Better/Tighter cluster connection?

1214 Views 18 Replies 8 Participants Last post by suntripadventures, 4 d ago

DooTents

Discussion Starter · 5 mo ago

Hand Hood Motor vehicle Automotive tire Automotive lighting

Is there any way to tighten the gauge cluster connection , or improve connection? My temp was showing -76 randomly, no beeps at startup or reverse. Wouldn’t show or go in reverse. By banging on the top of cluster while running it went back to normal temp, beeped and reversed?
17 enduro 900.
Thanks

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DooTents

Discussion Starter · #2 · 5 mo ago

Any thoughts? I now have no tach and no reverse all the time. No beeps at startup. checked all grounds and added one. Still -76 showing for temp.

Dixie

· #3 · 5 mo ago

Are any of the pins bent?

Reactions: 1

Ont_Rider

· #4 · 5 mo ago

Definitely check both sides of the pins (connector and cluster) very carefully. Corrosion could also be a cause so look for any signs of oxidation on them.

Unfortunately those connectors seem to be a problem occasionally. Had it happen to me on my first trip out after having my hood off my ‘14 TNT. Started acting up a few miles down the trail.

When you re-install that connector, push it down real well, and give it a wiggle. I’ve had mine off a couple times since and haven’t had any issues since I’ve revised my installation process.

WildSioux

· #5 · 5 mo ago

That connector doesn't look like the connectors I've removed. One on a 17 Grand Touring 900 Ace. A 19 and 21 Enduro 900 Ace. Each of them have the premium gauge. And each one had the red slide release mechanism on the connector.

One time I couldn't get the connector loose and tore a good gash in my thumb. Blood for days.

My only suggestion is to use di-electric grease. Maybe that will help keep a connection and moisture out.

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DooTents

Discussion Starter · #6 · 5 mo ago

Thanks will check all those, but the pins are all straight and Added dielectric grease.
Hand warmers don’t seem to be working now either. Put a new battery in in spring, added beamtech led lights. Those are only changes . Had the erratic temp flashing during first ride this season and that was after new battery and before beamtech install.

nm9stheham

· #7 · 5 mo ago (Edited)

Temp info, reverse gear status, and some of the other info comes from, or goes to, the ECM via the CAN bus. Like the reverse request.. it goes to the cluster from the button and then to the ECM via the CAN bus. So focus on pins 23 and 24 which are for that bus. Also check the diagnostic connector to make sure that it is not full of dirt, crud, and such. The CAN bus goes there too.

I would 100% clean out the connectors and dielectric grease with alcohol and inspect for tarnish on the pins. And check the female side for spreading. Then apply new dielectric grease.

You might also want to check the ECM connector(s). Finally, check all ground connections; a bad one might induce noise on the CAN bus and interfere with communications.

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DooTents

Discussion Starter · #8 · 5 mo ago

nm9stheham said:
Temp info, reverse gear status, and some of the other info comes from, or goes to, the ECM via the CAN bus. Like the reverse request.. it goes to the cluster from the button and then to the ECM via the CAN bus. So focus on pins 23 and 24 which are for that bus. Also check the diagnostic connector to make sure that it is not full of dirt, crud, and such. The CAN bus goes there too.

I would 100% clean out the connectors and dielectric grease with alcohol and inspect for tarnish on the pins. And check the female side for spreading. Then apply new dielectric grease.

You might also want to check the ECM connector(s). Finally, check all ground connections; a bad one might induce noise on the CAN bus and interfere with communications.

‘Thanks will do. Would anything associated with changing out bulbs cause any of these issues. ? Think fat fingers. 😁

nm9stheham

· #9 · 5 mo ago

Well IDK LOL. Anything is possible. But I thought this started before the bulb change??

I am thinking CAN bus being effected bus due to the symptoms of what stops working. Any RF interference to the CAN bus is suspect. That could be from 2-way radio of some type; newer cell phones usually don't have adequate power to interfere but..... Any other electronic accessories are a possibility. There may be some shielding around the CAN bus wires that might get disturbed or a wire nicked or a ground connection disturbed. Or just a dirty corroded or spread pin. You don't live under high voltage power transmission lines, or by a cell or radio tower, by any chance? LOL

When you smacked down on the cluster and fixed it before, it is hard to say what was shaken up. Might even be a bad solder connection inside the cluster. It could take some exploring on what you can see and reach.

BUDS communicates via the CAN bus so that becomes a possible dealer trip (or a friend that has BUDS) if you can't find it otherwise.

Are there any plastic latches on the connector that are broken? Like the red slide latch that WildSioux refers to...

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DooTents

Discussion Starter · #10 · 5 mo ago

Yes it was , just throwing some possibilities out there. Only connector ever unhooked was the back of cluster Really frustrating as sled has been perfect for 4 1/2 years prior to changing battery. Going to swap a similar gauge in from a grand touring to see if it’s the cluster itself. Thanks for your time btw.!

nm9stheham

· #11 · 5 mo ago

No problemo; hope I put you on the right track. Your symptom info was pretty specific. Could be some other thing, but starting with what seems to fit the symptoms makes sense.

horiconducker

· #12 · 5 mo ago

My brothers 2017 gauge was very hard unplug since day one. After the second time putting the gauge back on, was missing certain fuctions on the gauge. Took it back off and reseated it and now gauge was completely dead. Instead of buying a new gauge we took it apart and found some of the solder joints had broken from the plug being tough to remove ( was not able to see that well visually, but a continuity test showed it). Was able to buy micro solder iron and re solder broken joints. When reassembling gauge I found a gap that when pulling hard on the plug to disconnect it from the gauge would put stress on the solder joints. I was able to put a large oring in there to take up that space so now when you pull hard on the plug there is no room to flex those joints. Been good for 3 or 4 years now.

