Inst. Cluster Problem

[fordwheelinman]

So i finally get my 92 to where i can drive it, only a couple problems. The gas gauge, temp gauge, and high beam indicator don't work. There WAS and i repeat WAS a remote start/keyless entry system ADDED aftermarket. What are the chances that all the wires that were spliced into, have shorted something out in the cluster? Correct me if im wrong, but there is not a fuse that has anything to do with the high beam indicator or the temp guage? Is it worth it to swap out a cluster with a known good one i have sitting on the work bench, or do i need to start tearing out interior panels and chasing wires for hours and days on end. Anyone have anything they can offer up???

 

[RobbieD]

It's unlikely that the remote starter/keyless unit caused these problems. The high beam indicator sounds like just a blown bulb (the high headlights themselves work, right?). The two gauge problems could be related and in the cluster, or simply coincidental problems with the sending units or wiring. I don't think that there a single common fuse for only these three items. Sorry, but nothing jumps out on this, just start troubleshooting it.

 

[fordwheelinman]

Im just wondering if wires that were tapped into could be causing a voltage problem or something. Yes the high beams work. Im gonna try the cluster i have tomorrow night hopefully, if not itll be saturday. If that doesnt work, im gonna be yelling very very loudly.

 

[fordwheelinman]

So last weekend i got bored and decided to switch the cluster out with one we had lying around (hard to believe isnt it). So i now had gauge movement that i hadnt noticed before in the temp gauge, gas gauge was still dead. So i switched out my odometer/speedometer to the new cluster and drove it. I now had movement in the gauge, but not normal movement. So i figured it was the sending unit. I asked a couple older wiser techs that i know and they agreed. Swapped out the sending unit today, and the temp gauge is now working like it should. And im just gonna make my way around the fuel gauge by using my mileage figures from the first 4 or 5 times i check it to find my base mileage and get my full tank range. So it looks like ive finally got my explorer to the point that i can start saving some gas. So now i guess the old beast is coming in shortly for its next round of work.