Aftermarket Crown gauges SUUUUUUCK! HELP!!!!

[rumblephish]

I purchased a complete set of replacement gauges (Crown Speedo cluster, voltmeter and oil pressure) to replace the worn out non-working original gauges.

I have come to the conclusion that Crown gauges SUCK!


I am now on my second set of temp/fuel and oil pressure gauges. The first mistake was my own. I got clumsy and touched a hot lead to the grounding post of the oil gauge and POOF! there it went. It also took out the regulator in the fuel gauge and thus burned up my temp gauge. Yes, I'm an idiot.. I know.

So on my second set now and nothing works! I replaced the gauge cluster fuse now FIVE times! I've followed the gauge testing procedure and trouble shooting and I think the regulator in the fuel gauge is bad I get 12v reading on the temp gauge A post. I'm so frustrated that I'm about to dose this thing with 91 octane and throw a lit match at it!!

Every time I put a fresh fuse in and turn the key to "on" the gauge fuse instantly blows. What gives?? I'm thinking of just buying an all new Painless wiring harness and aftermarket gauges. This thing is turning into a f**king money pit! ARRRRRRRRRGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!

 

[dslywalker]

I think your right on the fuel tank unit being bad.What I've read on the forum temp and fuel tie together somehow and have to be put on the right post or they are blown along with the sender in the tank.Theirs a place called ez wire for harnesses it was just mentioned in a post here about postal jeep.I can find it if you want it.
Anyway full of whiskey time for bed.
Mike

 

[dslywalker]

Wiring Harness

 

[Old Dog]

Now you know why so many of us use aftermarket gauges ie. autometer, sunpro, ect.
No one makes a good replacment gauge for cj's. After trying a couple replacement fuel gauges with no sucess I went with an autometer, now it works.
As for you blowing fuses, you must have a hot wire going to ground somewhere. Have you read the gauge pages by John S. that Brock has posted?
Be careful with the sending unit, if it shorts out, the windings in it fry and they are in your gas tank. can you say car bomb.

 

[dalefan88]

i have sunpro temp, volt, and oil and love them. i think when i get a new tub im getting a blank dash so i can get there fuel gauge to and put them all in one spot.

 

[Rescue Diver]

I know this is an old thread, but if anyone is still having a problem like this, I read from several sources that if your gauge cluster doesn't have a rock solid ground, it will burn up the regulator in the fuel gauge which will then cause the temp gauge to fry.

I think I just did that the other day when powering up my fiberglass tubbed cj to test things. I hadn't run a solid ground to the dash when I turned the key on for the first time and the temp gauge started reading off the scale. Wish I'd read up on the gauges first. I had no idea it would burn anything up without a good ground. I just figured the gauges wouldn't work until I finished the grounds.

I have a set of fuel/temp gauges on order from 4wd.com that are crown. Hope they work!

P.S. Yes I will definitely be sure to test my ground before I turn the key this time.

 

[fitzp20102]

All interested parties, I, like you all am having the same issues. Although I just ordered my first set of Crown gauges from 4WD. We'll see how that goes. In the meantime, I was on The H.A.M.B. at Jalopy Journal (another cool old car and truck site). They support a new gauge company you should check out.
www.newvintageusa.com

I emailed them with a picture of my original Stewart - Warner gauges and described our plight.

I'll keep you posted about their response. Until then, I might try their cool looking old styled stuff.

 

[Rescue Diver]

I just received my new crown temp and fuel gauges. They work great. The trick is to make sure you have good grounds. The gauges ground to the instument cluster metal housing. You need to clean the bumps in the housing that contact the gauges, tighten the nuts good so you have good contact, and running an extra ground wire from one of the studs that bolts the cluster to the dash isn't a bad idea either.

 

[fitzp20102]

I just received my new crown temp and fuel gauges. They work great. The trick is to make sure you have good grounds. The gauges ground to the instument cluster metal housing. You need to clean the bumps in the housing that contact the gauges, tighten the nuts good so you have good contact, and running an extra ground wire from one of the studs that bolts the cluster to the dash isn't a bad idea either.

Good advise. I'm going to tap the ground for the voltmeter gauge that lives next door.

 

[Rescue Diver]

Good advise. I'm going to tap the ground for the voltmeter gauge that lives next door.

I read from several sources that what kills these gauges is not being grounded well. Even a couple seconds without a solid ground will cook the regulator in the fuel gauge that also regulates the temp gauge.

I have an especially tough one because I have a fiberglass tub. I bolted a heavy battery/starter cable to one of the bell housing bolts under the hood, and hooked the other end to one of the bolts that goes through the firewall for the steering column bracket. On the inside of the firwall, I have a heavy ground wire that goes from the other end of that bolt that runs to a stripped place on the bottom lip of the dash. Just for safe measure I ran a 10 gauge wire from the instrument cluster mounting stud to where the other wire attaches to the dash. So I have a direct ground from the cluster all the way to the bell housing. I didn't want to take a chance on how well the cluster was contacting the dash as a ground because I don't like throwing money away on replacement gauges.

 

[Rollbar]

Grounds are important

Grounded the starter due to it's amp pull

Tie in

Ground stud tie-in

Strap from battery

I did tie one in to the grab handle on the dash panel and checked mt gauge cluster w/a test light and have good grounds. I do need to add one from the dash stud to the windshield wiper motor bolt due to paint etc.