Bench Testing a Wired Instrument Cluster

[Tinkerman]

Afternoon all! I needed a ground screw for my instrument cluster, found out through the forum it is a BST not an American thread. Forum Member Marvin Gruber offered to fix me up with one and despite the best efforts of the USPS, managed to get one to me. First one got punched out of the envelope by the USPS. They tried hard to do it to the second one but Marvin foiled their best attempts by using thick card board. Thanks Marvin!

Anyhow the instrument cluster is all wired up and ready to be installed. I was wondering if there was some way that I could bench test it before I install it? I have visually checked it against the wiring diagram as I was doing it and after I finished it. I also checked continuity as I was hooking up each wire from the wire harness.
Has anyone bench tested one or have any suggestions on how I could/should do it?

Thanks, Tinkerman

 

[sabot]

Thats alot of wire's. tom

 

[Tinkerman]

Yep and a bunch of opportunity for failure!

Tinkerman

 

[DNK]

Reminds me.
Haven't had spaghetti in a while.

 

[Geo Hahn]

I stared at it awhile and compared it to a couple of photos of other center panels -- couldn't see anything amiss, but then couldn't see everything.

You can certainly test it before you offer it up to the final position in the dash... this should let you check everything and get at the backside a bit easier than once it is in place.

Really, with care & double checks it is quite likely that all will go right the first time.

 

[Tinkerman]

Thanks Geo, that's what I kinda figured. I tend to over engineer everything, but then again what can I lose by being over careful?

Tinkerman

 

[Rhodyspit75]

As a long time Electrical Contractor I have decided that if I paid attention while I did it and checked it once it's time to throw the switch. The dash looks good by the way, but don't forget the keys!

 

[DrEntropy]

:lol:

Same thought here... It's gonna be a contest to clip that tie-wrap lyin' upside-down with yer feet higher than yer head and a "workspace" the size of a thimble.