what shares tach and voltage gauge wires?

[6.9poweredscout]

Noticed last night in my '91 that the tachometer and voltage gauge are not working. Just wondering if there's a common wire I can start at to figure out what's wrong.

 

[FarmerFrank]

None that I know of in the cluster. The plugs for them are on opposite sides also.

On my 88 CCLB it turned out being a bad volt meter and the tach was loose pins on the back of it.

You can test the wires on the cluster plug and be sure the voltmeter is getting power. Then pull the gauge out of the cluster and see if its getting power there also.

Good luck on all this! It can be a PITA if you have to start working back there.

 

[6.9poweredscout]

Thanks for the info. Maybe if I hit a bump hard enough it'll come back.... A man can dream right?

 

[Boltgun]

I'm fighting this also, tach and voltmeter work when they want to. Fuel gauge doesn't work at all. Not looking forward to pulling the cluster apart, tough job when you have giant meat hooks.

 

[6.9poweredscout]

You're not helping! Haha

 

[6.9poweredscout]

Yeah, think it's the cluster. All the gauges are not working today. Great.

 

[FarmerFrank]

Take all the screws out that hold the cluster in, start the truck, rough up the cluster a tad bit and see if anything comes on.

When I bought my 88 the only things that worked was speedo and oil pressure.

Check all the plugs on the back, clean them up a tad. You can replace just the gauge if you dot want to loose the original odometer.

Also check where the gauges set into the cluster. The little tabs get weak and won't hold a steady connection. You can try to bend them back or add a little solider to the posts to fatten them up

 

[6.9poweredscout]

Thanks man I'll look tonight

 

[FarmerFrank]

If you think you need a while new cluster let me know, I have a couple diesel ones from 87-91

 

[6.9poweredscout]

Awesome

 

[6.9poweredscout]

After I ripped the whole cluster apart, cleaned everything and tested all kinds of stuff, I found the "tachometer/ Diesel warning lights" fuse. Just bumped it and it came to life. Doh... Well at least everything is cleaned up!

 

[Boltgun]

If I've been running around with no tach for the last 7 years because of a blown fuse I'm gonna be ticked...

 

[6.9poweredscout]

Hahahaha! All my gauges were dead though. I'd check your sensor and wires.

 

[Boltgun]

Yea, the intermittent working makes me believe it's a bad ground and/or bad connections on the cluster itself. One day it will bother me enough to pull it apart and start looking.

 

[6.9poweredscout]

Only takes 10 minutes to get in there.