Gauge cluster voltage problems

[bwilson13087 10]

I have posted about this problem before but didn't get any good results. I recently completly rewired my 69 mustang, however the "gauge power" wire wasn't like the original. From what I'm told, the original wire was resistance wire. When I start the car, the plug on the back starts smoking. I guess it's getting too much voltage. Could there be a different problem? I have thought about splicing in a resistor but I'm not sure what I need to use.

[LoneWolf2U 136]

The guages get power from the voltage reg on the back of the inst panel.

If your refering to the plug on the back of the isnt panel smoking, then you have the pigtail plugged in upside down.

[bwilson13087 10]

All of the other lights work such as blinkers and seat belt lights. I thought it might be the regulator but it's smoking before it gets there

[LoneWolf2U 136]

The only resistor wire was for the coil feed from the ign switch.

If your smoking the loom wires before the inst panel, I would look for a pinched or bare wire inside the loom.

[danno 128]

As mentioned, the only resistance wire is from the ignition switch to the coil. It is not connected to the instrumants in any way. Where is the smoke coming from? The colored wires or the flexible wire planel on the back of the instruments? You say the smoke comes when you start the car. What if the key is in the accessory position? What if the key is in the run position but the motor is off? I need a bit more information.

[bwilson13087 10]

It's was a purple wire that only had a single non copper strand in it. It does smoke in the on position if the car is off. It smokes where the plastic connector touched the circuit board on the back. It has kinda discolored where the connecting it made on the circuit

[LoneWolf2U 136]

IIRC, the purple wire is to the brake light switch on the distribution block on the drivers inside fender.

Unplug it and see if it stops smoking.

If not then it has been pinched and is shorting to ground.

[bwilson13087 10]

It's an aftermarket wiring harness. The purple wire is no longer installed. The wire plugs into the circuit and goes straight to the voltage regulator

[69RavenConv 286]

Not sure I'm understanding you perfectly but I'm suspecting your CVR. The OEM purple wire feeds 12V to the CVR, which knocks it down to 4-6V and feeds it thru the oil, fuel, and temp gauges to the oil, fuel, and temp senders. If your CVR contacts are shorted or it's shorted to ground, that would be bad. Try unplugging the CVR and see what happens. Your oil, temp and fuel gauges won't work but it won't hurt anything.