So I picked up a new cluster, and it didn't work when installed. When I checked the board on the back, the leads coming odd the plug for the left turn signal and switched 12v power were torn. Is this fixable? Was thinking I could just put sole solder over the gap, does anyone have experience doing this? Pic attached of that it looks like. From right to left, the connections that are torn are the left turn signal, 12v power, and an unused pin.

 

yes, can fix no problem

another option is to swap the entire film off another cluster with the same options (88-89 is different to 90-91, and tach is different than no tach; not sure about aut vs manual, but I suspect auto and manual will be the same traces). like if this was a rare cluster of some sort, like a EDM or JDM cluster, then sacrificing a $100 cluster to pull the traces off is worthwhile.

 

Is there any insulation on the top of the visable traces, so I can just plop a blob of solder on there and be good?

 

it is insulated, see how the traces change color in the area where the plug goes, that's where the insulation ends.

but it should burn off with the soldering iron or clean up with some acetone on a qtip, then use flux paste to clean it up, then solder on a couple of traces of house thermostat wiring (the thin single strand stuff) to bridge the gap.

 

+1
​​​​​​​This is definitely the way to do it just scrape down the traces some and solder a couple jumper wires on

 

I could never get solder the solder to stick.

 

If you picked up a new cluster, why not swap the old film to the new cluster?

 

need to clean off the film first, get down to copper.

 

presumably he bought a tach cluster to replace a non-tach cluster, the traces are not even remotely close for a swap

I really need to start using the "+ function

 

Yeah i used a spare cluster and tried right where the plug pin would contact the circuit. Maybe i didn't try hard enough and just assumed it wasn't possible. I'll give it another crack this weekend though.

 

Soldering it should melt the insulation away. I tried just bridging it with wire too, but after putting a nice glob of solder on the gap it works perfectly. I'll try to get some pictures to post next time I have the cluster out, changing it to LEDs when they arrive on Saturday. (Hype!)

 

flux paste it first. that area would be exposed to air and would have a layer of oxide on top. need to use flux paste to clean it off and etch the copper for soldering