Oil & Fuel fuel gauge 5320

[mchildress]

I have a 03 5320 the fuel gauge goes to full when the key is turned on and back to empty when shut down. I replaced the sending unit and no help. I even moved the float up and down by hand and only noticed a small fluctuation around the full mark. Jd says the fuel gauge is out and the whole gauge cluster is one unit and replacement is $400. I said not, I'll put an external fuel gauge on before that. My question is has anyone had any experience going into the gauge cluster to repair the fuel gauge? The rest of the gauge cluster works fine,just problems with the fuel gauge.

 

[AKfish]

My first response was -- that can't be right! Who, in their right mind, would design a instrument panel that would have to be completely replaced if only one component was defective?

Doesn't make good sense... So, if the oil pressure gauge or the temp gauge went gunnysack -- the whole kit and caboodle would have to be replaced?

If that's the case; then the JD engineer's should get 10 lashes with my great-aunt's home-made egg noodles!! (Them babies were thick and heavy --- let me tell ya!!)

AKfish

PS I would recommend a little time on the online JD part's catalog.

Here --- deerewebsite.com

 

[mchildress]

Akfish start lashing,I logged onto the JD Part Site and found they only offer a instrument cluster part #RE72883 at $335.That contains the whole ball of wax as far as the dash instruments go. I looked at it a while back on the tractor and everything is contained in a white plastic box in the dash. I believe it was screwed together so I will go in and take a look. But your right I don't need a new tac,temp gauge,hour meter,and all the warning lights. But I wonder if a new hour meter will give the tractor that new car smell again?

 

[AKfish]

Hmm... I can imagine if you considered "inventory control" i.e.; limit the number of parts needed to have in various warehouses or the consideration for keeping labor expenses down; i.e., having to repair/replace multiple components in the instrument cluster vs replacing a single unit panel -- that this situation makes some kind of good business sense.

But clearly, from the consumer's point of view, replacing a $40 unit with one that costs $400 does not make sense at all....

Maybe someone with a clearer perspective on Deere's business "model" or some other business system can lend a word on why JD would engineer an instrument cluster that needed to be replaced when a single component failed.

Your idea of a "stand-alone" fuel gauge is a much better work-around fix.

AKfish

 

[jack 56]

So has anyone replaced one without having a dealer do the work?

 

[JD5210]

I have replaced the fuel sending unit and the instrument cluster on my open station 5210. Both where easy to do. A couple of things on the cluster for the 5X10, it comes programmed for a 4 cylinder, I paid the dealership a little money and got them to program it for a 3 cylinder, the installation requires moving a wire on the key switch and when the key is turned to the run position all the gauges go to the right then back again at first I thought I did something wrong. Looking at JDparts it appears the 5X20 uses the same cluster as 5X10, but you will need to check this.

If you do not already know this, disconnect the negative cable before doing anything. There is no way to transfer the hours, so keep the old cluster and take a picture of the hours before removing.

John Deere - Parts Catalog