done the ss idiot lights to gauges conversion. turn key on and fuel/temp gauge went past full and way past 250. turn key off and they did not return...oh! and the amp meter stayed straight up and down, first things first..temp and fuel. HELP! ROD RUN in 2 weeks! Thanks!

open circuit somwhere between gages and senders

Make sure the gauge cluster metal housing is grounded! Should be a headlight ground ring and one ground wire from underdash harness to screw on metal housing.

Thanks for replys. yeah...i did the search on here and found lots of good info, i had the ring that goes around head light on the nut that holds colum up, the one going to the e-brake was correct and the other one to the center metal instrument housing (where the manual shows). Went out last night and moved big ground ring to head light switch (maybe why my dome light didn't work) and installed a star washer on small gd ring terminal that goes to instrument housing. Sunday, my fuel and temp seemed to keep climbing so i removed them with dash in car(what a pain in the a**). They were out of the car and reading past full and temp was almost at the 5 o'clock position. Last night i took a 12 v source and got them back on empty and 100 degrees. Hope i didn't mess them up? I have the green resister that came off my old fuel gauge. I think it goes vertically and in between the pc and the gauge, with the green side to the pc? Will re-install tonight and see what happens. PLEASE keep the input coming, would like to get my car going by this weekend. Oh... why does my pink or maybe its red, key switched resistance wire going to my ign. coil smoke when i leave the key in the on position? thanks

t.t.t

o.k. have the rear bumber off to have it rechromed and the fuel sending unit was unplugged. seems to have that problemed solved. thanks! Now..the temp gauge... got all the grounds in place and tested. gauge still going past 250 when i go to the start position, must be grounding somehow, pulled pin 10(green wire from cluster plug in and did not do it. so, i went back to fuse block and found 2 dark green wires on the inside of the firewall, oppsite of the dark green sending unit wire, one went to the cluster pin 10 (no problem with it) and the other went to pin n at the colum. what is this wire for and why would it ground in the start position? get this one fixed and i'll be ready to tackle the amp meter (last thing before it goes back together)!

Thanks guys..great help on here!

did another search on here and found that the green wire from the switch is for making the temp light come on/gauge peg out in the start position. good enough, but my gauge dosen't want to return after i release the key to the run position. really would like for it to work correctly or i could just unhook the green wire at colum and be done with it! any ideas???? thanks

did another search on here and found that the green wire from the switch is for making the temp light come on/gauge peg out in the start position. good enough, but my gauge dosen't want to return after i release the key to the run position. really would like for it to work correctly or i could just unhook the green wire at colum and be done with it! any ideas???? thanks

Correct. Idiot light cars had 2 wires, one went to temp sender, the other went to IGN switch that made light come on when car is cranked. Remove or cut the wire from IGN switch to temp circuit. If the gauge is still pegging, then the circuit is being grounded elsewhere also. With key on, remove wire from temp sender, gauge should go back to less than 100. If it does, sender may be defective. If not, more troubleshooting.

Oh... why does my pink or maybe its red, key switched resistance wire going to my ign. coil smoke when i leave the key in the on position? thanks
It might be getting grounded through the starter, through the yellow wire to the starter "R" terminal. Someone else just recently had this same issue, see my post here http://www.chevelles.com/forums/showthread.php?t=170840

i have a pro master coil and a unilite dist. have been told that you need to run a ballast resistor or resistor wire from harness to keep from burning up dist. module. i just have the pink/red wire going to coil, my yellow wire from starter is not hooked up. any thing else it could be?

Not real familiar with those, I use MSD stuff. Does the wire smoke with the engine running? You really shouldn't leave the key on with the engine not running with any type of IGN. I would disconnect it while you are working on the gauges.

no, does not smoke with engine running. 10-4 on the disconnect while working on gauges. just thought i might try to figure it out while i had it apart. had a 6al hyfire ign. box on it before and will most likly put it back on, keeps me honest on over reving my motor (first big block, .30 454) if you know what i mean!

(first big block, .30 454) if you know what i mean!

I know what you mean!!! After having SBC's for over 20yrs my first BBC is a 540.