1983 ranger gauges not working!

[red-ranger1983]

I bought my neighbors ranger that had been sitting for a few years and i've noticed none of the gauges work...

I've tried looking online for solutions but came up with nothing.
I've taken out the whole cluster and inspected visually, i moved the needles and they move up and down freely. Everything else on the dash works: turn signals arrows, seatbelt lights, and dash lights.

What are the odds all the gauges dont work?? Im not even sure how to troubleshoot it. I cant seem to find a diagram for the cluster harness.. Worst case scenario is there a way to tap in the cluster wire harness and install new gauges? I also cant even seem to find a cluster gauge to buy if it were somehow my gauge cluster thats bad...

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Hitchner2009]

So first thing that you need to do is find out WHY the cluster isnt working, which requires some knowledge on diagnosis on your part.

Do you know how to use a DMM(Digital Multimeter)/Voltmeter?

Do you know how to read a wiring diagram?

Here is a link for the gauge cluster for sale on EBAY
http://www.ebay.com/sch/sis.html?_nkw=1983+84+85+86+87+Ford+Ranger+Instrument+cluster+&_itemId=130520932372

 

[drsvox]

what about the contacts on the back of the cluster? each gauge (fuel, oil pressure, engine temp, amps) is secured to the cluster w/ flimsy bolts which serve as contacts to the cluster's "circuit board."

check these to make sure they haven't oxidized or corroded and that you're getting good contact to complete the circuit.

and as a disclaimer, i'm terrible when it comes to diagnosing wiring problems, so I typically try to start w/ what I feel is the obvious...

so from there I might start checking the sensors themselves...could be a problem. oil pressure is a good one to start with as it's cheap, depending on your engine (a sender for a 2.8 costs about $12 at autozone).

if you decide to go straight for the gauges themselves I might just try buying one (i.e. oil pressure) and see if that fixes, then go from there.

and i'd do your fuel gauge last...you're driving an 83 and i'm going to guess the fuel tank is the original, which means the sending unit is likely rusted along with the rheostat, and the brass float (for the rheostat) could have disintegrated (mine did), and no amount of new fuel gauges will tell you that.

keep us posted!

 

[kimcrwbr1]

There is a voltage governor on the back of the guage cluster it ia a rectangular box mounted on the board you need to check for a pulsing voltage to all the sending units around 8 volts pulsing. If one of the guages is working. The amp guage is not part of the system fuel level, oil pressure and water temp all work on the same power supply. short the oil pressure and water temp wires to ground at the sender the guages should peg high or hot.

 

[bobbywalter]

There is a voltage governor on the back of the guage cluster it ia a rectangular box mounted on the board you need to check for a pulsing voltage to all the sending units around 8 volts pulsing. If one of the guages is working. The amp guage is not part of the system fuel level, oil pressure and water temp all work on the same power supply. short the oil pressure and water temp wires to ground at the sender the guages should peg high or hot.

thats the first test to do....unless the sensors are wrong or not there.


the voltage regulator could very well be shot, its a common problem depending on stereo and starter installs etc.

 

[Chris_1]

the 3 engine gauges are on a separate wiring harness from the engine wiring. Check those connectors. Also check the ground. check the ground. check the ground.

 

[red-ranger1983]

the 3 engine gauges are on a separate wiring harness from the engine wiring. Check those connectors. Also check the ground. check the ground. check the ground.

There is only one wiring harness on my gauge... and there are 4 gauges??

So first thing that you need to do is find out WHY the cluster isnt working, which requires some knowledge on diagnosis on your part.

Do you know how to use a DMM(Digital Multimeter)/Voltmeter?

Do you know how to read a wiring diagram?

