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69 Charger gauge problems...UPDATE #599085 01/31/10 02:39 AM 01/31/10 02:39 AM
Joined: Apr 2007 Posts: 2,327 Glendale, AZ 6 69L78Nova OP Banned. Forever.
69L78Nova OP Banned. Forever. 6 Joined: Apr 2007 Posts: 2,327 Glendale, AZ	The gauges on my 69 Charger dont work correctly. I have tried 4 different voltage limiters, and all of them have the same effect. The gas gauge will go up to empty when the key is tuned on, and when the tank is full, it will read 1/4 tank. The temp gauge doesnt move at all. I have replace the temp sending unit. When each sending unit wire is grounded, each gauge will go all the way up and peg. The cluster has a good ground as well. I dont mind the temp gauge not working for now, but I need to have a working gas gauge. I am going to pull the fuel sending unit and check that out tomorrow. If the gauge pegs when the sending unit wire is grounded, wouldnt that mean the gauge is good...more or less? 1969 Nova 454/M21/3.31 Mild mid-11 second weekend cruiser 1994 F150 XLT Super Cab 2WD 5.0/4R70W/3.55 (Daily driver)

Re: 69 Charger gauge problems [Re: 69L78Nova] #599086 01/31/10 02:52 AM 01/31/10 02:52 AM
Joined: Nov 2003 Posts: 36,041 Lincoln Nebraska R RapidRobert Circle Track
RapidRobert Circle Track R Joined: Nov 2003 Posts: 36,041 Lincoln Nebraska	Quote: If the gauge pegs when the sending unit wire is grounded, wouldnt that mean the gauge is good...more or less? Correct. From the female electrical connector at the gas tank forward yes you are good. Make a long jumper wire w 2 alligator clips and connect the gas tank sending unit metal hose nipple all the way up to the battery negative post so you have a complete circuit & if you're then OK add an auxially ground wire from the sending unit base to the frame for a permanent good ground. EDIT Still bad? the sending unit inside the tank has a problem and since opening up the tank is such a pain I'd borrow another sending unit and mock it up outside the tank and move the arm thru it's travel & see if the gauge up front is OK. Last edited by RapidRobert; 01/31/10 02:58 AM. live every 24 hour block of time like it's your last day on earth

Re: 69 Charger gauge problems [Re: RapidRobert] #599087 01/31/10 03:00 AM 01/31/10 03:00 AM
Joined: Apr 2007 Posts: 2,327 Glendale, AZ 6 69L78Nova OP Banned. Forever.
69L78Nova OP Banned. Forever. 6 Joined: Apr 2007 Posts: 2,327 Glendale, AZ	Thats what I was thinking. It still has the clip on ground strap going from the sending unit to the fuel line, but Ill try to run a known good ground wire in the morning and see if that does anything. Also, I replaced the temp sending unit and that gauge doesnt work either, yet pegs when the wire is grounded. Not sure what to do about that one. 1969 Nova 454/M21/3.31 Mild mid-11 second weekend cruiser 1994 F150 XLT Super Cab 2WD 5.0/4R70W/3.55 (Daily driver)

Re: 69 Charger gauge problems [Re: 69L78Nova] #599088 01/31/10 03:04 AM 01/31/10 03:04 AM
Joined: Nov 2005 Posts: 129 waukon iowa 1 1hot68 member
1hot68 member 1 Joined: Nov 2005 Posts: 129 waukon iowa	You said the guage cluster is grounded good. Is the engine to body ground good?

