question about gauges themselves
 

Ok after all that I put yall through ( Sorry ) I found that the gauges were bad, The TEMP was maxing out, it was the gauge. The VOLT was not registering, it was the gauge.

Here is my question. Is there a difference between the gauge years. The volt gauge is reading fine, it reads 12 volts easy enough. The TEMP gauge will climb ALMOST to the HOT side and as it idles will drop alittle. I know its not hot because you can feel the engine and the mechanical that was on it didnt read high. I took the gauge out of this 76 tach gauge cluster, would the sender be different between the years. If so I am going to find another gauge, I really dont wanna tear this 76 tach cluster apart.

Also my oil pressure is reading low. Again it didnt on the mechanical gauge and by the way the oil gauge is the electric gauge that was in my cluster. The one in the 76 is mechanical so that would not have worked. Is there a different oil pressure sender I need or could use to get a more accurate reading

Re: question about gauges themselves
 

Sound like either the ground or your sending units are bad. Replace one of them, I would check the ground 1st. If your oil is electric, replace the sending unit they are cheap enough.

I have a 77 cluster in my 84, I wapped the temp gauge from my 84 as it had the temp in degress where the 77 had Cold and Hot.

Re: question about gauges themselves
 

The Volt works fine, The Temp reads to high and the oil reads to low. They are both new senders. I am going to try and find some gauges from 81 or newer and see if that what the problem is

Re: question about gauges themselves
 

>yes!, some use a 3 prong and some use a 2 prong, most 2 prong are ammeters, check with a test light to find what posts are grounds (if any)

>reproduction temp sensors (brass bung) are crap. They dont make them like they used to if u know what I mean. and they will read on a different "spectrum". check needle position on hot idle and take a manual reading, using a gun or good ol thermometer.

Also, temp sensors MUST have an adequate ground for they work using the negative side, in resistance, measured in ohms. Remove, clean all contact areas. Use red hi temp sensor safe goop to seal if it leaks. NOT TEFLON TAPE

>Check all stock lines and connections again.

It sounds to me like the circut board on the back has been damaged. only way to check is to "tear apart the dash" ahah.....

as far as grounds not being adaquite, yea maybe under the hood, in the cab, most likely not. But think oof it this way, if theres one problem, theres bound to be more...

start at the fuse box removing alll fuses and checking for corrosion, and work your way up.

New best friend= a good DIGITAL voltage tester

good luck!:smoke::mm:

Re: question about gauges themselves
 

Ok maybe you just answered it. I used TEFLON tape in the temp sender when I put it in

Re: question about gauges themselves
 

Did you use sealer or tape on the oil pressure sender threads?

Re: question about gauges themselves
 

Yes, both of the senders I did. I cleaned off of the Temp Sender yesterday and no change the gauge still climbs to HOT. I know its not HOT,, I can put my hands on the valve covers and radiator and such. They are warm but nowhere near at OVERHEATING range ( about normal ). The gauge is the one from the TACH cluster from the 76. Im think eather the GAUGE/SENDERS dont match or the gauge is just old.

I am going to pull the oil sender and clean the tape off of those threads and see what happens with the oil gauge reading ( its still the original gauge ). I know its getting oil pressure because when I drove it the other day it was spraying oil from the rear passenger side head area. I think I have that corrected, i dont think the valve cover was tight enough. I pulled the cover, readjusted the rockers while I was there, clean the new rubber gasket, and put it back together. I guess whoever done the work thought the covers tightened the same way as the old style covers ( they wernt very tight ). These are the center bolt valve covers.

ANYWAY, at least they are working now, just gotta get them to read correctly, then I can start working on the interior and get this thing looking good.