Blinky Dash

[bruceg]

I have a 91 Soarer with the famous blinky dash, does anyone know the part number of the transistor that needs to be replaced?

Also where can I source bulbs for things like the Hazard Light Switch from?

I'm based in Southampton.

Any advice on these problems would be appreciated

[nickmoul]

I have a 91 Soarer with the famous blinky dash, does anyone know the part number of the transistor that needs to be replaced?

Also where can I source bulbs for things like the Hazard Light Switch from?

I'm based in Southampton.

Any advice on these problems would be appreciated

Hi there, I'm a fellow owner. They are a lovely lot here, but not as many Soarer owners as I'd like B)

I suggest you look at the www.toyotaimportsforum.co.uk and I found you these links too.

http://www.hotkey.net.au/~cheets/combination_meter_fix.htm

http://www.jkwebdesign.co.uk/lexusclub/combinationmeter.htm

As you are "darn sarf" you could also check out the Soarer Sanctuary. This is based in London and "Smiffie" who runs it is a founder member of the Toyota Imports Forum.

Let me know how you get on.

Best of luck

Nick

[London Bill]

The part codes for the Blinkdash fix are available on my site, see sig.

[AndyTT]

You can get all the parts you need from Maplin, even all the bulbs any Toyota requires, including the wee miniture ones.

I replaced the transistors and capictors on mine at the weekend, and i've still got the "blinky dash".

So its not a dead certain fix, for me anyway

[Carlos_SC]

Andy

Did you do ALL the caps/trans? There are a few 'optional' ones to do on top of the recommended ones. Lots of people find its them that solves thier problem!

Check again to make sure the components are all connected properly, and also that any haven't been damaged in the process (I killed one of the components on mine while putting the casing back on!

I've never heard of the fix not working!

[AndyTT]

Cheers Carlos,

I've not read anything definate about changing the capacitors too, just thought it might have been the transisitor.

I'm going onto the CPC web site to get the capacitors orederd, as they do the surface mount ones, which i can'y find on Maplins, only the radial head.

My shopping lists is as follows -;

2x BC636

3x16v 10uf

5x10v 47uf

I've added one extra just incase. Bye the way, when the car has been sitting in the sun, it works!

Also some small 12v bulbs and miniture 12v for replacing any that need done while i'm there.

I changed the transistor 3 times, and checked all the tracks where connecting to the legs on both sides, and they were. I was thinking it could have been a bad batch, , , but i'll get the capacitors changed when i receive them.

[ColinBarber]

It is the caps that cause the problem.

[Carlos_SC]

Yup, thats definately what it would be!

Which walkthrough did you use? http://www.planetsoarer.com/dashrepair/dashrepair.htm

Thats the one you need to go by.

Note that it says: "There is also about four 47uF 10 volt rated SMD caps in the dash that I would also replace as a matter of course while I have the thing open!"

Thats may be where you went wrong!!

[soramad]

bruceg

ensure you use a higher voltage and better quality / lower leakage current capacitors than the originals , i use 50v rating this means that the capacitors are physicaly much larger than the originals and have to be bent over to lay as flat to the board as possible , ensure the leads do'nt short to anything , the board is double sided and the solder goes through to the other side so it is not imperative that the capacitor leads are pushed through the holes .

have you actualy taken the binnicle out yet ? if you hav'nt and your car is a V8 then you will need a 14mm socket to lower the steering column,

and be very carfull taking the binnical apart as there is a mirror in there which must be preserved at all costs , clean everything while you have it open , the difference is amazing

i strongly recommend as carlos sc has said that you visit and print off , i think its called , blinky dash for idiots , or somthing of that ilk

[AndyTT]

Thanks for that guys!

I was under the impression that it was only the trany which needed replacing , and i was using the planet soarer guide ;)

I've actually got the 50v 10uf caps, and was under the impression that they were only for the upper display, how wrong could i have been, considering i changed the trany 3 times

Anyway, glad to here the 50v 10uf ones will be ok, what about the 47uf ones? Which voltage rating would you reccommend for them? How many are there? Would you reccommend i changed those to?

Sorry for all the questions, but i'm going to have to get the finger out at work, cause i'm spending to much time on the Soarer! Anyway, better to get first hand advice from people who have done it :D

[ColinBarber]

I would use 16v+ for the 47uF .

