@$!#! $ fuel gauge part 2

[diesel4me]

I'd inspect the wire from the sender all the way to the gauge cluster--if I remember right it has a splice or pop apart connector somewhere near the steering colum and it goes into the fuse box and out the other side,up to the dash--it might be corroded in the fuse box area or at the splice area,could be maybe the wire is just gangrene inside..

 

[TommyD11730]

If for nothing else would love to know a little more about this.
With 85 ohms @ the cluster plug IMO I'm GTG all the way back to the sender.

Even when the gauge reads 1/4 I notice from time to time it will move up to full. However it will not stay there for more then a few minutes.
However when the fuel drops below 1/4 of a tank the gauge seems to be reading correctly.

Just more useless FYI.

I'd inspect the wire from the sender all the way to the gauge cluster--if I remember right it has a splice or pop apart connector somewhere near the steering colum and it goes into the fuse box and out the other side,up to the dash--it might be corroded in the fuse box area or at the splice area,could be maybe the wire is just gangrene inside..

 

[diesel4me]

Have you tried smashing the top of the dash with your palm ?..
That seems to get the voltmeter in my pickup to show a charge when its needle was staying below halfway!..been like that for years..

 

[rampage]

Any way for you to connect your meter right at the gauge and see if it still fluctuates when you drive around? That way you’ll be able to pinpoint either the cluster or gauge. It’s sounding like a bad connection somewhere. My guess is a broken trace on the cluster, may need to take a magnifying glass to see a hairline crack in a trace. Easily fixed though.

 

[TommyD11730]

Had the cluster in my hand, while attached to the dash harness. Tapping in different spots got the fuel gauge moving.
Honestly the printed circuit runs for the gauge didn't look too bad. Tested and confirmed continuity from gauge, through board back to where the plug attaches.
So I'm guessing the gauge is probably FUBAR, but with my past repairs on the board, not a bad idea to change it.

Have you tried smashing the top of the dash with your palm ?..
That seems to get the voltmeter in my pickup to show a charge when its needle was staying below halfway!..been like that for years..

 

[rampage]

Have any resistors handy or an electronics store nearby? Hook a few different value resistors up to the gauge (ranging from 10 to 90 ohms) and see how it reads. If you do and don’t know how to test with them let me know.

 

[TommyD11730]

Got boxes of resistors (from playing with LEDs ) but the dash is back togerher. Trucks my daily so I wanted to have it ready 4 tomorrow. Not to mention at one point it was steadyly reading full. Of course that lasted about 5 minutes of driving.
Something of note. My truck is a 84, should the gauge read "unleaded fuel only? It does not. Wonder if the gauge was changed once before, or did 2500''s get a pass on the unleaded only?

Have any resistors handy or an electronics store nearby? Hook a few different value resistors up to the gauge (ranging from 10 to 90 ohms) and see how it reads. If you do and don’t know how to test with them let me know.

 

[TommyD11730]

Well guys it's a gorgeous day in NY, figured I would mess with the truck, 1 more time.
Pulled the bezel then the fuel gauge. I confirmed a correct ohm reading where the gauge stud attached to the cluster. Same goes for the "V" and "ground".

Just for giggle's I took the resistor off the gauge and it too tested within a known good range.

You can see where I'm going with this. Before I condemned the gauge for a bad coil driver I cleaned where the resistor mounts on it.

Reassembled all and.... well you guessed it, the gauge reads correctly now. For how long? Who knows .

 

[rampage]

Sometimes all it takes is a little cleaning to get the electricity flowing. Hope it stays working

 

[TommyD11730]

You and me both. Who knows, maybe I'll repurpose the DS tank (and sender?) for use on the passenger side? Providing the sender tests OK and I can clock it in the tank to face the right way.

 

[tenderfoot]

Sometimes all it takes is a little cleaning, and beating your head against an anvil, to get the electricity flowing. Hope it stays working

 

[rampage]

Thanks for fixing it for me.