Having some dash cluster issues - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

justtime520 · 03-13-2009, 02:29 PM

Ok so i pulled the dash cluster and found these two random wires on the fuel gauge side, can any one tell what they are for and were they go thanks one wire is white and is and the other is black none of these wires are attached to any thing. 71 chevy c10

**michael bustamante** · 03-13-2009, 02:34 PM

is there anything attatched to the black wire like a metal clip of plug in of some sort?

67chevemall · 03-13-2009, 02:38 PM

pic?

justtime520 · 03-13-2009, 02:38 PM

No its just got blue tape on it, i have pictures but i cant get them to format

justtime520 · 03-13-2009, 02:39 PM

And the white wire is soldered in about an inch away from the black one

justtime520 · 03-13-2009, 03:12 PM

here are some pics

monte0185 · 03-13-2009, 03:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by justtime520

here are some pics

The White is a power wire to something and the black is a ground. THey are not factory. Looks like something someone rigged up to light something. The power wire is running off of the dash light circuit. In other words when you pull the light switch on it turns something else on. Id just get rid of it.

justtime520 · 03-13-2009, 03:31 PM

I look at some other clusters and the wire that is held down by the screw looks like it is supposed to be there. the black one is soldered and i will get rid of it

monte0185 · 03-13-2009, 03:45 PM

Yes the screw are supposed to be there. Looks like someone just added the wires to power something.

Longhorn Man · 03-13-2009, 03:49 PM

neither of those wires are needed.
Whoever installed that shoulda looked at the fuse box, there's a terminal that would have done the exact same thing as what those wires were doing.

justtime520 · 03-13-2009, 03:56 PM

I will get rid of both of them asap. i thought that it had some thing to do with my fuel gauge being at the 3 o' clock position with key in start. kinda was hoping it was the ground because i cant find the ground wire for the fuel wires

monte0185 · 03-13-2009, 04:08 PM

There is only one wire that hooks to your sending unit on the tank. Your guage is grounded by the printed circuit board on the back of the guage panel. Sorry if im not being clear. More than likely your sending unit is bad.

justtime520 · 03-13-2009, 04:10 PM

Thanks i appreciate the help. Just wasnt sure

monte0185 · 03-13-2009, 04:13 PM

Im pretty sure the point thats circled is the ground for the guage but Id have to look at mine again to be sure.

justtime520 · 03-13-2009, 04:28 PM

with that is it an additional wire from the circuit board to be grounded or does it ground when the cluster is mounted. sorry for all the questions but wiring is not my things so iam kinda lost

monte0185 · 03-13-2009, 06:40 PM

No need for any additional wire. All the wires you need are in the connector that plugs in the back of it. Just take them off. The ground wire if its soldered you can just clip it at the screw and it will not hurt anything. Make sure you remove the white wire. Wiring is not most peoples cup of tea dont worry. I hated it till a very good friend of mine taught me how to figure it out and the principles behind it all and how everything connects together. Now I can wire just about anything given a schematic. I can wire just about anything gm related without anything nowadays. Good luck and by all means ask if you have any questions.

justtime520 · 03-14-2009, 12:49 PM

Thanks monte I appreciate all the help. look forward to seeing you on the forums

elkynova · 03-14-2009, 09:41 PM

The fuel gauge works off of ground. The printed circuit provides power to the actual gauge. There is a light brown wire that comes from the gauge to the sending unit in the tank. The sending unit is a ground reostat. As the fuel level changes how much ground is sent to the gauge which changes the fuel level on the gauge. I can't remember if full ground causes the gauge to read full or empty, but if you ground the light brown wire, your gauge will go all the way, one way or the other, an easy way to tell if you have a bad gauge or sender...

03-13-2009, 02:29 PM	#1
justtime520 Registered User Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Tucson AZ Posts: 187	Having some dash cluster issues Ok so i pulled the dash cluster and found these two random wires on the fuel gauge side, can any one tell what they are for and were they go thanks one wire is white and is and the other is black none of these wires are attached to any thing. 71 chevy c10

03-13-2009, 02:34 PM	#2
michael bustamante Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Albuquerque NM Posts: 7,862	Re: Having some dash cluster issues is there anything attatched to the black wire like a metal clip of plug in of some sort? __________________ 1967custom

03-13-2009, 02:38 PM	#3
67chevemall Registered User Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: NB Posts: 3,367	Re: Having some dash cluster issues pic? __________________ 1968 Chevy C10 307 3ott fleetside 1967 Chevy C/10 V8, 3spd, fleetside lwb.Sold 1967 Chev C/10 step, 383, M21. SOLD

