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Solution to Sticky fuel/temp guages

XC-Buzzard

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I my 5 liter VQ manual there are 13 earths. For starters I'd check and clean the following earths:
-the main battery earth
-the earth on the rear of the passenger side cylinder head
-the generator mount
-the earth on the windscreen wiper motor
-the steering column earth
-the ABS mount
-the radio earth on the passenger side bonnet hinge
-the earth in the boot on the drivers side

Good luck, I know from my VQ and other vehicles that corroded earths cause a lot of problems with old cars. Do any of the above that you can find and see if things improve.
Good tips thanks
 

FXST01

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Does this help?
 

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Gosling1

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Might be a good idea to start a new thread on your problem, I don't know how many current forum members read the stickys.

cheers Mike - with almost 68,000 views on this thread, I think its safe to say that members are reading the stickys ;)
 

boingk

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Yep, still reading them. Great tip on the gauges and definitely check and prep the earths - just get a wire wheel attachment for a drill and clean the contacts then refit. Happy days!
 
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Morses World

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Hi Gosling 1, thanks for the soldering Tip for Stickies. I need to do that on my original Cluster & on the Tacho Cluster I bought for it. While I do that Job I also will change that Cog on the Speedo Mechanism on each as well. But I've got to find the new cog first on the Internet. I wonder if there is a list made up for Earth Straps on a VN S1 V6 in any of the forums yet.
Oh well It's all Fun & Games.
 

MikeC

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in the manual! haha otherwise it is really simple, i learnt as i went along.
remove the steering wheel
undo the four screws that are on the underside of the cluster
unclip the connections that connect the cluster buttons
pull the cluster out
remove all the screws on the back and i think theres four down the bottom of the front of the cluster
unclip the clear plastic cover
unscrew the four tiny screws that hold the gauge face in place and pop off the needles carefully, you can use a fork if you need but be careful
remove the gauge face and you are now into the guts of the gauges!
I'll note for posterity that you don't have to remove the steering wheel to get a VQ cluster out, even though the official GMH manual says that.
You just have to turn the steering wheel so the badge is pointing down. Heaps of space available due to the taper under the steering wheel centre hub.
 

V85000i

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mine was just sticky gunk on the pins the needle rests on when gauges turned off. cleaned of gunk and they don't get stuck anymore.
 

MikeC

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Every time I have my cluster out, I clean the spindles with contact cleaner and lubricate them with Nulon Ezi Glide. It's a pleasure to see the temp gauge slowly lift off it's stop when I head down the freeway- no slapping of the top of the dashboard required.
 

RGL

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I have a VN One Tonner with the same problem, additionally once in a while it would stop while driving. RACQ told we it was the fuel pump, after investigating we found it was the five pin plug on top of the pump assembly poor neg contact. We bypassed the plug negative line creating an new negative . This worked for about six months then the tonner stopped again.
Off to Holden I went to buy a new plastic assembly, only to find my tonner was one of a few to have a "Special" assembly that had a five pin plug on top, no longer made. Inquired at all the usual places plus some obscure ones, no go or pump cost more than car. We ended up completely bypassed the plug to the pump with both pos and neg wiring line as well earthing it back inside the Cab. All works, NOW my fuel gauge also works. Possibly the problem has always been poor contacts to sender.
 
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