M35 Factory Boost Gauge Repair.

[Daleo]

re-solder the 3 pins in red color

You can actually see the fractured solder joint on the far right of the 3 pins.

[joshm35]

I have a working sensor here if someone wants to buy it

[zelda]

Great tip, if you don't have a soldering iron and want to quick fix get a small clean blade and clean around the edges of the solder where it contacts the pcb. That's where mine had the crud built up and it worked a treat after, I noticed their is two small pots on the pcb also, look to be voltage regulators, anybody know for sure? This could be tweaked to help prevent future failure.

Zelda

[scotty nm35]

Cleaning a dry solder joint won't repair the connection, you need to heat the solder, remove it using a solder sucker or wick and replace with new solder. It's not like soldering irons are expensive, they are much cheaper than a second hand sensor.

Tweaking the pots will likely make the gauge read wrong, then it's useless.

[Aqua]

Look at the pic; the three pins, in a straight line at the very top of shot.

They are the ones that need resoldering.

re-solder the 3 pins in red color

thanks guys! are those 3 pins connected to some wires or the chip? cause when you say resolder that 3 pins. what are you actually doing to it? heat them up so they can connect back to the wires/chip or?

p.s. sorry... real beginner here.

[YangLIU]

thanks guys! are those 3 pins connected to some wires or the chip? cause when you say resolder that 3 pins. what are you actually doing to it? heat them up so they can connect back to the wires/chip or?

p.s. sorry... real beginner here.

Yes, heat them up then let them re-connect. I just repaired mine because intermittent not working problem.

[Brick]

Great tip, if you don't have a soldering iron and want to quick fix get a small clean blade and clean around the edges of the solder where it contacts the pcb. That's where mine had the crud built up and it worked a treat after, I noticed their is two small pots on the pcb also, look to be voltage regulators, anybody know for sure? This could be tweaked to help prevent future failure.

Zelda

This is probably the dumbest advice I have ever read on here.. please atleast have some knowledge in anything before recommending how people fix their cars.

[Aqua]

Yes, heat them up then let them re-connect. I just repaired mine because intermittent not working problem.

Thanks heaps Yang!

[YangLIU]

Thanks heaps Yang!

Actually you can take your boost sensor to home applications repair shop or mobile repair shop if you really don't know how to do that. It is only 10mins job.

[zelda]

This is probably the dumbest advice I have ever read on here.. please atleast have some knowledge in anything before recommending how people fix their cars.

Thanks for the insult brick.

I'm an electrician by trade. If you didn't know, copper actually oxidises and by gently removing this with a clean blade your essentially cleaning the contact to the pcb.

Sorry that my common sense insulted you ?

[zelda]

Cleaning a dry solder joint won't repair the connection, you need to heat the solder, remove it using a solder sucker or wick and replace with new solder. It's not like soldering irons are expensive, they are much cheaper than a second hand sensor.

Tweaking the pots will likely make the gauge read wrong, then it's useless.

It's not necessarily a dry solder joint, as you have all found the re soldering of the connections only lasts so long.. This is probably due to over voltage or a lack of it, solder tends to add resistance to a join creating a hot spot causing the actual connection to fail before anything else, hence the reason for putting voltage pots in the pcb to compensate for added or less resistance in the total circuit ( impedance or Z )

[Brick]

Thanks for the insult brick.

I'm an electrician by trade. If you didn't know, copper actually oxidises and by gently removing this with a clean blade your essentially cleaning the contact to the pcb.

Sorry that my common sense insulted you

If you are an electrician you should know better and maybe go back to tafe. . I am an electronic technician by trade so I also know about pcbs etc. Firstly you are correct in saying that it may help, but it won't fix the issue. All it may do is minimize the intermittent issue you are having. That being said if you drive a long a bumpy street you will most likely have signal drop in and out as the joint moves around. Secondly the issue will return quickly. For the cost of a $5 soldering iron why wouldn't you just actually fix it.

Thirdly you were recommending people adjust the pots on the pcb. This is the really dumb thing. It is obvious that they would be set to the correct settings from factory. And adjusting them will only make it read incorrect.

So opt simply your original recommendation will not fix the problem and then when the person adjusts the pots they will ruin it all together so I stand by what I said in it being the dumbest post ever.

[Brick]

It's not necessarily a dry solder joint, as you have all found the re soldering of the connections only lasts so long.. This is probably due to over voltage or a lack of it, solder tends to add resistance to a join creating a hot spot causing the actual connection to fail before anything else, hence the reason for putting voltage pots in the pcb to compensate for added or less resistance in the total circuit ( impedance or Z )

That is exactly what a dry solder joint is. Just resolder it like Scotty has said and it is fixed.

[zelda]

Sweet mate, just trying to help people out like plenty have done here for me.. forgive me for not doing what scotty said lol

Rant over.

[scotty nm35]

It's not necessarily a dry solder joint

As an electronics tech that worked on PCB level repair myself, I am entirely confident it is a dry solder joint that needs fresh solder for repair, which I have fixed on a dozen cars at least.

Josh 1 - Zach 0

[zelda]

Lol yes Scott. What's causing this dry solder joint? Over or under voltage.

Josh I'm not telling people to adjust their pots I was asking if somebody like yourself who apparently knows everything if they had a better idea on how to find out for sure before tweaking it. ?

All I'm saying is cleaning the joins will also work if you don't have a soldering iron( which I do, just didn't need it) Sure may not be as good. The boost gauge is so crappy anyway I'm not sure why you have to get so defensive about it. It's only good for 1bar.

Just another option guys ?

[scotty nm35]

Vibration causes dry joints, not voltage.

[Daleo]

Best thread evar.

[Brick]

Vibration causes dry joints, not voltage.

Exactly, old solder in a place with lots of vibration

[joshm35]

Just remove the unreliable oem gauge and problem solved. Thread closed