84 cutlass gauge problem

hurstolds-101 · 04-05-2007, 03:27 PM

hi i am new to the site a lot of good suggestion here

i bought a 84 hurst/olds back in sept. 06 drove it home everything worked fine , stored it for the winter , took it out last sunday for ride now the gauges won't work;first the heat gauge goes hard up and no other gauges work , stop the car then start the car again all gauges work but the gas gauge goes hard up .tried it today, as the car heats up the heat gauge goes hard up again and the rest of the gauges are hard down .i cleaned all the grounds i could fine no difference

i would appricate any help
thanks greg

elmo · 04-05-2007, 03:50 PM

I think it's time you start Praying.

ozoneblue · 04-05-2007, 05:32 PM

Check guage fuse. & check to see if sending unit wire is grounding out

Oldsguy · 04-06-2007, 04:31 AM

Greg,
Welcome to our site. You say "heat gauge" I think you mean engine temperature guage right? What Larry said about checking the fuse panel is the first thing to do. It sure sounds like you have some intermittent grounds that are causing your gauges to act up though. If you have a good fuse (probably labeled "instruments"), then I would next start looking for a wire grounding out like Larry said. Your engine termperature sensor is usually on the driver's side of the intake manifold in the front. It is mounted vertically in the water jacket crossover of the intake manifold next to cylinder #1. To check your fuel gauge I would start back at the fuel tank first and find the wire that runs from the top of the tank up the passenger side frame-rail to the firewall. Inspect both those sending wires and look for bare spots that could provide shorts to ground.

Oldsmaniac · 04-06-2007, 05:28 AM

These cars, my 83 H\O as well, are notorious for this problem. The connector behind the gages is of poor design and after time the gages dont read because of a poor connection there. You probably need to pull the dash cluster and check\tighten all connectors there.

hurstolds-101 · 04-06-2007, 09:05 AM

thanks everyone for your reply

ozoneblue i checked all the fuses they are alright
i checked the ground that comes from the tank to the frame cleand it up
still no difference ,i will have to drop the tank to check the sendind unit ground

oldsguy i checked temperature sensor and both the wires that come out are bare i wll fix them let you know

oldsmaniac a friend of mine told me to pull the dash to check the grounds there i will leave that until last sounds like a big job

thanks

Mister · 04-06-2007, 07:41 PM

If you plan on removing the gauge cluster, there's a nice tutorial (with great pictures) here: http://tech.oldsgmail.com/eint_cluster.php

Who knows, once you see behind the instruments, the fix might be quick and obvious. Like removing a mouse nest or something.

hurstolds-101 · 04-09-2007, 05:18 PM

thanks everbody for the help

thanks mister for the site
i removed the gauge cluster today
tighten the ground screws
everything is working fine now

this is a Great site thanks

04-05-2007, 03:27 PM	#1 (permalink)
hurstolds-101 Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 5	84 cutlass gauge problem hi i am new to the site a lot of good suggestion here i bought a 84 hurst/olds back in sept. 06 drove it home everything worked fine , stored it for the winter , took it out last sunday for ride now the gauges won't work;first the heat gauge goes hard up and no other gauges work , stop the car then start the car again all gauges work but the gas gauge goes hard up .tried it today, as the car heats up the heat gauge goes hard up again and the rest of the gauges are hard down .i cleaned all the grounds i could fine no difference i would appricate any help thanks greg

04-05-2007, 03:50 PM	#2 (permalink)
elmo Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 20	Everything is pointing UP? I think it's time you start Praying.

04-06-2007, 04:31 AM	#4 (permalink)
Oldsguy Administrator Join Date: May 2004 Location: Lees Summit MO Posts: 3,167	Greg, Welcome to our site. You say "heat gauge" I think you mean engine temperature guage right? What Larry said about checking the fuse panel is the first thing to do. It sure sounds like you have some intermittent grounds that are causing your gauges to act up though. If you have a good fuse (probably labeled "instruments"), then I would next start looking for a wire grounding out like Larry said. Your engine termperature sensor is usually on the driver's side of the intake manifold in the front. It is mounted vertically in the water jacket crossover of the intake manifold next to cylinder #1. To check your fuel gauge I would start back at the fuel tank first and find the wire that runs from the top of the tank up the passenger side frame-rail to the firewall. Inspect both those sending wires and look for bare spots that could provide shorts to ground. __________________ Dan '77 Cutlass Supreme '46 2 door

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04-05-2007, 05:32 PM	#3 (permalink)
ozoneblue Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 416	Check guage fuse. & check to see if sending unit wire is grounding out

04-06-2007, 05:28 AM	#5 (permalink)
Oldsmaniac Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: NJ Posts: 432	These cars, my 83 H\O as well, are notorious for this problem. The connector behind the gages is of poor design and after time the gages dont read because of a poor connection there. You probably need to pull the dash cluster and check\tighten all connectors there.

04-06-2007, 09:05 AM	#6 (permalink)
hurstolds-101 Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 5	thanks everyone for your reply ozoneblue i checked all the fuses they are alright i checked the ground that comes from the tank to the frame cleand it up still no difference ,i will have to drop the tank to check the sendind unit ground oldsguy i checked temperature sensor and both the wires that come out are bare i wll fix them let you know oldsmaniac a friend of mine told me to pull the dash to check the grounds there i will leave that until last sounds like a big job thanks

04-06-2007, 07:41 PM	#7 (permalink)
Mister Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Omaha, NE Posts: 61	If you plan on removing the gauge cluster, there's a nice tutorial (with great pictures) here: http://tech.oldsgmail.com/eint_cluster.php Who knows, once you see behind the instruments, the fix might be quick and obvious. Like removing a mouse nest or something.

04-09-2007, 05:18 PM	#8 (permalink)
hurstolds-101 Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 5	thanks everbody for the help thanks mister for the site i removed the gauge cluster today tighten the ground screws everything is working fine now this is a Great site thanks