1966 Custom Cab Gauges
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Senior User
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From: Northern Colorado
1966 Custom Cab Gauges
So I've got a 66 custom cab and just finished up my engine swap of a fully rebuilt 1966 289 
Now, on to the gauges to figure out why nothing works but the 4 way indicator and the alternator light. Anyone here have experience and success at cleaning this stuff up and making it work again? I'm specifically interested in knowing how fast I'm going, if my engine is overheating, and if my oil pressure is bad. A test procedure for the oil and temp sending units would be very helpful (should they be open or closed when under heat/pressure? Ohms etc.) perhaps pictures or a diagram of the speedometer as it should appear. That speedometer arrow just bounces around a whole lot.
Anyhow, that's the gist of it. I plan to give all the connections a good solid cleaning this weekend and just eyeball for issues then check wires for continuity.
Thanks in advance,
Mike
Now, on to the gauges to figure out why nothing works but the 4 way indicator and the alternator light. Anyone here have experience and success at cleaning this stuff up and making it work again? I'm specifically interested in knowing how fast I'm going, if my engine is overheating, and if my oil pressure is bad. A test procedure for the oil and temp sending units would be very helpful (should they be open or closed when under heat/pressure? Ohms etc.) perhaps pictures or a diagram of the speedometer as it should appear. That speedometer arrow just bounces around a whole lot.Anyhow, that's the gist of it. I plan to give all the connections a good solid cleaning this weekend and just eyeball for issues then check wires for continuity.
Thanks in advance,
Mike
Lead Gopher
Joined: Aug 2012
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From: Seattle
On the speedometer head and the needle bouncing. First likely suspect for that is a dirty/slightly binding speedometer cable. What can happen once the core gets sticky is it winds up some and then gets tight enough to release the energy and it spins higher and then settles back lower and again and again. You can remove the cable and pull the core from the cable and give it a good cleaning and lube. You can also do a test like this (without fully removing the speedometer head) to see if it works. Using a known good cable for this test can help eliminate possibilities.
Chad
Chad
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From: Northern Colorado
Tell you what, the cable I have is new, but to long. I bet the extra length/bending is causing it to bind. I'll lube it up and straiten it out of the vehicle then test. If that works... I'll figure out how to shorten it or just get the shorter one for $20 at my Napa. Thanks!
Logistics Pro
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 4,468
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From: Tri Cities, TN
Gauges
So I've got a 66 custom cab and just finished up my engine swap of a fully rebuilt 1966 289 Now, on to the gauges to figure out why nothing works but the 4 way indicator and the alternator light. Anyone here have experience and success at cleaning this stuff up and making it work again? I'm specifically interested in knowing how fast I'm going, if my engine is overheating, and if my oil pressure is bad. A test procedure for the oil and temp sending units would be very helpful (should they be open or closed when under heat/pressure? Ohms etc.) perhaps pictures or a diagram of the speedometer as it should appear. That speedometer arrow just bounces around a whole lot.
Anyhow, that's the gist of it. I plan to give all the connections a good solid cleaning this weekend and just eyeball for issues then check wires for continuity.
Thanks in advance,
Mike
Now, on to the gauges to figure out why nothing works but the 4 way indicator and the alternator light. Anyone here have experience and success at cleaning this stuff up and making it work again? I'm specifically interested in knowing how fast I'm going, if my engine is overheating, and if my oil pressure is bad. A test procedure for the oil and temp sending units would be very helpful (should they be open or closed when under heat/pressure? Ohms etc.) perhaps pictures or a diagram of the speedometer as it should appear. That speedometer arrow just bounces around a whole lot.Anyhow, that's the gist of it. I plan to give all the connections a good solid cleaning this weekend and just eyeball for issues then check wires for continuity.
Thanks in advance,
Mike
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Senior User
Joined: Jun 2018
Posts: 166
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From: Northern Colorado
Crop Duster,
None of them worked before the swap either, including fuel. So you're saying the light for oil pressure should always be on, or at least just at start up?
Thanks,
Mike
None of them worked before the swap either, including fuel. So you're saying the light for oil pressure should always be on, or at least just at start up?
