My buttons were always a bit intermittent but they seem to have stopped working totally now. I discovered this old thread: https://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/threads/05-360-odometer-problem.271489/ And I've tried bending the pins slightly but no dice. So I've just taken it apart to try to test the switches but I can only get a continuity reading if I push both buttons in at the same time and have my multimeter on the left hand and middle pins with the unit oriented like this: Image Unavailable, Please Login No other combination of pins and button presses gives me anything. Is that normal? Does anyone know how to test these switches? I can get a new one for £100 but I'd like to be sure this one is knackered before I spend the money. Cheers guys
What's the backside look like? Sometimes these old solder connections go bad and can be fixed just by touching a soldering iron to them to reconnect.
Turns out it's quite hard to photograph... Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
I guess this shows the traces between each switch and each pin? (brown/yellow lines) Image Unavailable, Please Login
Wouldn't hurt touching up the connections regardless. Maybe even take the white harness plug end off and check the base of the pins. Nothing to lose if it's not working.
You’re right of course, not like I can break it any more I’ll set about it when I get some time later in the week. Thanks for the replies.
Electrically, the circuit should look like this inside the switch: Image Unavailable, Please Login You should have continuity between the pin which corresponds to the black wire and the other pins when you push the buttons one at a time. If you're not getting continuity, then you have an earth circuit issue. I would inspect the soldering with a magnifying glass to see if there are any cracks or "dry joints". Resolder the contacts on the board to see if that improves the operation. All you are doing when you push a button is provide an earth on one of the striped wires (which is sent to the instrument panel). You seem to have proved that the buttons themselves are ok (as you pushed both buttons at the same time and got continuity). So the problem must be with the circuit board contacts.
Well, the good news is I fixed one of the switches by re-soldering the joints on the switch and the corresponding pin. The bad news is that, presumably while attempting to do the same to the other one, I seem to have made it worse somehow. Still had no continuity on the left hand (as you look at the front) button, but tried it in the car and the dash brightness adjust would come up the whole time(!). Although the right hand button worked ok. I must have properly ****ed something as I didn't think you could adjust the dash brightness unless you had the parking lights turned on? I think I'll cut my losses and order a new one. My soldering iron is pretty crappy so I need to spend some money somewhere to remedy this, and it may as well be on a new set of buttons...
If you don't do a lot of soldering but need something decent for those occasional uses, the temperature-controlled one below is something I keep in my tool bag when I have to run out and fix something and can't take my soldering station. https://www.amazon.com/Hakko-FX601-02-Adjustable-Temperature-Controlled/dp/B00FZPSX3G
Thanks, I really should buy a good one. I've currently got some cheap piece of junk which is good enough for the odd repair but nothing delicate. I think I may have ended up melting something I shouldn't have. Oh well. I'll pop down to the (fortunately fairly local) Ferrari parts store tomorrow and get a new set of buttons. Lesson learned!
Soldering irons are something you don't want to be cheap on. I'm in the middle of repairing an artifact that should have been worth $500k but because some ham-fisted mitten-wearing idiot with a wood burner for a soldering iron lifted some traces and burned the fiberglass, it's worth about 150K less.
Thanks! Unfortunately I would like to have it so I can reinstall it on Saturday, and I can drive to Maranello Classic Parts in Egham, here in the UK, at lunchtime tomorrow to grab one in person
Ouch. Maybe you shorted something out with the solder.... or you actually fixed the panel and revealed another issue. What kind of a tip do you have on your soldering iron? Pointy or wedge-shaped? The wedge-shaped ones are so much better for this kind of thing (better heat transfer). Pointy ones are only useful if you are soldering microscopic components. Hopefully the new panel will fix it, but please feel free to mail me your old panel I'm sure I can fix it.
This is on an Apple-1 computer. They tend to be worth today between $350k and 1m depending on condition and provenance. I’m “the guy” the museums and auction houses use for authentication and repairs on stuff like this. Once you get into higher end collectibles, like cars it gets very interesting. Sent from my iPhone using FerrariChat.com mobile app
Yeah it's pointy. I want to get a better one and have a go at trying to fix it now. If I really cock it up you're welcome to it! I'm now in possession of a new unit so hopefully that'll fix it.
All back together and working, although I think I need to read the manual as it seems hard to get it to change between trip and odo, involving random mashing of both buttons until it changes. With my re-soldered and broken switch I could just press the RH button once and it would change... Odd. Also had an embarrassing moment at the petrol station earlier when I couldn't open my petrol flap using the switch. Then I realised I'd plugged the petrol flap connector into the fog light switch, and vice versa, when re-assembling...
As it turns out, I'm in need of one of these now although for a completely different reason. One of my buttons popped off and I believe it was vacuumed up during my last service (or at least still MIA within the cabin). Does anybody have a spare black button cap they'd be willing to sell me to save me from buying a whole new assembly? @tomw, would be more than happy to purchase your broken unit if you wish to unload it.
I still want to try to fix my unit so I'd rather keep the bones of it, but I'll happily pop one of the buttons off and send it to you if that'll help. PM me a shipping address and I'll try to get it sent out this week if you want it.
