ERRATIC/FLASH DIGITAL DISPLAY CRUISE CONTROL DISENGAGEMENT

SOME 1982 DFI EQUIPPED CADILLACS MAY EXHIBIT TELLTALE LIGHTS AND/OR DIGITAL DISPLAYS FLASHING, FALSE CODES AND/OR CRUISE DISENGAGES DUE TO A LOW RESISTANCE DISTRIBUTOR RESISTOR BRUSH. THE LOW RESISTANCE DISTRIBUTOR RESISTOR BRUSH MAY ALSO CAUSE INTERMITTENT CRUISE CONTROL DISENGAGEMENT ON 1982 DFI CARS EQUIPPED WITH INTEGRAL CRUISE CONTROL, AND ON 1981 AND 1982 V6 CADILLACS WITH ELECTRONIC CRUISE CONTROL. THE DISTRIBUTOR RESISTOR BRUSH IS LOCATED IN THE DISTRIBUTOR CAP, BENEATH THE RUBBER GASKET BETWEEN THE COIL AND THE CAP. THE BRUSH SHOULD BE A CARBON/METAL COMPOSITION MATERIAL WITH A COPPER TIP. THE RESISTANCE OF THE BRUSH SHOULD BE GREATER THAN 3,000 OHMS (SEE FIG.1). FROM ABOUT FEBRUARY, 1983 TO APRIL, 1984, SERVICE STOCK OF "DISTRIBUTOR RESISTOR BRUSH" P/N 1875967 INCLUDED A LOW RESISTANCE (LESS THAN 3,000 OHMS) DISTRIBUTOR BRUSH. AFTER APRIL, 1984, THE "DISTRIBUTOR RESISTOR BRUSH" P/N 1875967 WAS SUPERSEDED BY P/N 1989880 WITH PROPER RESISTANCE. THE P/N 1977046 "DISTRIBUTOR CAP" KITS PACKAGED AFTER APRIL, 1984, INCLUDE A BRUSH WITH RESISTANCE GREATER THAN 3,000 OHMS. PLEASE NOTE: 1983 TO PRESENT PRODUCTION DFI CARS ARE NOT AFFECTED BY THE LOW RESISTANCE BRUSH BECAUSE OF CHANGES IN ECM CIRCUITRY. SOME 1983 AND 1984 DFI CARS WERE BUILT WITH A LOW RESISTANCE BRUSH, BUT ARE UNAFFECTED. WHEN SERVICING THE DISTRIBUTOR CAP OR BRUSH ON 1982 DFI EQUIPPED CADILLACS OR 1981-1982 V6 CADILLACS WITH ELECTRONIC CRUISE CONTROL, INSPECT THE SERVICE PARTS PROVIDED. A BRUSH WITH PROPER RESISTANCE WILL BE ALMOST ENTIRELY BLACK WITH A COPPER TIP. A LOW RESISTANCE BRUSH WILL APPEAR MOSTLY COPPER IN COLOR, SEE FIGURE 1, VIEW A. TO POSITIVELY IDENTIFY THE BRUSH, MEASURE THE RESISTANCE. - MEASURE THE BRUSH RESISTANCE WITH AN OHMMETER. PLACE ONE TEST LEAD ON THE COPPER BRUSH TIP AND ONE LEAD ON THE SPRING THAT CONTACTS THE COIL. THE BRUSH RESISTANCE SHOULD BE GREATER THEN 3,000 OHMS. IF THE BRUSH RESISTANCE MEASURES LESS THAN 3,000 OHMS, DISCARD THE BRUSH AND REPLACE WITH P/N 1989880. - CHECK THE DISTRIBUTOR BRUSH AND RUBBER COIL SEAL FOR PROPER INSTALLATION. INSTALL THE BRUSH INTO THE CAP, THEN THE SEAL, THEN THE COIL (SEE FIGURE 1). SEE ALSO SERVICEMAN BULLETIN 84-52, FILED IN SECTION 6C. FOR OTHER CAUSES OF ERRATIC OR FLASHING TELLTALE LIGHTS AND DIGITAL DISPLAYS OR CRUISE DISENGAGES, SEE SERVICEMAN BULLETIN 84-92, FILED IN SECTION 6C.

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