When the necessity to remove the instrument panel in my '94 218 SLD in order to access the speedo cable attachment I thought I'd try to improve one of the temperamental instrument panel light connections.
After cleaning the contact surfaces I thought I check the circuit was good - and slipped with the circuit tester shorting something out (is there an emoticon for "What a stupid ****"?).
A small puff of smoke came from the back of the instrument panel and then no ignition lights, indicators, instrument panel lights or rev counter.
Replacing the appropriate 10 amp fuse restored everything except the instrument lights. Since then I've checked every fuse and electrical connection that I think can be involved without finding anything untoward - no blacked insulation or obviously burnt out bits of solder.
As I'm going to have a make a trip to a breakers for the speedo cable I thought I'd just get a whole new panel and chalk the expense up to experience (all be it a really stupid one) - but it seems that finding a scrapped 218 isn't as easy I'd hoped.
A three-fold question now arises.
1. Is the instrument panel light problem likely to be fixable with anything other than complete replacement? or
2. Would complete replacement not fix it if the problem is something else?
3. Are the instrument panels from any other models compatible (bearing in mind the glow-tube light needs to go somewhere)?
Thanks in advance for any help.
After cleaning the contact surfaces I thought I check the circuit was good - and slipped with the circuit tester shorting something out (is there an emoticon for "What a stupid ****"?).
A small puff of smoke came from the back of the instrument panel and then no ignition lights, indicators, instrument panel lights or rev counter.
Replacing the appropriate 10 amp fuse restored everything except the instrument lights. Since then I've checked every fuse and electrical connection that I think can be involved without finding anything untoward - no blacked insulation or obviously burnt out bits of solder.
As I'm going to have a make a trip to a breakers for the speedo cable I thought I'd just get a whole new panel and chalk the expense up to experience (all be it a really stupid one) - but it seems that finding a scrapped 218 isn't as easy I'd hoped.
A three-fold question now arises.
1. Is the instrument panel light problem likely to be fixable with anything other than complete replacement? or
2. Would complete replacement not fix it if the problem is something else?
3. Are the instrument panels from any other models compatible (bearing in mind the glow-tube light needs to go somewhere)?
Thanks in advance for any help.
