Instrument cluster

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Aug 6, 2014 | 09:06 AM

padremark

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Instrument cluster

I have a 1997 Ford Expedition, 5.4. My research indicates that fuses 2. 19. 29 are associated with the instrument cluster (IC), could you identify their specific function in relation to the IC? My IC gauge lights are not showing and my alternator is not consistently charging. The blinkers, battery, oil, brake, and ABS indicator lights are showing in start. Regarding the alternator, my research indicates that a failing alt light on the IC may cause the no charging condition? As a note, I have a brand new battery, brand new alternator, brand new 3 pin wiring harness. Also, when the alternator is not charging and I connect the a jumper from the exciter wire directly to the pos battery terminal, the charging starts. Thanks in advance for your help. Padremark
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Last edited by padremark; Aug 6, 2014 at 09:08 AM. Reason: misspelling

Aug 6, 2014 | 11:23 PM

Dr. Dirt

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From: Goliad, Texas

Quote:

Originally Posted by padremark

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have you checked resistance on the wire going from the alternator to the battery?

Aug 7, 2014 | 06:01 AM

projectSHO89

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From: St Louis

F2 supplies an ALWAYS HOT power feed to the cluster.

F29 provides power to a number of the indicator bulbs in the cluster.

Instrument panel illumination comes from the headlight switch assembly via F18.

Quote:

exciter wire

Which wire are you referring to?

Fuse F19 is the one that is needed to enable the portion of the charge circuit that's goes through the cluster. F19 should be HOT in START or RUN. Power goes from the ignition switch to F19, then the CHARGE bulb in the cluster, then to the alternator via the Light Green/Red wire at the alternator. You should be able to read battery voltage at that wire when the ignition switch is in the RUN position. There is an additional fuse in the cabling that should connect the Orange/Light Blue wire at the alternator to an ALWAYS HOT circuit at the megafuse.

Check those two points for voltage to see which circuit is not complete.

Aug 8, 2014 | 12:04 PM

padremark

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I have now due to your question. Continuity is clean from every wire associated with the alternator in the engine compartment. I have also checked continuity from the altenator "I" contact to the fuse panel, fuse #19, and it is clean also. I am not sure how to check contintuity from that point on thru the cluster and to the ignition switch.

Aug 8, 2014 | 12:24 PM

padremark

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Info and Exciter wire

Thanks for your info, it will allow me to troubleshoot a bit further. By exciter wire, I am referring the the wire from the "I" terminal on the alternator to the ignition switch. I have good continuity from the terminal to the fuse panel, fuse #19. I don't know how to test continuity from fuse #19 to the cluster nor to the ignition switch. Also, when the charging is not occurring, I can briefly jumper from this exciter wire, connector on firewall, directly to the battery+ and the charging will immediately occur. And it will continue to charge, even if I turn the engine off, until I let the car set for a couple few hours. This would seem to indicate that the problem is somewhere inside the dashboard. I need to figure out the circuit that includes the headlight switch, cluster, and ignition switch.

Last edited by padremark; Aug 8, 2014 at 12:49 PM. Reason: erroneous quote

Aug 8, 2014 | 12:30 PM

padremark

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I have read your response more carefully and see that you gave me the answer to my question already. If the charge bulb is not working then the alternator won't charge, correct? The battery light shows when the battery is not being charged. Is the battery light the same as the "charge bulb" you mention? Thanks for your responses!

Last edited by padremark; Aug 8, 2014 at 12:31 PM. Reason: grammar error

Aug 8, 2014 | 01:39 PM

projectSHO89

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From: St Louis

Quote:

Is the battery light the same as the "charge bulb" you mention?

Yes. Does the bulb come on during initial key-on testing?

Forget the continuity measurements for a bit, make voltage measurements as follows:

Engine off, key off - Terminal A
Engine off, key in RUN - Terminal I
Engine running - Terminals A, I, S, and the output cable.

Report those readings.

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Aug 12, 2014 | 05:15 PM

projectSHO89

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From: St Louis

Next time, tell us when you were screwing around in there before the problem happened.... You wasted a lot of time by not disclosing that initially.

Aug 13, 2014 | 07:34 PM

#10

padremark

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Response to chastisement

Frankly, I gave you all the info you needed to determine that the failed instrument cluster illumination lights/f18 circuit was the culprit in my very first post. So, whereas I am EXTREMELY thankful for your expertise, if you had been more careful in reading my first post, you would have easily identified the problem and not "wasted a lot of time."<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w

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