Oil pressure, Fuel gauge, water gauge went out

It doesn't show on the schematics, but all the console gauges are 'daisy-chained' together for their grounds. Sounds like the whole console ground somehow got loose and since the console is fiberglas, everything attached goes non-conducting. There's also a LOT of amperage going thru the ammeter so it would pay off if you removed the panel and started looking for melted insulation or evil smells in the gauge wire bundle. Failing that dig out the VOM and start looking for lost electrons.

Sounds like you blew a fuse - pop!

FYI, I completely re-wired my entire gauge panel this year. New ground post with all the grounds daisy-chained together. New wire to the fuse panel and to all the sending units in the engine bay.

Anyone who tells you that the stock wiring is still good (in the engine bay) after all these years is smoking something I need to be smoking ...

PM me if you need any details ...

ciao,
EA
#3528

[QUOTE]Originally posted by EA #3528:
Sounds like you blew a fuse - pop!

That sounds plausible. The "pop" sounded much like the "snap" sound when hooking up the negative ground to a battery when your giving someone a jump start. I'll check the fuse panel in the morning...looks like fuse #10 on the schemo maybe.

Thanks!

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Bosswrench:
It doesn't show on the schematics, but all the console gauges are 'daisy-chained' together for their grounds.

Thanks for the quick response. I noticed on the schematic there is a "hub" ground underneath the dash near the steering column. Like some big bolt or nut. I'll check it tomorrow.

Thanks man.

Oh yeah- that is the continuation under the dash of the battery ground stud in the front trunk, visible if you pull the console & look carefully. There are a dozen or so wires grounded there. It does cause problems; pull the nut & washer and clean all the loop connectors, then reattach the nut- tight but not enough to twist the stud off as a few guys have done.
What I meant was, if all the grounds are daisy-chained, if any one loosens on a gauge or a connector, you lose the whole thing like a string of Chrismas tree lights. So while the central ground stud may need attention, it might not fully fix your problem.

Check the ammeter post insulators. If one of the ammeter posts touches the metal case, current will pass through the daisy-chained ground wire for the console gauges. This can cause the ground wire (or a connection) to electrically "open" the circuit.

John

[QUOTE]Originally posted by EA #3528:
Sounds like you blew a fuse - pop!

DING DING DING! We have a winner!

For the want of a fuse...

The bottom fuse in the panel was blown (25A)I replaced it and everything is back to normal (for now)Don't know why it blew but I'll consider some of your replys for troubleshooting if it happens again.

It looks like the schematic shows that circuit going back to the starter but I can't be certain (it's difficult to track the schematic lines), Maybe I'll take the Schem down to Alpagraphics and have them blow it up and I can wallpaper one side of my garage with it.

Thank you all again

quote:

Originally posted by Qrtlow:
The bottom fuse in the panel was blown (25A)I replaced it and everything is back to normal (for now)Don't know why it blew but I'll consider some of your replys for troubleshooting if it happens again.

It looks like the schematic shows that circuit going back to the starter but I can't be certain (it's difficult to track the schematic lines), Maybe I'll take the Schem down to Alpagraphics and have them blow it up and I can wallpaper one side of my garage with it.

I would recommend three things:

1) yes, take the large wiring schematic .jpg file from Pantera Place down to a print shop and have it blown up to 18" x 24" or greater. This will cost you less than $5. You can then use a ruler to trace the run for every wire in your car. This is a MUST!

2) buy the ATO Fuse panel from Pantera Electronics. Don't ask why (there are too many reasons) ... just do it!

3) once you've spent some time with the wiring schematic, you should run new wires for each gauge: to each sending unit in the engine bay, create a new ground post under the dash and also run a new +12v wire to the new fuse panel. I can help you with this on a step-by-step level if need be as I just completed the same work over the winter. Some of the work was chronicled on my work-in-progress BLOG.

Good luck!

EA
#3528