Gauge cluster gremlins

[black'vert]

My 89 seems to not have a proper functioning gas and temp gauge. The needles have resistance to them when the key is on but they don't reset when key is turned off. The gas gauge never moves but the temp gauge will move from 160-180 but never go back down after the key is shut off, it will just stay at 160.

i feel by this damn car

any help would be greatly appreciated

 

[HISSIN50]

do you have gauge face overlays? does it look like the face (stock or aftermarket) is delaminating from the back plate? there is not much room between the face and the needle - so the needle could be getting caught on the face....
otherwise, i might check out the voltage regulator behind the cluster, or chalk it up to crappy stockers. (i highly recommend aftermarket oil pressure and coolant temp gauges, at a minimum).
good luck.

 

[black'vert]

Yea the car had white faced overlays installed by the previous owner, i pulled the whole dash apart but couldn't really see anything wrong. How is it that you are supposed to unplug the gauge cluster from the harness? I had a hard time because i didn't want to pull too hard and brake something. I have a whole set of autometer 2 1/16th sport comps but I really don't want to go that route like everyone else with a pillar pod.