Gauge Circuit Short?
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 167
Likes: 0
From: Oxnard/San Luis Obispo CA
Gauge Circuit Short?
OK so I am finally at the home stretch of interior reassembly and when I turn the key on to check some lights the fuse pops. I investigate a little and it turns out the power for the gauge circuit (the pink wires) is shorted to ground. I unplugged everything I could think of and its still shorted (about 6 ohms). Any Ideas how to find it? This really pisses me off. Everything was working not too long ago.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 6,640
Likes: 287
From: Ann Arbor Michigan
Not sure about your 75', but on my 71' there is a trim panel under the steering column that is held on with one screw. If the screw you use is to long, it will screw right into the column harness and short a wire to ground. A number of us on the Forum have made this mistake. Not sure if the it's your problem, but an easy thing to check.
Gary
Gary
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 167
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From: Oxnard/San Luis Obispo CA
I dont know anything about the seat belt interlock. I have some wires coming out of the seat belt but they arent hooked up either. I was not aware of the door ajar deal. Might be worth investigating. Also, the trim is not installed as the entire dash is apart right now.
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 242
Likes: 4
From: deland fl
I had the same problem on my 75. Does your tach work ? Mine didn't so I replaced the circuit board behind the tach. Shorting problem went away and all the gages work now.
Apparently, that board was shorted.
Larry
Apparently, that board was shorted.
Larry
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 167
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From: Oxnard/San Luis Obispo CA
The Tach isnt plugged in and the short is still there. It couldnt be the tach
Racer
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 260
Likes: 0
From: Wheaton Illinois
I had an intermitant short in my 76. It was a few years ago but I believe it was in the gauge circuit. It turned out that mice had eaten the insulation off of a couple wires in the console and one of them was shorting to ground. I think they were the wires for the seatbelt indicator light but I dont remember and my wiring diagram isn't handy. Good luck.
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 2,740
Likes: 3
From: Aurora Ontario
OK so I am finally at the home stretch of interior reassembly and when I turn the key on to check some lights the fuse pops. I investigate a little and it turns out the power for the gauge circuit (the pink wires) is shorted to ground. I unplugged everything I could think of and its still shorted (about 6 ohms). Any Ideas how to find it? This really pisses me off. Everything was working not too long ago.
Other place i have heard of this happening is on the rear of the fuse panel.
Also the areas Dwncchs suggested.
Jim
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 6,247
Likes: 471
From: Glen Allen, VA
I too have had a dead short on my dash light circuit. In my case it turned out to be 2 of the copper pieces on the printed circuit board were touching. The ends had come loose. I glued them back into place with a couple of dabs of glue and no problems since then.
and abandoned the old one. Wiring behind the dash looks good now 
