Headlight switch reostat causing fuel gauge issue...? or gremlins...

by Daves'77 BU Sun Jul 23, 2017 8:52 pm

So...i was removing 44 years of old radio, alarm, cb, equalizer wiring...the duct under the fuel gauge fell apart as I was working there...

After putting everything back together, including running a new ground for the cigar lighter because the old was was burnt up(ran a new one separate from harness)...I realized that the fuel gauge goes left to right when the headlights are on. If I turn the switch to turn the interior light on on turn down the dash lights the other way the gauge stays where it should. With the headlights on, and the knob in the normal position the directions glow. As I turn it down they go out. With the headlights on the wipers twitch but dont work, shut off headlights and they work fine...I think it is the headlight switch, or gremlins...should I buy a switch, could I have damaged the wiring plastic that goes to fuel gauge that was by the duct, do I need and old priest and new priest, Holy water? help...

Dave

by REVINKEVIN / Mr. 600+HP Sun Jul 23, 2017 9:59 pm

Dave, get the old priest and the new priest to help you check your grounds. The ground burned on the cigar lighter might be telling you of a larger grounding issue. Can you wire up the light switch outside of it's mounting hole? I found on my 1970 Camaro that mine was causing it's own little short but would work if plugged up outside of the panel mounting. Tightened up my connections and all was fine. I also went through all of my grounds and found some of them loose. The old gauge set up can get pretty suspect as well. Your grounding system gives the voltage a reference so the difference of potential can achieve it's 12 VDC. I would bet if you had a volt meter on it when you turned your switch you would see a fluctuation in voltage.

by bigredlaguna Mon Jul 24, 2017 1:00 am

Check to see if there is a ground strap from the engine to the cowl. If there is one, make see the contacts are clean.

by thatfnthing Mon Jul 24, 2017 9:40 am

Assuming you didn't change anything with the wiring, REVINKEVIN's on the money. Electricity is like water -- it wants to get to ground. If its route is blocked, it will find whatever alternate route it can to get there, and you will see some weird stuff. In our cars, bad grounds are far and away the #1 culprit of electrical gremlins -- you have to make sure the grounds are clean and solid so the electricity flows where it's supposed to, rather than where it wants to. Smile

by Hs1973 Mon Jul 24, 2017 11:33 am

Im with the other guys on this. Sounds like bad Ground to me too. Its like when you see the car in front turning on its blinkers and the whole taillight glow. Bad grounds make Wired things happen.

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Headlight switch reostat causing fuel gauge issue...? or gremlins...

Headlight switch reostat causing fuel gauge issue...? or gremlins...

Re: Headlight switch reostat causing fuel gauge issue...? or gremlins...

Re: Headlight switch reostat causing fuel gauge issue...? or gremlins...

Re: Headlight switch reostat causing fuel gauge issue...? or gremlins...

Re: Headlight switch reostat causing fuel gauge issue...? or gremlins...

Re: Headlight switch reostat causing fuel gauge issue...? or gremlins...