Gas gauge and temp gauge suddenly dead (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter aktundra
- Start date
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Did you disconnect the battery before pulling the cluster? Could have blown a fuse. Should be simple to find the problem , just back track what you did last night. Good luck.
I would bet on a blown fuse. I forgot to disconnect the battery the other day when putting in a couple of new fuses... blew some other fuses in the process (wipers and radio stopped working). Lesson learned!
1911
chupacabra
When mine did that, it was the little ground tab on the gauge housing that is supposed to touch the instrument cluster when it's all assembled. It can get dirty or bent over time and you lose the grounding connection. The gas gauge and the temp gauge are on the same voltage regulator and circuit.
If I recall correctly, when this happened to me:
There is a mini voltage regulator contained within the mechanism of either the fuel gauge or temp gauge. This regulator goes bad, causing either both gauges to die or a weird swinging motion on both gauges.
I had to replace the temp gauge itself (As I recall - it MAY have been the fuel gauge) and all was well.
The main thing is locating which gauge has the internal voltage regulator and dealing with that.
There is a mini voltage regulator contained within the mechanism of either the fuel gauge or temp gauge. This regulator goes bad, causing either both gauges to die or a weird swinging motion on both gauges.
I had to replace the temp gauge itself (As I recall - it MAY have been the fuel gauge) and all was well.
The main thing is locating which gauge has the internal voltage regulator and dealing with that.
The regulator is in the fuel gauge.
If both gauges died at the same time then your problem is probably in the fuel gauge.
As 1911 said, and easy fix is to check the grounding tab on the back of the fuel gauge.
Check the fuel gauge.
Fuel.
Gauge.
If both gauges died at the same time then your problem is probably in the fuel gauge.
As 1911 said, and easy fix is to check the grounding tab on the back of the fuel gauge.
Check the fuel gauge.
Fuel.
Gauge.
1911
chupacabra
Of course, the permanent solution is to put real calibrated gauges in with real lighting, from amaurer!
- Thread starter
- #10
You guys are the best. I tilted the dash unit out, but did not really "get it" probably wrenched the tabs.
Love that "modernOEM" dash mod. I would have it, but I just finished another solution to keeping the dash OEM look, but getting better gauges with bigger sweeps.
Out of town , now but will try and post up pics of the overhead console I made
Love that "modernOEM" dash mod. I would have it, but I just finished another solution to keeping the dash OEM look, but getting better gauges with bigger sweeps.
Out of town , now but will try and post up pics of the overhead console I made
Fuel Gauge
Would you have any pictures of the ground tabs on the gauge housing you are describing? My gauge was working until I took the cluster out to repair the odometer. Now the odometer is working 
and the fuel gauge is not. 
Would you have any pictures of the ground tabs
on the gauge housing you are describing? My gauge was working until I took the cluster out to repair the odometer. Now the odometer is working and the fuel gauge is not. 
Certainly double check that you don't have a blown fuse and that you have power going across the fuse block (use a tester to confirm). That said, when I had a similar problem on my 11/72, it was a grounding issue at the sending unit on the fuel tank. If I recall (at least on my year), the ground for these goes back to the sending unit, which in turn goes to a ground just under the fuel tank on the frame. I cleaned these both up and have not had an issue since. Check your wiring diagram to confirm as I don't know how the years differ.
I had the same problem. Took some really fine sandpaper to this contact behind the fuel gauge and it seems to be better. I'm told this is some kind of VR.
https://forum.ih8mud.com/40-55-series-tech/170755-fuel-temp-gauges.html
And since it's almost the same circuit in the 60 series cluster -
https://forum.ih8mud.com/60-series-wagons/27578-temp-sending-unit-2.html
And since it's almost the same circuit in the 60 series cluster -
https://forum.ih8mud.com/60-series-wagons/27578-temp-sending-unit-2.html
1911
chupacabra
Would you have any pictures of the ground tabs
Unfortunately, no. But it's pretty obvious if you remove the gauge housing from the cluster faceplate.
Also forgot to say that while I had mine all apart installing amaurer's new gauges and lighting, I made a ground wire for the tab, using a female spade connector on the tab end and a ring terminal on the other, that went under one of the gauge housing mounting screws. Now there is no chance that the tab by itself can bend or wear and not make contact.
