| From | Message |
| Chris
4/16/2002 21:42:31 |
 Subject: CRT Dashboard
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| Message: I am considering an 85 series 2 car. The CRT dashboard has stopped working after functioning on my first test drive. Based on an earlier post, it could be due to the battery being disconected as I know this was done. Are their CRT parts available and at what cost? Also, is it advisable to remove emission equipment on american spec cars? | |
| Roger 4/17/2002 04:51:25 | CRT Dashboard | Message: Can you please identify the car you are looking at by providing the chassis number, and your location? |
| Chris 4/17/2002 10:04:23 | RE: CRT Dashboard | Message: 13389 in New Orleans, Louisiana. |
| Mike 4/17/2002 17:48:31 | RE: CRT Dashboard | Message: As well as a LED dash car (13359), I have a CRT car (13430) and love the screens..as well as their somewhat erratic reliability! I am not a technical person so what I have to say might not be technically correct but it does reflect my experience with them. There seem to be 4 states for the screens 1. Working fine. Bliss. Gorgeous. Timeless. 2. Screens on but in 'default/frozen' mode. The speedo shows 110 mph, the tacho 5000 rpm and the mid screen message centre displays dummy data. 3. Screens are off on starting up the car, but there seems to be an auto reboot type of function after 5-10 mins..If the battery has enough charge at that point the screens will come on and work fine. If not, wait another 10 mins...and so on. Occasionally an electrical surge seems to trigger the reboot (try flashing the headlights) 4. Screens dead. This may be because of a serious fault - gulp - but my screens have been dead for 2 periods.....both after long periods of storage. Guessing, I think the EPROM chips store some charge and if the battery has been flat or disconnected the storage runs down to nothing..and it takes a good week for them to come back up and work. Leave the battery on, go for a long run..be patient. The weak point seems to be the amount of current the screens take on activating - you really do need a fully functioning alternator and striong battery. I've bought bits and bobs from the factory but havent had to buy a new screen or solve a major problem. In summary, buy a new battery, keep it charged up and be patient! |
| Roger 4/18/2002 04:53:59 | CRT Dashboard | Message: Repairs to and testing of all three types of dashboard can be carried out by Ray Howard of Memotrace Controls, Northampton, UK. His details are on my Links page. He requires that the dash be sent to him for such work. He can also change the language on CRT/VF dashes. |
| Chris 4/22/2002 14:38:37 | RE: CRT Dashboard | Message: Mike, thanks for the information. Does anyone know about the factory analog conversion? |
| Roger 4/22/2002 16:24:57 | CRT Dashboard | Message: The factory have carried out a number of analogue conversions. For more information you might contact their Heritage Department. These are quite expensive. Two other companies which have carried out similar work in the UK are Excalibur Engineering in Suffolk and Wren Classics in Dorset, the latter most recently. Whether they can send kits overseas I do not know. It should be possible to find a company in the States to do such work, but I don't know of any at the moment. Why not buy a car with a working dash or fix the old one instead? |
| Chris 4/22/2002 22:25:56 | RE: CRT Dashboard | Message: Very good points. I would rather repair and keep the CRT but want to know my options going in. Also, given their history of reliability, it seems this will be an issue eventually. Thanks to all for the advice. |
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