maxford
New Member
- Joined
- Dec 9, 2016
- Messages
- 10
- Reaction score
- 0
- Points
- 1
- Location
- Magnolia, Texas
- Vehicle Year
- 1995
- Make / Model
- Ford
- Engine Size
- 4cylinder
- Transmission
- Manual
95 2.3L, 5spd.
My gauge cluster is the simple one without the Tach. The fuel gauge has been broken since I bought the Ranger a couple of months ago. It's pegged on E. yeah, its probably the tank sender... but I thought hey, I'd like to upgrade to a cluster with a Tach and I've read many of the reviews saying the swap is seamless. So I thought maybe there is a slim chance I have a gauge problem that would disappear with the upgrade.
So I ordered one from Ebay. It looked good enough. I plugged it in and started the engine. (note, it was loosely laying on the steering column for the "test"). The fuel gauge didn't work and the coolant gauge didn't work and the tach was ratcheting a little when I accelerated. But the most noticeable difference was the "check eng" light being on and the engine idling rough.
With the engine running, I disconnected the gauge cluster and the idle smoothed out. I plugged the old cluster in with the engine running (I know, I know, but I wanted to see how this could affect the idle) As I plugged in the old cluster the idle maintained its relatively smooth tick over. To check this, I unplugged it and plugged the replacement unit back in and "bam" the stumble/missing came back along with the check engine light.
Well, I cleaned up my old gauge cluster and fixed a few of the burned out back lights and put it back in.
Why would the replacement cluster cause an idle quality change which in turn must be causing the check engine light?
My gauge cluster is the simple one without the Tach. The fuel gauge has been broken since I bought the Ranger a couple of months ago. It's pegged on E. yeah, its probably the tank sender... but I thought hey, I'd like to upgrade to a cluster with a Tach and I've read many of the reviews saying the swap is seamless. So I thought maybe there is a slim chance I have a gauge problem that would disappear with the upgrade.
So I ordered one from Ebay. It looked good enough. I plugged it in and started the engine. (note, it was loosely laying on the steering column for the "test"). The fuel gauge didn't work and the coolant gauge didn't work and the tach was ratcheting a little when I accelerated. But the most noticeable difference was the "check eng" light being on and the engine idling rough.
With the engine running, I disconnected the gauge cluster and the idle smoothed out. I plugged the old cluster in with the engine running (I know, I know, but I wanted to see how this could affect the idle) As I plugged in the old cluster the idle maintained its relatively smooth tick over. To check this, I unplugged it and plugged the replacement unit back in and "bam" the stumble/missing came back along with the check engine light.
Well, I cleaned up my old gauge cluster and fixed a few of the burned out back lights and put it back in.
Why would the replacement cluster cause an idle quality change which in turn must be causing the check engine light?