'09 990 Adventure instrument issues - knowledge needed

[snodpete]

My 60,000km 2009 Adventure 'combo digital instrument' LCD display (speed, ODO etc.) digits started fading some months ago. I have dismantled, inspected, cleaned and put back on with some success but recently the whole bottom of speed row stopped showing up. I have researched and read lots on AdvRider and checked fuse, battery connections, looked for broken wires/poor connectors etc - nothing helped so far.

A new part practically requires a mortgage - I tracked down an automotive instrument repair place in Christchurch and sent it there - they stripped, checked and resoldered the LCD panel then ran it on a test bench for 24hrs - all digits showing up fine. When remounted and bike fired up all looked good (all digits showing, tach needle sweep, warning lights, temp gauge works, ABS warning light goes out when you move off - BUT tacho doesn't work and speedo doesn't work and frost warning blinks constantly (though temp readout works). This all worked before I sent it off for LCD repair - Their tech wonders if there is some reset required related to the immobiliser? I've checked pins for damage (none) and scrutinised the PCB for errant solder etc. but it looks OK to my amateur eye - looks remarkably clean and corrosion-free actually considering there has been damp in there...:-(

Before I send it back to the 'experts' - does anyone have any other thoughts? I've also been checking online for spares - have found a couple on eBay but not my exact model - 990 SMTs and Super Dukes - I have the repair manual with wiring diagrams and these bikes are similar in many ways - does anyone know if instruments are interchangeable between models/years?

Cheers in advance.

[Paul in NZ]

Are the power and earth connectors to the unit all in good condition??? If its depending on the chassis for an earth return I'd add in a dedicated one...

[snodpete]

Are the power and earth connectors to the unit all in good condition??? If its depending on the chassis for an earth return I'd add in a dedicated one...
Cheers for your suggestion - pretty sure earth is OK as 'most' functions on the unit work fine - just not the main ones :no:

It is back with instrument repairers now, fingers crossed (though I am not optimistic).

[Paul in NZ]

Cheers for your suggestion - pretty sure earth is OK as 'most' functions on the unit work fine - just not the main ones :no:

It is back with instrument repairers now, fingers crossed (though I am not optimistic).

Random malfunctions of these units can be a sign of a poor earth all the same.

[snodpete]

Thanks for your response Paul - I am pretty convinced the problems are to do with moisture damage first, then something the 'repairer' did. Am riding without tacho and using GPS for speed so am resigned to ponying up mega$$ eventually for a new unit in the New Year. Also keeping an eye on eBay etc.

Not sure how to check quality of the earth connection anyway - any suggestions? This unit has a 32 pin connector ( only seems to use about 24 of them). I have a service manual but am not great at interpreting wiring diagrams or even finding the appropriate one (manual covers '08 - '13 and SuperDuke, SMoto models etc as well as ADV...).

[rok-the-boat]

Check all earth connections ... I just said that on a different thread ... even if they seem unrelated. Computers on cars do really crazy things ... I suspect likewise on bikes. For Ex, my brother is a mechanic ... he put in a slightly different wattage bulb in an indicator on a newish Merc as an experiment and all sorts of crazy stuff started happening.