1988 GMC Square Body Instrument Cluster Repair/Restoration

With two gages pegged and lights working intermittently it's time to repair and restore the instrument cluster to original function and appearance! Applies to most 1973-1991 Chevrolet and GMC Square Body trucks!
"Ultralounge" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
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"Acid Trumpet" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
creativecommons.org/licenses/b...

[@ypcomchic]

Thank you so much for making this video. It’s getting harder and harder to find repair videos for these older vehicles- many of which are still driving on the road today.

[@SlickRidezGarage]

Thank you for watching! These old square bodies are popular classics! I hope you found it helpful!

[@michaelhood1291]

This video is the best tutorial I’ve ever seen on all of KZbin! You are the most meticulous MFer I’ve ever seen on here! 🇺🇸💪🏼

[@SlickRidezGarage]

Thank you very much!

[@hunterriley9904]

What ? $26 ?? Wow u got a deal and extra parts. I own a 82 c30 crew cab my cluster is in very good shape other than the printed circuit. I have 2 clusters for parts . A couple of the instrument lights dont work and ive narrowed it to the circuit. EXCELLENT and informative video 😎

[@SlickRidezGarage]

Thank you! I got this one at Buddy's U-Pull in Brookline MO.

[@juanardgrimitt4890]

"A once tasty beverage"!.....Classic!

[@SlickRidezGarage]

lol Thanks for watching and commenting! Sorry I didn't see this sooner.

[@steveretiredandcranky]

Excellent video. Thanks.

[@timcoffin83]

Wonderful video and I greatly appreciate you identifying the " optical vehicle speed sensor". I have an 86 Chevy C30 dually that had that mysterious light green box just sitting up in the wiring ( the box was not plugged in to anything ) and I have search several manuals and over 40 KZbin videos searching for the purpose of it. Thanks to you, I now know what it is and can properly restore my truck. Thank you very much

[@SlickRidezGarage]

Thanks for watching the video! The OVSS is definitely old tech from way back when. I'm glad the video helped, best wishes and good luck with your restoration!

[@motoscreenzllc4433]

Very informative, thank you

[@SlickRidezGarage]

Thank you!

[@SlickRidezGarage]

Hello everyone! I noticed someone disliked, then un-disliked my video. If this happens to be you would you mind messaging me? I'm just curious why you changed your mind, and this is feedback I would greatly appreciate! Thank you!

[@edenhoperodriguez]

Slick Ridez Garage this wasn’t me but I’ve done it before. My thumb slipped on my phone. Didn’t know it notified y’all

[@darioramirez-pico2041]

Awesome. Thank you for sharing

[@SlickRidezGarage]

Your welcome, and thanks for watching the video and your appreciation! Have a great day!

[@19ADAM80]

Thanks, great video..! 👍🏼

[@SlickRidezGarage]

Thank you for watching and commenting! Have a good one!

[@VICD505]

wow, great video sir. Thank you

[@SlickRidezGarage]

Thank you! And thanks for watching SlickRidez Garage!

[@chrisfromaz6505]

Slick Ridez Garage how can i contact you ?

[@SlickRidezGarage]

Hi Chris, right now I'm using the comments for contact. How can I help?

[@chrisfromaz6505]

Slick Ridez Garage you do great work and would like you to do the same to mine. just didnt know how to go about it or if you'd be willing too

[@SlickRidezGarage]

Wow, Thank you Chris! Construction on my new shop is set to begin near Springfield, Missouri in May. Once it's set up I will have a website, email and begin taking repairs, probably mid-June. I also have an epic build on the GMC 1-ton coming up for season 2! It's scheduled to start April 23 2017 with weekly episodes running clear in to the end of August! Hope you check it out!

[@DavidSilva-sv1gs]

Hi friend, do you know where I can buy a harness for the cluster like the one you have in the video?

[@samegutten]

thanks for the video man :)

[@SlickRidezGarage]

Thank you!

