Skip to main content ↑ ↓
Topic: Instrument cluster, need help (Read 1598 times) previous topic - next topic

Instrument cluster, need help

I just now got around to tearing into my dash to get my fuel/temp guages working again.  It turns out that my A12 wire is dead, no power.  I was just wondering what the voltage on it was supposed to be and if I could splice into another source.  I could trace to the root of the problem, but that's a lot of wire to screw around with and a lot of stuff would need to come off.  The wire itself says "do not cut or splice, resistor"  On the end there is what I assume to be the said resister, see picture.  What should I do to fix the problem?
1987 Thunderbird 3.8. Sold :(

1982 Thunderbird - Goodbye 255, Hello 302!

Re: Instrument cluster, need help

Reply #1 –
Okay, I got bored enough to pick through every last wire in the car.  It seems that when I installed my remote start/keyless entry I cut the 12 volt lead to the guages.  I don't know if anyone is familiar with installing systems like that, but in order to determine types of power locks, you sometimes have to cut wires to determine that.  Well, I cut the wrong wire at one point and completely forgot about it. After a few months of calculating mileage, I don't have to anymore, yay!  I don't know how I ever lived without a gas guage...
1987 Thunderbird 3.8. Sold :(

1982 Thunderbird - Goodbye 255, Hello 302!

Re: Instrument cluster, need help

Reply #2 –
By A12 just what do you mean??? I've looked in the '88 EVTM and see no reference to any wires with that ID. What color(besides white) is it?

Re: Instrument cluster, need help

Reply #3 –
It's the wire in position 12 that runs to plug A (the gray one), all the wires are labled on the instrument cluster plugs.  The actual wire is gray/yellow in color, just like A11, only lighter gage.  According to coolcats, it's supposed to be blue/pink.  There are a lot of wires in my car that do not match up to what manuals say.  It's like the factory didn't follow the color scheme on my car.  Installing the remote start was a PITA because many of the wires I was supposed to use didn't match with what various manuals said.
1987 Thunderbird 3.8. Sold :(

1982 Thunderbird - Goodbye 255, Hello 302!

Re: Instrument cluster, need help

Reply #4 –
Yep, grey/yellow. Comes from "run" terminal A2 on the ignition switch. You may have noticed it's a single-strand wire... the entire wire is the resistor, not the end connector. I don't know what resplicing it back together may affect, if anything.
Death awaits you all with nasty, big, pointy teeth.

1988 5.0 Bird, mostly stock, partly not, now gone to T-Bird heaven.
1990 Volvo 740GL. 114 tire-shredding horsies, baby!

Re: Instrument cluster, need help

Reply #5 –
Quote
According to coolcats, it's supposed to be blue/pink. There are a lot of wires in my car that do not match up to what manuals say. It's like the factory didn't follow the color scheme on my car. Installing the remote start was a PITA because many of the wires I was supposed to use didn't match with what various manuals said.


Yeah, that's the problem...different model years, different dash wiring harnesses, different engines...they all be different. Manuals tend to cover the "normal" situation but not all possible situations. Whatever is in the original, factory position has to be correct though, regardless of the wiring color and sometimes even the gauge of the wiring. It's there for a reason. I worked off 2 different manuals (Chiltons, Ford 1987 EVTM manual) and the wiring from 2 different cars to get my info. And obviously, even that wasn't enough to cover all the bases. Your mileage may vary...