Changed gauges, now no power

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64physhy

64physhy

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I made a custom cluster of Autometer Gauges for my duster, and now there's no power to anything. The volt meter is hooked up, so it's not that. I really haven't looked too deep into it, been busy and lazy. Any ideas?
 
Power used to pass from the alternator, into the cabin, through the amp gauge (where 12volt power is spliced off) and back out the cabin to the starter relay where it provided charging to the battery. If you break the loop, then you are losing your 12 volt power source. The ideal with removing the amp gauge is to connect the two wires (red and black) that ran to the amp gauge originally. After connecting those, they are now you constant 12 volt source. A splice comes off of that for the fuse panel, keyed sources, etc.

If you have already done that and you still don't have power, check the fuseable link. You may have accidently shorted it out.
 
rob_robinson87 said:
Power used to pass from the alternator, into the cabin, through the amp gauge (where 12volt power is spliced off) and back out the cabin to the starter relay where it provided charging to the battery. If you break the loop, then you are losing your 12 volt power source. The ideal with removing the amp gauge is to connect the two wires (red and black) that ran to the amp gauge originally. After connecting those, they are now you constant 12 volt source. A splice comes off of that for the fuse panel, keyed sources, etc.

If you have already done that and you still don't have power, check the fuseable link. You may have accidently shorted it out.
Click to expand...

The gauge is hooked up. I knew from prior experience that it would have no power without that hooked up.

I just thought of something...I don't think I hooked up the ground for the gauges, but IIRC, the Amp gauge doesn't get grounded, just gets the wires from the alt.
 
a volt meter cant use the same 2 wires that a amp gauge uses. check the fusible link at the firewall.
 
RedFish said:
a volt meter cant use the same 2 wires that a amp gauge uses. check the fusible link at the firewall.
Click to expand...

Then that's probably my problem. I hooked it up the same as the stock Alt gauge. How should it be hooked up then?
 
The original black and red wires should be lugged together.
A volt meter gets a 12 volt signal only when the switch is on.You should find a dark blue with white tracer at your ignition switch. That's the one to tap for the volt gauge.
A ground wire to be added for the volt gauge too.
 
Thanks!! I'll check it out tomorrow (if I can move my legs). Do you think I screwed anything up, like the gauge?
 
Let me make sure I have this straight: Connect the Black and red wires together, run the blue wire with white tracer to the gage, and the other lug on the gage is grounded. right?
 
Yep. You'll add a piece of wire from that blue with white . Don't cut it out of the switch LOL
 
Is it the thick blue wire that's between the thick black one and thick gray one that are in the connector along the steering column, or is it the smaller blue one that was in the plug that plugs into the back of the stock instrument cluster?
 
They are both the same. The large blue wire has a welded splice hidden in the harness. That's where the inst' panel wire comes from.
 
Ok, got that worked out, but now have another problem. The oil gauge seems to be reading high, but it's mechanical, so I don't see how that's possible. The gas gauge is pegged out at full, and the temp gauge shows close to 200 when the key is turned on. Should I have a voltage regulator or reducer or something?
 
Sounds like your gauges are grounding out, the custom autometer gauges did they replace your originals?
And yes there is a voltage limiter on the back of your gauge cluster but as I said are you useing your cluster gauges?
I did a custom Autometer dash in a 73 Runner, but all the gauges were mechanical and not powered by the dash harness.
AL
 
Ok, got it sorted out. Combination of problems; 1.) Ground wire to Volt Meter was on the wrong terminal, 2) Wire to fuel gauge came out of connector, and 3) Had the wrong sending unit in for the temp gauge, so it was reading way high. It's good now.

Only problem is that I got a GM Fuel Gauge. I was thinking that the guy I got the sending unit from said that it was 0-90 ohms so it would work with more gauges. Guess I remember wrong or he was blowing smoke up my a$$.
 
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