Author Topic: no power to rallye gauges  (Read 894 times)

Offline 70RTdroptop

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 608
  • 1970 Challenger R/T 440-SixPack
no power to rallye gauges
« on: April 10, 2011 - 01:15:18 PM »
Hi, all - it's been a while since I've posted. My problem is this - the car starts and runs fine , but while it is running, the only power I get to the rallye  gauges is to the ammeter and the clock- no power to tach, oil pressure, temp or gas. The weird part is that when I shut the car off and put the key in the accessory position, I do get power. Temp gauge  and gas gauge read like they should, tach and oil pressure don't read but I figure that's because the engine is not running.  I'll admit to being stumped on this :clueless: Any ideas?

Thanks for any and all help!
1970 Dodge Challenger R/T 440-6 convertible
1966 Ford Mustang convertible  - numbers matching (wife's car )




Offline 70RTdroptop

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 608
  • 1970 Challenger R/T 440-SixPack
Re: no power to rallye gauges
« Reply #1 on: April 10, 2011 - 01:19:10 PM »
Oh, yeah - also no power to fan.
1970 Dodge Challenger R/T 440-6 convertible
1966 Ford Mustang convertible  - numbers matching (wife's car )

Offline UKcuda

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 546
  • Tell them I'm on my way
Re: no power to rallye gauges
« Reply #2 on: April 13, 2011 - 04:20:35 AM »
The oil, fuel and temp. are fed together through a voltage regulator.

The tach, clock and ammeter are wired separately.

Sounds like the feed to the little voltage regulator is good on the acc. position but bad on the run position.
'72 'cuda

Offline 70RTdroptop

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 608
  • 1970 Challenger R/T 440-SixPack
Re: no power to rallye gauges
« Reply #3 on: April 15, 2011 - 07:22:47 PM »
OK, thanks for the reply. I'll be checking that out.
1970 Dodge Challenger R/T 440-6 convertible
1966 Ford Mustang convertible  - numbers matching (wife's car )

NC RMP

  • Guest
Re: no power to rallye gauges
« Reply #4 on: April 15, 2011 - 09:33:46 PM »
So I found something on my car that might shed light on this. Was driving and the electrical gauges went out all but the ammeter...did all sourts of checking and the steering column harness had partly came loose.  I'm not usggesting that's your problem though.  Later on I had a new set of Mopar keys made for my car and when I used them the car would start and run BUT it had the same effect of the gauges not working.  I immediately went to the steering column harness but it was connected just fine.  So, I turned off the car and used my old dull key set and guess what....everything worked.  The new key would turn the ignition, free the column lock but somehow not switch the electrical part of the switch.  So for all of that lead up I am suggesting you may be having ignition switch problems, not like me because of the key but because the switch might be on the fritz.  That it works when the switch in in another position is what makes it sound familar to me.

Just a suggestion.

Offline UKcuda

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 546
  • Tell them I'm on my way
Re: no power to rallye gauges
« Reply #5 on: April 16, 2011 - 04:52:48 AM »
So I found something on my car that might shed light on this. Was driving and the electrical gauges went out all but the ammeter...did all sourts of checking and the steering column harness had partly came loose.  I'm not usggesting that's your problem though.  Later on I had a new set of Mopar keys made for my car and when I used them the car would start and run BUT it had the same effect of the gauges not working.  I immediately went to the steering column harness but it was connected just fine.  So, I turned off the car and used my old dull key set and guess what....everything worked.  The new key would turn the ignition, free the column lock but somehow not switch the electrical part of the switch.  So for all of that lead up I am suggesting you may be having ignition switch problems, not like me because of the key but because the switch might be on the fritz.  That it works when the switch in in another position is what makes it sound familar to me.

Just a suggestion.

Makes sense, either a problem with the switch or the wires out from the switch.
'72 'cuda

Offline 70RTdroptop

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 608
  • 1970 Challenger R/T 440-SixPack
Re: no power to rallye gauges
« Reply #6 on: April 18, 2011 - 11:23:17 PM »
Thanks for the responses. Figured out the fix for this by accident by trying different things. Turns out that after I turned the key on to start the car, the key didn't quite retract all the way back to the " run " position. Once I jiggled the key  all the gauges started working. I'm gonna guess that things are a little bit gooped up in there. Anyway, everything that was dead is now working just fine. 
1970 Dodge Challenger R/T 440-6 convertible
1966 Ford Mustang convertible  - numbers matching (wife's car )

NC RMP

  • Guest
Re: no power to rallye gauges
« Reply #7 on: April 19, 2011 - 09:16:33 AM »
I suspected it was in the key switch given my experience.  Maybe some appropriate lubrication is necessary or if you had new keys made then maybe some adjustment on the key cut.  Need to be carefuly just spraying in any lube where there is a combo of electrical and lock mechanism.  I am not sure what type of lube might be best. 

Glad it worked out anyway.