no gauges or cluster lights

oldhalftons · Post by **oldhalftons** » Thu Jul 07, 2005 12:06 am

None of the gauges work and the instrument panel light don't work.
The high beam indicator works and the turn signal indicators work

where do I begin troubleshooting this?

69 F100 with oil press and ammeter style cluster.

Heavenlyfire · Post by **Heavenlyfire** » Thu Jul 07, 2005 12:10 am

I don't know a whole heck of a lot about wiring but it sounds like the board in the back of your panel is trashed.

Joe Kriston · Post by **Joe Kriston** » Thu Jul 07, 2005 12:36 am

If you haven't already,and before you send the truck to the scrap heap you might want to check the fuses and fusable links...

68F250 · Post by **68F250** » Thu Jul 07, 2005 3:32 am

You're instrument panel is hard-wired, thankfully! But it sounds like you have two problems. The cluster lights are controlled by the headlight switch. I take it you've tried turning the dimmer back and forth a few times? Did you notice if your radio and the words on the heater control panel still light up? The gauges (except for the ammeter) are all powered by a voltage regulator behind the instrument panel. Need a test light to check it, do you have any test equipment? The ammeter never works anyway.

oldhalftons · Post by **oldhalftons** » Thu Jul 07, 2005 9:43 am

I have a test light, and I will check the voltage regulator behind the dash.

The radio is a newer aftermarket cassette player and lights up on its own when turned on.

I'll the heater control lights don't work

I'll probably bypass the ammeter in the future and replace it with a voltmeter, because every vehicle I've had with an ammeter the ammeter has caused problems.

I'd be happy with dash lights, a working fuel gauge

68F250 · Post by **68F250** » Thu Jul 07, 2005 10:23 am

You can test the voltage regulator without pulling the cluster. Tilt the seat forward and pull off the orange wire from the fuel tank sender. Probe the connector, your test light should flash on and off. You can also do the same under the hood. Pull off the sender wire from the temperature sender and/or the oil pressure sender and probe those connectors, they should flash too.

Did you say the heater control lights work or don't work.

bluef250 · Post by **bluef250** » Thu Jul 07, 2005 10:44 am

Is most of the wiring stock? Simple things first, check the ground from the instrument panel to body. The connection should be on the structure holding steering column - a black wire. Check bulbs in instrument panel. Check fuse for instrument lights. With key to assessory, check which fuses have power. Let us know how to make out. Good luck.

oldhalftons · Post by **oldhalftons** » Fri Jul 08, 2005 7:09 pm

all of the wiring looks stock, except for the radio.

Bad news is there are still no gauges but I know they work.

they worked for a while today after going over a set of railroad tracks and worked untill I hit a speed bump.

I think that says its a loose power wire of a bad ground

oldhalftons · Post by **oldhalftons** » Sun Jul 24, 2005 11:50 am

the saga continues

took the dash out because the gauges kept randomly working and not working. everything is tight. now none of them work again and they seem to stay dead. I'm not getting a pulse at the feul tank sender like i was earlier.

with no loose wires, all the gauges not working (i have dash lights when the headlights are on), blinkers work and no pulse with a test light at the tank sender.

Am I right that this sounds like a bad dash voltage reducer?

I have a 73 parts truck, will a truck this new have the same voltage reducer behind the dash or will I just have to wait for my shiny new 48-72 catalog to arrive and order one?

even the good parts store in town that is GREAT at getting old stuff said "no way, cant find it"

Post by **FORDification** » Sun Jul 24, 2005 12:48 pm

No, the '67-'69 trucks used a different one. The '71-'79 trucks' IPVR is set up for use with a printed circuit panel, so you'll have to find one from a '67-'69 panel, which has spade-type terminals on the back, like pictured in this graphic I borrowed from Mac's:

oldhalftons · Post by **oldhalftons** » Sun Jul 24, 2005 12:52 pm

thanks, i'll have to order the right one.

68F250 · Post by **68F250** » Sun Jul 24, 2005 3:35 pm

After reading more, I now believe you have a flacky ignition switch. Try jiggling the key or turn it back and forth a few times. Also try wiggling the wires on the back of the switch.

oldhalftons · Post by **oldhalftons** » Sun Jul 24, 2005 3:56 pm

68F250 wrote:After reading more, I now believe you have a flacky ignition switch. Try jiggling the key or turn it back and forth a few times. Also try wiggling the wires on the back of the switch.

OK I'll try that too

oldhalftons · Post by **oldhalftons** » Mon Aug 01, 2005 9:28 am

Well I never really found out what was wrong

I swapped in a junkyard cluster out of a 69 f250 and now everything works, even the ammeter.

I guess the old cluster will go on a shelf untill I get a shop manual to really learn how to troubleshoot it.

Got to have something to do this winter.

SportCustom · Post by **SportCustom** » Mon Dec 05, 2005 6:32 pm

Is there any way to test the IPVR out of the truck?
I have the same problems described above. I am rebuilding my cluster right now so it is out of the truck. I did find that the 2 amp fuse labeled instr. under the dash does not have power (switched or constant) But I can probe the connector at circuit 30 and get power? It could be a ground I guess.....I will look around some more.

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