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DooTents

Discussion Starter · #13 · 5 mo ago

Thanks for all the replies, I’ve tried EVERY suggestion 😀, including putting on the cluster grounding ring and swapping clusters with my buddies 900. Still have no reverse, temp shows -76, no rpm’s, no heated grips, no beeps at startup. Starts and idles perfect. Going to breakdown and take it in To dealer.
Only thing I didn’t do was swap temp sensor out. Would faulty sensor cause any of what I’m experiencing since I get the -76 as temp on cluster gauge . Seems like it might fix temp

Again, until putting a new battery in this spring sled was perfect for 6400 miles other than occasionally not going into reverse. First ride this winter, temp starts alternating between -76 and actual.

Thanks!

Judge64

· #14 · 5 mo ago

DooTents said:
Thanks for all the replies, I’ve tried EVERY suggestion 😀, including putting on the cluster grounding ring and swapping clusters with my buddies 900. Still have no reverse, temp shows -76, no rpm’s, no heated grips, no beeps at startup. Starts and idles perfect. Going to breakdown and take it in To dealer.
Only thing I didn’t do was swap temp sensor out. Would faulty sensor cause any of what I’m experiencing since I get the -76 as temp on cluster gauge . Seems like it might fix temp
Again, until putting a new battery in this spring sled was perfect for 6400 miles other than occasionally not going into reverse. First ride this winter, temp starts alternating between -76 and actual.

Thanks!

I'm surprised it started with the gauge swap. When I took the cluster from my '17 Enduro 900 and put it in my '16 Blizzard 900, it would crank and not start and it threw a CEL. It also maintained the mileage and other parameters from the Enduro..... including the temperature. Which makes sense because the cluster maintains the odometer reading and the ECM maintains total running hours. I've had to use BUDS to pair different clusters with a different 900 ECM or to install a new premium cluster in a 900.

It is highly unlikely you have have had multiple failures. You would have a better chance of hitting the Mega Millions than having a bunch of different things failing at once.

There is one thing you can still try. I had some minor electrical issues with the '17 Enduro 900 when it was new. It turned out to be a grounding issue and other were reporting similar issues with the 900's. Since then I installed a separate 6AWG ground cable running from the battery post where it grounds under the footwell over to the engine. It fixed the electrical gremlins and I have done this on every sled I've owned since then (I also had grounding issues on an old REV as well). I started a thread about this several years ago and other members have posted similar threads as well.

You might want to get a battery jumper cable and connect one end to the (-) post on the battery and the other on the engine block and see what happens.

I would still lean towards a bad cluster based on what was happening in your original post. BUDS programs all the following features via the premium cluster:

Enable Digital Temperature Readout
Enable Heated Grips at Idle
Enable Electromechanical Reverse
Enable Beeping for DESS Keys

Now your original intermittent reverse issue could be either relays, linkage or the reverse coupler so that would be a separate issue from these electric issues.

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DooTents

Discussion Starter · #15 · 5 mo ago

Thanks Chris!
My cluster worked perfect in my buddys 900, was able to access and enable all features . Mileage readouts were also correct for the sled.
Also did your extra ground wire.

Reactions: 1

nm9stheham

· #16 · 5 mo ago

DooTents said:
Thanks Chris!
My cluster worked perfect in my buddys 900, was able to access and enable all features . Mileage readouts were also correct for the sled.
Also did your extra ground wire.

That was good work to try it both ways. I'd be taking the harness wrapping off and checking all wires, and the comm link wires in particular, from ECM to cluster to comm connector.

And it bring up the possibility of the ECM being an issue, as it is at the other end of the comm link.

Reactions: 1

suntripadventures

· #17 · 16 d ago

nm9stheham said:
Temp info, reverse gear status, and some of the other info comes from, or goes to, the ECM via the CAN bus. Like the reverse request.. it goes to the cluster from the button and then to the ECM via the CAN bus. So focus on pins 23 and 24 which are for that bus. Also check the diagnostic connector to make sure that it is not full of dirt, crud, and such. The CAN bus goes there too.

I would 100% clean out the connectors and dielectric grease with alcohol and inspect for tarnish on the pins. And check the female side for spreading. Then apply new dielectric grease.

You might also want to check the ECM connector(s). Finally, check all ground connections; a bad one might induce noise on the CAN bus and interfere with communications.

i tested pin 23 and 24 both are working as ground or negative and shows less voltage than pin number 11....pin 12 should be ground also¿?

nm9stheham

· #18 · 14 d ago

Well, you won't see any certain voltage on pins 23 and 24 with a voltmeter. These are signal lines with the voltages a constantly switching between near zero and a set higher voltage, like +5 volts. (Think of an on-off morse code sound with the tones being 5 volts and the silent times being 0 volts.)

Are you putting the - (black) lead of your meter on chassis and the + (red) lead of your meter on pin 11 or 12 and seeing some amount of voltage? And are you doing this with the connector disconnected from the cluster or while it is connected?

suntripadventures

· #19 · 4 d ago

nm9stheham said:
Well, you won't see any certain voltage on pins 23 and 24 with a voltmeter. These are signal lines with the voltages a constantly switching between near zero and a set higher voltage, like +5 volts. (Think of an on-off morse code sound with the tones being 5 volts and the silent times being 0 volts.)

Are you putting the - (black) lead of your meter on chassis and the + (red) lead of your meter on pin 11 or 12 and seeing some amount of voltage? And are you doing this with the connector disconnected from the cluster or while it is connected?

yes we try it both way also with the engine stop, we where tryng to find the ground conecting the red side direct to the battery red. alway without the cluster switch on. i can figure it out if my pin number 12 is running out or if i must to add some ground.

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