73-87chevytrucks.com
73-87 Chevy _ GMC Trucks => Interior & Equipment => Topic started by: Todd7080 on March 29, 2011, 11:12:35 PM
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Hi everyone Im new to this site as far as being a member but have used info from here for years. I just put a better looking set of gauges in my original housing and when the key is turned on the needle went to the correct spot. With the key off I turned the headlights on and the fuel needle fell to the left way past the E. if I turn the key on it goes to the correct spot again. i didn't have this problem before I started and that frustrates me. The printed circuit in only 4 years old also. Any help would be much appreciated.
Thanks...
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Why would you turn your headlights on without the key on or the truck running? And, it sounds like maybe a ground problem. My gas gauge hardly moved at all and it would run out of gas on my when it was still over 1/4 tank. But I found the ground wire from the back side if the passenger.head into the fire wall was iff and I hooked it up and now it works how it should and E is actually empty. Check your gauge ground wire and make sure you have everything hooked up right.
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if the fuel gauge is correct with truck ON and lights ON, then I wouldnt worry about it.
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1979c20 is on the right track, has to be a wire issue. If it was me I would go to the tech section here and get the wiring diagrams for your truck, then trace the fuel circuit and headlight circuit ( you might want to try to see if other switches do it also ), it really sounds like to me that somehow you grounded/crossed the two circuits,and with out the truck running you turn on the headlights and "drain" the power from the fuel gauge circuit. Electrical issues can be a nightmare and a headache, but if you approach it with a plan and remember to take the simple steps first you should be able to trace the problem.
Good luck and keep up informed, welcome to the site also from California.
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Thanks everyone for the input. I will take the dash back apart and find the issue soon. I can't stand things not working like they are supposed to. What boggles my mind is the gauge I took out worked like a champ. I just replaced it because it didn't match the rest of them.
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If all you did was replace the gauge, then it could just be the new gauge...Put the old one back in and see what happens.