[@SlickRidezGarage]

Thank you for 2000 views and 27 thumbs up! Please subscribe as season two in HD is coming and there's more how-to and tips for everyone!

[@paulhuntzy]

Awesome video! I recently purchased a 86 C10 and I noticed the volt gauge doesn’t read at all and the oil pressure gauge just stays at max. Any suggestions?

[@SlickRidezGarage]

Thank you, and thanks for watching! The pegged oil gage is most likely bad connections at the printed circuit and connectors, or a bad oil sending unit. Could be either or. A bad gage could also do that. Disconnect the oil pressure sending unit and see if the gage reading changes. If your truck has an electric fuel pump the sender is on the left rear side of the block near the oil filter and plugs in with a single flat spade connector. The dead volt gage could also be bad connections or a bad gage. Is the wiring all stock or has it been chopped up under the dash/hood?

[@mikesmith3933]

I have a question the cluayer you pulled out of the 88 chevy on the bottom far left can u drill through it safely and put a manual temp guage in that empty spot. Mine wont work no matter wat ive try. I want to install a manual temp gauge

[@SlickRidezGarage]

About the time you made this comment I started having health issues. I wish I could have helped you. Sorry about that.

[@davidhatzenbuhler6888]

Once the copper is exposed you can use likely use petroleum jelly or some other form of terminal protectant to keep the oxygen away.

[@SlickRidezGarage]

In many instances dielectric grease is a plus with electrical connections, but use of any type of compound on the celluloid carrier can cause de-lamination of the printed circuit. In my humble opinion the best way to prevent oxidation is to keep moisture out of the cab and those tasty beverages in the cup! Thanks for watching and writing in! Have a good evening!

[@samegutten]

Would it be possible to change the speedometer disk from its housing? so i can keep my mileage but with a new disk/plate?

[@ImJoeTheCeo]

you can move the gauges to a new housing. brothers truck should have a new tach and small fuel gauge along with a new housing specifically for the tach

[@m7machines738]

Could you make one on restoring a 88-90 moonie cluster ?

[@alainestrello6698]

Hello my friend! Would you tell me what is the green box that appears at minute 6:04 with 3 cable attatched to the back of the speedometer? In my car (Montecarlo 81) that box is attatched to nothing. Wich is the function of that box and where do I have to connect it?

[@SlickRidezGarage]

Sorry I couldn't answer any sooner, I've been in the hospital a lot over the past 2 years. The green box is part of the optical vehicle speed sensor circuit. That box turns an alternating current pulse from the speedometer optics in to a digital signal and passes it on to the engine computer. This tells the computer the vehicle's speed.

[@mrgrivers1]

thanks a lot Slick. This was the only help I could find on how to restore my 88 GMC's instrument cluster. Hey Slick can you help me figure out why my gas gauge will only move between empty and 1/4 tank even when I know there's more gas in the tank?

[@SlickRidezGarage]

+Glenn Rivers Check the truck's grounds first...it's just a good policy. If you disconnect the electrical connector at the gas tank, turn the key on then ground the wire for the sending unit and the gage pegs, the circuit/gage/connections are likely OK and the in-tank sender is likely bad.

[@mrgrivers1]

Thanks I'll try that.

[@texas_guy_85]

What did you use to rinse off the connectors, and bulbs? I'm currently soaking mine. Thank you so very much for this video.

[@SlickRidezGarage]

Sorry I couldn't answer any sooner, I've been in the hospital a lot over the past 2 years. After soaking them in Purple Power I rinsed them with warm water.

[@gimmefuel7268]

Awesome video. 👍🏻👍🏻 which of your gauges were not working prior to you doing the repair? Did they begin working after the work that you performed ?

[@SlickRidezGarage]

Yes, all gages worked properly after performing the repair. All the gages except the speedometer were working intermittently before restoring the cluster. Thanks for your question and for watching!

[@MrBn45]

Lmc truck sells new printed circuits.

