Before I install my new interior into my 69 Dart GT convertible I want to get all my dash gauges working. My gas gauge sits on E. Any thoughts how I might go about testing it. There is 5 gallons of gas in the tank. Thanks and Merry Christmas.
Gas guage
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68gtxman
I used to reMember
First, check that the ground strap at the sender is present. A lot of times this is either removed and/or rusted, thereby disabling the signal from reaching the gauge. This strap is to bridge the rubber hose connection at the sender to the metal fuel line to going up front to the pump.
furyus2
Well-Known Member
Temporarily ground the wire that goes to the sending unit. It should read full. Make sure key is on. This will tell if the problem is in the gauge, or the sender. Check the ground strap first as said above.
TrailBeast
AKA Mopars4us on Youtube
X2 on both of the above because they are very easy tests to find out what and where the problem is.
If it has the ground strap from the sender to the steel line, wiggle the heck out of it and see if the gauge works.
If the strap is there and wiggling didn't help then ground the wire that goes to the sender unit and see if the gauge goes to full.
After these tests if it does go to full you have a bad sender unit in the tank.
If it doesn't, then you have a power supply to the gauge problem or a bad gauge.
If it has the ground strap from the sender to the steel line, wiggle the heck out of it and see if the gauge works.
If the strap is there and wiggling didn't help then ground the wire that goes to the sender unit and see if the gauge goes to full.
After these tests if it does go to full you have a bad sender unit in the tank.
If it doesn't, then you have a power supply to the gauge problem or a bad gauge.
I think I tested my gauge itself with a 6v battery. Needle should swing to full I believe with a good gauge
Inertia
Well-Known Member
If grounding the wire at the tank doesn't get any result, there is also a multiplug behind the driver's kick panel, that can develop a poor connection,
check the blue wire (same color as at sender) for connectivity. If using a test lite, the circuit should "pulse", sorta on/off, which is normal. The temp sender should have the same "pulsing" power..
check the blue wire (same color as at sender) for connectivity. If using a test lite, the circuit should "pulse", sorta on/off, which is normal. The temp sender should have the same "pulsing" power..
trad07
Active Member
I am having the same problem. I noticed that if I stick my tester into the blue connecter behind the kick panel and ground the other end of the tester to the body I get a correct reading on the gauge. When I disconnect the tester the gauge drops to 1/4 full. I just finished repairing the printed circuit in the dash. The connector pins all had come loose, so I resoldered them.
67Dart273
Well-Known Member
Guys you cannot "test" a gauge in this manner other than a quick test which, really, shows you no more that "if" it is getting something for power and has 'some' functionality.
UNLESS that is you go through the SYSTEM and make somewhat certain all the elements are "correct" and in good shape, and THEN
Test the system 'end to end.'
1....With the cluster out, inspect, do wiggle and ohmeter tests and repairs
Some of what might be wrong:
Bad connection at the harness connector and or loose connector pins at the mounting point at the PC board
Bad connections at the IVR (voltage limiter) as the brass contact fingers are NOT soldered to the board traces.
Bad connections at the gauge stud nuts. Wiggle the nuts and or replace them
"Coming back out" once again possibility that the sender wire pin is loose on the board at the harness connector
There is always a chance the kick panel connector (fuel) or bulkhead connector (temp and oil if equipped) has a loose or corroded connection
And, there's possibility the wire end for the sender is loose / corroded
2...AFTER you go through all this, you need to attempt to determine if the combination of the gauge and IVR unit is working properly.
In this vein don't forget to improve the cluster ground and to make certain that the cluster unit is actually getting proper "full" battery voltage.
3....NOW finally you are ready to see if the gauge is somewhat accurate. You need proper 12V power and ground to the cluster , and you need test resistors to test gauge accuracy. You can either adjust the fuel sender by hand if you have it out to "set" resistances, or you can drum up test resistors from someplace like Mouser Electronics, Digikey or wherever you can find. Below is the rear of the factory test jig, AND THIS IS COVERED in the shop manuals
This has been written tons of times on here do a search
This thread here has a discussion on PC board repair
http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?t=234045
Photo below shows repairs I made to my IVR socket which was not making contact. The jumper wires soldered in are for extra grounding and to connect 12V because with mine, I abandoned the original board connector
Another thread
http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?t=284908
More info on gauge tester and resistors
http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?t=329012
If you don't have a shop manual, a FACTORY manual, you can download them free from MyMopar
http://www.mymopar.com/index.php?pid=31
UNLESS that is you go through the SYSTEM and make somewhat certain all the elements are "correct" and in good shape, and THEN
Test the system 'end to end.'
