Replaced my turn signal switch now my gas and temp gauge peg!

[Weak440]

I took my '74 Duster out last month and on our way home I caught a slight hint of a burning wire when we pulled up to a stop sign. It quickly went away but, I was on edge. We got a couple miles down the road and found that when I turned the wheel almost all the way to the left the horn would honk like I had a short in the steering column.

I ordered the replacement turn signal switch and swapped it out today. I finished everything up and when I turned the key on the gas gauge pegs pegs on "full". (It has about half a tank in it). I shut it off before I damaged the gauge. I pulled it all back apart and didn't see where I pinched any wires. I put it all back together again and this time I fired it up.

With the engine running both the gas gauge and the temp gauge peg like they are shorted. Everything else seems to work fine.

Anyone have any clues what happened? Hopefully the weather will hold out and I can start driving it again!

 

[jaimus]

I have to wonder what made the original burn up in the first place,...Have you looked at the other wiring in the column????

 

[Weak440]

I looked the wiring over on the original switch over and didn't see anything wrong with it. I am kind of puzzled by this. Before I pulled the steering wheel off today I fired the car up and let it run for a little bit. I know for a fact that while it was running before I pulled anything apart the gas gauge showed an accurate reading.

 

[nm9stheham]

If the 2 gauges are showing full, then either:
1) the wires from them to the sensors are both shorted to ground
2) the voltage limiter behind the dash cluster is shorted out so that 12v is constantly being applied the gauge circuits

Not sure how either would be obviously related to the turn signal or pulling the column or steering wheel. Check around the violet and dark blue wires on pins 2 and 3 of the cluster connector; the dark blue goes to the fuel sender and the violet to the temp sensor.

Also, disconnect the violet wire from the temp sender on the engine, and put a voltmeter on it. Turn on the key to RUN and measure the voltage; it should be pulsing in voltage. If it is a steady 12v, then the voltage limiter is shorted. Do this as fast as you can so you don't burn up the fuel gauge, or just disconnect the fuel sender wire while doing this to be safe.

 

[Weak440]

Thanks for the help! I will check it all tomorrow when I get home. I have been trying and trying to figure out what happened.

The only thing I can think of is I connected the battery when I had the steering column taken apart. I didn't have the two harnesses from the column connected to the harness under the dash. I immediatly disconnected the battery and went about my business. I just wasn't thinking about. I bet I shorted the clusters voltage regulator. Dang it! That thing is only a few months old!

Guess I will find out tomorrow!

 

[nm9stheham]

Well, I can't see where connecting the battery with the steering column connectors off would do that. I more suspect the smokey smell was the indicator of this... and it is just a failure. Or there is a shorted wire in the cluster area that is shorting the voltage limiter and burning it up.

Was this a new voltage limiter? If so, what type/brand? If new, then it is quite possible that the wiring from the limiter moved or somehow got shorted and damaged it.