16.4 volts at the battery

[shadango]

I highly recommend testing the voltage drop here (pin 16, fuse link) with the electrical system fully loaded. It just may be the cause of most of the voltage drop measured already.

Ok, will check the next time I get a chance.

We were at an event this past weekend and once again had a problem with the gas/temp gauges -- this time, not pegged, but DEAD.    Started aboit 20 minutes from the house.  Kicked in and out during the 4 hour trip.  Coming home, they worked 100% fine. Go figure.

I did replace the voltage limiter with a good electronic one (RTE) a ways back.

[734406pk]

Check the drop when you have time...

quote:
We were at an event this past weekend and once again had a problem with the gas/temp gauges -- this time, not pegged, but DEAD.

Was the oil pressure gauge working correctly at the time the gas/temp gauges were out?

[shadango]

Check the drop when you have time...

quote:
We were at an event this past weekend and once again had a problem with the gas/temp gauges -- this time, not pegged, but DEAD.

Was the oil pressure gauge working correctly at the time the gas/temp gauges were out?

I have  a standard gauge cluster so no oil gauge (I have aftermarket gauges for that, water and volts).....

[734406pk]

Ah, ok. Check the feed wire to the voltage limiter (Black Wire). The connector may be loose or corroded where it slips onto the terminal.

[shadango]

Ah, ok. Check the feed wire to the voltage limiter (Black Wire). The connector may be loose or corroded where it slips onto the terminal.

Geez -- where is the summer going.....

what are the chances I will be able to access the VL from under the dash?

Probably between slim and none and slim left town...LOL

Cause now, the fuel and temp gauges are dead the last few drives.......not coming back like before....hoping its just a wire and not the VL.....

Have to tear out the dash to get to the wire and the VL....and thats a pain.......thinking that pulling the drivers seat so I can go from underneath would be easier, but not sure its a straight shot or not...maybe I can pull the ash tray housing out and go in that way??  Seems to be in the vicinity of where I would need to go,.......?

In the meantime, I have to take the car to have a self-imposed dent looked at.....

And just before Carlisle, the battery died altogether so a new battery now graces the fish.   gauge still showing charging about the same so at least the battery is out of the equation.

I do hope to remember to check the last drop item you suggested soon.....honestly, it just keeps getting back burnered......sheesh.
************
Ok, update --- I found that I could pull my stereo out and snake my fat arm up into behind the dash and get a hand on the wires to the VL.

Found that pushing one of the connectors at the VL to one side made it work and oushing the other it quit......worked the connector on and off a few times and same deal.....since I couldnt get to the connector itself this way, I twisted the connector slightly on the VL and it is holding......

After looking online, figured out that the wire in question is the Y harness from the VL to the fuel/temp gauges (its a y cable).

Gonna wait and see if my twisting helps long term....if not I may try to pull just the y harness this way but man I may not get it installed again this way...cant see anything, its all by feel.

To change the actual VL (if the connector at the VL is the issue), the dash will have to come out.  Its one of those electronic VLs with the red LED light on it.  Installed that 5 or 6 years back.

As an aside, you could NEVER do what I did on a new car....LOL...love the old car designs that let you work on stuff!

[70chall440]

I don't think you have to pull the cluster to replace the VL; definitely easier to replace if you do but I installed one in my Challenger laying on the floor w/o the drivers seat in. Not super easy but it can be done.

[dodj]

I don't find it that difficult to drop the steering column onto the seat then pull the cluster out enough to change the VL.

[shadango]

I don't find it that difficult to drop the steering column onto the seat then pull the cluster out enough to change the VL.

I've done that....the switch pod has to come out, the metal dash light assembly has to come out, the gauge cluster bezel has to come out , which for me means removing the tach I have installed, and then the gauge cluster itself has to get pulled out......lots of screws and wires and such.

None of it hard.  But its not a 5 minute job.  LOL  Would rather pursue an easier route though I know thats probably the best way.

Seat comes out with 4 bolts....but seems to me that the location of the VL on MY car (right above/near the column) would make that harder.....didnt seem like it was accessible due to the column?

