Since my last post asking if anyone had a spare one of these, to which I wasn't surprised to get a low response, since I know they're like 'Hens teeth', I decided it was time to take more direct action and see if I could fix the problem myself by venturing into the (to me) unknown interior of my fuel gauges ( I had two - both at that time non-functioning...) ....
This is what I found, which I thought I'd share, as I seem to have got one working, so this is to encourage others in need to have a play, as I believe it is 'do-able' and could save both time and money......
This first shot shows the one I couldn't repair and why: For some reason one of the adjustable coils (I'm sure someone will be on here with their correct name) had rotated completely and was touching the outer casing, this in itself would be reversible but for the case that in this instance the wire linking the two coils has also snapped....
[frame]
This second shot shows the rear with the nut completely removed from the peg (so I could turn it round easier) and the adjusting slots (one each side) which allows you to move the coils closer or further apart, in order to set up (or reset) your gauge. [frame]
The other problem of course with this one is the snapped link wire.... one that I am unable to fix..... fortunately for me my other one wasn't snapped.[frame]
What they both had in common was that the nuts (indicated below) which secure the pegs internally, which (externally) the negative and positive feeds attached to, had worked loose and all needed tightening back up....
Please note that the soldered 'leg' shown below each nut (most noticeable on the Red (live) side) must face down and be completely clear of any contact with the outer casing or will short circuit and blow fuses (as I found out!
) NB: the red and grey parts act as a kind of non conductive shielding and if you take this apart they must go back in upon reassembly. [frame]
This shot shows (for those who didn't know) what happens when you move the coils along their adjustment slots, they move closer together and closer to the part of the gauge where the indicator needle attaches. I find it best to set the gauge up to a known (ie: a full tank).[frame]
I guess the final ingredient when setting this back up is patience..................
Oh, and I have no idea whether the blob of solder on top of my broken coil is original or part of someone else's earlier efforts.....
My gauges, like my speedos are out of other cars which have been taken apart, so may have 'moved' around a bit and had others 'adjusting' them before me, so I guess this is where untouched cars have the advantage, in that their unmessed with units should not fail...........
Finally you need to put it back together, again time and patience can achieve an acceptable result....[frame]
Hopefully at some point, someone will find this of some use........
For those with more knowledge than me on here: please feel free to 'correct' where necessary, as I do not know all the correct terms / names for the internal workings, so I can only produce this from the 'laymans' point of view.
I am now keeping my fingers and toes crossed that my 'working' one stays that way!!...............
Best wishes,
Mike.
