time to get into another trade. And at the very least, if you're going to condemn it as "unrepairable", promptly let your customer know of such a diagnosis. Don't leave them in the dark for a few months. I guess the moral of the story is: steer clear of those super cheap eBay repair deals folks. Those guys are just practicing on your stuff.
I did a quick look up of the shop that had it last. Custer service was not a priority with them. Seemed about 50% of the comments where happy customers and the other half not happy. Poor communication and inconsistent lead times. I try to give the same level of service I would like to see in return.
dim backlighting
It's a Hummer. The Hummer face doesn't let as much light through as the other GM's.
i used to work for a hummer dealership that sold H2. and they all had problems with the IPC cluster. another issue was wind noise around the windshield
@@Reaglesracing44_ Yes, they have all the same wonderful cluster problems as the other full size GM's (same PCB). I guess wind noise comes with aerodynamic styling of a brick? : )
jeffescortlx they used to love destroying the reverse gear and burning up the drive gear bands in trans.
I know it's an older video but all these "non-repairable" clusters you actually repair are just from lazy folks, I think I've only seen you give up on one cause it was that big chip between the speedo and oil pressure gauges.
Correct. I'm set up to replace anything but the microcontroller. For that I send them over to Matt at the channel fixed until broken. He's a pro at reflashing replacement microcontrollers.
@@jeffescortlx true but you've taken so many basket cases on...and won, that's impressive.