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1980s mustang gt info center diagram.

wiring is pain

New Member
I could use a diagram for the message center, i recently pulled one from a pick a part(dont worry, the gt is really far gone) and would like to use it in my ram, im still new to wiring things(even after 5 years i still am learning) and so i could use some help with how to wire in the fuel light and all the exterior light indicators from the center. I figured seeing how it was originally wired in would help my endeavor, but i cant seem to find much info on it. Any help is appreciated
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The "message center" is just a conglomeration of idiot lights. You'll need to have a signal sent to it for each of the desired outputs. I have no idea what type of signal. You'll have to research that. Could be a simple continuity situation or some level of voltage. The fuel level, for example, works at the dash gauge level via change in ohms resistance as metered by the float assembly in the tank. All the various manufacturers use varying different ohms ranges. I'd guess you'd need to get a sender to swap into your truck's tank that worked on the Ford ohms range. Even then not sure how it actual is wired at that piece.

Systems that indicate a burned out light bulb also use different means to signal the bulb is bad. Lack of current draw. Open circuit disrupted by a "popped" filament. Or other means. You'll need to find out what Ford was using when that piece was in production and then modify the truck wiring harness at each bulb socket to provide the appropriate signal back to the message center.

Easiest one is likely the low washer fluid piece. Just need a float that signals when it drops to certain level. Then again, you still need to find out what that signal to the center needs to be.

I have to believe you've chosen to bite off a whole lot more than you expected.
 
The "message center" is just a conglomeration of idiot lights. You'll need to have a signal sent to it for each of the desired outputs. I have no idea what type of signal. You'll have to research that. Could be a simple continuity situation or some level of voltage. The fuel level, for example, works at the dash gauge level via change in ohms resistance as metered by the float assembly in the tank. All the various manufacturers use varying different ohms ranges. I'd guess you'd need to get a sender to swap into your truck's tank that worked on the Ford ohms range. Even then not sure how it actual is wired at that piece.

Systems that indicate a burned out light bulb also use different means to signal the bulb is bad. Lack of current draw. Open circuit disrupted by a "popped" filament. Or other means. You'll need to find out what Ford was using when that piece was in production and then modify the truck wiring harness at each bulb socket to provide the appropriate signal back to the message center.

Easiest one is likely the low washer fluid piece. Just need a float that signals when it drops to certain level. Then again, you still need to find out what that signal to the center needs to be.

I have to believe you've chosen to bite off a whole lot more than you expected.
It would seem i have, however the truck decided to fry the main harness via a short in headlights that spread everywhere and cooked a battery, plus you cant buy a full oem harness for the truck so modifying the harness isnt an issue since i will be making my own from multiple harnesses off of other 80s era mopars from the same yard( i have to pull the interior and engine harness off of a lebaron today for the project aswell) i guess the fuel light isnt worth the hassle, as for washer, idk because i dont have a computer in the truck that would monitor it.

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Not sure you are following what I'm saying. It's not just wiring or a new harness you'll need. Its the actual electronic/electrical hardware bits to act as sensors and signals for this stuff as well. You will basically need to engineer it all from scratch. Trying to cobble together this and that from other vehicles and likely manufacturers will only make it that more of a daunting task. If you are not practiced in electronics your head might just explode trying to figure it all out! lol

If you can find an electrical drawing for the message center I/we might be able to give some guidance but I highly doubt you will be able to successfully pull this off without a lot of research and expen$e.

Just how much of the current harness was really damaged? It would be much easier to simply repair it even if full sections under hood, etc. are burned up. Buy a cheap generic harness off E-Bay or such and section it in. Or get back to the yard and find harnesses of similar trucks and use those.
 
Not sure you are following what I'm saying. It's not just wiring or a new harness you'll need. Its the actual electronic/electrical hardware bits to act as sensors and signals for this stuff as well. You will basically need to engineer it all from scratch. Trying to cobble together this and that from other vehicles and likely manufacturers will only make it that more of a daunting task. If you are not practiced in electronics your head might just explode trying to figure it all out! lol

If you can find an electrical drawing for the message center I/we might be able to give some guidance but I highly doubt you will be able to successfully pull this off without a lot of research and expen$e.

Just how much of the current harness was really damaged? It would be much easier to simply repair it even if full sections under hood, etc. are burned up. Buy a cheap generic harness off E-Bay or such and section it in. Or get back to the yard and find harnesses of similar trucks and use those.
Every positive wire was hot to the touch plus the power to the rear. All went poof as soon as i pulled the headlight switch. I was going to replace due to the fact almost every wire looked bad in some way ie split casing or corroded wire. I think the headlight switch ground is missing as well as the wiper switch. Not to mention someone fried that cuircuit with bad trailer lights before me

and your right i wasnt following i didnt grasp the sensors having to be added.

If anything the center makes a cool display peice in my shop and for a 1 dollar i cant complain.

Oh and the closest thing was a 90s dakota which is no where close. The lebaron should be closer in terms of connections then the trucks. If they had a d100 or 150 id be in a better spot but somehow they dont




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