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

    • Who did you have do the installation? I actually know someone who is VERY familiar with the AVS gear. The main point of contact though would be your installer.   Where are you based in NZ?
    • Look, realistically, those are some fairly chunky connectors and wires so it is a reasonably fair bet that that loom was involved in the redirection of the fuel pump and/or ECU/ignition power for the immobiliser. It's also fair to be that the new immobiliser is essentially the same thing as the old one, and so it probably needs the same stuff done to make it do what it has to do. Given that you are talking about a car that no-one else here is familiar with (I mean your exact car) and an alarm that I've never heard of before and so probably not many others are familiar with, and that some wire monkey has been messing with it out of our sight, it seems reasonable that the wire monkey should be fixing this.
    • Wheel alignment immediately. Not "when I get around to it". And further to what Duncan said - you cannot just put camber arms on and shorten them. You will introduce bump steer far in excess of what the car had with stock arms. You need adjustable tension arms and they need to be shortened also. The simplest approach is to shorten them the same % as the stock ones. This will not be correct or optimal, but it will be better than any other guess. The correct way to set the lengths of both arms is to use a properly built/set up bump steer gauge and trial and error the adjustments until you hit the camber you need and want and have minimum bump steer in the range of motion that the wheel is expected to travel. And what Duncan said about toe is also very true. And you cannot change the camber arm without also affecting toe. So when you have adjustable arms on the back of a Skyline, the car either needs to go to a talented wheel aligner (not your local tyre shop dropout), or you need to be able to do this stuff yourself at home. Guess which approach I have taken? I have built my own gear for camber, toe and bump steer measurement and I do all this on the flattest bit of concrete I have, with some shims under the tyres on one side to level the car.
    • Thought I would get some advice from others on this situation.    Relevant info: R33 GTS25t Link G4x ECU Walbro 255LPH w/ OEM FP Relay (No relay mod) Scenario: I accidentally messed up my old AVS S5 (rev.1) at the start of the year and the cars been immobilised. Also the siren BBU has completely failed; so I decided to upgrade it.  I got a newer AVS S5 (rev.2?) installed on Friday. The guy removed the old one and its immobilisers. Tried to start it; the car cranks but doesnt start.  The new one was installed and all the alarm functions seem to be working as they should; still wouldn't start Went to bed; got up on Friday morning and decided to have a look into the no start problem. Found the car completely dead.  Charged the battery; plugged it back in and found the brake lights were stuck on.  Unplugging the brake pedal switch the lights turn off. Plug it back in and theyre stuck on again. I tested the switch (continuity test and resistance); all looks good (0-1kohm).  On talking to AVS; found its because of the rubber stopper on the brake pedal; sure enough the middle of it is missing so have ordered a new one. One of those wear items; which was confusing what was going on However when I try unplugging the STOP Light fuses (under the dash and under the hood) the brake light still stays on. Should those fuses not cut the brake light circuit?  I then checked the ECU; FP Speed Error.  Testing the pump again; I can hear the relay clicking every time I switch it to ON. I unplugged the pump and put the multimeter across the plug. No continuity; im seeing 0.6V (ECU signal?) and when it switches the relay I think its like 20mA or 200mA). Not seeing 12.4V / 7-9A. As far as I know; the Fuel Pump was wired through one of the immobiliser relays on the old alarm.  He pulled some thick gauged harness out with the old alarm wiring; which looks to me like it was to bridge connections into the immobilisers? Before it got immobilised it was running just fine.  Im at a loss to why the FP is getting no voltage; I thought maybe the FP was faulty (even though I havent even done 50km on the new pump) but no voltage at the harness plug.  Questions: Could it be he didnt reconnect the fuel pump when testing it after the old alarm removal (before installing the new alarm)?  Is this a case of bridging to the brake lights instead of the fuel pump circuit? It's a bit beyond me as I dont do a lot with electrical; so have tried my best to diagnose what I think seems to make sense.  Seeking advice if theres for sure an issue with the alarm install to get him back here; or if I do infact, need an auto electrician to diagnose it. 
    • Then, shorten them by 1cm, drop the car back down and have a visual look (or even better, use a spirit level across the wheel to see if you have less camber than before. You still want something like 1.5 for road use. Alternatively, if you have adjustable rear ride height (I assume you do if you have extreme camber wear), raise the suspension back to standard height until you can get it all aligned properly. Finally, keep in mind that wear on the inside of the tyre can be for incorrect toe, not just camber
×
×
  • Create New...