Jump to content
SAU Community

Recommended Posts

How hard is it to get the clock out? And is there a tutorial on this? Would love to take my clock apart but not game until I can see it step by step... If you could make a quick one that would be awesome!

Hey mate,

It needs very experienced hands to de/resolder. If you've never used a desoldering station to remove large integrated circuits before, I'd leave it for a pro. If you print out the photos and take it to a TV repair shop, they should fix it for well under $100, I'd guess $50 or so.

Someone else said they cut all the pins on the VFL then resoldered them back on after fixing the problem.

It will work if you can't desolder however I'd be stupidly careful, would be so easy to chip the glass by cutting the pins because its puts a lot of force on a tiny area of the display.

I'm not even sure what a desoldering station is :) i've done a fair bit of soldering but never delicate stuff. Sound systems and stuff. So if I just took those photos you posted a few months back and explained that it's the solder on those 30 ohm resistors they'd know what I'm talking about and be able to do it? What if they broke it? Would I have to source a new one?

  • 2 years later...

Thanks a lot for this topic and thanks bozz. I repaired my digital clock today, and it work !

I used a desoldering station to remove the "front panel" and i resoldered the 4 resistances (just 1 needed it). Time of this operation : 30 min.

  • 1 year later...

It would be appreciated if someone could do this a service for other 32 owners on a profit basis.

I'm sure there is heaps that need doing.

I've had a few dead ones.

Manage to find a working one and was lucky enough to find and squirrel away a new one for when the current one goes.

Yes, it was the resistors under the VFD. I now have a rework station and I'm happy if people want to post them to me and I'll post them back. I live in SA. Just text or call

0431 398 657

Jmhinkle, the burnt corner of the glass is how they deal those displays. It's called a vacuum fluorescent display and they suck the air out of the screen and then burn the corner to seal it. The burn mark does not indicate a faulty display.

You won't see the dry joints there Joel, have to lift the vacuum display to expose the 3-resistors.

Carefully !!!!

Not completely true. There is a thread on a Z32 Forum, which used the same clock, that found the two resistors on the back with dry solder cracks as well. That's what I was referring to when I initially pulled it apart.

Jmhinkle, the burnt corner of the glass is how they deal those displays. It's called a vacuum fluorescent display and they suck the air out of the screen and then burn the corner to seal it. The burn mark does not indicate a faulty display.

The corner burn on my VFD seemed quite large so I was concerned, but looking back at the pictures posted it is there too. Once my family has left town and I have some time, I will break out the desoldering station and pull it apart. Thanks for the help and clarification.

  • 4 months later...

How bad is it resurrecting a 4 month old thread?? I assume this is similar to GTST models as well - just pop her open and figure out if resistors or solder etc??

Also, PM'd @Samuel Leonard

I unhooked the VFD, resoldered the resistors below and a few other spots as well. When I power it up now it comes on at 1:00, but none of the buttons seem to work. Any ideas on that?

Did you sort this out? And is there any issues with Vacuum display not being under vacuum anymore?

100 is the normal time they reset too. I've redone a few of them. I do have a desoldering station so no issues with pulling the VFD. Trying to do it by hand without at least a really good desoldering iron will be extremely hard. You have to get those contacts clean before attempting VFD removal. I've been replacing the 3 buttons as well. I picked up a bag of 100 pretty cheap and I've seen several dead button so far when they come in.

Buttons and resoldering the resistors under the VFD fixes everything. I do repair them, but I'm in the US and started the service for people here since we are just now getting the cars. If you want to ship to me I can do it.

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now



  • Similar Content

  • Latest Posts

    • For these last 7 years of ownership, I've always had to use a small scissor jack under one of the front tow hooks to raise the front just enough so my low-profile jack fits under to reach my subframe jack point. I'm beginning to get annoyed of always having to do this. Are there any lower low-profile jacks that fit under the gtr lip on a dropped car?
    • Seat of the pants assessment of the new intake: The car is way less "doughy" when hitting the loud pedal, especially off idle when stopped or in traffic, I did use a cheapo lazer thermal thingo to measure the temp around where the pod filter got its air, it was between 55 - 60°C, in saying this the car was shut off and not moving, so the OEM intake pipe was not supplying any fresh air to where the pod was when the car was at least moving A weird bonus was induction noise on the throttle in the cabin increased a bit,  I was worried that I was actually going to lose some of that induction noise I love so much, outside though, when I got the daughter to do a WOT drive by pass for me, the induction noise has increased alot when on the throttle, not quite ITB doort, but well up there I'm extremely happy with the results and have been exploring the country roads in the region  As for house mods: 1.New front fence is up and is awesome, it really upgraded how the joint looks from the street, and the added security is nice 2. Electricians have replace some interior lights, and with more lighting in the garage, a few new motion detecting lights out the front above the garage, front room, and at the front door, which I have already found heaps helpful coming and going, also now has fancy pants CCTV all round the house The only hold point for power though is the solar and batteries due to supply issues, although this will happen over the next few weeks 3. I have done a heap of landscaping out the front and I'm almost ready to do a new small retaining wall with some nice blocks to replace the brick and cemented in rocks around the raised garden beds cemented in river stone "was the fashion at the time" the house was built. I currently have a pallet of retaining wall blocks and 2 bulka bags of 20mm blue metal to replace the wood chip that is in the raised garden beds around the house 4. I now have 3 big raised garden beds for out the back to grow some vegetables, about 70cm high, 200cm long and 100cm wide 5. My 2 compost bins are already pretty full with brown, green and kitchen waste from the landscaping I'vedone so far, but they will probably take a few months to break down, so anything else that gets chopped, trimmed, and kitchen waste will just start filling the base of the raised garden beds to about 30cm before I start throwing 40cm of good compost, and stuff, for the vegetables to grow in, I'll need a few ton of compost and soil, but the local supplier can sent me bulka bags of the stuff Basically the logs, wood chips and a few strategically placed rocks for drainage, will give the beds some good organic materials down low to break down over time, and they will hold moisture during the warmer months to save the water in my big arse water tank if we don't get alot of rain So, all in all, the car and house mods are going well, and I'm really enjoying being retired, I sleep in too 0700 and slowly plod around inside until I feel like actually doing anything, and only work in the yard for as long as want, which has actually been alot over the last few weeks,  although when you look at it, it seems that not a huge amount of work has been done,  until I look at the before I started the work pics Happy days and good times indeed 
    • hahaha yeah. Plan is to get side skirts and probably just rear pods. But going to do them one-by-one. I've got a set that I really like from RHDJapen, but that one isn't shipped to AU. So need to find someone who can get it for me
    • Here's an idea, answer the questions I asked you as they are trying to work out WHY the LSD will be binding up in a straight line.
×
×
  • Create New...