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Topic: temp/oil/fuel gauge not working (Read 1421 times) previous topic - next topic

temp/oil/fuel gauge not working

my ignition switch has been bad awhile and had to jiggle it to get the turn signals and heat to work so i figured that when i replaced it that my temp,oil, and fuel guages would work but they are not. anyideas what I need to do next to try and get them to work?

clip for switch had been hot and melted a bit

temp/oil/fuel gauge not working

Reply #1
If these are buttstuffog gauges, it could be a bad IVR.

temp/oil/fuel gauge not working

Reply #2
or a broken resistance wire that leads from the ignition switch and travels up to the cluster.

12v comes in one side and on the other its brought down to about 8vdc

it is a tiny gray wire

temp/oil/fuel gauge not working

Reply #3
This. I had an ignition switch that was brand new but kept getting hot. I have a picture somewhere of it reading high temps and full gas tank. I pulled over and cycled the key and it put temps at normal and gas at 1/4, where it should have been. Once I replaced the ignition switch pigtail it went back to normal. Before that the gas guage would randomly drop or say full. I knew when it was a flase reading because the same thing would happen with temps as well.
Quote from: jcassity
I honestly dont think you could exceed the cost of a new car buy installing new *stock* parts everywhere in your coug our tbird. Its just plain impossible. You could revamp the entire drivetrain/engine/suspenstion and still come out ahead.
Hooligans! 
1988 Crown Vic wagon. 120K California car. Wifes grocery getter. (junked)
1987 Ford Thunderbird LX. 5.0. s.o., sn-95 t-5 and an f-150 clutch. Driven daily and going strong.
1986 cougar.
lilsammywasapunkrocker@yahoo.com

 

temp/oil/fuel gauge not working

Reply #4
I'm having the same issue, did you ever find the cause of your issue?  With my issue, the gauges will sometimes work for a few seconds (long enough for the needle to rise) then they don't work at all.