Re: 69 Charger gauge problems [Re: 69L78Nova] #599089 01/31/10 07:30 AM 01/31/10 07:30 AM
Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 5,906 Athens, Greece Pyper70 master
Pyper70 master Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 5,906 Athens, Greece	"Thats what I was thinking. It still has the clip on ground strap going from the sending unit to the fuel line, " I hate that little ground strap. I soldered a length of 14ga cable to the 3/8" fuel tube on the sending unit, put a small hose clamp around it and then put an eyelot terminal on the other end to the chassis. You know you have a good ground there and its simple to do. ( I did all this out of the car ) Check all your grounds. You should have at least 5 on your car but the more the merrier. Radiator to battery, battery to block, block to chassis, starter to chassis, steering column to steering post, gauge cluster to steering post. Family owned 1969 Charger R/T DualQuad 440/727/GVO/3.55s

Re: 69 Charger gauge problems [Re: Pyper70] #599090 01/31/10 12:20 PM 01/31/10 12:20 PM
Joined: Apr 2007 Posts: 2,327 Glendale, AZ 6 69L78Nova OP Banned. Forever.
69L78Nova OP Banned. Forever. 6 Joined: Apr 2007 Posts: 2,327 Glendale, AZ	Ok, Im heading out there now to find the culprit. Thanks for the info 1969 Nova 454/M21/3.31 Mild mid-11 second weekend cruiser 1994 F150 XLT Super Cab 2WD 5.0/4R70W/3.55 (Daily driver)

Re: 69 Charger gauge problems [Re: 69L78Nova] #599091 01/31/10 12:28 PM 01/31/10 12:28 PM
Joined: Nov 2003 Posts: 36,041 Lincoln Nebraska R RapidRobert Circle Track
RapidRobert Circle Track R Joined: Nov 2003 Posts: 36,041 Lincoln Nebraska	Quote: Ok, Im heading out there now to find the culprit. Alright I'll skip church until we get this figured out. live every 24 hour block of time like it's your last day on earth

Re: 69 Charger gauge problems [Re: RapidRobert] #599092 01/31/10 01:10 PM 01/31/10 01:10 PM
Joined: Apr 2007 Posts: 2,327 Glendale, AZ 6 69L78Nova OP Banned. Forever.
69L78Nova OP Banned. Forever. 6 Joined: Apr 2007 Posts: 2,327 Glendale, AZ	1969 Nova 454/M21/3.31 Mild mid-11 second weekend cruiser 1994 F150 XLT Super Cab 2WD 5.0/4R70W/3.55 (Daily driver)

Re: 69 Charger gauge problems [Re: 69L78Nova] #599093 01/31/10 04:34 PM 01/31/10 04:34 PM
Joined: Apr 2007 Posts: 2,327 Glendale, AZ 6 69L78Nova OP Banned. Forever.
69L78Nova OP Banned. Forever. 6 Joined: Apr 2007 Posts: 2,327 Glendale, AZ	Well, I pulled the sending unit (lost about 7 gallons of gas all over the garage floor), and found the float to be cracked. I replaced the float, soldered a ground wire from the sending unit and connected it to the body. I have a good engine to body ground, core support to battery ground, made a cluster to steering column ground, and have a new ground cable. The temp gauge and gas gauge still dont work. I dont get it. Any other ideas I can try? 1969 Nova 454/M21/3.31 Mild mid-11 second weekend cruiser 1994 F150 XLT Super Cab 2WD 5.0/4R70W/3.55 (Daily driver)

Re: 69 Charger gauge problems [Re: 69L78Nova] #599094 01/31/10 04:48 PM 01/31/10 04:48 PM
Joined: Aug 2005 Posts: 11,543 chicagoland,usa B buildanother I Live Here
buildanother I Live Here B Joined: Aug 2005 Posts: 11,543 chicagoland,usa	Sure sounds like the problem is at dash possibly printed circuit connection, one of those legs that the harness plugs onto etc.

Re: 69 Charger gauge problems [Re: 69L78Nova] #599095 01/31/10 05:10 PM 01/31/10 05:10 PM
Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 5,445 So Cal Sinitro master
Sinitro master Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 5,445 So Cal	Quote: The gauges on my 69 Charger dont work correctly. I have tried 4 different voltage limiters, and all of them have the same effect. The gas gauge will go up to empty when the key is tuned on, and when the tank is full, it will read 1/4 tank. The temp gauge doesnt move at all. I have replace the temp sending unit. When each sending unit wire is grounded, each gauge will go all the way up and peg. The cluster has a good ground as well. I dont mind the temp gauge not working for now, but I need to have a working gas gauge. I am going to pull the fuel sending unit and check that out tomorrow. If the gauge pegs when the sending unit wire is grounded, wouldnt that mean the gauge is good...more or less? To fix the guages once & rite.. You should pull the rally dash, next check each guage for correct movement gas, temp and oil. They are actually 5V meters and their respective sending units are variable resistors that shunt the meter's voltages. While the cluster is out check the guage PCB, resolder where necessary and validate the voltage limiter and grounds. Then once all is corrected, bolt it back in. Yes it is a pain to pull the dash but the only way to fixe it rite. Just my $0.01..