[AndyTT]

Thanks for that,

On Maplins website they list only 25, 50 and 63v 47uf's, so i take it it would be ok to use the 25v one?

How do i know if i'm getting them the correct way round, and when replacing the the surface mount ones, find out from them the correct markings, so i can put the radials in ok?

AndyTT

[ColinBarber]

Yes a higher voltage rating is fine. The surface mount cap should either have a + or a line on it to indicate the +ve end and there may also be an indication on the PCB next to it. Otherwise you could use a meter and find out which end is connected to ground. You don't want to connect them the wrong way around!

[AndyTT]

Thats great m8, now i know what to do :D

[soramad]

once again i used 50v 47 mfd capacitors ,make sure you get radials and not axials

and once again because of there size some of them have to be bent parallel to the pcb , the changing of these capacitors can be very frustrating and time consuming ,so if they do'nt need doing do'nt bother ,i have repaired dashes where it was not necessary to change the 47mfd , desirable but not essential .

one other thing it is worth taking the white tube cover off and cleaning the tube which illuminates the clock ,gear position and trip meter.

if possible clean all the interier plastic and visor with antistatic spray

[AndyTT]

Just to check that i have the correct caps, the markings on them are -:

50v 10uf

NP

85oC (M)

Non Polar

One leg is longer than the other, is this an indication of polarity or something?

This has been one very interesting thread, and will be extremely good for anybody else, and for any future prospective Soarer buyer. :D

[soramad]

i forget which leg is what polarity off hand but usually there is a strip down the length of the capacitor with - on denoting the negative connection

have just been and checked mine the - neg is the short leg .

the non polar bit is confusing as this would indicate that it can be inserted into the pcb position either way round , check what this means before instillation as the original capacitors are polarised +and - so i do'nt know what effect yours would have on the operation of the circuit , however if it does have a designated - neg strip then it should be ok .

[AndyTT]

Thanks Soramad, I'm going to give it another go this weekend, so i'll keep you all posted :D

[soramad]

andytt

how did you get on with your blinky dash repair ,i sincerly hope everything went well.

[AndyTT]

sorry for the delay in reporting the progress in repairing the blinky dash problem

I had a wee accident with the Soarer and crushed my leg/knee because i left it in drive, went under bonnet, revved engine (showing of to m8) car lunges forward, trapping my leg between bumper and steel security fence

Anyway, leg is getting better, and blinky dash is know fixed! Thanks for all the help, as instructoins around the web clearly mentions that the caps is only for the upper display failure, and not the common lower display. I had to play around with the 50v 10uf caps to get them to clear the cover, but got there in the end.

I also done the cruise control fix, and now i can set it to work at any speed, worth doing so you are safe in 30 zones (although you may ***** of drivers behind you, especially white-van-drivers!).

[Carlos_SC]

Blimey Andy!!!! Never heard of that one before!

Hope its not too serious.

Not many people can claim to have been run over by their own car!

While doing the cruise fix, its worth getting rid of the door beeper aswell(particularly for EMV owners). Its a tricky job, but not too hard once you get going. See Planet Soarer.

Oh, and of course the reversing beeper if doing blinky dash!

Once those are done, you have a nice silent Soarer :P

[AndyTT]

HMM, AFTER WHATS HAPPENED TO ME, I'LL BE GLAD OF ANY BEEPER POSSIBLE, EVEN IF I'VE TO ADD EXTRA ONES!

(ps, my cat has just jumped on board and pressed the caps-lock)

Andrew

[Carlos_SC]

Hmm, a 'foward' beeper....thats a new one

[soramad]

pleased you got your blinky dash problem out of the way ,now repeat after me ,DO NOT STAND IN FRONT OF CARS LEFT IN DRIVE GEAR

DO NOT STAND IN FRONT OF CARS LEFT IN DRIVE GEAR AND REV THEM UP ,repeat this 500 times while limping to the doctors ,

just glad you are ok mate!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

[AndyTT]

"CARS LEFT IN DRIVE GEAR

DO NOT STAND IN FRONT OF CARS LEFT IN DRIVE GEAR AND REV THEM UP", , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Phew :P

Yip, glad thats out the way now, now its time for the repair of the centre air vent, i'll start a new thread!