Tachometer, oil and temperature guages acting funny

[A4LD_Nghtme]

Hello,
So I have 3 guages that don't work like they used to.

The first is the tachometer. Sometimes it reads really high and then drops to 0. Then sometimes it comes back from 0 to normal and sometimes does repeated drops to zero and then back up then back and forth between a reading and zero.

The second is the Oil Pressure Guage. It used to read somewhere in the middle then one day it dropped just above "N" and seems to sometimes drop below that closer to "L" and then goes back up. I have grounded the sensor wire and it raises the arm to around "M" but does not max out at "H" like I read it should.

And lastly the temperature guage seems to sit really low around "N" and "O". It used to sit just below the middle. I do have a lower temp unit installed that I believe is a 180 degree vs the stock. I have overheated up steep incline stretches of highway and it gets near the "H" but I always stop before it goes too far. Then it cools back down to where I mentioned earlier. I had a cracked vacuum fitting that leads from the TB down to the charcoal box that I fixed cause I thought that may be leaning it out and overheating it but not sure. Never overheats downhill or on flat.

Any ideas on these issues or how to fix them? This thing is so close to being ready for interior and exterior refurbished but I need it running 100% before I can fathom spending the dough and paint and reupholstered interior

 

[franklin2]

I personally would not spend any time and money on a gauge system with no real numbers. Ford is bad about that. I always use more accurate gauges in my Ford vehicles that I care about. As long as your fuel gauge works. And even that can be overlooked if you have a working trip odometer.

 

[A4LD_Nghtme]

I personally would not spend any time and money on a gauge system with no real numbers. Ford is bad about that. I always use more accurate gauges in my Ford vehicles that I care about. As long as your fuel gauge works. And even that can be overlooked if you have a working trip odometer.

It's kind of hard to restore something to factory when there's non factory guages involved. I appreciate the reply, but I'm asking how to troubleshoot the guages I have. I've already thought about non factory guages but if these ones used to work they should be able to work once more.

 

[Daltoids]

This happens to me too but only with the speedo... it'll jump around and randomly sometimes work.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

Im assuming its the B2 in your avatar?

Check the ground strap that goes from the back of the head to the firewall on the drivers side.

It sounds electrical related for sure rather then any actual mechanical issues.

If the strap checks out, id begin checking the wires for the gauges. The oil pressure gauge on my 97 460 would do goofy stuff and i found out the little push on end wasnt really contacting good....crimped it tighter with some pliers and that fixed that.

As for the temp gauge...have you grounded it out and seen if it maxes out? If it does chances are the sender is shot. If it dont its wiring.

One possibility could also be an issue with the cluster itself....since the tach is screwy too...but it could also be a ground or wiring. I believe its basically wired directly to the coil...but im not 100% on that.

Does your fuel gauge work properly?