More gauge questions

Dash board ground behind the gauges would be my guess.

It sounds to me like you have a bad ground wire (common occurrence when after-market sound systems are added).
Check the ground wire behind the cluster, making sure it is solidly connected to chassis.

circuitry behind the gauge panel. you will have to pull the dash to see behind there and track the problem down

It sounds like a bad ground. Check the ground circuits to your dash lights as well as check out your tail lights to make sure they are working properly. (The tail lights run on the same circuit as the dash lights, although tey have a separate grounding point.) The gauges are most likely going goofy because the dash and/or tail lights are trying to pull ground through the gauges circuit.

Sounds like the body control module for the light issues,the fuel gauge works off of the fuel pump , sound like maby the wire come loose at the pump . temp gauge make shure after you replaced the intake gasket that you didnt get a wire to the temp sensor pinched or next to something that could have melted the wire,If the wire gets hot and melts it will go to ground and cause alot of the probs your having in the dash, cause the wire will ground out and send signal to the body control module which in return cause all kinds of beeps and lights to malfunction.If there is no short it is the body control mdule has gone bad and if replaced should fix your problem.

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. continue...

ground problem check connections or a fuse

short to ground in wiring harness behind dash

VOLTAGE REGULATOR
Located behind the instrument cluster
It is attached to the rear panel of the cluster.
input from battery is 10Volts, it regulates down to 5Volts
Any higher voltage inputed will overload the capacitors and resistors will burn,
Also check power distribution center, under hood upper motor area in drivers corner, check all relays and fuses.
Before you rip in to the dash check all ground wires, battery to ground, harness grounds, driver/passenger mid fram rail, Fuel sender is also ground to top of gas tank. IF ALL gauges do not work, that just leaves voltage regulator and/or cluster is malfunction,

Behind the dash is what they call a constant voltage regulator. It controls the guages. It's small and located behind the dash near speedo.