Dodge Ramcharger Question

[Tnutz144]

OK, I know it's not an A-Body, but it's a Mopar. I recently bought a 1990 Ramcharger 4WD 360 F.I., and it runs great and looks pretty good, no rust anywhere. The only problem I have with it is the odometer and gas gauge don't work. I thought it was the cluster, so I got another cluster, and the same thing happens; everything on the cluster works, including the speedometer, except the odo and gas hand (both the one that was in it and the one I put in do this). I took it to a local Dodge dealer, which was a mistake. They said it was the cluster, even though I told them about replacing it and it did the same thing. Their opinion was that the one I put in it had the same problem internally that the one I took out of it. What's the chances of that, one in about 5 billion? They said the odo is driven off of the speedometer, and I said then it should work if the speedometer works, but they tried to say that that wasn't the case, even though I told them repeatedly that the speedometer works. They said the gas hand was the fault of the float. I asked them how they came up with that, they said they could see that the ground strap for the fuel sending unit/fuel pump was hooked up, so obviously it wasn't a ground problem, even though they admitted that they did not test the electrical circuit. Has anyone else had these similar problems with any late 80's/early 90's Dodge trucks? I am thinking of taking it to an electrical shop I know of that does really good work, but they're kinda pricey.

 

[George R]

There is a small plastic gear inside the speedometer that drives the odometer. The teeth for this gear tend to break. Happened on my 90 Ram. I bought a used speedo from a junkyard and just put the gear from the junk one in mine. You have to disassemble the speedometer in order to replace it, but it isn't that difficult.

I have no info on the gas gauge.

George

 

[Max340]

test the gauge circuit, and if good, pull the sending unit and check it for variable resistance.

From what George says, if the gear is a common problem, I'd be looking at the sending unit next.

 

[Tnutz144]

OK...but I just wonder if that were the case, wouldn't the different cluster I put in have worked? I just keep thinking it's and electrical issue. When I put the other cluster in and it did the exact same thing, that made me think of an electrical problem, 'cause I don't think the odds of me finding another cluster that had the exact same problems that mine had would be too good. I still have the other cluster, and I'll tear it apart and use the gear like you suggest, but I still wonder about the electrical leads or ground going into the cluster that control the speedometer/odometer. But, I also think if that were the problem, the speedometer wouldn't work. That's why it's easier with mechanical problems; it's usually one part, or maybe 2 at worst; with electrical, there's a million possibilities, and I'm no good at electrical, although I wouldn't call myself a mechanic by any stetch of the imagination.

 

[George R]

OK...but I just wonder if that were the case, wouldn't the different cluster I put in have worked? I just keep thinking it's and electrical issue. When I put the other cluster in and it did the exact same thing, that made me think of an electrical problem, 'cause I don't think the odds of me finding another cluster that had the exact same problems that mine had would be too good. I still have the other cluster, and I'll tear it apart and use the gear like you suggest, but I still wonder about the electrical leads or ground going into the cluster that control the speedometer/odometer. But, I also think if that were the problem, the speedometer wouldn't work. That's why it's easier with mechanical problems; it's usually one part, or maybe 2 at worst; with electrical, there's a million possibilities, and I'm no good at electrical, although I wouldn't call myself a mechanic by any stetch of the imagination.

If it was an electrical problem, the speedometer wouldn't work either. The odometer is driven off the speedo, so if the speedo works, but the odo doesn't, it's probably that little gear.
Good Luck.

George

 

[Tnutz144]

OK George...got the spedo gears from odometergears.com-will try to get it in there the next few days....keeping the fingers crossed! Thanks for your help!