Hi, so I installed my gauge cluster the other day after about 7 years being out of the car. I turned the key, only to watch the gas gauge go from half a tank, passed full, and landed at about the 3:00 position. Is there a ground strap or something I'm missing? I didn't see any ground straps on the cluster.

Thanks

Troubleshooting;
1.Check fuses.
2.Try a separate ground wire and touch it on the housing and see if the needle moves.
3.Try to ground gas tank and see if needle moves.
4.Get a long wire and ground tank to gauges as a test.

bad ground

Fuel gauge will read beyond full if the wire is open anywhere from the gauge to the fuel sensor ground. The most likely suspect is the ground at the tank, but you should check the wire all the way back if the ground is good at the tank. There is a ground from the tank to the body underneath. Check there first. Then check wiring from the sensor on back. Also, check the sensor itself with a meter. A good sensor won't read open under any circumsances other than dead. As a wire wound element, they do scratch through and go open.

You can buy an adequate digital meter from Harbor Freight for less than ten bucks. On sale, pick up three for ten bills and have them around the shop. They are more than adequate for making auto repairs.

when I had that problem , it was a bad printed circuit...

Thanks Guys, I grounded the housing and that wasn't it, so I traced the wires back to the tank and found that fuel guage wire connector below the trunk lock mechnisim was loose. It's working now. I kind of liked the idea of a tank that was always full though :-).

its a good feeling to be at "full" ,but after you run out....not so good.... I ran out with my car twice before I fixed the gauge....