73 Challenger Dash Lights & Gages

[AmazenToys]

Ok, I have no dash lights, I already checked the dimmer swithch and it checks ok, for kicks and giggles I still tried another one, nothing. I just replaced the voltage regulator behind the cluster, still nada...

Gages, no Gas Gage and no Temp gage, but the voltage gage appears to work.

Ok experts, what have you experienced? and how did you fix?

Thanks, Bob   amazentoys@mindspring.com
.

[Bullitt-]

lamps & guages 2 different systems, could something just be unpluged? Did you check to see if power was getting to the dimmer switch (the one in the dash not on the floor)? 

[AmazenToys]

Checked the dimmer switch, yes the one in the dash cluster, it works, even checked with a spare, still no dash lights. Nothing uplugged from what I can see.

[Chryco Psycho]

start trcing power from the fuse box up to the dimmer switch & headlight switch from there any orange wire should be powered

[AmazenToys]

OK, I changed the instrument voltage regulator and the Voltage Gage works, I changed the Temperature Switch and my Temp Gage works. Still no Fuel Gage, or Dash Lights - But I'll keep going until I repair.

[MEK-Dangerfield]

Chances are, the sending unit in your gas tank has died. If you need help in checking it out, I can walk you thru it with pics. As for the dash-lights, can you confirm power is getting to the dimmer switch. Have you taken a look at the dash light bar? There is a single wire powering all the dashlights. Maybe power isn't getting up there?

  Mike

[Bullitt-]

Or maybe all the bulbs are bad? I never thought about it BUT considering what he's found so far?

[AmazenToys]

I played with the ground strap tonight, seems the needle wants to move  , I also did pull the wire to the tank with the key in and in the run position, needle did nothing  , so tomorrow is another day, I'll get out the sandpaper.

Dash lights at the moment are non-working. Will check power, funny thing..........

If I did the directions for the sending unit I'll call on you

THANK Everyone 

[Bullitt-]

You can test your fuel guage by pulling the plug off the tank sending unit & grounding it. The guage should read full which would indicate a problem at the sending unit. If not you have guage wiring or other instument related problems. Same thing works for temp & oil pressure they all vary the amount of voltage thru the ground side.

[AmazenToys]

MEKrunner could use your help, e-mail me PLEASE amazentoys@gmail.com. I grounded the wire and the gage pegged full, so I guess the sending unit is bad?? Could use your advice, and so my tank may be half full, do I need to drain the tank?

Thanks - Bob

[MEK-Dangerfield]

MEKrunner could use your help, e-mail me PLEASE amazentoys@gmail.com. I grounded the wire and the gage pegged full, so I guess the sending unit is bad?? Could use your advice, and so my tank may be half full, do I need to drain the tank?

Thanks - Bob

Bob,

  Congrats!!! You verified a bad sending unit.  Yep, you need to drive some to get the tank below half-full before you remove the sending unit. That's it. Just remove the driver's side rear tire for some elbow room, then you can bang away at the retainer ring with a large screwdriver and hammer. These things(sending units), are cheaply made from the factory. Let me know if you need any more help.

  Mike

[422STROKER]

A brass drift would work well as we don't want sparks down there!  I need to change mine as well could you just jack up the car to tip the gas away from SUnit?  Just a thought.

Bob,

  Congrats!!! You verified a bad sending unit.  Yep, you need to drive some to get the tank below half-full before you remove the sending unit. That's it. Just remove the driver's side rear tire for some elbow room, then you can bang away at the retainer ring with a large screwdriver and hammer. These things(sending units), are cheaply made from the factory. Let me know if you need any more help.

  Mike

Tom

[MEK-Dangerfield]

I guess you could do that Tom.  To be honest, we are dealing with an 18 gallon tank. It just needs to have less than 10 gallons in it. Don't ask me how I know.     


   Mike

[Bullitt-]

MEKrunner could use your help, e-mail me PLEASE amazentoys@gmail.com. I grounded the wire and the gage pegged full, so I guess the sending unit is bad?? Could use your advice, and so my tank may be half full, do I need to drain the tank?

Thanks - Bob

You probably do have a bad sending unit although it is possible that your tank/sending unit just isn't grounded. Do you see a metal piece that snaps to either end of the sending unit & gas line? Clean it & its contact points on the lines. If it's not there attach a wire from the frame to the sending unit & see if any of that makes a difference.
 When you get ready to replace the sending unit be sure you have a new gasket, which should ship w/new unit, & I'd go ahead & get a new sock, aka filter, to go in the tank.

[AmazenToys]

I'll order up the unit, unless I can have one ship next day, I'm in Michigan and the Woodward Dream Cruise is Saturday, so either way, by the time I get to the sending unit I'll have emptied and filled this tank numerous times, I'll just note my last fill so I calculate getting home on fumes, with my handy 2.5 gallon gas can too 

My friends - THANKS so much, this thread works great, and I plan to stay

OH, one note - I do have the ground wire there, and I did clean both ground and tube with emery cloth, still was not the problem - Now did we really think it be that easy