Help me test my gauge UPDATE Gauge is working

[chulisohombre]

Sounds like you guys got it mostly figured out. You spun like either the wiring from the firewall to gauge or firewall to sender is bad if you made the gauge
Move. A wiring diagram would help. I had a problem where my engine harnes went through the firewall and took it apart from there and cleaned the connector from both sides. I also had to replace my printed circuit as mine was burnt by the previous owner. Test between all wire connections
To find the brake in the wire. Since the sender wire is so close to the exhaust they get burnt pretty easy if they are not roughted away from heat.

 

[k5ryder]

Help me test my gauge

I have continuity from the back of the instrument panel (circuit board looking thing) to the end of the temp sending unit wire.

 

[k5ryder]

I'm thinking my gauge is bad. I know I said I made it move when it was connected to 12v but I think I had my connections backwards. I checked the gauge again to 12v connecting the gauge to the correct positive and negative and got no movement.

 

[dyeager535]

In your case I'd hook up the +/- jumper wires to the gauge, and test voltage/ground with the meter on the studs on the gauge, away from the wires jumpered to those studs. Just to make absolutely certain your wires are making good contact.

If the gauge has a good ground, and 12V (make sure key is on, don't forget...I do), then yes, it should peg one direction. It will take a couple of seconds, but not long. If it doesn't move, gauge is bad. If it fails here, it's not a bad idea to grab the jumper wires on the studs, and clamp/twist them on the studs with your fingers while watching the gauges action, just to make certain the contact with the jumpers to the stud is solid.

I've yet to see an actual failed gauge myself (outside of the mechanical speedometer), but doesn't mean you don't have one. Sounds like you are testing it exactly as it needs to be tested, and it's not responding properly, you just want to make absolutely sure your testing is valid.

 

[k5ryder]

Will do. If I remember correctly the first night I had that borrowed multimeter I tried testing continuity from the 3rd clip to the sending unit wire an I got nothing, remember? Maybe my connection at the instrument panel was loose and I fixed I without thinking of it.

 

[k5ryder]

My new multimeter has a thermometer on it so I thought i'd put it to use. I pulled the radiator cap off stuck the thermometer in the radiator and started the blazer. I let it run for 10 minutes and it only reached 135 degrees. So I went to the auto parts and picked up a thermostat and gasket and I will put it on soon.

 

[k5ryder]

Update gauge working

UPDATE GAUGE NOW WORKING!!!!!!

dyeager535, I don't know where to start. You've taught me more this week then I ever could have thought of. And you made me buy some really cool tools. Thank you sir.

If you've read through the thread you've seen my problems. Today I installed a new thermostat and let the blazer run for a while. The gauge finally started to move. I'm wondering if I would have let it run longer last night if the gauge would have moved but idk. The conclusion that I've come to about my gauge not working was either (A) Loose/disconnected Instrument Panel or (B) a new thermostat.

 

[dyeager535]

Cool! Not much more satisfying than fixing something yourself. Glad I could hopefully get you started on a path of being able to fix far more than you ever thought of. Multimeter IMO is a necessity as a vehicle tool. But no reason you can't use it in the house or any other electrical project you come up with either.

You've now got experience with the "did I really fix the cluster?" syndrome.

I got fed up enough with mine that I went to this extent: http://coloradok5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=304941

While probably excessive by most anyone's standards, if you want to keep the stock gauges, but start despising the random bulb flickering/gauge inaccuracy/failure, that is my solution.