Gauges !!! not working !!

[thenuke1]

my gauges for some reason refuse to work .... the only ones that do work are the Alternator and Speedometer no temp gauge, no gas gauge .. no oil ...

we took out the panel and tryed out the tester on it ... they all lit up ... im not sure what the problem is ... the wires from the door light up but once we hit the trunk for the has gauge... we get nothing ...

i REALLY dont want to put those ugly modern gauges on the windshield side ... but if thats the only option .... then what else  is there too do ...

[Chryco Psycho]

check for a 5v pulse at the guage , if there is no feed the voltage regulator is bad
 this is what I suspect is wrong with all 3 guages if they died at the same time

[resq302]

check for a 5v pulse at th eguage , if there is no feed the voltage regulater is bad
 this is what I suspect is wrong with all 3 guages if they died at the saem time

   Same thing happened to our chally.

[thenuke1]

  Same thing happened to our chally.

voltage regulator is brand spanking new ... but ill double check ...

[MEK-Dangerfield]

voltage regulator is brand spanking new ... but ill double check ...

I saw the picture of your gauges in the audio section. I can tell you your gas gauge is burned out, and possibly the temp gauge too. The needles hang way too low. It's possible some kind of voltage spike cooked all three gauges.


   Mike

[resq302]

Be sure that you replaced the correct voltage regulator.  There is a voltage regulator for the charging system and a voltage regulator (that is actually a limiter) which is on the back of the instrument cluster.  If the instrument cluster voltage regulator/limiter goes bad in the full power position, you WILL fry your gauges.

[73EStroker]

You should convert that little box the regulator is housed in into an electronic 5V regulator. The old original unit simply opens and closes a contact using a metal strip with a heater wire around it. So that gives you 0V at one end of the scale and12V at the other end of the scale with the average on and off time being around the 5-6V range. Test it with a voltmeter if you want to see. So if the unit fails due to possibly reverse wiring it or it simply fails from old age there is a good possibility that it will fail closed and then you get constant 12V to your guages. Not good as it will burn them out as someone has already stated. The electronic unit simply will burn out with no voltage to the guages. Mucho better and it gives a steady 5VDC even when pushing 14-15V in. It costs about $2 to make using the old regulator can. There is an article in the website for Mopar action on how to build and the parts list.

[resq302]

Taken from the tech archives at moparts.com

http://www.moparts.org/Tech/Archive/elec/11.html

I did this conversion on our chally and it is more reliable than the point style.  When mine goes in the charger, I am probably going to do the same to that.