78 CJ5 Fuel and Temperature Guage Nightmares

[Tison78_CJ5]

Has anyone had problems with Fuel and Temperature gauges?
I have replaced both of mine three times.
Finally gave up and installed electronic meters in the speedometer case.
I am an electronic engineer, and after ripping the dash apart four times I gave up on the regular gauges.
I'm just curious if this is a design problem for my year of Jeep.

 

[superj]

No idea. My 76 doesn't have originals and my 87 uses different type then the cjs

 

[Tison78_CJ5]

Glad I had two speedometers....
Got it ready to install the better looking face now.

 

[superj]

Cool

 

[Turbogus]

There's been more than a few write ups in the quirky gauge situation on these speedometer heads here's a couple;

Fuel and Temperature Gauges Troubleshooting 1972-1986 Jeep CJ's

Jeep CJ Gauge & Sender Diagnostics

and this one is the one that I used to get my gauges straight by John Strenk, a really good guy.

Jeep CJ Gauge & Sender Diagnostics
CJ Gauge Specification Chart
CJ Speedometer Gauge Quick Test
The new Gauge Page

all this info being said, my own experience was I found there was a couple of manufacturers of these gauges available in my area when I did mine. Primarlily the speedometer to dash to body tub to ground strap to negative battery terminal grounds are so prone to oxidation interference that I've come to suspecting ground issues before approaching anything else, especially in this PacNW climate. To complicate matters, twice the made in China gauges were failing until I found (by dumb luck) some N.O.S. made in the USA gauges and I've had no trouble since.

 

[Tison78_CJ5]

I agree on the China gauge, but I also bought some American built ones. They have started making the pivot for the pointer from nylon.
The heater wire inside will melt it.
I finally gave up, don't really like the idea of putting that much power to a full tank of gas.
Mine will now run with 1 volt to it, at 10 ma.
It drives me nuts to have something as simple as a gauge stump me.
I did find lots of information on the web. It saved a lot of time at the bench.

 

[Tison78_CJ5]

Well, its finished. It turned out pretty well. Now I have fuel, and temperature that work, with no load on the sensors.
Now to work on my stereo....

 

[Turbogus]

Yep I had trouble with some USA ones too, turned out after reseaching after the fact the label said "Made for America" as I recall. Eventually I came across some of the genuine article NOS gauges from Mac's Jeeparts nearby.

 

[Tison78_CJ5]

I wanted to get this to the top for Scott.

 

[flatie46]

I can't believe you of all people don't have a working radio in your Jeep.Lol That's like a bodyman always drives a car that needs paint or a mechanic's car always needs engine work.

 

[greg92jeepxj]

I can't believe you of all people don't have a working radio in your Jeep.Lol That's like a bodyman always drives a car that needs paint or a mechanic's car always needs engine work.

You just described me to the tee ! I'm always under or over someone's car and I still didn't get to install my new transmission line ! Lol

 

[Tison78_CJ5]

I had an old friend, who was a house painter. I bought his old Triumph GT6 from him. He actually used it for work.
Had scratches on the roof, from carrying the ladder.
It had no rust because it was covered in paint.

Eventually my old Jeep will be all digital. I want to not modify it in any way. An gauge, radio, or switch can be put back to OEM.
Oh, by the way. It didn't have a radio when I bought it, and I need my jams.

Tison

 

[greg92jeepxj]

I just googled a triumph GT6 , cool car ! Looks like what James Bond drove . Wish I had my dad's old triumph , was too young to remember it well but I remember the cables to open the doors .
also wish he still had the triumph bonneville 650 . Man , that was a bad bike ! Would you believe a guy wanted an even trade for a '62 vette ? My uncle and dad jumped on it ! 327 twin Q-jets .
Too bad they weren't into CJ's , wish they were. But they knew kids probably weren't safe riding in the back or front with no doors. Me and my brothers were too hell bent , even in that triumph.
cant wait to see the digital dash job , ought to be the bomb !!! I like OE CJ's but can appreciate mod as long as can be returned to OE just like you said. BTW , I know you'll be jammin' soon !

P.S. - nice to have TURBOGUS in this thread , he's got an electronics flair too !

 

[Tison78_CJ5]

That's funny. I owned a Triumph 500 tiger, when I was 19. I loved it, but if you ever got one that didn't leak oil, you had a bad one.
Let a puddle every where I stopped.

 

[greg92jeepxj]

Going to have to ask my dad if it was a tr6 or what , just cannot remember except for them cables to open the doors. Something about the lock design needed to secure the doors at high speed when you got body roll twisting around turns or something , the doors needed stronger lockers or they would fly open ? Oh but that car had an awesome sound when you topped out every gear ! Can't remember why they sold it , maybe too many mechanical,problems ? I know they had to change out the ring and pinion on the vette , was,only good on straight and level but couldn't climb hills without the clutch chattering . After that , it flew up hills and tore up,the road . Guess mom didn't want our tails wrapped in fiberglass . Lol . It got sold too.

 

[greg92jeepxj]

Going to have to ask my dad if it was a tr6 or what , just cannot remember except for them cables to open the doors. Something about the lock design needed to secure the doors at high speed when you got body roll twisting around turns or something , the doors needed stronger lockers or they would fly open ? Oh but that car had an awesome sound when you topped out every gear ! Can't remember why they sold it , maybe too many mechanical,problems ? I know they had to change out the ring and pinion on the vette , was,only good on straight and level but couldn't climb hills without the clutch chattering . After that , it flew up hills and tore up,the road . Guess mom didn't want our tails wrapped in fiberglass . Lol . It got sold too.

the triumph was a spitfire but the car they ( uncle and dad ) owned with cable type door releases was an MGB. Yeah that was sold too.

 

[Tison78_CJ5]

In 74 I had a Datsun 310 spl roadster, then in 77 it was an MGB hardtop.
Man when I look back, I must have owned a hundred cars.
Some I think about every day. Honestly I miss the Datsun fairlady the most.
My last x got my Triumph GT6.

 

[greg92jeepxj]

I'm happy you had so many cars that were fun but to me , the heartbreaker is the loss of the triumph GT6 . That was ripped from your hands and you probably would have never been willing to sell it. All I ever had was a '68 Plymouth valiant , '72 Plymouth duster ( both slant six) , a '70 ford LTD 390 2bbl. , '73 Chevy Malibu 305 . Then began my 4wd collectibles ; '78 jeep cherokee 360 4spd/2spd t/c , '79 Chevy k5 blazer 350 , and my presently owned '92 jeep cherokee .
No point in mentioning the '83 Grand Prix & the '85 Cutlass , they both turned to dust .
But I had thoughts of putting a small block in one or the other . Even a LT1 or LS. Days gone by.

 

[carnuck]

Jeep gauges are purely for amusement. Any correlation between them and reality is just coincidence. Usually the voltage regulator goes bad or the pins unsolder/break from the ribbon.

 

[flatie46]

Mine are right almost as much as the weather man.