Help Identify Wires...Maybe solve fuel gauge problems

[5150]

Trying to trace all the wires that maybe have to do with my fuel gauge not working and my dash lights not working before I buy a new dash harness. I thought maybe the wire to the sending unit might be broken so I pulled up the carpet and noticed the cut wires.

Can anybody tell me what they "used" to go to? I followed them up the fuse box.

I'm going to fix my fuel gauge and dash lights problem on my two days off or I'm going to sell this damn truck!!!!!!

[shifty]

My sender wire is brown. I would test those lines on both ends using a multimeter - test for ohms/amperage. Anything from 0-90 ohms would indicate it's the fuel sending unit, I think. The closer to a half a tank you go, the closer to 45 it will be. You get the idea.

[Putter]

The orange and white wires go to the interior dome light....or USED to anyway.

[5150]

Okay that's what I thought. This would explain why my dome light didn't work when it came back from the body shop. Don't really care if I have one or not and it looks like it might be a little difficult to hook it back up.

GREAT NEWS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

GOT MY FUEL GAUGE TO WORK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Next problem is the dash lights. It seems that if I play with the plug and pull it out a little and angle it they come on and off. I can't get it to consistently to stay on. If you look at the diagram below the number 12 slot controls the dash lights and the Heater Control Lamp. QUESTION-Would it make a difference it some idiot cut the Heater Control Lamp plug and the wire is just lying there?

Thanks for all you guys help.

[boundstaffpress]

Having a cut heater lamp wire shouldn't matter to anything but the heater control. If that same idiot cut lots of other wires then there would be a problem.

click on my signature for a color wiring diagram. It may help you trace wires.

[67ChevyRedneck]

I would say either the wires have a short in them where they plug into the back of the dash, or your green circuit board is bad. Could be something else. But those are my guesses.

[71chevytruckguy]

could be a bad printed circle. i've got the same problem when i swichted my truck from idiot lgiht to gauges. took all the bulb out and they were all good, plugged another dash i have that goin on my show truck and it worked. so the only that that coudl be bad would be the printed circle. i've jsut got to find another one of those.

[Longhorn Man]

If the dash lights turn on when you pull the headlight knob at an angle or when you wiggle it around... replace the headlamp switch.

[5150]

Andy, it's not the headlamp switch I'm jiggling. It's the plug on the back of the gauge where it plugs in. All of my lights come on and then all of them go off. I don't think it's a bulb problem.

[MDC]

The diagram of the cluster connector you have is for idiot lights. If you have gauges the connector is pinned differently. If you have gauges #1 and #12 are for the ammeter. The gray wire for the lamps will be on #8 IIRC. If you need to know the pin out for gauges, PM me and I will get it. Thought I had a pic saved but can't find it right now

[5150]

I have the 3 hole bezel.

[MDC]

You should be good to go with that pic then. I just finished rebuilding my dash and engine harnesses and someone provided that info to me. Just started mine tonight for the first time in a month.

[LUV2XCLR8]

Man oh man have you had some fun putting this thing back together,
I'll bet your on the outer edge of going insane, I feel for ya Brian

[5150]

I guess this thread isn't about those pics anymore since I don't care about the dome light. It's kind of changed toward the dash lights which is my problem now.

So is it pretty much a universal suggestion to change the printed circuit?

[70c10]

I would inspect it first.

[yank]

I'm having a similar problem with my dash also. everything works fine until I turn the lights on, then the gas gauge goes to empty, the left turn tight comes on, a couple of dash lights work when the low beams are on, no dash lights with high beams except the left blinker is on and the high beam light is on when the low beams are on . I've check all the bulbs, the printed circuit isn't in the best shape. I'll be building an ammeter dash later so I'm not wanting to buy a new printed circuit for my idiot light dash.

[5150]

Here's my printed circuit. As you can tell it's broken where it goes around the fuel gauge. The circle up top shows where the plug connects and that this where the pink wire(hot wire) goes. If you follow that down around it eventually leads to the broken spot.

I'm hoping replacing this will fix my dash lights.

[2500HD]

I have the exact problem as yank. Everything works until I turn the lights on then the fuel guage goes to empty and the dash lights do not work. The blinker lights work if the turn signal on.

Any ideas?

[yank]

???

[boundstaffpress]

That looks like a ground. Why not make a jump wire? I would assume, but am not sure, that a ground doesn't have to be a certain gauge of wire. Just a place for the electricity to make a circuit. You know where it connects, run a wire from the back of the gauge to the wire that comes into the printed circuit.

I always thought printed circuits were just a way to save space and reduce wire confusion. They should be able to be replaced with wires.

[yank]

Found my problem tonight. It was a ground wire. 2500HD look for a black ground wire that has a clip on the end of it. Mine was over by the ignition switch and the wiper motor. Clipped it onto the speaker bracket and Taaa Daaa everything works.

[2500HD]

yank, where does the groung wire come from?? the back of the guage cluster??

[5150]

Follow the black wire off the plug and it will have a U-Clip at the end of it.

[Longhorn Man]

I was about to say the lights and fuel guage is a classic ground issue, if your clip deal is missing...which is common, just make a ground fromt eh inst panel to the dash.