Re: 69 Charger gauge problems [Re: 69L78Nova] #599096 01/31/10 05:26 PM 01/31/10 05:26 PM
Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 18,424 UPPER MICHIGAN, MARQUETTE COUN... N NITROUSN I Live Here
NITROUSN I Live Here N Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 18,424 UPPER MICHIGAN, MARQUETTE COUN...	My bet is on a defective fuel level sending unit and the wrong temperature sender. You most likely have a sending unit for a light not a guage. How does the oil pressure guage work?

Re: 69 Charger gauge problems [Re: 69L78Nova] #599097 01/31/10 06:15 PM 01/31/10 06:15 PM
Joined: Nov 2003 Posts: 36,041 Lincoln Nebraska R RapidRobert Circle Track
RapidRobert Circle Track R Joined: Nov 2003 Posts: 36,041 Lincoln Nebraska	Quote: Any other ideas I can try? I have another church comment but you are probably not in the mood. OK, w key "on" and you grounding the inside of the female connector @ the tank to ground the gas gauge swings rapidly over to & past "F" & when you unground it the gauge drops back to the other side of "E", correct so far? I would take the long jumper wire w alligator clips on each end and DIRECTLY connect the batt neg post to the sending unit metal flat, sorry just wanting to avoid the gas again if possible and if you are sure you're now good there I'd take the sending unit back out and right there by the tank plug in the female connector to the sending unit and w a jumper connect the sending unit base either to the batt neg or to your newly soldered ground to the body and have a helper turn the key "on" and watch the gas gauge as you manually move the swing arm thru it's travel. If it swings over per the Q in the beginning there's no way you will not have an answer w this procedure live every 24 hour block of time like it's your last day on earth

Re: 69 Charger gauge problems [Re: RapidRobert] #599098 01/31/10 06:44 PM 01/31/10 06:44 PM
Joined: Apr 2007 Posts: 2,327 Glendale, AZ 6 69L78Nova OP Banned. Forever.
69L78Nova OP Banned. Forever. 6 Joined: Apr 2007 Posts: 2,327 Glendale, AZ	Yeah, the gas gauge goes from below empty as it would be with the key off, to way past full with the wire grounded. The temp gauge is reading just a hair over 120 with the engine at operating temperature with the new sending unit. The oil pressure gauge kinda hangs around 20, at idle all the way up the RPM range. Ill put it up in the air again and try to find a wire long enough to run up to the battery. I guess for peace of mind, Ill order up a new voltage regulator for the cluster. Cant hurt right? 1969 Nova 454/M21/3.31 Mild mid-11 second weekend cruiser 1994 F150 XLT Super Cab 2WD 5.0/4R70W/3.55 (Daily driver)

Re: 69 Charger gauge problems [Re: 69L78Nova] #599099 01/31/10 06:59 PM 01/31/10 06:59 PM
Joined: Nov 2003 Posts: 36,041 Lincoln Nebraska R RapidRobert Circle Track
RapidRobert Circle Track R Joined: Nov 2003 Posts: 36,041 Lincoln Nebraska	Quote: I guess for peace of mind, Ill order up a new voltage regulator for the cluster. Cant hurt right? Actually your VR is OK with the gas gauge going from E to F when grounded. those OE electromechanical gauges do tend to be problematic and are better off replaced w an electronic replacement but for now I'd concentrate on the sending unit and then the additional problems up front which are skewing this diagnosing & making you think the VR is bad because all of the gauges are having problems. Going out on a limb I dont think the gas gauge would read correct (when you ground and unground it) if the VR was not correctly reducing the voltage down to ~5 volts by how it does it w the vibrating contacts live every 24 hour block of time like it's your last day on earth

