Electrical How many amps could an amp draw draw....

Thanks Noobz.

I was contacted again today from Klein, so I am just going to exchange the multimeter I bought for the exact same thing. I will give them one last chance, and if it is a no-go, then I will just get a cheapo for now to get me by.
 
  • Sponsors (?)


Okay....I finally have an update. Got another new multimeter yesterday, and this one works...thankfully! Yesterday afternoon and today I was going through the wiring, checking everything yet again. Everything hooked back up and all items plugged in, I was showing a draw of 0.243, which would sometimes spike to 0.467. The spike was the sun-visor lights. The old cloth will not keep the button pressed down constantly, so I unplugged the visors, which put it back to the 0.243 constant. After reassembling more of the switches I disconnected, I realized the glove box door light was on. Once I closed the door, the draw dropped down to 0.001. I thought it would have a higher draw than that, but I double and triple checked everything. Hopefully that will be the end of the battery draining.

I do however have another electrical issue, which has to do with the factory gauges. The gas gauge does not move at all it sits about 3/8 tank, and the needle feels very stiff to move (I have the cluster disconnected from the dash, but plugged in). I checked the slosh module, but there was no change. It is not just the gas gauge thought. With the key on, ignition off, the voltage also reads at about the 3/8 mark, but the oil pressure shows half way up the gauge. Once I start the car, the voltage reads a little high, and the oil pressure gauge pegs to the top. Any thoughts on these? Possibly the same problem causing both or all?
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
My guess is the voltage regulator on the backside of the cluster. Give me a bit to grab wiring diagrams and I can be more specific and tell you what to check
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
Oil pressure and fuel (and seat belt light) all work off the slosh module on the back of the guage cluster.


If you ground the wire at terminal 10 the fuel gauge should peg.

44B40152-471E-4421-9C00-C708C14B163D.jpeg
 
  • Useful
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
Volt meter is just power and ground. If you pull fuse 18(to make sure it’s really seeing no voltage) it should be dead. The needle should naturally want to return at 0 volts, even after you move it by hand.


Edit. Not return to 0 but return to the lowest red tick mark which is around 8 volts

12743970-E5A9-4EC5-8196-27E5656D015C.jpeg
 
  • Useful
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
Okay, finally a decent day and I can give an update. Key on, both the oil pressure gauge and volt gauge both show as if the car is running. Oil pressure sits at half, and voltage shows low charging, yet both should not be registering.

I grounded #12 as suggested, no change to fuel gauge. If I disconnect the slosh module, fuel gauge will peg, but oil pressure gauge stays in the center. With the car running, oil pressure gauge pegs. When I pull fuse 18, everything :poo:s down as it should.

Any ideas on this, Mike?

Also, with car running, if I remove the wire connected to the oil pressure sending unit, the gauge drops from max, back to center, and it should drop to zero. Is there something I am missing?
 
Okay, finally a decent day and I can give an update. Key on, both the oil pressure gauge and volt gauge both show as if the car is running. Oil pressure sits at half, and voltage shows low charging, yet both should not be registering.

I grounded #12 as suggested, no change to fuel gauge. If I disconnect the slosh module, fuel gauge will peg, but oil pressure gauge stays in the center. With the car running, oil pressure gauge pegs. When I pull fuse 18, everything :poo:s down as it should.

Any ideas on this, Mike?

Also, with car running, if I remove the wire connected to the oil pressure sending unit, the gauge drops from max, back to center, and it should drop to zero. Is there something I am missing?
Shuts down, not :poo:s down...lol
 
Two things.

I think your oil pressure needle is not sitting where it should be. It probably needs to be removed, cycle the key on and off. Then reposition it pointing to 0 with key off and then it probably will behave normally.

As for the fuel, I think your slosh module is gone. Do you have a spare?
 
Two things.

I think your oil pressure needle is not sitting where it should be. It probably needs to be removed, cycle the key on and off. Then reposition it pointing to 0 with key off and then it probably will behave normally.

As for the fuel, I think your slosh module is gone. Do you have a spare?
I have had the needle off already, but I will try that just to make sure. As far as the slosh module goes, no, I do not have a spare. It is very strange, like I said, as the volt meter is also showing like the car is charging very low with just the key on and not running. Once I turn the key off, both the volt meter and oil pressure gauge drop to the bottom as they should.
 
Okay Mike, I did what you suggested and you were correct. Somebody must have had the needles off previously. I adjusted both the oil and volt meter needles, and now they function as the should. The oil pressure no longer maxes out, and it does fluctuate with RPM, as does the volt meter.

As far as the gas gauge goes, I do not know how much is in it, so I will add some gas and go forward from there.

Draw is now gone and gauges working as they should! Thank you everyone for all of your help!
 
  • Like
Reactions: 2 users
Well, the oil pressure gauge works okay sometimes, but it will jump from 0 up to its normal reading at others. I assume, as it seems to be an electrical issue, it is more than likely the slosh module, or possibly the sending unit. Other than that, everything seems to be as it should.

Thanks again for all of you who chimed in with your input.

Here is a video of it running (if it will load).
 

Attachments

  • 1989 RR.zip
    8.8 MB · Views: 33
Last edited:
Probably the oil sending unit causing that issue. Easy to check by grounding the wire to it with the key on. The gauge should do a full sweep when grounded and ungrounded.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
I will eventually get around to that, but right now it is only 7° here, and the car is not going to be driven for a while (Chicago winters suck). I will definitely check that before the slosh module...thanks for the tip!
7 degrees....... And that’s why I am as far north as I will ever be!!
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users