Guages/Electrical

[cwilson jr]

A while ago I was going to look into why my temp. and oil gauge quit working quite some time ago, when just recently I had to replace the whole motor.  I thought there was a chance this "may" correct one or both of them, naturally it did not.  now, just today I have a new issue i cannot explain.  My cigarette lighter socket works, BUT only when the door is shut?  has anyone ever seen this before?

Where is a good place to start/check?

NOTE:  I was looking over some old posts and I know the temp. and oil share a ground.  where is the ground located?  I'm pretty sure my temp. constantly reads cold and the oil gauge occasionally will act like its working.  It will sometimes read "1/4", (not sure what its labeled without having it in front of me.)

[Stewart G Griffin]

i know one big ground location is near that door's dome light button.    Give me a day or two to find it and possible post a pic.   But you may be on to something with the cig lighter only working with the door being closed.

[Irish_Alley]

does the cig lighter work if you press the light switch in the door jamb?

[bd]

...now, just today I have a new issue i cannot explain.  My cigarette lighter socket works, BUT only when the door is shut?  has anyone ever seen this before?

Where is a good place to start/check?

Assuming it was reconnected during the motor swap... disassemble and burnish the ground cable connections to bare metal between the cab firewall and the rear of the right cylinder head.  Make sure the ground cable is in good condition with no broken strands.  Slather the cable end connections with antioxidant paste (not dielectric grease) available from most hardware stores.  Be careful when tightening the sheetmetal screw to the firewall that it doesn't strip.  Do the same thing with the battery-to-engine ground cable connections.  If either battery cable is growing a crop of green mold, just replace it.

Repeat the cleaning process where the instrument panel wiring grounds to the left kick panel sheetmetal inside the cab below and forward of the park brake release handle.