Newb needs some help...Pls

HI to all. I'm new here and I just got an 85 200SX. It's a nice car and all but it has some problems... I was wondering if you guys/girls could help me out. First of all my car doesn't mark how fast I'm going... Sometimes it works sometimes it doesn't. It's getting really annoying to me now :-? I can't figure it out. Another thing is that it doesn't mark any oil presure at all. It's reaaaally freakying me out because it has oil. I check it every morning. And also it always says it's really cold. Like the temperature guage never goes up just like 2 bars- is this normal? Other than that it doesn't mark that it's charging the battery but I hooked up a voltmeter to it and it is charging. Ohh one more thing for some reason it stays in boost all the time but I'm like BS it can't be boosting at idle right? Any help please? Thanx in advanced

Your cluster's probably goin out.. have you tried a replacement?

Is it digital or analog?

It is digital- don't all turbo models come with digital?

If it's not the dash, for the oil pressure, check your oil-sender unit, it might need replacing. It's located just below the oil filter. It does get a lot of oil on it specially when you remove the filter, or maybe it's just loose. Clean it up, plug it back in, and if doesn't work, try replacing your dash first, then the oil-sender unit.

It is digital- don't all turbo models come with digital?

Not all. It was available as a dealer option... part of a 'digital luxury package' or something I believe..

The digital clusters are known to fail over time. A common problem is the solders on the back of the cluster going bad. You could try pulling the cluster to redo all the joints, or pick up another cluster.

In my experience, the 84 cluster has differed from the other years. 85 and up clusters won't work in my 84, but na and turbo 84 clusters will. I'm not sure whether this means that an 84 cluster won't work with 85 and up cars..

Why would it mark boost at idle? Is my cluster shot?

I would guess so. You said "sometimes it works sometimes it doesn't."

I had similar problems with my previous digi-cluster. Mine would only work when warmed up. I never got around to remaking all the joints on the back of the cluster, but I think those were the reason it wasn't working when cold. It's a common problem among the S12 clusters and the Z31 digi-clusters. There's a guy in the z31 community who fixes the clusters and resells them when they fail.

There's a diagnostic procedure for the cluster, but it's pretty lengthy. If you don't have an FSM, perhaps someone on here can get a scan of the pages for you and you could try most of the procedure. Most of it has to do with 2 tiny switches on the backside of the cluster, but I think there's also a special checkwire harness you'll need for part of the process.

But be warned the N/A version of either the Digital or the analog cluster does not display the Boost reading...

OK so it failed working again- And i lightly tapped the cluster and it started
working again.. I guess a bad connection was the culprit. Last night some
one valdalized my car. It looked like they wedged a pry bar in between the
front of the passengers door in between the door and the fender. Some
hater hurt my car man, now the door doesn't open all the way. :x I listed
the car for sale for $800- the car had only 102k miles. Someone already
baught it. :( I'm sad it's gone cuz it was a great car.

OK so it failed working again- And i lightly tapped the cluster and it started
working again.. I guess a bad connection was the culprit. Last night some
one valdalized my car. It looked like they wedged a pry bar in between the
front of the passengers door in between the door and the fender. Some
hater hurt my car man, now the door doesn't open all the way. :x I listed
the car for sale for $800- the car had only 102k miles. Someone already
baught it. :( I'm sad it's gone cuz it was a great car.

Sympathy.... car thieves need to be caught and publicly whipped :/

Mine was broken into a couple of months ago while it was parked on the street outside my flat. The bastards bent the top of the passenger door open about 5cm to get in, and stole nothing but a cheap boost gauge. Didn't take the computer (worth $400 second hand), didn't take the computer handset (even easier to take than the computer, worth another $200 or so second hand), didn't take the change out of the console ($20 or so), nothing of any real value... just a bloody boost gauge! Door repairs cost me $225 all up. I still can't believe I didn't hear the alarm go off :/

The next alarm I get is gonna be one with a pager that pages you with in a 2 mile range and lets you know if someone is breaking into your car- Not only that but i'm thinking of puting a proximity sensors so idiots like the ones that got me won't be able to touch my car without the alarm going off.

That really sux man, are you gonna get another 200? I have a similar problem, My oilpressure sensor is not reading either, but I've come to realize why. I disconnected it when I removed the dash, Ok seemingly quick fix...??? where the hell does it connect to!? So now oil is spilling all over the floor boards when I start it up, CUZ I CANT HOOK THE DAMN THING UP!!! :wtf: