Wiring and gauge advice please

[Mickm]

Hi guys,
I have a '72 Cuda (daily driver)and the temp gauge and fuel gauge do not work. The fuel gauge reads full when the car is full. As the gas goes down the needle finally just set on "e" when I know if has at least a half a tank. The tank and sender are new. I have pulled the sender and ohmed it and it is working properly. I have grounded the sender to the frame and grounded the sender wire and the gauge does not move.
The temp gauge has not worked since I have owned the car.

Here are my scenario's I am pondering and would appreciate anyone input as to my best route.
1. I have purchased anther original (standard) gauge set and am giving thought towards removing the stock gauges and replacing with VDO night series (they look closer to oem than others)  in an effort to make them look as original as possible. Then wiring up the entire panel on the work bench and then trade out for the panel that is currently in the car.

2. same idea as option #1 but rewire the entire car using a Painless wiring harness? Note, everything else on the car works except the gauges.

3. Try and trouble shoot the problem with the existing temp and fuel gauge.

I appreciate all input and thank you for you time.

Cheers!
Mickm

[Mickm]

No one had an opinion?
I have been a street rodder for many years and built several cars from the frame up but what I read about Mopar wiring has me scratching my head as to what is my best route.

I know many of you, hell all of you probably, know more than me about Mopars, their wiring and instrumentation so throw me a bone, please

Cheers!
Mickm

[Strawdawg]

5v regulator on the cluster is bad?

Steve

[Chryco Psycho]

Painless is just a name , if everything is working why go to a Painless system ?
 5v pulse voltage is fed  through the gauge from t he regulator & goes out to the sender so see where you have 5v , into the gauge , out of the gauge violet wire to the firewall & out to the sender , if you have voltage at the sender then either the sender si bad or it is not grounded to the intake sealer can cause this.
 Installing after market gauges & connecting them to the existing harness is a good option also

[Mickm]

Awesome !!! Thanks guys, now I have a place to start.
The day the car was to leave coming to me the owner told me he was trying to get the horn to work (as it was working but had just stopped) He said
something sparked behind the instrument pane and the temp gauge (which had been working) quit!
Ok, so I checked all the horn wiring and ultimately found there was some surface rust that was keeping the horn from grounding under the horn button.
I removed the entire horn assembly, soda blasted and the horn has worked perfectly ever since. I just saying.....
So I am sure you can understand my insecurity towards this gauge/wiring issue.
Thanks again for the advice. I am going to try and dissect the wiring issue/5v regulator but if I am also going to get the gauges and see if I can make an
gauge set that looks good enough then wire everything in.
Thanks again for all your advise. I do really appreciate it.
Mickm

[CudamanTom]

From my understanding, Painless wiring products are anything but painless. A PITA from my understanding.
If the wiring is already there, search the problem.
A gauge swap? OK, Painless wiring? You've been warned.