240 Gauge cluster removed - no alternator charge

1993 244


Does removing the gauge cluster cause the alternator to stop charging the battery?


I am restoring the gauge cluster (the whole thing is removed.) I took the car for several drives today (minus the cluster) and now it is stranded along the road. Seems like the battery (a new interstate) lost its charge. Now I am vaguely remembering something weird about the excite wire????

Yes, removing the cluster disables the charging system. The battery light in the cluster completes the exciter circuit.

2manyturbos said:

Yes, removing the cluster disables the charging system. The battery light in the cluster completes the exciter circuit.

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Thanks

Rick- there is a circular dash harness connector that has numbered plugs. Look at a wiring diagram for your year 240- one connector is the alternator. It should be marked as alt 61. If you jump switched 12v to this it will excite your alternator and you can charge the battery as you drive with the cluster disconnected. For example, my 1981 lists the 12 pin connector as “31” and pin #11 is the alt 61. I just replaced my dash cluster with a Holley dash and I just tapped a switched fuse with a wire to pin#11 and the alternator is working. I don’t have any other wiring diagrams to check, yours may be similar. Hope this helps.