no fuel readings

[vicLover]

found this nice trick from a post from gadget:

"Try unplugging the connector on the fuel tank and jumping the pins together. It should make the gauge go to full. This is the connector on the front side of the tank, 2 conductor plug right on the plate. If it goes to full, the gauge and wiring stuff is fine, theres a problem with the float or sender in the tank. If it doesn't go to full, your problem is elsewhere. "

was wondering where 'elsewhere' to start looking? my fuel gauge doesn't move
at all when I jump the two wires that plug into the sender at the tank.
I do remember one time i was testing my electric fan and somehow managed to short out my clock, power windows, low fuel light, and fuel gauge stopped working. i fixed the power windows by jumping a hot wire to the fat blue/black
wire in the main window reg., but the clock don't work, and the gauge don't move. any suggestions?

[gadget73]

Check your fuses and fuse links. I'd also un-do the jumper wire you ran for the windows and fix the problem that causes the stock wiring to not work. Hot wiring stuff in the electrical system is asking for problems.

[vicLover]

so is the fuel gauge connected to a fusible link at the solenoid? that would make since seeing as how i do have a lot of the stuff that was there before not connected anymore due to the carb swap i finally finished. i figured out that was the reason my defrost didn't work, but now the defrost doesn't automatically stay on unless i hold the lever up (another electrical demon i have to tackle). also, where the hell is that darn window control (i think its called a relay, module, something to that tune)????

[gadget73]

the whole fuse box is powered through those fuse links. If you did the carb swap the right way, some of them would have gone away, but only the ECM related ones. The body harness is completely un-related to the EFI wiring.

as for the defrost, the switch is bad, replace it. Mine failed the other way, it wouldn't shut off properly and it kept running the battery flat.

[vicLover]

how do i go about replacing the switch for the defrost and most importantly (don't mean to sound aggresive), is there a fuse link for the fuel gauge :smirk:

[1987cp]

As I recall, the fuse for the fuel gauge also powers the power windows and I want to say the cruise control, so having no power windows is consistent so far with the fuel gauge not working. There should be no separate "fuse link" for the fuel gauge only. Hunt down and replace the blown fuse in your fuse panel and get back to us. If your luck is very bad, you may have a situation like I did where there really was an intermittent short where everything worked great for periods of time (and whenever I was paying someone else to check out the problem), and at other times even a 30-amp fuse would blow instantly (stock for that circuit is 15, IIRC).

[86VickyLX]

so is the fuel gauge connected to a fusible link at the solenoid? that would make since seeing as how i do have a lot of the stuff that was there before not connected anymore due to the carb swap i finally finished. i figured out that was the reason my defrost didn't work, but now the defrost doesn't automatically stay on unless i hold the lever up (another electrical demon i have to tackle). also, where the hell is that darn window control (i think its called a relay, module, something to that tune)????

It probably is since all the power comes off the fuseable links at the starter solenoid. If you did a carb swap, you should have removed the EFI wiring harness completely to limit this confusion.

For the defroster, you will need a new switch. They are easy enough to come by in a junkyard, or you could buy a new one in ford. All you have to do is undo the bolts holding the control panel, and disconnect all the wires, and the cable that controls the blender. Once you got the panel free, you can remove the bolts that hold the switch in the assembly. You will also need to take the silver knob so you can pull the switch out.

There is a power window relay in the passenger side kick panel.

[Tiggie]

You killed a fuse there when you were testing the fan. It's fuse #6 for an '88 CV/GM, not sure about other years. It's a 20A and the cornering lamps, speed control, A/C clutch, trunk lid release, illuminated entry, power windows, digital clock, and the gauges. Looks like fusible links B and C give juice to the fuse box, both connected to the starter solenoid. They are both black. They are probably still there if you're car does anything electrical.

[1987cp]

Funny about the turn signals ... don't recall having to do without mine while that fuse was out. Could have changed for '88, though. I don't recall being without interior lights either, but now I've been without them in that car for so long I probably wouldn't remember that anymore anyway.

[vicLover]

thanks to all with such fast responses. it was a fuse, can't remember
which number because i was so shocked it was actually a fuse. 20amp, so
i put another fuse in it and now the gauge works, my clock is set, and i'm so glad i'll know exactly how much gas i have instead of winging it. i actually ran out of gas on the way home from work once, so i would throw $10 here, $20 there which gets pretty darn expensive. again, you guys and this site are the s@#t!

[86VickyLX]

Good to hear. Did you get rid of that jumper wire?

[vicLover]

naw not yet, but i definately need to get a power window relay(possibly at the parts store, napa or even autozone), cuause i disconnected the jump before i replaced the fuse, and it didn't work
when the fuse was put back in. hell even the trunk lid button for the trunk works. i really like that button by the way.

[vicLover]

another question

didn't want to start a new post just for a real quick answer, but since i'm in the neighborhood of maintenance and troubleshooting, im trying to find a new air cleaner for my 10 x 2 Edelbrock air cleaner. does anybody out there know a part number for such an item, of course autozone is closed today, so i had to settle for wally world, but all the air cleaners were taller than 2 inches! anyway, just figured i'd be prepared to go in and out of autozone since i really dispise going there now thanks guys

[Pirate]

didn't want to start a new post just for a real quick answer, but since i'm in the neighborhood of maintenance and troubleshooting, im trying to find a new air cleaner for my 10 x 2 Edelbrock air cleaner.

Nope. The closest was around 2 3/4" tall from Fram, and no, I can't remember the filter number. I'd lose it, anyway, and put a 14"x3" drop-base assembly on it.

[vicLover]

14 x 3

thats sad to hear. 14x3 won't clear my HEI unit