TBP Instrument Cluster

[madcrzydrmr]

Has anyone else installed one? I recently picked and hooked up TBP exclusive instrument cluster. First of all the unit looks great and the price is right. My concern is the accuracy of the gauges. First the fuel showed I was right on the empty line so I went to the station and put 12 gallons in which is half tank. The fuel gauge crept right up to 1/2 but continued up and settled on 3/4 full. I installed a couple of years ago a TBP 24 gallon tank and fuel sending unit so those are newer too with the fuel sending unit never connected til now. Second is the temp gauge. I had an aftermarket gauge wired up with its own wire and it always read 170-190 around town and occasional 200-210 on highway when it’s warm out. Tonight on the 15 minute drive home from work, it’s 57 degrees out, took streets and the temp gauge sits at 210-215. I put in a brand new temp sensor using stock sensor wire. Is this normal for these type of gauges? Or perhaps the price of TBP cluster Is too good to be true and accuracy suffers? Love Toms products, but this is concerning and wonder if anyone else put one in and is experiencing similar readings. Thanks!

 

[madcrzydrmr]

This morning the temp gauge kept between 170-190 with the outside temp a bit warmer and my commute 40 mins with lots of stop and go.. so who knows? ?:? Fuel remained up near the 3/4 mark.

 

[madcrzydrmr]

Ok so what I’ve noticed is the temperature gauge reads accurate during the day, but at night when the headlights are on, it reads way hot. What I saw tonight was after I turn off the bronco and let the gauge fully go down, I turn the key back into the on position and watch the gauge creep up and stop at 190. I then turn on the headlights and the gauge jumps up to 210. Toggle the lights off then on again and the gauge jumps up to 220. Any idea on what shakes?

 

[ransil]

check your power and ground circuits.
Sheet metal screw into the dash is not a good way to ground stuff.
check cluster power, taping off a power wire feeding the headlight might be causing a voltage drop, headlights should be on a relay.

 

[SteveL]

I checked one out last year at fab fords. Those are nice.

 

[madcrzydrmr]

check your power and ground circuits.
Sheet metal screw into the dash is not a good way to ground stuff.
check cluster power, taping off a power wire feeding the headlight might be causing a voltage drop, headlights should be on a relay.

It’s all wired up appropriately with the stock harness. So assuming (which is dangerous) all leads still lead to their appropriate place... Cluster power comes from its original feed off the back of the ignition switch which then hits the new voltage regulator on the back of the cluster. I know that is correct as I hooked that up and ran a voltmeter And it gets 12.5 volts before the regulator. Each gauge has its own ground wire that goes into the wire harness that terminates somewhere ??? The other leads go to the appropriate device it’s metering which all of them seem to more-or-less accurately display what we think... except the temperature... when the headlights are on.. ?:?