The Ford Barn

47COE · 08-18-2012, 11:19 PM

Today I drove my 47 COE into town and in a parade. Afterwards I parked it. All was fine at that point.

When I got in to drive home it wouldn't start. Then I noticed the amp gauge was showing full discharge and a bit of smoke was coming from down by the ignition switch.

I figured out it was a wire going from the ignition switch to power the dash gauges and disconnected it. Drove home with no problems other than all of the gauges were dead.

At home I traced that wire and found it provides voltage to the oil pressure gauge and then on to the temperature and fuel gauges.

Disconnected the power lead to the temp. gauge as that was the easiest to get to and no short.

Put it back and disconnected the lead from the temp. gauge to the temp. sender and still no short.

Reconnected the wire from the temp. gauge to the temp. sender and no short.

At this point it was back to the original connections.

So I didn't really fix anything other than remove and re-install several wires. That doesn't leave me with a lot of confidence that the problem won't come back.

So, do I just use it and hope for the best? Or does anyone recognize these symptoms? Can a temperature or fuel gauge develop an internal short to ground?

Tom

08-18-2012, 11:19 PM	#1
47COE Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Oregon Posts: 220	Under dash short circuit Today I drove my 47 COE into town and in a parade. Afterwards I parked it. All was fine at that point. When I got in to drive home it wouldn't start. Then I noticed the amp gauge was showing full discharge and a bit of smoke was coming from down by the ignition switch. I figured out it was a wire going from the ignition switch to power the dash gauges and disconnected it. Drove home with no problems other than all of the gauges were dead. At home I traced that wire and found it provides voltage to the oil pressure gauge and then on to the temperature and fuel gauges. Disconnected the power lead to the temp. gauge as that was the easiest to get to and no short. Put it back and disconnected the lead from the temp. gauge to the temp. sender and still no short. Reconnected the wire from the temp. gauge to the temp. sender and no short. At this point it was back to the original connections. So I didn't really fix anything other than remove and re-install several wires. That doesn't leave me with a lot of confidence that the problem won't come back. So, do I just use it and hope for the best? Or does anyone recognize these symptoms? Can a temperature or fuel gauge develop an internal short to ground? Tom