Fuel gauge inline fuse

[DTro]

So I noticed the other day that my fuel gauge wasn't working, so I looked behind the gauge cluster and discovered that there was an inline fuse coming off the back. The fuse was good, however the locking twist unit was broken. The dog ears had broke off and would no longer stay together, so it was just hanging there.

here's the problem

They have everything stuffed in there so tight that it was literally impossible for me to simply wire in a new fuse holder. I tried a few different red neck things like tape and glue to hold the fuse holder together, but no luck.

So I ended up just cutting the dang thing off and splicing a jumper in to give me enough slack to bypass.

It works fine now, but is it safe to run this way? I don't care so much about the gauge itself, but what is this fuse for, is it a protection for a short back to the tank or something?

I don't want to blow up.

[Macgyver55]

It is to protect the gauge and the wiring in the event of a short.

Should you have one, (depending on where) it will at the least probably wreck the gauge and at very worst damage or burn the wiring and possibly leave you stranded depending on what other wires become involved. Mind you, this is unlikely but You would be wise to replace it at a convenient time rather than deal with consequences later.

[DTro]

Thanks and wise advice I'm sure. Smarter guys than me decided to put it there in the first place so I'll be sure to pick one up and wire it in.

[ntrider]

i dont think you would do anything to the sled to leave you stranded but i would say that there is a chance you could wreck your gauge or the backlighing in the gauge depending on where else this wire feeds such as other gauges? if you spliced in a jumper why couldnt you just go to the hardware store and splice in a new fuse setup? I would probably disconnect until i could splice in a fuse. i just have the cap that has the gauge on mine and that busted years ago. I just reset my odometer. I know when i hit 80 miles i better be looking for gas!

[Macgyver55]

i dont think you would do anything to the sled to leave you stranded

Without seeing a schematic, my main concern was if it were to melt into the harness and breech the tachometer wire which could in turn possibly short the ignition out.

Probably not likely..... but possible.

[ntrider]

with the way these things are wired nowdays anything is possble tho. i once started my sled and right when it started it shattered my headlights and tailight. they literally exploded. i thought maybe voltage regulator but then i put in a bulb in the tailight and it lit up dimly. my tach was going crazy and my dashlights were also flickering. everytime i hit the brake something wierd would happen. i figured it out after a bit that it had something to do with my brake? i remember it was slightly froze and i put wd40 on the lever assembly to try to loosen. the next time i started is when this happened. after a week or so it dried up, i put in new headlight bulbs an no problem since? who woulda figured that the brake lever and the connections there would of affected all that it did?