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Fuel tank selector switch unplugged?

beyer05

Full Member
Joined
Jul 15, 2004
Messages
153
Loc.
Tulsa, Oklahoma
If the fuel tank selector switch (main/aux.) is not even hooked up, will the gauge still work? Will it read for the Main or Aux. tank?
 

bannind

Sr. Member
Joined
Mar 24, 2005
Messages
612
I believe that if you have the selector switch totally unhooked - it should not read anything. Since when using the switch, the signal from both tank sending units runs through the switch, if you have nothing connected you should get no reading.

That is as long as you are talking about the gauge switch on the dash and not the manual tank switch next too the seat.
 
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beyer05

Full Member
Joined
Jul 15, 2004
Messages
153
Loc.
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Is there an easy way to make the gauge just read the main tank without hooking up the switch? Otherwise, anyone have a user-friendly wiring diagram for the switch?
 

bannind

Sr. Member
Joined
Mar 24, 2005
Messages
612
There should be 3 wires on the back of the switch
1 - from the front tank
1 - from the rear tank
1 - to the gauge (probably the center one)

Easiest way would probably be - turn off the rig, have the switch set on either the front or the rear tank, unplug/disconnect one of the outer edge wires on the switch, turn back on power to see if the gauge moves - if it does than you know which tank it is reading - if it doesn't move, flip the switch to the other side and it is for the other tank. If it doesn't move on either selection than you know you disconnected the wire going to the gauge. Using the above method you should be able to sort out pretty quick which wires go where. Once you sort out which wire goes to the gauge and which goes to the rear tank, at that point splice, solder and join to your hearts content. Make sure that you properly seal the other wire so that you don't have it wandering and completing a circuit sometime later down the road. As for a wiring diagram, I am sure that someone has some, but if the PO changed something, you might be SOL. You could also use a MultiMeter to figure out which goes where, but that is more work than just a simple disconnect to figure out.
 

airman

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Nov 26, 2003
Messages
1,838
The gauge has 2 blades on it. One goes to the regulator on the gauge cluster for low voltage. The other goes to ground via the sending unit. The switch only changes which sending unit it looks to to find ground. On mine the main tank wire stock was orange. But look to your sending unit with a rag and some type of cleaner to wipe the wires on your sending unit to see the color. Look for a loose wire that matches behind your dash. That wire to the gauge would keep you reading that sending unit as long as the gauge also has power from the cluster voltage regulator.

Jeff
 
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beyer05

Full Member
Joined
Jul 15, 2004
Messages
153
Loc.
Tulsa, Oklahoma
airman said:
The gauge has 2 blades on it. One goes to the regulator on the gauge cluster for low voltage. The other goes to ground via the sending unit. The switch only changes which sending unit it looks to to find ground. On mine the main tank wire stock was orange. But look to your sending unit with a rag and some type of cleaner to wipe the wires on your sending unit to see the color. Look for a loose wire that matches behind your dash. That wire to the gauge would keep you reading that sending unit as long as the gauge also has power from the cluster voltage regulator.

Jeff


So, if I find the orange wire (or whatever color it is) and just ground it, should the gauge read the rear tank? The gauge is already hooked up. Thanks.
 

airman

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Nov 26, 2003
Messages
1,838
If your gauge is hooked up you just need to pull the plug off of your rear tank and ground the colored wire. if the gauge reads full your gauge works.

If it doesn't then you need to check to see if you have voltage at the plug.

This all needs to be tested with key on. disconnect and re connect wires with key off.

What is it you are trying to do?
 
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beyer05

Full Member
Joined
Jul 15, 2004
Messages
153
Loc.
Tulsa, Oklahoma
airman said:
If your gauge is hooked up you just need to pull the plug off of your rear tank and ground the colored wire. if the gauge reads full your gauge works.

If it doesn't then you need to check to see if you have voltage at the plug.

This all needs to be tested with key on. disconnect and re connect wires with key off.

What is it you are trying to do?



I just want the gauge to read the main tank without having to hook up the tank selector switch (it was off and not hooked up when I got it). I don't care if it reads the auxillary tank.
 
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