Gauge cluster stuff.

[exilous]

Ok, so I am working on my truck and I know a few of my gauges dont work. I have 2 parts trucks that have complete gauge clusters that I can take apart but they dont run well enough to get a temp going or move around to check if everything works. If I take the cluster apart and pop the gauges out can I just like touch the studs on the back of each gauge with a battery to test if they do anything? Or is there some other way to test these things. I figure the speedo all i have to do is take it out and spin the back. Any help would be much appreciated.

[VileZambonie]

The temp gauges rarely go bad. You can run 12v through a potentiometer and see what happens when you adjust the resistance.

[exilous]

ok, i didnt know what would have worked the best,I might have a pot floating around here somewhere that I might be able to wire something up. if not i'm sure if i just touch the tabs on the back and if the gauge moves that means it works?

[exilous]

Ok it took me awhile to find a pot, which side do I use the pot on? The positive or negative side? I dont want to go hoooking it up wrong and frying any of these gauges.

[Skunksmash]

In my experience it is more often the sensor/sending unit for the gauge that goes bad. Rather than the gauge itself. The heat gauge is just a little wire (mine was a brown wire) that goes from the driver's side cylinder head to through the firewall and into the back of the gauge. You should be able to trace the wire with the gauges out.

[exilous]

well uhm there is no cab on my truck and there is no engine in my truck...the blazers that have the gauge clusters are all chopped up and wont run to test all the gauges I just wanted to see if I can test eacha nd every gauge with a  battery to see which ones work and which ones dont. I'm not just talking about the temp gauge like volt gauge fuel gauge oil gauge anything i've got I guess I'm trying to get at. lol

[VileZambonie]

I would just put it in and find out. You may damage them with a high current spike ya know?

[choptop]

The pot would go on the negative side to similate what the sender does, but Vile is right about the voltage spike. What resistance pot do you have. I think a 500 ohm would work, but dont have a sneding unit handy to check the range.

[exilous]

Yes choptop I do have a 500ohm pot that I can use. do you think 500 ohms would work on all the gauges, like fuel gauge, oil pressure gauge, water temp gauge, and voltage gauge?

[choptop]

I think so, all but the volt meter. I really havent ohmed out and of the sending units to see what range they are, but I dont think any are more than 500 ohm. Now I have to go find out because its making me curious.

[exilous]

Haha,  well keep me posted when you find out.