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1973 - 1979 F-100 & Larger F-Series Trucks Discuss the Dentsides Ford Truck
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Highboy Gauge Problems

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Old Oct 11, 2014 | 07:20 PM
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77_f250_custom
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Highboy Gauge Problems

Hey fellas. I'm looking for a little help with my 77 f250 gauges. I have temp, gas, battery, and oil pressure on my gauge cluster, but none of them work. My speedometer works (poorly) but as far as I know that should be unrelated. I also have no backlight power, but my blinker indicators light up just fine. When I first bought the truck, I found out the "inst. clust." fuse was gone. bought a new one, plugged it in and....nothing. Any advice/common problems? This is my first dentside, and I've only had it for a month or so...Thanks.
 
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Old Oct 13, 2014 | 08:56 AM
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nobody has any ideas?
 
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Old Oct 13, 2014 | 10:24 AM
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Old connections

Have you taken the cluster out? The technology on those clusters is pretty well obsolete. It has a soft circuit board on the back that sends power and signals to the gauges and the lights. First thing is, check fuses. Always do the easiest thing first. Fuses good? Ok, then take the dash plate off, then take the cluster out. Go easy not to damage the main connection. The speedo will fight you but you'll get it. Now, pull all of the bulbs out and replace. Check the soft circuit board for any obvious damage. Gently clean the plug connector that is still in the dash that connects to the cluster. Check the wires to the connector. This connector makes contact on the outsides of the plug. Wiring good? Plug clean? Bulbs in? Now check your sending units. Water and oil. The senders are on the motor. If none of this works, you may have a bad cluster unit. Ebay has them, maybe someone here has a spare.
 
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Old Oct 13, 2014 | 11:55 AM
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Originally Posted by Beedub109r
1977 F250: Have you taken the cluster out? The technology on those clusters is pretty well obsolete.

It has a soft printed circuit board on the back that sends power and signals to the gauges and the lights.
1976/79 F100/350, Bronco & Econoline: THREE different printed circuit boards, I wouldn't consider any of them soft.

The printed circuit board could be problematic, but the usual problem is: 1975/79 F100/350 - 1975/80 Econoline - 1978/79 Bronco:

The instrument cluster backs were made from a composition material that can TURN TO DUST before your very eyes!

1981: FoMoCo came out with hard plastic cluster backs for Econolines, these were also the 'service part replacements' for the POS cluster backs.

E1PZ-10848-A .. Hard Plastic Cluster Back-Use with Oil & Amp GAUGES / Obsolete

1981/91 Econoiine / Retrofit: 1975/79 F100/350 - 1975/80 Econoline - 1978/79 Bronco.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
E1PZ-10848-B .. Hard Plastic Cluster Back-Use with Oil & Amp WARNING LAMPS / Obsolete

1981/86 Econoline / Retrofit: 1975/79 F100/350 - 1975/80 Econoline - 1978/79 Bronco.

CARPENTER NOS OBSOLETE PARTS has dozens of each of these cluster backs: 800-476-9653.
================================================== =====
D6TZ-10K843-B .. Printed Circuit Board-Use with Oil & Amp GAUGES / Marked: D6TF-10C956-BA / Obsolete

1976/79 F100/350 - 1975/91 Econoline - 1978/79 Bronco.

HAVEN FORD in Haven KS has 1 = 620-465-2252.

WESLEY OBSOLETE PARTS in Liberty KY has 1 = 606-787-5293.

TISON MOTOR CO. in Estill SC has 1 = 803-625-2551.

NOS PARTS LTD in Waxahachie TX has 2 = 972-937-2201.
------------------------------------------------------------------
D6TZ-10K843-C .. Printed Circuit Board-Use with Oil & Amp WARNING LAMPS / Marked: D6TF-10C956-CA / Obsolete

1976/78 F100/350 & Econoline - 1978 Bronco.

No Ford dealer or obsolete parts vendor has any.
-------------------------------------------------------
D9TZ-10K843-A .. Printed Circuit Board-Use with Oil & Amp WARNING LAMPS / Marked: D9TF-10C956-AA / Obsolete

1979 F100/350 & Bronco - 1979/86 Econoline.

GREEN SALES CO. in Cincinnati OH has 2 = 800-543-4959.
 
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Old Oct 13, 2014 | 05:54 PM
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thanks for the reply's fellas. fuses are good, and I have a backup cluster that i found at the bone yard that is probably one of the replacement ones because it hasn't disintegrated. I feel like that has to be the cause of it, because it is hard to believe 4 bulbs and 4 sending units would all have failed.
 
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