instrument cluster help
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instrument cluster help
hi, i have a 1995 ford ranger with a 2.3l and a 5 speed manual transmission. my problem is the temp guage and fuel gauge do not read correct. the temp gauge always reads in the middle it will move up to hot but will not move down to cold even when its left over night. the fuel gauge reads one line before empty when the truck is off, and when i turn the truck on it reads empty. the truck has 15 gallons of gas in it. i bought the truck at the local police auction so i have no history on it other then its been wrecked in the front. i already replace the coolant sensor for the guage.
thanks
mike
thanks
mike
Post Fiend
Joined: Jul 2005
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From: Durant, OK (SOSU)
Sounds like the senders indeed. Are you sure you replaced the correct coolant sender? There is one for the ECU (engine control unit) and one for the gauge.
The fuel sender is an integral part of the fuel pump. You can either drop the tank or remove the bed to get to the pump, though removing the bed is commonly known as the easier of the two options.
RP
Zach
The fuel sender is an integral part of the fuel pump. You can either drop the tank or remove the bed to get to the pump, though removing the bed is commonly known as the easier of the two options.
RP
Zach
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i replaced the one on side of the head under the intake.thats the correct one right?. so i need to buy a new fuel pump in order to get the guage to work?. could it be the cluster is mess up?. i dont feel like buying a fuel pump and thats not the problem.
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It allmost sounds like a bad ground, but thats sorta uncomon these days. There will be some more of our folks comming along with ideas shorty, Cowboy Billy has good input on such matters, or Bob Ayres, he's a whiz as well.
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From: Durham, NC
No, I seriously doubt that you lost 2 sensors at the same time! It sounds like the temp and fuel gauge have lost power. Have you checked your fuses? If they are ok, then the PCB in the instrument cluster could have a break. There are some instrument clusters that have a voltage regulator for the temp & fuel gauge, and that could cause both gauges to be bad.
Last edited by Bob Ayers; Jul 16, 2006 at 06:54 AM.
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Originally Posted by Bob Ayers
No, I seriously doubt that you lost 2 sensors at the same time! It sounds like the temp and fuel gauge have lost power. Have you checked your fuses? If they are ok, then the PCB in the instrument cluster could have a break. There are some instrument clusters that have a voltage regulator for the temp & fuel gauge, and that could cause both gauges to be bad.
do you know where the voltage regulator is at? they have a instrument cluster on ebay i may just end up buying i need to get this thing fixed. do you think its the fuse the temp guage reads in the middle even when cold then it will move up but not back to cold.
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From: Durham, NC
Originally Posted by michaelm78
do you know where the voltage regulator is at? they have a instrument cluster on ebay i may just end up buying i need to get this thing fixed. do you think its the fuse the temp guage reads in the middle even when cold then it will move up but not back to cold.
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i replace the voltage reg with a used one. and the temp gauge will only move up from the middle and does not return to cold. the fuel guage reads a quater of a tank with the truck turned off and then when i start the truck it reads empty. i also bought a guage cluster off ebay and it starts to beep, the fuel guage wont work the oil press does not read. do you think its just both bad clusters?.
i'm about ready to crush this truck.
i'm about ready to crush this truck.
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From: SoCal
The factory wiring diagrams for my 87 Ranger & 95 Taurus both show the SINGLE wire to the temp gauge sending unit is red/white stripe, yours is probably the same.
If you remove that wire from the sender/shove a nail in it/ground it beside the sender/turn key to run does the gauge show full hot?
If you remove that wire from the sender/shove a nail in it/ground it beside the sender/turn key to run does the gauge show full hot?
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From: SoCal
Yeah. i would'nt want you to smoke anything either, so lets go with plan B
Take a look at the back of the engine, there should be a wire that connects the cylinder head to the firewall.
Thats the common ground wire for the temp sender & oil sender.
If it's broken, missing, or loose at one end the gauges wont work.
If yours is the same as my 87 it will be a flat wire mesh wire bolted to the firewall next to the wiper motor. So look in that area first.
Take a look at the back of the engine, there should be a wire that connects the cylinder head to the firewall.
Thats the common ground wire for the temp sender & oil sender.
If it's broken, missing, or loose at one end the gauges wont work.
If yours is the same as my 87 it will be a flat wire mesh wire bolted to the firewall next to the wiper motor. So look in that area first.