Re: Guages Don't Work Any Ideas?
[Re: LemonTwiist]
#285071
04/11/09 09:02 PM
04/11/09 09:02 PM
|
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 32,923
Grand Prairie,Texas
stumpy
I Win
|
I Win
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 32,923
Grand Prairie,Texas
|
I believe that comes from the limiter in the fuel gauge. You might want to consult a wiring diagram.
Last edited by stumpy; 04/11/09 09:06 PM.
|
|
|
Re: Guages Don't Work Any Ideas?
[Re: rss]
#285074
04/12/09 11:41 AM
04/12/09 11:41 AM
|
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 806
Mechanicsburg, PA
LemonTwiist
OP
super stock
|
OP
super stock
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 806
Mechanicsburg, PA
|
Quote:
For a 71 Cuda with ralleye gauges your limiter is not in the fuel gauge.
For a stock limiter set up, you should have 12 volts constant flowing into your limiter. The limiter is a small rectangular box about the size of your thumb. You should have a black wire that splits into three leads that attach to your fuel, temp and oil pressure gauge. When the limiter is working the output is pulsed (on/off) so that the output averages about 5 volts. Your gauges ground through the sending units.
Part of your issue may be if you are trying to test things with your gauge cluster not installed. The limiter grounds through the cluster, which must be installed to complete the ground connection. If you are testing gauge function with the cluster tipped out of the dash, you need to run a ground jumper to the dash frame to make it work.
OK I checked the limiter and I do have 12 volts (actually 14) going in, but nothing coming out. I should have continuity when I check from the input peg to the output pet Right? Which means the limiter is shot?
|
|
|
Re: Guages Don't Work Any Ideas?
[Re: LemonTwiist]
#285075
04/12/09 12:40 PM
04/12/09 12:40 PM
|
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 32,923
Grand Prairie,Texas
stumpy
I Win
|
I Win
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 32,923
Grand Prairie,Texas
|
You should have a flashing power coming out of the limiter. I was under the impression that all ralley gauge setups used the limiter in the gas gauge so I learned something new.
Last edited by stumpy; 04/12/09 12:42 PM.
|
|
|
Re: Guages Don't Work Any Ideas?
[Re: LemonTwiist]
#285076
04/12/09 01:28 PM
04/12/09 01:28 PM
|
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 21,819
Kirkland, Washington
Pacnorthcuda
Too Many Posts
|
Too Many Posts
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 21,819
Kirkland, Washington
|
Quote:
Quote:
For a 71 Cuda with ralleye gauges your limiter is not in the fuel gauge.
For a stock limiter set up, you should have 12 volts constant flowing into your limiter. The limiter is a small rectangular box about the size of your thumb. You should have a black wire that splits into three leads that attach to your fuel, temp and oil pressure gauge. When the limiter is working the output is pulsed (on/off) so that the output averages about 5 volts. Your gauges ground through the sending units.
Part of your issue may be if you are trying to test things with your gauge cluster not installed. The limiter grounds through the cluster, which must be installed to complete the ground connection. If you are testing gauge function with the cluster tipped out of the dash, you need to run a ground jumper to the dash frame to make it work.
OK I checked the limiter and I do have 12 volts (actually 14) going in, but nothing coming out. I should have continuity when I check from the input peg to the output pet Right? Which means the limiter is shot?
There probably would NOT be continuity between the IO unless the relay is closed. As RSS said you should see a 0V followed by 5V when the unit is in operation, meaning connected to its designed electical load.
It sounds like a good time to upgrade to the solid state limiter. Look it up on the net--easy to make, and cheap. I have two versions on my 70 cuda--a fixed unit that operates the temp, and a variable for the fuel gauge which allows calibrating the reading of the gauge to suit my preference. Oil pressure is discoed in favor of a mechanical gauge.
|
|
|
Re: Guages Don't Work Any Ideas?
[Re: Pacnorthcuda]
#285077
04/12/09 01:40 PM
04/12/09 01:40 PM
|
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 806
Mechanicsburg, PA
LemonTwiist
OP
super stock
|
OP
super stock
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 806
Mechanicsburg, PA
|
Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
For a 71 Cuda with ralleye gauges your limiter is not in the fuel gauge.
For a stock limiter set up, you should have 12 volts constant flowing into your limiter. The limiter is a small rectangular box about the size of your thumb. You should have a black wire that splits into three leads that attach to your fuel, temp and oil pressure gauge. When the limiter is working the output is pulsed (on/off) so that the output averages about 5 volts. Your gauges ground through the sending units.
Part of your issue may be if you are trying to test things with your gauge cluster not installed. The limiter grounds through the cluster, which must be installed to complete the ground connection. If you are testing gauge function with the cluster tipped out of the dash, you need to run a ground jumper to the dash frame to make it work.
OK I checked the limiter and I do have 12 volts (actually 14) going in, but nothing coming out. I should have continuity when I check from the input peg to the output pet Right? Which means the limiter is shot?
There probably would NOT be continuity between the IO unless the relay is closed. As RSS said you should see a 0V followed by 5V when the unit is in operation, meaning connected to its designed electical load.
It sounds like a good time to upgrade to the solid state limiter. Look it up on the net--easy to make, and cheap. I have two versions on my 70 cuda--a fixed unit that operates the temp, and a variable for the fuel gauge which allows calibrating the reading of the gauge to suit my preference. Oil pressure is discoed in favor of a mechanical gauge.
OK I checked the limiter just as the manual suggests and I get no reading from the leads.. I took the limiter apart and there is a white paste like material all inside. I'm guessing it's fried.
|
|
|
Re: Guages Don't Work Any Ideas?
[Re: LemonTwiist]
#285078
04/13/09 04:23 PM
04/13/09 04:23 PM
|
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 902
Seattle, WA
rss
super stock
|
super stock
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 902
Seattle, WA
|
If your limiter is fried you have three options: 1 - replace with original style limiter 2 - Build your own solid state limiter with $5 worth of parts from Radio Shack 3 - Buy a new improved solid state limiter from someone like RT Engineering (my recommendation) Read about it here so I won't need to retype the sales pitch. http://www.rt-eng.com/mediawiki/index.php/RTE_E_Body_LimiterMy previous limiter failed in the closed position and fried all my gauges, so the $50 bucks for the RTE limiter was well justified as I now sleep better knowing the gauges are protected in my clunker. 
|
|
|
Re: Guages Don't Work Any Ideas?
[Re: rss]
#285079
04/13/09 04:30 PM
04/13/09 04:30 PM
|
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 902
Seattle, WA
rss
super stock
|
super stock
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 902
Seattle, WA
|
Quote:
I took the limiter apart and there is a white paste like material all inside. I'm guessing it's fried.
No clue what the paste would be. The insides of an original limiter should just be a small bimetal strip. Input voltage heats the strip causing it to bend (due to the different heat expansion coeffients of the two metals)which then breaks the connection to the limiter output. The strip then cools until the switch is reclosed, which restarts the cycle. If you use a test light on the output side of a functioning limter you get a steady on-off-on-off light pulse.
|
|
|
|
|