Thanks,
Mike
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From: Northern Colorado
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Lead Gopher
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From: Seattle
See if this link helps. They are available NOS or aftermarket.
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_fro...dkw=OTC+piston
Chad
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_fro...dkw=OTC+piston
Chad
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Logistics Pro
Joined: May 2015
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From: Tri Cities, TN
Sounds like nothing on your dash panel was or is working. It might be a good time to invest in a shop manual and a wiring diagram manual. You can get them from all the re-pop suppliers + E-bay and Amazon.
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From: Northern Colorado
You might be on to something Crop Duster! While we're on the subject of dash boards and gauge clusters... anyone have a picture of the radio or radio options for the 66 F100 Custom Cab? I'm going off to the junkyard this Saturday and the trucks are just about stripped out, but there are plenty in the cars to pick through. I might be able to find a similar if not exact one if I know what I'm looking for. Currently my old boy has a cassette deck in the dash 
Lead Gopher
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 10,051
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From: Seattle
U.S. built trucks only had one radio choice - for 1966 it is the Bendix 6TBT AM Radio. Here's a picture of one here.
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...l#post18192253
They can be found on eBay as well. Here's some examples.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/1968-1971-F...kAAOSwvr1botJ9
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Beautiful-6...EAAOSwOuRZrgOP
https://www.ebay.com/itm/61-66-FORD-...0AAOSwsClblvsg
https://www.ebay.com/itm/61-62-63-64...0AAOSwRQla8g3T
If you see a 13 on the faceplate it is transistor based and if you see a 12 it is tube based, assuming the faceplate has not been swapped. Nothing wrong with the tube based ones but you might want to sway toward a transistor based one since it would be correct for 1966. Radios from 1961 to 1963 or 4 were tube based and then they switched to transistors.
Chad
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...l#post18192253
They can be found on eBay as well. Here's some examples.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/1968-1971-F...kAAOSwvr1botJ9
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Beautiful-6...EAAOSwOuRZrgOP
https://www.ebay.com/itm/61-66-FORD-...0AAOSwsClblvsg
https://www.ebay.com/itm/61-62-63-64...0AAOSwRQla8g3T
If you see a 13 on the faceplate it is transistor based and if you see a 12 it is tube based, assuming the faceplate has not been swapped. Nothing wrong with the tube based ones but you might want to sway toward a transistor based one since it would be correct for 1966. Radios from 1961 to 1963 or 4 were tube based and then they switched to transistors.
Chad
Ford Parts Specialist
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 88,826
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From: Simi Valley, CA
See if this link helps. They are available NOS or aftermarket.
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_fro...dkw=OTC+piston
Chad
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_fro...dkw=OTC+piston
Chad
1957/66 F100/1100; 1961/64 Econoline; 1963/69 N/NT500/1000; 1966/77 Bronco; 1967/69 F800/1000.
1957/66 full sized Ford Passenger Cars; 1958/66 Thunderbird; 1960/65 Falcon/Comet; 1962/65 Fairlane; 1965/66 Mustang.
Chad, take a look-see at this pic...the Ultra VII viewer.
Lead Gopher
Joined: Aug 2012
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From: Seattle
Thanks for that picture!
To the left of the focus **** - it that a 3.5" floppy disk drive? That's a good looking old unit. Very tall/large screen so you can obviously get a better view than my old one.
I bought one like this - used - and it comes with a Dell laptop to use with it. Click on the link for a sample of a brand new one.
Micro-Image Capture 8 20MP USB 3.0 Aperture Card/Fiche Reader-Scanner w/ 7-54X Lens, Fiche/AP Card Carrier, Footswitch & Software. W7/8/10 ready.
Chad
To the left of the focus **** - it that a 3.5" floppy disk drive? That's a good looking old unit. Very tall/large screen so you can obviously get a better view than my old one.
I bought one like this - used - and it comes with a Dell laptop to use with it. Click on the link for a sample of a brand new one.
Micro-Image Capture 8 20MP USB 3.0 Aperture Card/Fiche Reader-Scanner w/ 7-54X Lens, Fiche/AP Card Carrier, Footswitch & Software. W7/8/10 ready.
Chad