Console gauges problems

[no69x-44]

Ok, here is my situation ... I have a new wire harness, new gauges new bulbs, pretty much new everything in my original console. I'm having two issues (that I'm aware of) and I'm sure getting tired of taking the console apart, especially since the seats are in the car.

1.) Temp gauge not working - new wiring new temp sensor. I think eventually this one will get figured out since it is really only one wire, but please feel free to comment.

2.) This is the one that really has me stumped. There are four gage pods, each with it's own light bulb. 2 of them seem to be working normally. But the lower 2 pods the lights "glow" when the ignition key is turned to the ON position. The others do not. But when you pull the lights switch to on, they all (4) come on bright.

I'm thinking that I must have a short some where in maybe a ground. Does anyone have pictures of the wiring of the console gages? Is there some sort "felt" washer that I'm missing?  Also, do both of the metal mounting plates need be grounded?  Right now I have the black ground wire that is coming from the harness grounded to the rear plate.  There is no ground on the front plate (the ones "glowing") as I would have thought that the black harness groung might have taken care of that too.
When I put this all together, I just had a pile of parts and no instructions. But it seem like it should be pretty straight forward.

Oh, one more thing ... I also have a low fuel sensor warning in this. Could that maybe some issue.

I'm scratching my head ...

[rich69rs]

Sounds like grounding issues to me.  The two trays are grounded together via a separate wire landed between mounting screws that secure the trays in the pod, which then provides grounding as required for the gauges and bulb sockets.

The attached PDF file to this post as well as the next post are pages 3-241 and 3-242 from the National Service Data TUNE-UP MANUAL; 1961-1969.  I picked this up at the swap meet at Hot August Nights in Reno last week.  Very good 9 inch thick +3500 page reference that covers tune up, electrical (ignition, starter, alternator, lighting) wiring diagrams, carburetion, and a few other topics for all American cars made between 1961 and 1969.

The description about how the fuel, temp, and ammeter gauges work are applicable.  The oil pressure gauge referenced is for an electronic sending unit.

Hope this is of some help.

Richard

[rich69rs]

Second page of the AC Delco gauge section.

[no69x-44]

Thanks for the information above.  This pretty much confirms my suspicions on the grounding.  Good information.

[JohnZ]

Good info. Ignore the "2-wire" fuel gauge stuff - that circuit design was only used for the '63-'67 Corvette and a few Cadillacs of the same era.

[no69x-44]

Quick update on this ...
When I jumped the ground to both console gauge pod metal plates, I now get the all Four gauge lights come on BRIGHT - as in full on - when the ignition key is turned to he "ON" position.  They also come full bright on if I should pull the head lights switch on.

My question is - Is this correct?  Should the gauge lights all come ON when the ignition is turned to the ON position? I mean it is sort of dark under the dash there were they are, so maybe the console lights are ON when driving without the head lights turned on ...

[Mark]

Nope, consoile lights are only on when the dash lights are on.  They should operate exactly the same as your console shift indicator lamps (if its an auto).  They also dim when the dash lights dim.  Dash lights are connected to the console via a gray wire in the number 10 position (third from the left on the bottom of the dash connector looking into the connector from the console.

[no69x-44]

Ok, here is my situation ... I have a new wire harness, new gauges new bulbs, pretty much new everything in my original console. I'm having two issues (that I'm aware of) and I'm sure getting tired of taking the console apart, especially since the seats are in the car.

1.) Temp gauge not working - new wiring new temp sensor. I think eventually this one will get figured out since it is really only one wire, but please feel free to comment.

2.) This is the one that really has me stumped. There are four gage pods, each with it's own light bulb. 2 of them seem to be working normally. But the lower 2 pods the lights "glow" when the ignition key is turned to the ON position. The others do not. But when you pull the lights switch to on, they all (4) come on bright.

I'm thinking that I must have a short some where in maybe a ground. Does anyone have pictures of the wiring of the console gages? Is there some sort "felt" washer that I'm missing?  Also, do both of the metal mounting plates need be grounded?  Right now I have the black ground wire that is coming from the harness grounded to the rear plate.  There is no ground on the front plate (the ones "glowing") as I would have thought that the black harness ground might have taken care of that too.
When I put this all together, I just had a pile of parts and no instructions. But it seem like it should be pretty straight forward.

Oh, one more thing ... I also have a low fuel sensor warning in this. Could that maybe some issue.

I'm scratching my head ...

OK - I believe I have number 1 above working now.  But Number 2 ... The issue with the gauge cluster Pod lights is not going away. What I have done is jumped the ground from the top pod metal plate to the bottom pod metal plate.   When I have the Ignition turned to the ON position, all four (4) gauge lights light up bright!!  I am pretty certain that the console gauge lights should light up when the head light switch is pulled. When the car is off and the key out of the ignition and the head light switch is pulled, the dash lights and the console gauge lights all come on as they should. 

So, I have no idea as to why the dang console gauge lights come on bright when the ignition key is turned to the ON position or when the car is started.  I'm wiped out of ideas.  below are some pictures as to how I have the console gauges wired up.  I'm hoping that someone might be able to spot a wiring mistake.  I know it's hard to see it all in the pics, but it's sort of my last resort.  Do the insulators look OK?  Also, there is a low fuel sensor in there too!
Thanks.

[Mark]

Your green and pink wires on temperature gauge are on the wrong terminals.  The green one should be on the terminal closest to the side of the console.  Looks like the whoe thing (terminals, spacer, connector) is on backwards  The outer terminal (green) should point to the lower outer corner of the mounting plate, and the upper middle.  The inner terminal (pink) should line up with the outer upper corned of the mounting plate, and the bottom center.

[no69x-44]

Hey Mark - Thanks a million for the response.  I'll check that wiring SNAFU tomorrow!  If that turns out to be the root of problems on this puppy ... I owe you!  Stay tuned ...

[no69x-44]

OK - I promised an update, so here it is.  I believe that I have the console gauge and lighing issue 95% solved (Thanks Mark).  I switched the temp gauge wires as Mark suggested and also noticed that I may have an insulator (using Marks picture as my guide) in the wrong place.  Lastly ... there was black ground wire that in the console harness that I wasn't grounding near the shifter.  Once I did a tempory grounding of that, PROOF - the lighting all worked as designed!  AMP and oil gauges seem to be working fine. Still fiddling with the fuel and the temp gauges.

[nwbalddog]

My oil pressure gauge buries the needle to over 80lb after started...any ideas where to start looking? This is recent, had no issue before.
Thanks

[Mark]

Oil pressure gauge is mechanical, so you must really putting be putting out over 80 psi at idle.

[69pace]

No69x-44 - What is the issue you are having with fuel gauge? 
And I thought you said you fixed the issue in number one.