Is there a fuse for the fuel guage?
There is not specific FUSE for fuel gauge; check other components.This is so typical. Many gas
gauges don’t work
for simple reasons. In would strongly suggest you read this whole
document before proceeding. You may want to attack this problem in a
different way. Please bear with us. This is a very difficult
thing to write.
Just a note. Our cars are
usually **** pretty
well by the time we get them. Make sure your wiring under the dash is
in good shape. If it’s not, I would suggest you start there. Having
seen some of these chimpanzees at work, you’re liable to find anything
under there. Maybe the problem.
Most people are apprehensive
with auto wiring. It
is really quite simple and you can’t get hurt with it. Just remember
your body is the ground, and the wires carry the voltage. BUT! There
are a few ground wires under the dash too. So be careful when you
splice something.
Here are the components:
Gauge assembly
Sending Unit
Wiring from fuel tank to dashboard.
Dash wiring.
Voltage Limiter (Regulator)
There are FOUR of the most
common problems.
1. Defective Dash
Voltage regulator
(Voltage limiter) or gauge
2.
Lost of a
ground at the sending unit
3.
Break in the
wire going to the dash
4.
On some
Chryslers, the Bulkhead connector on the firewall or connector behind
kick panel.
Less Common
1.
Actual bad Sending Unit
2.
Fuel Gauge defective
Tools needed for the
basics:
Alligator Clip jumper (Make
sure it works)
Test light probe
Radio Shack or equal Multi-meter
If removing the gauge
cluster, you will need a
socket set, a couple of #2 Phillips screw drives and a pair of needle
nose.
Gas Gauge and Temp gauge
doesn’t work. (Reason
#1)
Let’s ask a simple question
here. Does the temp
gauge work too? Both the Temp gauge and the fuel gauge use a voltage
limiter. Given the way these cares were built, it is hard to get too
get to that. But before we dig into this, check the fuse for the
instruments. That fuse feeds the voltage limiter. In time, voltage
limiters tend to go bad. If one burned out, it may have blown the
fuse. Which in a way is a good thing. If the fuse is good and the
temp
and Fuel don’t work, then chances are it’s one of two things. Lost
the
ground or the limiter is bad.
After you are sure the fuse
is good, (Check it
with the Key ON), we can go for the checking for a ground to the
cluster. If your cluster is back lit, and the dash lights work,
chances
are you have a good ground to the dash. If it’s front lit like the
Mopars of the early 70’s, then we need to check the ground. If you
have
any lights on the dash, oil light (Idiot Light) turn signal indicator
and they work, then a ground is established.
If all these things are good,
then you have to go
for the voltage limiter. This is where the fun starts. Depending on
your brail skills, you should be able to at least find it on the back
of
the cluster. If you can’t, then you’ll need to remove the cluster. A
good suggestion here is to make sure you have any other under Dash
tasks on a list ready to be done. I strongly
advise you disconnect the battery while removing the cluster. Once
out,
you can reconnect to finish your test.It looks something like this.
Since you are going this far,
it’s a good idea to
just replace the regulator anyway. They are available from NAPA or
any
decent auto parts store. Most of those chains don’t know anything
about
it unless it’s in the computer. Remember, you are dealing with people
that only need a license to breath in the big chains, Brains weren’t
applied for.
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