A couple days after replacing the voltage regulator, my instrument cluster started acting weird. The volt meter stays pinned at the minimum reading, the gas gauge never reads a full tank and the temp gauge reads hot. Is there some central place to start looking? or could it be the computer?

 

The computer has nothing to do with those gauges. Go back and check your wiring.

It may be coincidence but perhaps the gauge cluster connector on the back is starting to to get loose. My '92 F350 exhibited the same issue with the voltmeter and temperature gauge. I started to pull the dash to change the meters when I found the connector on the back just about ready to fall out.

Typically if there is an open in the fuel gauge circuit it will read way past Full. If the connector was loose perhaps it may read empty because there is no open length of wire acting as an antenna to pick up induced voltage?

 

I forgot to mention. The overdrive button on the shifter also does not function.

 

All this started failing after you replaced the voltage regulator?

 

Yes, a couple days after. And it was all at once. The regulator was over charging where the lights would get real bright and the engine would run like crap and produce heavy gas fumes. I figured there was too much gas due to the higher voltage. Perhaps that caused some damage somewhere???

 

It's possible that could happen. Again the computer does not control the gauges, but there is interaction with the overdrive switch and light.

There is a fuse for the O/D switch and light, my 1994 EVTM shows it as Fuse 17 but that may be different for your '96. I also see that same fuse supplies power to the instrument cluster as well.

 

That was it. Fuse #17. All is good now. Thanks for your help.

 

Excellent! Glad to see you found it.

 

Are you serious? A blown fuse fixed it? You must be blessed my friend and hopefully some day we can meet and you can do the "laying of the hands" on my truck, please! I mean I have never had anything fixed by merely replacing a fuse.
Jack