I found a small wire loom hanging from the truck which and one time was up under the hood. I dont know what it goes to but i traced the loom back to a connector in the drivers front wheel well between the inner fender liner and the fender at the front of the door. It is the single red wire coming out of the loom. 

 

 

On the way home my tranny temp gauge went nutty. Should not have anything to do with the above since it is not factory. I got home shut the engine off. Restarted a couple minutes and it was working fine. Coincidence ??

Edited September 15, 20159 yr by dripley

that wire junction supplies all the power for the bed of the truck. 

 

 

I would assume that that power take off is for some sort of gauge that needs illumination, when the lights are turned on.

Went out and turned the lights on and everything illuminated, even the gauges I have added.

Its going to be in the tail section of the truck it will have nothing to do with the transmission temp gauge. Everything in that loom should be tail light and things of that nature.

Its going to be in the tail section of the truck it will have nothing to do with the transmission temp gauge. Everything in that loom should be tail light and things of that nature.

My tranny temp gauge is after market. I dont know why it went whacky at the same time but it has been working fine since. I guess  I need to figure out where it comes from under the hood. the other end of the loom was strapped to the main wiring harness on the fire wall. Not a part of it I strapped there some time in the past. The yellow zip tie I used was still on it

Mike,

 

They might have used that wire to power the gauge.  If there was a short in the gauge you might see an issue.  

 

I doubt that is the case, but it is possible.

my gauge is after market and not wired thru any of wiring harnesses. the only stock wire i touched was for power out of the fuse panel in the cab.

Mike,

 

They might have used that wire to power the gauge.  If there was a short in the gauge you might see an issue.  

 

I doubt that is the case, but it is possible.

 

Like on the 96 Dodge Ram that wire is also there too. Short distance down there is a fuse. Then runs all the way back to the driver side tail light. I assume the previous owner had a canopy on the truck and that was power for the light.

 

Is it possible it the same thing?

 

Dave... I say its time to pull the gauge out and check the connection on the back side. Then check the ground for that wiring where its at it might be loose ring terminal. Then just for the sake of being sure check the connection of the sensor on the transmission. Most gauges are rather simple. Positive, Negative, Sensor lead might be 1,2 or 3 wires depends on manufacture.

Like on the 96 Dodge Ram that wire is also there too. Short distance down there is a fuse. Then runs all the way back to the driver side tail light. I assume the previous owner had a canopy on the truck and that was power for the light.

 

Is it possible it the same thing?

 

Dave... I say its time to pull the gauge out and check the connection on the back side. Then check the ground for that wiring where its at it might be loose ring terminal. Then just for the sake of being sure check the connection of the sensor on the transmission. Most gauges are rather simple. Positive, Negative, Sensor lead might be 1,2 or 3 wires depends on manufacture.

I am going to look at it a little closer this week end. The gauge is one I added for tranny temp and the only day it went nutty was that day on the way home. It has worked fine sense. All my added gauges are running out of the fuse box in the cab and all the factory stuff is working. I hope I can dig a little deeper this weekend. I might just plug the 5'r in and see if all is working on the it.