Re: 69 Charger gauge problems [Re: RapidRobert] #599100 01/31/10 07:21 PM 01/31/10 07:21 PM
Joined: Apr 2007 Posts: 2,327 Glendale, AZ 6 69L78Nova OP Banned. Forever.
69L78Nova OP Banned. Forever. 6 Joined: Apr 2007 Posts: 2,327 Glendale, AZ	To eliminate future problems after I resolve matters at hand, where would I obtain an electronic voltage limiter? I read the step-by-step deal a while back on how to make your own, but does anyone sell them? 1969 Nova 454/M21/3.31 Mild mid-11 second weekend cruiser 1994 F150 XLT Super Cab 2WD 5.0/4R70W/3.55 (Daily driver)

Re: 69 Charger gauge problems [Re: 69L78Nova] #599101 01/31/10 07:36 PM 01/31/10 07:36 PM
Joined: Nov 2003 Posts: 36,041 Lincoln Nebraska R RapidRobert Circle Track
RapidRobert Circle Track R Joined: Nov 2003 Posts: 36,041 Lincoln Nebraska	Quote: I read the step-by-step deal a while back on how to make your own, but does anyone sell them? I remember somebody on here did but it was quite awhile back but I dont remember exactly who/where (on here) the ad was. EDIT just had a thought- R/T engineering??? something like that Last edited by RapidRobert; 01/31/10 08:05 PM. live every 24 hour block of time like it's your last day on earth

Re: 69 Charger gauge problems [Re: RapidRobert] #599102 01/31/10 10:21 PM 01/31/10 10:21 PM
Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 5,906 Athens, Greece Pyper70 master
Pyper70 master Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 5,906 Athens, Greece	I think you mean Voltage Limiter.....the one on the rallye cluster...the voltage regulator is in the engine bay. When I had my cluster rebuilt I had AutoInstruments do it. They install a solid state voltage limiter, costs about $20 and supposed to be the real deal versus the cheap Napa chinese stuff. I am installing my rallye cluster on tuesday most likely Family owned 1969 Charger R/T DualQuad 440/727/GVO/3.55s

Re: 69 Charger gauge problems [Re: Pyper70] #599103 02/01/10 10:55 PM 02/01/10 10:55 PM
Joined: Apr 2007 Posts: 2,327 Glendale, AZ 6 69L78Nova OP Banned. Forever.
69L78Nova OP Banned. Forever. 6 Joined: Apr 2007 Posts: 2,327 Glendale, AZ	Well, I changed the voltage limiter yet one more time. Now the temp and oil pressure gauges read correctly, so I put a DVOM on the fuel senging unit, and no matter where you move the arm, it reads open. Now is there a good place to get a new one? I was looking at Mancini just because Ive had good luck with their parts and service in the past. Id assume they are pretty much made by the same manufacturer for the most part, right? 1969 Nova 454/M21/3.31 Mild mid-11 second weekend cruiser 1994 F150 XLT Super Cab 2WD 5.0/4R70W/3.55 (Daily driver)

Re: 69 Charger gauge problems [Re: 69L78Nova] #599104 02/02/10 01:02 AM 02/02/10 01:02 AM
Joined: Nov 2003 Posts: 36,041 Lincoln Nebraska R RapidRobert Circle Track
RapidRobert Circle Track R Joined: Nov 2003 Posts: 36,041 Lincoln Nebraska	Might eyeball the contact that rides over the windings & see if you can CAREFULLY bend it so it has constant tension on them to make contact thru it's travel. If no go do some checking as there's been some sending units that do not read correct so you might post a Q on the best one to get so your gauge will end up reading right especialy after all the bad luck you've had w this. I want it to where when the gauge is squarely on the E that I have about 5 miles of traveling left live every 24 hour block of time like it's your last day on earth

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