The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Electrical Bay Temp guage not working

I just installed a few fuses under the dash for safety. Every was fine untill two old fabric wires caught fire. I thought I had everything looking good again but now the temp guage won't work. The only movement I get is when I pull the instrument cluster out of the dash it must ground and pegs hot. Only after I disconect the ground from the battery does the needle fall back to the other side. The guage was somewhat tempermental before too. I would giggle the cluster to get it to work again. I'm getting current to the guage as well. I'd appreciate any assistance.

I assume it is an electrical gauge.
This is the test for electrical temp gauges/senders.

I believe the instruction should say "temp gauge fuse" not "gas gauge fuse"

The only way I can get the needle to hot is by pulling the cluster halfway out. Somehow I suppose it is grounding. How are the gauges grounded? Pardon my electrical ignorance. I guess I'll try new wire connectors. These guys look original.

Just for clarification the pink wire goes on the post towards the passenger side? When I switched wires I blew 15 amp fuse. Maybe wrong side and wrong fuse?

1. The power wire goes to the terminal on the cold side of gauge. The sender wire goes to the terminal on the hot side of the gauge.
2. Gauge is self grounded to the cluster case. I think there is a "slug" on a ground plate at rear of gauge that touches the can and ground is carried thru to the dash/body/motor/frame/battery connections.
3. Most of the time your problem is loss of ground or a bad sender. The gauge being the most reliable component unless you blasted it.
4. When you do the testing per my first post, report what you find.
5. There was no fuse for the temp gauge. Powered directly from ignition switch.
6. If I were you, I would stop applying power to components unless you know what you are doing.

Seems to be lack of ground. When I set the cluster back in it pegs hot even without the sender connected.

Does the temp gauge go to battery on ignition switch?

NO. Goes to "Key On".
1. What ignition switch do you have?
2. Do you have key start or foot start?
3. V8 or 6 cyl?
4. Stock ignition?
5. Stock motor?
6. Stock temp gauge and sender?

I am not familiar with Step Vans.

Not sure
Key start
6 cyl
Stock ignition
261
Stock gauge, nail head type sender, TS6

Step van is a 3400 model

The aftermarket temp gauge I just installed in the ‘62 was the hot (red) wire to a switched post on the fuse box. Switch on power, switch off no power.🛠

Wiring to any switched power is fine, including the ignition switch itself. In 1958, Chevy was still "short" on fuses. If there is a switched fuse that can be used, great.
The limited info I can find on 58 truck wiring shows no fuse for the temp gauge. I always recommend some sort of fuse for everything when a person rewires an older truck.

I got them hooked to the right posts now. Pink wire to ignition spade not battery spade currently, but now blowing fuses. I guess this means a short somewhere? Tests suggestions earlier did not yield any results.

Tests always yield results.

Result was I did not have a good ground when testing. Sender was bad.