Post by Nacho-RT74 on Sept 21, 2008 17:09:29 GMT -5
Hi... here are some step procedures about how to check some problems about gauges. I think Brock will be able to chime in in some steps better than me.
If you have gauges on bench, just need to get a 5 volts source ( DC ) or 9 volts batt and fee directly the gauges studs and check for needle movement. 5 volts is safer since is the max voltage they resist and will get full reading, however if you don't have a 5 volts source, the 9 volts batt will work perfect to check for gauge function, BUT just feed the gauge for about 2 or 3 seconds... more will be dangerous and able to burn the gauge coil inside.
If you have the gauges still on car and don't want to remove the cluster yet, FIRST need to check if sender is sending the negative signal or "ground". To check that you can easilyy unplug the sender wire and ground it directly to chassis, and check for needle response. Should get to top of reading scale.
If still gauge is not working, don't be scare yet, yes there is a chance that sender gone bad but also it could be simply a wire or terminal around broken, rusted, damaged. etc... Next point to check is a plug located around spare wheel on trunk floor.
For fuel wire check, remove driver side kick panel, and search for the "waffle" kind plug. Is a 6 way plug. Unplugg it and ground the blue wire on the section coming from dash. Needle should move. If does move then the problem is on wiring from there to rear. If not, then there is a chance than gauge got damaged, but also simply a loosen conection on back of cluster.
On standart cluster is VERY TIPICAL at least in my experience than printed circuit board pins got loosen from circuit board somehow. Sometimes mooving the master conection get reading again. If so, then cluster need to be removed to repair the circuit prited board pin.
On rallye custler, gauge studs could get the plugs conection loosen. Different than standart cluster every gauge does have its own plug to both, positive and negative sources. Positive source is a black spliced wire coming directly from voltage limiter and feeding all the 3 gauges around. Then every gauge gets a separate wire from each sender... fuel signal as stated is a blue wire. That wire can be unpluged AND ground that stud. That will be a direct test eliminating every wire around ( but the positive one ).
On standart cluster, studs are pressent too tightening agiants circuit board and you can check for a working gauge on the same way than the bench test, with key off
Another point to check before get the conclusion about sender damaged is be sure sender is being properlly grounded. For fuel sender, check if ground strap is present and tight... if not, search for the way to ground the sender
If you have gauges on bench, just need to get a 5 volts source ( DC ) or 9 volts batt and fee directly the gauges studs and check for needle movement. 5 volts is safer since is the max voltage they resist and will get full reading, however if you don't have a 5 volts source, the 9 volts batt will work perfect to check for gauge function, BUT just feed the gauge for about 2 or 3 seconds... more will be dangerous and able to burn the gauge coil inside.
If you have the gauges still on car and don't want to remove the cluster yet, FIRST need to check if sender is sending the negative signal or "ground". To check that you can easilyy unplug the sender wire and ground it directly to chassis, and check for needle response. Should get to top of reading scale.
If still gauge is not working, don't be scare yet, yes there is a chance that sender gone bad but also it could be simply a wire or terminal around broken, rusted, damaged. etc... Next point to check is a plug located around spare wheel on trunk floor.
For fuel wire check, remove driver side kick panel, and search for the "waffle" kind plug. Is a 6 way plug. Unplugg it and ground the blue wire on the section coming from dash. Needle should move. If does move then the problem is on wiring from there to rear. If not, then there is a chance than gauge got damaged, but also simply a loosen conection on back of cluster.
On standart cluster is VERY TIPICAL at least in my experience than printed circuit board pins got loosen from circuit board somehow. Sometimes mooving the master conection get reading again. If so, then cluster need to be removed to repair the circuit prited board pin.
On rallye custler, gauge studs could get the plugs conection loosen. Different than standart cluster every gauge does have its own plug to both, positive and negative sources. Positive source is a black spliced wire coming directly from voltage limiter and feeding all the 3 gauges around. Then every gauge gets a separate wire from each sender... fuel signal as stated is a blue wire. That wire can be unpluged AND ground that stud. That will be a direct test eliminating every wire around ( but the positive one ).
On standart cluster, studs are pressent too tightening agiants circuit board and you can check for a working gauge on the same way than the bench test, with key off
Another point to check before get the conclusion about sender damaged is be sure sender is being properlly grounded. For fuel sender, check if ground strap is present and tight... if not, search for the way to ground the sender