'81 help questions on instrumentation
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 1,401
Likes: 9
From: Holly Springs, Nort Cackalacky / Jupiter, Florida
'81 help questions on instrumentation
Friend of mine has an '81 with 6700 original miles. After sitting for a year he finally took it out for a ride. Prior to this recent ride, everything worked correctly. Now the problem(s) are that the choke light stay on all the time, Tach gauge sits bottomed (approx) 1.5" below 0 rpm, the temp gauge sits/stays approx 125-130, fuel gauge sits pegged beyond full, he occasionally has an intermittent 'check engine light', and run has 'run on' after turning off. I know that a car sitting for long periods is not good, but all this stuff going bad, all of a sudden, just doesn't make much sense.
Before we pull gauges / panels, I remembered that the last time he had car out was for a show, where we were messing with the wire shielding in engine bay. I am wondering IF we might have hit/loosened some sort of bulk head connector, or some module, or?
My question(s):
RK
Before we pull gauges / panels, I remembered that the last time he had car out was for a show, where we were messing with the wire shielding in engine bay. I am wondering IF we might have hit/loosened some sort of bulk head connector, or some module, or?
My question(s):
- Is there, possibly, something in common with all of this?
- If YES, where would we find this connector? Location?
- If NO, I know center gauge console is susceptible to breaking 'ears' off panel. What do we need to know on removal/installation?
- Is there any documentation for removal, etc...?
RK
Race Director
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 16,528
Likes: 53
From: Dayton, Ohio
Check the choke heater fuse and the gauges fuse.
edit - ground is also common to a lot of problems but you should have said something about no dash lights.
It sounds like it also could be the center cluster connector , did he have the radio out recently ?
edit - ground is also common to a lot of problems but you should have said something about no dash lights.
It sounds like it also could be the center cluster connector , did he have the radio out recently ?
Last edited by ...Roger...; Aug 17, 2009 at 09:34 AM.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 1,401
Likes: 9
From: Holly Springs, Nort Cackalacky / Jupiter, Florida
I don't know if his Dash lights are working....this all happened during the day and we didn't even think to try them.
Have not had the radio or 'anything' out. Do to the low miles, basically nothing has been done to this car. It goes to shows, occasionally, and doesn't get started near enough, but that's another story I'm working on with owner.
btw-We have checked fuses and all appear to be good.
RK
Have not had the radio or 'anything' out. Do to the low miles, basically nothing has been done to this car. It goes to shows, occasionally, and doesn't get started near enough, but that's another story I'm working on with owner.
btw-We have checked fuses and all appear to be good.
RK
Race Director
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 16,528
Likes: 53
From: Dayton, Ohio
Be sure to check the fuses using a test light to confirm power on both sides of the fuses where the fuse plugs into the box not just the contacts on the top of the fuse. This fools a lot of guys. Pull the fuses in and out several time to make sure they are making good contact. Grounds also can become corroded and not making good contact. See what else is not working and let us know,maybe that can steer us towards a cause.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 9,192
Likes: 27
From: Boca Raton Florida
There is a computer ground on the intake by the thermostat that will corrode, it is there to give a good ground for the sensors. The intermittent light may be due to the carb getting fouled and the O2 reading being all over the place, some carb cleaner and some run time might fix it. The shielding your talking about could have easily dammaged the Tach wire, its the white one on the distributor with the in linc cylinder on it. Fuel gauge doesn't go anywhere near there, but multiple problems are common. Like roger says, use a test light, saves a LOT of frustration
