Viper Speedo instrument cluster shorting - where to look

E

ekmoor

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Mar 19, 2007
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This weekend, my instrument cluster started acting up. It would turn off (short out) every so often (speedo goes blank, fuel gage off) and then return with lights blinking and speedo kicking in. Well it worked this way for a few hours and now it is total out. Rode all day yesterday without the cluster functioning and it never returned. Opening the hood with the engine on and pushed the connections from the cowling.

The one light that does work is the blue high beam light but its backwards (blue on for low beam). So this leads me to a grounding issue vs a power issue.

Anyone else that has been able to troubleshoot this?
Thanks....
 
i had that problem before it could be a bad stater! or it might be grounding under your fuel tank.... but i could be wrong, i have been known to be wrong before as the wife tells me!!!
 
Good info on where to hunt for shorts...thanks. As my headlight and tail lights are fine, the voltage must be ok. On the hunt for shorts...thanks
 
I had this similar problem 2 weeks ago, it happened to be my stator, but to check unplug your headlights and if your guages work then your stator is probabley no good. I've also herd that if your running high intensity(blue) headlight bulbbes, they take up to much power, so check that aswell. If none of this works then you deffinatly have a short somewhere...
 
i had a short earlier this year that was a bugger to find....the gauge cluster was acting up as well as the headlight....started at the hood, then went to the harness under the motor which was loomed really nice previously.......pulled the motor to check the harness all the way through.....ended up being behind the right side steering hoop shroud near where the gas tank meets the tunnel it was the hot wire for the highbeam that runs down the steering hoop.....had to take the rectifier,regulator and some other stuff out to find it.....looked like it had been rubbing for a while....it was a bit of a pain but i did find a couple other things that needed attention while i was at it so it was for the better i guess.....

i would start with the harness under the motor if you havent loomed that yet....then ohm the stator as that is fairly common...check the wiring under the handlebar pad as this area can be a bit of a cluster and i have seen wires short out onto the handlebar (ie your switch wiring).....good luck, they are a pain to find....
 
Can you typically see the chaffing or do you have to ohm out the wires? Since my whole cluster is out and the headlights work, and the high beam indicator works but reversed to be on only when the low beam is on...I'm thinking its a ground issues. Or is there more??

I assuming I can pull the plugs and ohm out the wires to find the short...without removing motors and tanks, etc.

Seems like this will be a summer project as long as it keeps running ok and the lights work.
Thanks....Ed
 
i had that problem before it could be a bad stater! or it might be grounding under your fuel tank.... but i could be wrong, i have been known to be wrong before as the wife tells me!!!"

Actually, I am the opposite, I am always right, except for the time I thought that I was wrong, but of course, I was mistaken..... he he
 
You can see the rub throughs on the harness-- but you don't have to pull the motor out-- only the exhaust pipe. Just disconnect it at the hood connection, follow it back and under the motor while unbending the harness clips, and you can pull it up through behind the motor in between the mag side carb and pull start. Inspect it good and tape/ repair any damaged wires individually, then wrap with wire loom and re-tape. Tie a string to it first so you can pull it back under the engine after you're done. Mine was rubbing/ shorting on the very front of the tunnel behind the motor.
 
Found it !!!!. Harness near carbs...the metal support that connects the carbs together rub thru the harness and broke a wire.
 
I am having same issue
Also periodically electric start wont work
Acts like dead battery but its not
 
gf7duster said:
I am having same issue
Also periodically electric start wont work
Acts like dead battery but its not
Click to expand...

Check for corroded cables and loose connections on the battery.
 
gf7duster said:
Found the positve cable loose on the battery
Could that cause the instrument cluster problem?
Click to expand...

I wold think that it could. Not sure on the electric start models if the instrument cluster would be connected through the battery or not. I would say fix the loose cable and give it a try and see if it still happens.
 
I’m haveing this same issue I’m going to start looking at wiring tommorow hoping thats What my problem is as well. Good advise on this thread I’ll keep you posted as to what I find.
 
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