[@franciscomacias9603]

This may be a stupid question. Where is the check engine light located on a 89 C3500? Turned it on few weeks ago (gifted to me) but didn't see such engine light turn on.... possible bad light bulb? Thank you.

[@demondefiant6346]

Francisco Macias It’s a 29 year old truck, so 9 times out of 10 alot of the old bulbs will be weak or already blown.

[@franciscomacias9603]

@@demondefiant6346 yes that's what I was figuring out the other night. Doing repairs to it when I come back to the States.

[@SlickRidezGarage]

About the time you made this comment I started having health issues. I wish I could have helped you. Sorry about that.

[@franciscomacias9603]

@@SlickRidezGarage no worries your good. They took out the light bulb out, so the issue was a TBI chip meant for a 350 but on a 454. The ECM was also wrong and so was the TBI 350 chip. I got the right ECM and a carb compliant 454 TBI chip and worked perfectly. At best i got 9.5 mpg and a few times got 10.5 mpg. I no longer have the truck, my uncle has it and is using daily, the truck is being worked and driven what it's intended for.

[@jamesmcknight6812]

What does the optical speed sensor do if the speedometer is cable driven?

[@SlickRidezGarage]

It provides a reference pulse to the engine computer so the computer knows the vehicle's speed. Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@cmscms123456]

Those circuit boards are available about $60. the clear lens is also about $55. You decide what your time is worth, to buff and polish. Also, I like to use conductive grease on all electrical connections, ensures positive long lasting connections and less worry about corrosion and electrolysis. (dis-similar metals eating each other up over time.)

[@SlickRidezGarage]

Buying a new lens is easy, but this video is geared towards restoring and not taking the easy way out. Some folks wouldn't buy a new lens for a work truck. Even with LMC Truck being 175mi away from me the customer didn't have the time to wait for a new circuit board.

[@georgedavidson4219]

The reproduction lenses are made in China and so that is NOT an option for me!

[@cmscms123456]

@@georgedavidson4219 I think you would be surprised what is made in China and you own

[@luiscalderon1912]

the fuel gauge doesn't need any calibration? tks a lot!

[@SlickRidezGarage]

No calibration required on the fuel gage. Thanks for watching the video!

[@luiscalderon1912]

Slick Ridez Garage can i damage the calibration if i took the gauge and did many laps? I explained me, i was cleaning the odometer but when i touched the gauge it broken from the bottom and then i repaired id with glue and then installed again, but during the instalation the gauge did many laps, rewind... Forward and i don't know if nowadays it is showing right. Tks a Lot bro

[@SlickRidezGarage]

Let me try to understand here, when you say you were cleaning the odometer it sounds like maybe the speedometer needle broke at the base? You repaired it with glue and now the speedometer needle just spins around and around instead of increasing slowly with speed? And you're welcome!

[@luiscalderon1912]

Slick Ridez Garage nope, excuseme, the fuel gauge was that i repaired, but it did many laps when the gauge broke, my question is if may be possible to be recalibreted causing the "laps" that it did

[@SlickRidezGarage]

Yes it is possible the gage is inaccurate now. If the needle isn't placed properly it will not read right

[@AdamCanFly]

Why didn’t you order the printed circuit from LMC Truck?

[@SlickRidezGarage]

Time. The customer needed it right away.

[@Anth4044]

👍🏻👍🏻💯💯💯

[@SlickRidezGarage]

Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@chargerguy31]

you can buy printed circuits brand new from LMC Truck or Classic Industries all day long

[@MikeSmith-iq5xz]

How much are they at lmc truck

[@mikehicks65]

$69 on 3/01/22 & they've also have new contacts (retainer clips) $.95 each

[@SlickRidezGarage]

I'm only 175mi from LMC but the customer didn't want to wait. He needed his truck.

[@georgedavidson4219]

Yes but they are cheap and made in CHINA! Not an option!

[@DMD81773]

Jesse ventura is that you?