Hi. My dad traded in my 4Runner for a 72 Bronco, so I am going to be driving his F-150 for quite a while. It is a 1987 or 1988 (my memory sucks) F-150 with a straight 6 in it. Before I ask my questions, I will show it off first:






The last three pictures are kind of big...so I apologize. Those were with my moms camera before I got mine fixed.

Anyway, I am a computer nerd, and build them on my spare time, but when it comes to electrical crap in vehicles, I feel like a total noob, so my questions are probably going to be something even a small child could figure out.

The speedometer doesn't work, and neither does the gas guage. Could it just be the fuses, and which ones should I check? We don't have a chart that says which one is which. Again, I am a noob, and I searched, but I must have searched for something incorrect, because I couldn't find anything...

Thanks in advance. The truck runs great, but I don't want to get pulled over in it, and I sure as hell don't want to run out of gas.

 

Your speedo is mechanical. The problem could be a bad gear, a bad cable or a bad speedo head. The gear is easily replaced as is the cable. Replacing the head is a PITA.

As for the lights, get a Chilton's and look at the section on the fuses. Or pull the fuses one by one, check them and replace as required.

 

The lights are fine, it is the speedo and the gas gauge that do not work.

Thanks for the info on the speedometer though. I appreciate it.

 

I agree with what he said ^ about it being fuses that could cause the gas gauge not to work... but also it could be a float in the tank that is bad... keep us updated on what you find out.