So I am having some weird gauge issues on my '88 E250. First, I noticed my oil pressure was acting weird. It would read normal, then would drop way down and just barely be in the normal range, then would jump back up and be where it usually runs. I figured it was the sender, so I replaced it. Seemed to fix the issue for about a week. Then it started doing it again.

I had fixed both the fuel senders in my tanks. They work correctly, but every once in a while when the fuel is sloshing around and the tank is pretty full the gauge will peg past full briefly and then come back to normal (pegs when grounded).

This had all been happening independent of each other and then today I was out cruising for quite sometime at about 35mph.thanks to the snow, and all of a sudden my Oil Pressure, Fuel Gauge and Temp Gauge shoot up. Fuel pegs past full, Oil Pressure jumps up to almost the top of the normal range and Coolant Temp jumps to the top of the normal range. I know that at least the coolant temp was wrong since my aftermarket gauge was sitting exactly where it always does. After about 1 minute all the gauges settled back to normal.

This leads me to believe that it is all some kind of grounding issue, but I am not sure where to start looking. I will be installing an aftermarket Oil Pressure gauge to make sure, but I am pretty sure the stock gauge isn't reading right. Any ideas?

Van is an '88 E250 7.3 IDI.

 

First place I'd start looking is behind the cluster itself. Not sure how many or what configuration the wiring harness plugs will be but between those connectors and possibly whatever PCB or similar circuit is part of that years cluster this might be a somewhat easy fix.

I've found those connectors sometimes form corrosion that "grows" on the small contacts until it causes intermittent operation as you describe. Worst case is one or more of the gauges just stops working altogether until that crap is cleaned off.

If that's all it is typical electrical contact cleaner/lubricant like that sold at Radio Shack has been known to work well---most times anyway. I'd use SMALL dabs of muratic acid on a Q-Tip---that's the best method. After its all gone another small dab of dielectric grease would help delay or prevent return of the corrosion in the future.

Hope its nothing more serious than this----those things can be a bear to track down and fix!

 

Thanks for the ideas. I will try and check it today since it can be done sitting in the van. The exterior ground (firewall to block) is gonna wait until it is at least double digits out.....currently 9*.

I hate electrical issues....definitly not one of my areas of expertise.

 

Its 3* here right now, heading all the way to 17*!

I'm trying to run down what's draining my new NAPA battery over night, an older GM beater car, 1984 vintage. Have it mostly narrowed down to the starter solenoid but in this weather it too will wait for another 40* day without snow, ice, wind and lord knows what other pestilence will visit us this winter.

Good thing about my idea is you can indeed do that inside the warmed up van!

Let us know what you discover.