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dash gauges stop working because fuse pops

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klowninc89

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Ok I don't know what the problem is. But my gauge/idle fuse keeps blowing I have no idea what it is, but what I do know is I can drive it because damn fuse keeps blowing. What does this mean and what does the gauge/idle fuse do? It does not stop the truck from running and idles fine. The dash lights work but the gauges stop, all of them. Its a 1990 k5 blazer 4x4 700r4 4x4 with 350. Not sure what the deal is. Please help me I love my truck but I don't know what to do. Thanks Matt
 
I was fighting this exact issue with mine on our move from Arizona to Indiana, i believe i have figured out what is causing the fuse to pop, i would get under the hood and wiggle the wiring harness around and it would always cure the issue for awhile when i messed with the smaller harness feeding or getting readings from the oil pressure switch.

You mention it doesn't affect the way the engine runs, i'm willing to bet it does, it's just running off the battery though (for awhile ;P)

i thought i could drive when it first blew the fuse, but then realized i wasn't getting a charge from the alternator, as it wasn't getting feedback (trigger) from the gauge, to keep the battery maintained, so i HAD to find out what was causing it.

Check the harness under the hood for chaffed wires, and especially those ones going to the oil pressure switch.
 
Where are the oil pressure switch on these trucks? And it seems to be charging. I've never had to jump it in the 5 years I've owned it. So I don't know.
 
K well how does this unit blow my fuse for gauges? And is this thing in a bad spot to change? I don't understand, has anyone else had this messed up problem or just us?
 
klowninc89 said:
K well how does this unit blow my fuse for gauges? And is this thing in a bad spot to change? I don't understand, has anyone else had this messed up problem or just us?
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I'm guessing with mine, i have some of the wires that may be exposed and shorting out, and since it's feeding a signal to the oil pressure gauge, when it shorts out, it pops the the gauge fuse.
 
Ok I will try and check that.....is it hard to change? Damn I hate **** like this.....its so hard to find. I tried to pull the cluster to change bulbs but damn thing will not come out with all screws out, and I don't want to break it. So if I can't find the problem could a shop find it?
 
O one more thing I put a starter in from unknown chevy 350 its a delco remy looked just like the one that was in it could this be the problem???? Starter works fine like a new one. I'm just confused.
 
If you're asking about changing out the pressure sending unit, i don't think it's actually that sender, but the wiring coming from it, this is of course just a guess from my personal experiance with this same issue, although i have not had this problem now since i have been here, for the past 2.5 months.

Mine started right after i swapped out the motor and trans before my trip here, this is why i "assume" it to be a shorting wire of some sort, as it seemd also to only pop the fuse when big enough bumps or enough of them were hit to jar the wires around enough.

I just haven't had the time myself recently to crawl under the hood and locate the problem exactly.
 
klowninc89 said:
O one more thing I put a starter in from unknown chevy 350 its a delco remy looked just like the one that was in it could this be the problem???? Starter works fine like a new one. I'm just confused.
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no, not for the fuse issue you're having.
 
Dude wow I can't even see the unit.....is it between the firewall and engine? Well I also have a wire coming from the coil that has a snaping clip on it that goes to know where....its whiteish and only is like 3 inches long have no clue what its for. But truck run without it not sure if its just a unused on or not. Any ideas what that is?
 
If you can reach the fuel gauge sending unit wire, on top of the fuel tank, and unplug it, then put a new fuse in, and see if this stops the fuse from blowing. Bad fuel gauge sending units, and or an exposed, grounded out wire on top of the fuel tank (especially with fuel injection), have been problem areas on Chevy trucks for years.

 
wow so the sending units can mess it up...humm gass gauge does at a little funk sometimes i started it at work said half tank while cruising down the road at 55 it said almost empty....sounds like maybe tank unit?
 
the only thing i have done is put a starter on. put off road lights on but none are connected to that circuit so idk what to do at this point. i put a new fuel tank in and fuel pump but i did not put new sending unit in and it did not look the best but still worked so i just put it back in and was fine and just now stared to act funny with fuel level..im just confused at this point.
 
It sounds like you have wire shorting/grounding out and your going to have to do the PITA of checking every wire tied to that circuit. I have had some luck finding bad wires by using a Volt Ohm meter. I would check the ohm at each end of the wire, once I got a base line I would recheck that wire with the ohm again while pulling/shaking the wire (not to hard not to soft). If the numbers are changing on the ohm meter while doing this that wire is usually bad.
 
K well I looked at ground from fuel sending unit it was good no breaks....also unpluged fuel pump/sending unit and still pops....everytime I turn the key just to light up the dash it pops soon as the key turns on acc but the truck with still fire and run as normal. And I can't even see the oil pump/fuel shutoff sensor. What the next step guys? I'm down and out at this point. PLEASE HELP..............
 
I had this problem when I first bought my suburban, same fuse. It would keep blowing that fuse and I would lose all my gauges, and worse than that, my glow plugs run off that fuse too. What I ended up doing was buying one of those little resetting circuit breakers that will plug into the spot for that fuse. It will pop just like the fuse, then automatically reset itself. Then have someone start the vehicle and watch for smoking wires. Not the safest way to do it depending on where the problem is, but it worked for me. It ended up being the wires for a temp sender i didn't know was there and I would have never found it otherwise. If you go this route, make sure you got at least one extra set of eyes helping you out and be careful! An electrical fire would definitely make things worse!
 
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