dash gages - Pirate4x4.Com : 4x4 and Off-Road Forum

deputydawg · 07-21-2005, 07:54 AM

ok now that i have the wiring ran and most ever thing is working like brand new. Because it is. I am now haveing some issues with the gages. IE....
fuel gage does not work at all.
temp gage does not work.
charging gage works on occasion
oil gage dont work eather.
I am thinking that I am supost to have power to the back of the insterment cluster and i have that the fuel gage runs from the fram (ground) to the sending unit (-) and then the (+) side of the sending untit goes straight to the gage. so i dont know where it is getting its power from. any help on the dash would be great.

steved · 07-21-2005, 08:46 AM

What is it??

It sounds like you don't have any power to the dash cluster itself.

steved

deputydawg · 07-21-2005, 08:52 AM

sorry. Its a 85 Prospector. W150. 360.... I just installed a painless wiring harness from bumper to bumper. I have dash lights and turn signals on the dash its self. I have taken the cluster out of the truck and tested the gages indevidualy and thay work fine. I have gone threw the wiring diagrams in the manual that i have for the truck and everything is good there but still no workieeee. lost and confussed....

mondtster · 07-21-2005, 10:09 AM

Just because you have dash lights and turn signals doesn't mean that the gauges have power...

The gauges are supposed to be fed 12 volts. All the sensors vary the resistance path to ground which will cause the needles on the gauges to change position. If all the gauges aren't working, I would check the gauge power feed and make sure that is good.

deputydawg · 07-21-2005, 10:27 AM

on the left side of the cluster i have two hot wires. I have no hot wires on the right side of the cluster. according to the wiring schem everything is good. Do you think that it might be the voltage accumulator on the back side of the cluster? This little box has three terminals that plug into the cluster panel. all three plugs are on the ground side of all the gages. I know this part has never been replaced in the 7 years that i hve owned the truck. I have called around the parts stores and thay have no idea what i am talking about. dealer item?

mondtster · 07-21-2005, 11:33 AM

Did the gauges work before you rewired the truck?

deputydawg · 07-21-2005, 11:47 AM

yes every thing was working before the wiring installation. what had happened before is the old harness came loos and got tangled up in the steering linkage. ripping everything apart. the truck has been setting for about 2 years after that. now i am just having problems with the dash.

I do understand that the lights on the dash are from a differant power sorce. and I have power to the second power line comming into the dash. everything is wired corectly according to the dodge book. the painless kit did not come with instructions on the dash wiring. The wires that are going to the dash are marked as to where thay go. fuel gage temp. ECT..... but still no power at the gage. I might just have to get a new set of gages and trash the ones that are there.( make a driver side glove box)

mondtster · 07-21-2005, 03:06 PM

Ok, I will have to look at a diagram when I get home, but here is what I am thinking right now. The 2 hot wires you say you have are probably for the ammeter. I believe that there should be another wire that powers the gauges, but I could be wrong on this. That is what I am going to have to look at when I get home tonight.

mondtster · 07-21-2005, 07:50 PM

I have a diagram that might help you out. If you pm me your email address I can email it to you since I can't post pictures here.

07-21-2005, 07:54 AM	#1 (permalink)
deputydawg Registered User Join Date: Oct 2004 Member # 36677 Location: Divide, Co Posts: 68	dash gages ok now that i have the wiring ran and most ever thing is working like brand new. Because it is. I am now haveing some issues with the gages. IE.... fuel gage does not work at all. temp gage does not work. charging gage works on occasion oil gage dont work eather. I am thinking that I am supost to have power to the back of the insterment cluster and i have that the fuel gage runs from the fram (ground) to the sending unit (-) and then the (+) side of the sending untit goes straight to the gage. so i dont know where it is getting its power from. any help on the dash would be great.

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

07-21-2005, 08:46 AM	#2 (permalink)
steved Registered User Join Date: Feb 2003 Member # 17136 Location: Shoemakersville, PA Posts: 538	What is it?? It sounds like you don't have any power to the dash cluster itself. steved

07-21-2005, 08:52 AM	#3 (permalink)
deputydawg Registered User Join Date: Oct 2004 Member # 36677 Location: Divide, Co Posts: 68	sorry. Its a 85 Prospector. W150. 360.... I just installed a painless wiring harness from bumper to bumper. I have dash lights and turn signals on the dash its self. I have taken the cluster out of the truck and tested the gages indevidualy and thay work fine. I have gone threw the wiring diagrams in the manual that i have for the truck and everything is good there but still no workieeee. lost and confussed....

07-21-2005, 10:09 AM	#4 (permalink)
mondtster Registered User Join Date: Dec 2003 Member # 25349 Location: Waterloo, IA Posts: 3,648	Just because you have dash lights and turn signals doesn't mean that the gauges have power... The gauges are supposed to be fed 12 volts. All the sensors vary the resistance path to ground which will cause the needles on the gauges to change position. If all the gauges aren't working, I would check the gauge power feed and make sure that is good.

07-21-2005, 10:27 AM	#5 (permalink)
deputydawg Registered User Join Date: Oct 2004 Member # 36677 Location: Divide, Co Posts: 68	on the left side of the cluster i have two hot wires. I have no hot wires on the right side of the cluster. according to the wiring schem everything is good. Do you think that it might be the voltage accumulator on the back side of the cluster? This little box has three terminals that plug into the cluster panel. all three plugs are on the ground side of all the gages. I know this part has never been replaced in the 7 years that i hve owned the truck. I have called around the parts stores and thay have no idea what i am talking about. dealer item?

07-21-2005, 11:33 AM	#6 (permalink)
mondtster Registered User Join Date: Dec 2003 Member # 25349 Location: Waterloo, IA Posts: 3,648	Did the gauges work before you rewired the truck?

07-21-2005, 11:47 AM	#7 (permalink)
deputydawg Registered User Join Date: Oct 2004 Member # 36677 Location: Divide, Co Posts: 68	yes every thing was working before the wiring installation. what had happened before is the old harness came loos and got tangled up in the steering linkage. ripping everything apart. the truck has been setting for about 2 years after that. now i am just having problems with the dash. I do understand that the lights on the dash are from a differant power sorce. and I have power to the second power line comming into the dash. everything is wired corectly according to the dodge book. the painless kit did not come with instructions on the dash wiring. The wires that are going to the dash are marked as to where thay go. fuel gage temp. ECT..... but still no power at the gage. I might just have to get a new set of gages and trash the ones that are there.( make a driver side glove box)

07-21-2005, 03:06 PM	#8 (permalink)
mondtster Registered User Join Date: Dec 2003 Member # 25349 Location: Waterloo, IA Posts: 3,648	Ok, I will have to look at a diagram when I get home, but here is what I am thinking right now. The 2 hot wires you say you have are probably for the ammeter. I believe that there should be another wire that powers the gauges, but I could be wrong on this. That is what I am going to have to look at when I get home tonight.

07-21-2005, 07:50 PM	#9 (permalink)
mondtster Registered User Join Date: Dec 2003 Member # 25349 Location: Waterloo, IA Posts: 3,648	I have a diagram that might help you out. If you pm me your email address I can email it to you since I can't post pictures here.