All gauges suddenly stopped reading.

[Jprevat]

I have a 1998 Sunbird 200 SL with a 4.3L GL. I had power going to my dash and all the gauges were responding with the ignition keyed on. I still have power going to my switches and my ignition. When I turn the key to crank over the engine My rpm gauge and my fuel gauge jump and then freeze.

I recently had to run a jumper wire from my starter to the battery as my purple "signal" wire had a break somewhere. Should I just route a new wire through my harness and see if that is my problem all along?

I still had working gauges with the broken wire and the no start condition, hence my confused state.

Thank you all in advance for taking the time to read though my post.

 

[gm280]

Jprevat, rarely have I ever seen a wire break in the insulation for no reason. It usually is a cut in the insulation and corrosion took over or something like that. Most of the time such a situation like you have is a corroded terminal or loose connection some where. Having said that, it is your boat and anyway you want to fix your problem will work. My self, I would trace down the wire until I found what was that cause and then either fix it or run a new wire. Because I would like to know if there is anything rubbing the wires or cutting through them that isn't obvious. But that is just me.

 

[Jprevat]

You are right in line with what I am thinking as well. I think the next good afternoon I get I am going to open up the wiring harness and run a completely new primary and see if I have any fusible links that have gone bad. I feel like there has to be a one-wire culprit since all of the gauges became non-responsive at the same time.

 

[Silvertip]

Why do the least likely cause first. Break out your hand held volt meter and check for power at the first gauge in the string. Power goes to the "I" terminal and then Daisy chained to each gauge. If no power the other gauges go dead. Make sure each gauge has a solid ground. You lost 12 volts or ground.

 

[Jprevat]

Why do the least likely cause first. Break out your hand held volt meter and check for power at the first gauge in the string. Power goes to the "I" terminal and then Daisy chained to each gauge. If no power the other gauges go dead. Make sure each gauge has a solid ground. You lost 12 volts or ground.

Thank you very much. I'll get to looking.

 

[oldboat1]

While you are at it, check for plugs and connectors down in the bilge areas. I had a devil of a time once tracking gremlins until I found the carroded plug (my engine was shutting down at will). Just never understood that bit of engineering.

 

[Jprevat]

Lol I am currently chasing down a blown gasket somewhere so the pugs will all be checked as well. Thank you again for your input.