03-13-2009, 02:38 PM	#4
justtime520 Registered User Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Tucson AZ Posts: 187	Re: Having some dash cluster issues No its just got blue tape on it, i have pictures but i cant get them to format

03-13-2009, 02:39 PM	#5
justtime520 Registered User Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Tucson AZ Posts: 187	Re: Having some dash cluster issues And the white wire is soldered in about an inch away from the black one

03-13-2009, 03:12 PM	#6
justtime520 Registered User Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Tucson AZ Posts: 187	Re: Having some dash cluster issues here are some pics Attached Images

03-13-2009, 03:31 PM	#8
justtime520 Registered User Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Tucson AZ Posts: 187	Re: Having some dash cluster issues I look at some other clusters and the wire that is held down by the screw looks like it is supposed to be there. the black one is soldered and i will get rid of it

03-13-2009, 03:45 PM	#9
monte0185 Registered User Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Brighton, TN Posts: 1,267	Re: Having some dash cluster issues Yes the screw are supposed to be there. Looks like someone just added the wires to power something. __________________ A computer once beat me at chess, but it was no match for me at kick boxing. Duct tape is like the force. It has a light side, a dark side, and it holds the world together.

03-13-2009, 03:49 PM	#10
Longhorn Man its all about the +6 inches Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Hilliard Ohio Posts: 2,690	Re: Having some dash cluster issues neither of those wires are needed. Whoever installed that shoulda looked at the fuse box, there's a terminal that would have done the exact same thing as what those wires were doing.

03-13-2009, 03:56 PM	#11
justtime520 Registered User Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Tucson AZ Posts: 187	Re: Having some dash cluster issues I will get rid of both of them asap. i thought that it had some thing to do with my fuel gauge being at the 3 o' clock position with key in start. kinda was hoping it was the ground because i cant find the ground wire for the fuel wires

03-13-2009, 04:08 PM	#12
monte0185 Registered User Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Brighton, TN Posts: 1,267	Re: Having some dash cluster issues There is only one wire that hooks to your sending unit on the tank. Your guage is grounded by the printed circuit board on the back of the guage panel. Sorry if im not being clear. More than likely your sending unit is bad. __________________ A computer once beat me at chess, but it was no match for me at kick boxing. Duct tape is like the force. It has a light side, a dark side, and it holds the world together.

03-13-2009, 04:10 PM	#13
justtime520 Registered User Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Tucson AZ Posts: 187	Re: Having some dash cluster issues Thanks i appreciate the help. Just wasnt sure

03-13-2009, 04:13 PM	#14
monte0185 Registered User Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Brighton, TN Posts: 1,267	Re: Having some dash cluster issues Im pretty sure the point thats circled is the ground for the guage but Id have to look at mine again to be sure. Attached Images __________________ A computer once beat me at chess, but it was no match for me at kick boxing. Duct tape is like the force. It has a light side, a dark side, and it holds the world together.

03-13-2009, 04:28 PM	#15
justtime520 Registered User Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Tucson AZ Posts: 187	Re: Having some dash cluster issues with that is it an additional wire from the circuit board to be grounded or does it ground when the cluster is mounted. sorry for all the questions but wiring is not my things so iam kinda lost

03-13-2009, 06:40 PM	#16
monte0185 Registered User Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Brighton, TN Posts: 1,267	Re: Having some dash cluster issues No need for any additional wire. All the wires you need are in the connector that plugs in the back of it. Just take them off. The ground wire if its soldered you can just clip it at the screw and it will not hurt anything. Make sure you remove the white wire. Wiring is not most peoples cup of tea dont worry. I hated it till a very good friend of mine taught me how to figure it out and the principles behind it all and how everything connects together. Now I can wire just about anything given a schematic. I can wire just about anything gm related without anything nowadays. Good luck and by all means ask if you have any questions. __________________ A computer once beat me at chess, but it was no match for me at kick boxing. Duct tape is like the force. It has a light side, a dark side, and it holds the world together.



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03-14-2009, 12:49 PM	#17
justtime520 Registered User Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Tucson AZ Posts: 187	Re: Having some dash cluster issues Thanks monte I appreciate all the help. look forward to seeing you on the forums

03-14-2009, 09:41 PM	#18
elkynova Registered User Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Richland, Wa. Posts: 15	Re: Having some dash cluster issues The fuel gauge works off of ground. The printed circuit provides power to the actual gauge. There is a light brown wire that comes from the gauge to the sending unit in the tank. The sending unit is a ground reostat. As the fuel level changes how much ground is sent to the gauge which changes the fuel level on the gauge. I can't remember if full ground causes the gauge to read full or empty, but if you ground the light brown wire, your gauge will go all the way, one way or the other, an easy way to tell if you have a bad gauge or sender...

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