Crazy Gauges

Hey!
I've got an '84 Cherokee, and when I'm driving I have no idea what's going on.

My speedometer has about a twenty second delay, and is about 20% too slow all the time, and will occasionally twitch to the bottom and then back up.

My gas gauge is mostly right, it has a lot of acceleration movement, but when it gets to below half a tank, it will go from zero to almost back to zero, all the way around past full!

My temperature gauge only works when the key is off, otherwise it shows I'm at a cool 90 degrees all the time.

I think my oil gauge works, at least it tells me what I want to hear...then again, I wouldn't mind if the gas gauge was right, and I magically had my tank fill up every time I used half of it!

Is this normal? Why are my gauges on some kinda crazy train!?

I would suggest checking your grounds at block and from block to firewall as a start.

Dave.

cj5wagomando said:

I would suggest checking your grounds at block and from block to firewall as a start.

Dave.

Click to expand...

Agree, that would be a good place to start.

Your speedo is mechanical, so I would suspect a frayed cable or one seriously in need of lubrication.

Odds are on your fuel gauge the sender is just plain worn out, and the float might be taking on a little fuel of its own.

On a vehicle of your age no telling what the prior owners have done. One thing people like to do is slobber thread sealer on senders--well, the single wire senders have to have a good ground through their bodies. Either put them in dry or get an electrically conductive thread sealer.