[shadango]

So now restart the car, idle speed 1200 rpm and fully load the electrical system (high beams on etc)as before. Connect you positive volt meter lead to the positive battery post and the with negative test lead, back probe pin 16 on the bulkhead connector-engine side. Write down this reading as H.

 This will test the power feed (fuse link) into the car. With the ammeter bypassed, the entire electrical load passes through this one wire.

Alright so......after figuring out which one was #16 (the big red wire) I ended up pulling the bulkhead connector (engine side) because I realized I could not easily back probe the #16 pin and wanted to look at it.

The red wire has a think rubber insulating boot where it goes it to the plug.  I hesitate to puncture the big red wire....

That said I plugged the connector back in and started the car again and now it stays at 15.0 rather than 15.6-15.8.  Just moments before pulling that connector it was reading 15.6-15.8.....

So obviously disturbing the bulkhead connector did something there.   SO the good news is that I may be on to something here.

The bad news is that the fuel and temp gauge are dead again....LOL...so my twisting the wire didnt make difference....though I ran the car for 60 miles the other night and all was well.  So go figure.

Back to the damn drawing board on that -- not sure if it will be the VL or "just a wire"....looks like ripping it all apart is gonna be required.....

I got my hand on the same wire again on the back of the VL and found it to be completely loose now....even if I push on it and make a connection now, NOTHING.  Weird.  It was a tight connection before. At least I thunk it was....and loike I said it worked for a couple hour drive.

I record my mileage at every fill up and have a seperate temp gauge so its not a huge issue as long as the odometer keeps working.  Truth be told, the gas gauge has never be uber reliable anyways.   It stays at full a long time then starts dropping fast...when it is reading a 1/4 tank it is accrurate because it generally takes 10-11 gallons at that point.  But I rely on the mileage more than the gauge. Just hate to have it not working....and looking "empty" all the time....LOL

Did I mention I hate electrical issues?  LOL

[734406pk]

Wow! Sorry to leave you hanging, I missed your post somehow! Anyway, we'll treat the gauges as a separate issue, so for now : Yes you are on to something! Disturbing the bulkhead connector has made a change in the charging voltage (for the better). We need to get a voltage drop reading to pinpoint the resistance, so positive test lead to the positive battery terminal and negative lead to engine side pin 16. This test will check for resistance in the fusible link main line feeding the cars entire electrical system. Don't worry about damaging the rubber sleeve in back probing, it's highly likely it will be needing replacement anyway. 

[shadango]

Well -- wow.....its been a while on this...LOL

I finally got to address the gauge issue....turns out it was a faulty ground in the RT-ENG voltage limiter unit....the circuit board grounds to the case, and that ground was bad.

Havent driven the car yet since the fix due to weather, but numerous "starts" and the fuel gauge kicks in every time now.  Hopefully it will not be a recurring issue.

Will get back to the voltage issue at some point....though its ben charging at 14.5-15 lately....so its holding.

I thought I had done a resistance check on the FL already? Maybe not..losing track...LOL

[734406pk]

Well -- wow.....its been a while on this...LOL

I finally got to address the gauge issue....turns out it was a faulty ground in the RT-ENG voltage limiter unit....the circuit board grounds to the case, and that ground was bad.

Havent driven the car yet since the fix due to weather, but numerous "starts" and the fuel gauge kicks in every time now.  Hopefully it will not be a recurring issue.

Will get back to the voltage issue at some point....though its ben charging at 14.5-15 lately....so its holding.

I thought I had done a resistance check on the FL already? Maybe not..losing track...LOL

Ready when you are! The test for the fuse link is voltmeter positive lead on the positive battery terminal, negative lead on the engine side of the bulkhead connector pin 16. The engine at 1500 rpm with headlights on high beam and all accessories on (max amp load). The voltmeter will read the voltage drop (resistance) through the fuse link. Good luck and post the results when you have time. 

[Zero]

The suspense is killing me! I just read the whole 7 page thread and I need to know how it ends! Update us

[73440]

I was trying to find this thread recently when had a non charging issue , remembered reading it but not when.
Great step by step from 734406pk ! Thank you !
Going to print this .

[734406pk]

The suspense is killing me! I just read the whole 7 page thread and I need to know how it ends! Update us

I would love to finalize this one too. Very close to finding the resistance...