1....With the cluster out, inspect, do wiggle and ohmeter tests and repairs
Some of what might be wrong:
Bad connection at the harness connector and or loose connector pins at the mounting point at the PC board
Bad connections at the IVR (voltage limiter) as the brass contact fingers are NOT soldered to the board traces.
Bad connections at the gauge stud nuts. Wiggle the nuts and or replace them
"Coming back out" once again possibility that the sender wire pin is loose on the board at the harness connector
There is always a chance the kick panel connector (fuel) or bulkhead connector (temp and oil if equipped) has a loose or corroded connection
And, there's possibility the wire end for the sender is loose / corroded
2...AFTER you go through all this, you need to attempt to determine if the combination of the gauge and IVR unit is working properly.
In this vein don't forget to improve the cluster ground and to make certain that the cluster unit is actually getting proper "full" battery voltage.
3....NOW finally you are ready to see if the gauge is somewhat accurate. You need proper 12V power and ground to the cluster , and you need test resistors to test gauge accuracy. You can either adjust the fuel sender by hand if you have it out to "set" resistances, or you can drum up test resistors from someplace like Mouser Electronics, Digikey or wherever you can find. Below is the rear of the factory test jig, AND THIS IS COVERED in the shop manuals
This has been written tons of times on here do a search
This thread here has a discussion on PC board repair
http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?t=234045
Photo below shows repairs I made to my IVR socket which was not making contact. The jumper wires soldered in are for extra grounding and to connect 12V because with mine, I abandoned the original board connector
Another thread
http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?t=284908
More info on gauge tester and resistors
http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?t=329012
If you don't have a shop manual, a FACTORY manual, you can download them free from MyMopar
http://www.mymopar.com/index.php?pid=31
68gtxman
I used to reMember
Guys you cannot "test" a gauge in this manner other than a quick test which, really, shows you no more that "if" it is getting something for power and has 'some' functionality.
UNLESS that is you go through the SYSTEM and make somewhat certain all the elements are "correct" and in good shape, and THEN
Test the system 'end to end.'
1....With the cluster out, inspect, do wiggle and ohmeter tests and repairs
Some of what might be wrong:
Bad connection at the harness connector and or loose connector pins at the mounting point at the PC board
Bad connections at the IVR (voltage limiter) as the brass contact fingers are NOT soldered to the board traces.
Bad connections at the gauge stud nuts. Wiggle the nuts and or replace them
"Coming back out" once again possibility that the sender wire pin is loose on the board at the harness connector
There is always a chance the kick panel connector (fuel) or bulkhead connector (temp and oil if equipped) has a loose or corroded connection
And, there's possibility the wire end for the sender is loose / corroded
2...AFTER you go through all this, you need to attempt to determine if the combination of the gauge and IVR unit is working properly.
In this vein don't forget to improve the cluster ground and to make certain that the cluster unit is actually getting proper "full" battery voltage.
3....NOW finally you are ready to see if the gauge is somewhat accurate. You need proper 12V power and ground to the cluster , and you need test resistors to test gauge accuracy. You can either adjust the fuel sender by hand if you have it out to "set" resistances, or you can drum up test resistors from someplace like Mouser Electronics, Digikey or wherever you can find. Below is the rear of the factory test jig, AND THIS IS COVERED in the shop manuals
This has been written tons of times on here do a search
This thread here has a discussion on PC board repair
http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?t=234045
Photo below shows repairs I made to my IVR socket which was not making contact. The jumper wires soldered in are for extra grounding and to connect 12V because with mine, I abandoned the original board connector
Another thread
http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?t=284908
More info on gauge tester and resistors
http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?t=329012
If you don't have a shop manual, a FACTORY manual, you can download them free from MyMopar
http://www.mymopar.com/index.php?pid=31
You sir, covered the issue end to end! :salute:
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