Here is a link for the gauge cluster for sale on EBAY
http://www.ebay.com/sch/sis.html?_nkw=1983+84+85+86+87+Ford+Ranger+Instrument+cluster+&_itemId=130520932372

Yes and yes. I just dont know which to check?? And the 2 they have on ebay are different then mine. My brights are on a different spot then the first, and on the second it has like 10 dummy lights and i have only 3

what about the contacts on the back of the cluster? each gauge (fuel, oil pressure, engine temp, amps) is secured to the cluster w/ flimsy bolts which serve as contacts to the cluster's "circuit board."

check these to make sure they haven't oxidized or corroded and that you're getting good contact to complete the circuit.

and as a disclaimer, i'm terrible when it comes to diagnosing wiring problems, so I typically try to start w/ what I feel is the obvious...

so from there I might start checking the sensors themselves...could be a problem. oil pressure is a good one to start with as it's cheap, depending on your engine (a sender for a 2.8 costs about $12 at autozone).

if you decide to go straight for the gauges themselves I might just try buying one (i.e. oil pressure) and see if that fixes, then go from there.

and i'd do your fuel gauge last...you're driving an 83 and i'm going to guess the fuel tank is the original, which means the sending unit is likely rusted along with the rheostat, and the brass float (for the rheostat) could have disintegrated (mine did), and no amount of new fuel gauges will tell you that.

keep us posted!

I may try this weekend, just figured it was something else seeing that none of the gauges work. Its definitely possible that none work tho, i dunno.

There is a voltage governor on the back of the guage cluster it ia a rectangular box mounted on the board you need to check for a pulsing voltage to all the sending units around 8 volts pulsing. If one of the guages is working. The amp guage is not part of the system fuel level, oil pressure and water temp all work on the same power supply. short the oil pressure and water temp wires to ground at the sender the guages should peg high or hot.

I see a rectangular box but not sure if its it. i included some pics...

 

[Andy D]

see all that brass . Those are the gauge connections. They are not green, but they look dirty. I would carefully take them off one by one and clean and re tighten. Brighten up the contact patch with a pencil eraser. Also check the 12v gazinta. feeding the them. That may even lead back to the fuse box and or a mouse chewed spot.

 

[red-ranger1983]

after messing around with a little bit of everything, the only gauge currently not working now is the fuel gauge... Which im guessing is the fuel sending unit but i cant seem to find one online are they compatible with any others? is there anything i can do? i saw they have universal ones too but was told they arent very accurate, was also told the floater just may need replaced... Any suggestions?

 

[rangerin]

For the sending unit, I used a B2 one. It's a tad long, so you'll have to bend it slightly. This makes it read a little off, BUT you are able to tell when it's full and when it's empty. That's what matters, right?

 

[SenorNoob]

...was also told the floater just may need replaced... Any suggestions?

Pull the wire to the gauge and ground it to see if it works first. Then can try just changing the float. They're apparently pretty common. The nearest dealer to me kept 2 cases in stock and right by the window to the parts desk.

 

[drsvox]

you'll be really hard pressed to find an original sending unit...I looked everywhere and could not find anything, so I ended up sending mine off to a place in Seneca Falls, NY to be remanufactured, which was more than likely the most expensive option available ($163, but I liked the idea of "original" and in my opinion the work done on it was fantastic).

Easiest (and safest in my opinion) way to get to the sending unit is to pull the truck bed off (or unbolt and slide it back about a foot). Make sure you disconnect the fill tube on the bed first.

Once that's done you can access the two-wire connector to test, and unlock the sending unit and pull it out. It's going to be rusty as heck...

Parts for both the strainer (end of the draw tube) and the float (yes, very common) can be bought online...I'd take some measurements off your sender to match as close as possible to whatever you buy online. And if you can buy those parts locally, just bring your sending unit in to fit them.


Also: with the truck bed off, check the vapor valve and line, south of the fill tube on the tank, and make sure they're good. That's one of the lines that feeds into the vapor canister on the driver's side next to the radiator.

 

[drsvox]

...and I just looked on mine...not sure you'll be able to pull the sender out without lowering the tank some.

 

[red-ranger1983]

Thanks for everyone's help so far! I will be pulling off the bed soon to see what my problem is with my gas gauge.