speedometer and fuel gauge inop.

 

It would be helpful if you could provide just a touch more info on the problem, as the mind reading still isn't working. By the way, those two problems are completely independent, as the speedo is a mechanical cable from the trans and the fuel gauge uses an electrical sender in the tank.

 

1970 cutlass, olds 350/th350. My speedometer and my fuel gauge doesn't work. Any info on either one of these problems would be appreciated. thanks, kenny

 

For your speedo, check behind the dash to see if it's hooked up. If it's good there, check the connection to the transmission. If both are hooked up you could have a broken cable.

 

Gas gauge

There are many threads in this forum on broken gas gauges; surf around you will find many examples.

First check the easy stuff. Remove the instrument cover with two screws at bottom (light covers) and 2 screws top. Check the metal grounding tabs that go between each gauge. When correctly grounded, the gauges get their grounded from Left and right tin tabs. These tabs do rust. I had a double ground failure on my gauge panel a few weeks ago. One of the center tabs had corroded and the far left tab was never properly connected. This caused fuel gauge to display normal when headlights were Off, and empty when light on.

See attached pictures.
7378 Left tab not connected at all.
7379 Left tab pulled into correct location.
7390 All gauges showing cleaned ground tabs.

Symptoms:
Over full: open wire, find wire or replace fuel sender
Always empty: Shorted wire, find short.
Meter changes if headlights are On or Off: bad ground in dash panel.

 

Great pics and descriptions

 

Thanks for the info, it is reading overfull.

 

Check fuel tank ground wire. Clean any corrosion, reinstall and brush with coppercoat or other rust preventive.

 

Hello,
new member to the group, and very pleased with the technical help. I've restarted my 1970 W31, after it sat for 12 years, and it runs well. Fixed several things, with the last problem the fuel gauge. It pegs to the right, at about the 3 o'clock position.

Reading the threads I see that it could be the gauge connection, grounding wire, or sending unit. I will use emery paper and shine the connections. Can I use a voltmeter on the plug to help determine the if the sender and/or ground is correct? If so, which electical terminals to check?

Of the grounding wire, I can't find it. I've looked everywhere under the tank, suggestions ?

Once I redo the grounding wire, and if the gauge is still off then I will put about 10 gals in the tank and hope that knocks the sender loose. If not, then seems I need a new sender.

Again, thanks to everyone.

Juanpablo

 

Welcome to C.O. Juanpablo

Glad you have your W30 running again.

re: fuel gage. If it pegs to the right you have an open circuit (bad ground or broken wire) somewhere. After sitting for so long I'm more inclinded to think it's corrosion making the gage peg.

1. You will find the ground for the gas tank at the rear of the car, coming from the tank and running up the filler neck into the trunk just below the trunk latch. It grounds to the trunk latch.

2. Cleaning all the contacts is a good idea - then coat them with corrosion resistant material like no corrode.

3. The ground on the dash for your fuel gage is actually those metal tangs that the fuel gage bolts into the dash with.

4. Wouldn't hurt to take the connectors off your fuel gage and see if there's any corrosion on the pegs/harness. If there is, clean with ELECTRICAL CONTACT CLEANER - not carb or throttle body cleaner.

Finally, you can use the 'Search' option on the site to find more info on this problem; it is common and has been discussed many times. You would also get more exposure and help if you posted your problem under your own thread. When you tag it onto an old one like this, it easily gets lost.

Now lets see some pics of that 70 W30!!

 

Allan R,
Thank you for your info. I will work on this problem tomorrow and let you know what happens.

Will send pictures once I get it cleaned up.
Juanpablo.

 

That's good advice to clean the electrical contacts. That's all it took to get the original kickdown switch for my TH400 working. They get gummed up over the years.

Speedo cable is an easy diagnostic/replacement. Mine was obvious as it was snapped clean off at the transmission. They don't cost much, got mine for under $15 at AutoZone.

 

Darn...you really know how to offend a guy!!

 

Patton that's what I was thinking...Guy says he got his W31 running and Allan tells him he wants to see pictures of a W30...

That guy will never live up to your expectations will he Allan? lol!

 

W30's are everywhere. Not so with W31's.

I see roving gangs of W-30's almost every day. Can't say I've ever seen that with W-31's.

It's sort of like that Warren Zevon song Werewolves of London...."I saw a W-30 drinking a pina colado down at Trader Vics...."

 

Ok, I give up. My glasses need refilling or sumthin....

Ok let's see some pics of that W31

I'm headin down to Trader Vics and drown my sorrows with that W30 that's drinkin Pina Coladas...

 

Ok,
facing the open trunk there is a small wire to the right of the latch. I sanded this. I also noticed that from the top of the fuel tank, following the nozzle there is a white wire. This wire passes thru the frame and is clicked to another, on the left side of the trunck latch. I cleaned it also.

I then cleaned the pegs on the back of the instrument cluster. Started, and......... the needle pegged to the 3 o'clock position. Oh well.

I then added 10 gals of gas. After about 30 mins. of running I noticed the fuel needle was at the 7/8 tank mark......... ran some more and it moved to 3/4 mark (given that the 10 gals was placed in a totally empty tank).

I then stopped and filled the tank, actually overfilled it. For the needle is just past the full mark. Ran for about 40 miles and the needle is just shy of the the full mark. I will run 60 more miles, then get an idea of MPG.

Seems that maybe, and a luckly maybe, the gas is working the sending unit.

Of the W31, this has been garage kept for well over 12 years, and never started.

I have a picture, but dumbfounded as to how to post it.

I will spend all day tomorrow cleaning the inside.

A couple of points: To replace the flash relay, easiest to go thru the instrument cluster. Its hard to lay upside down.

When I got this car the bench seat was trashed. I purchased a damaged 1972 442 and used its bucket seats, thus to make this car correct I need a bench seat. Any ideas where to get one?

Again, humbled by the amount of information available and the degree of friendship in the forum.

With best regards,
Juanpablo

 

Ok,
I'm not in Austrialia.

Resending the picture.
Juanpablo

 

Maybe. To go through the dash means you have to take out the fuel gage. Does the car have AC? If it does I understand your thoughts.

Sounds like there were a bunch of things that went right for you on the fuel gage. Usually the pegging means you have unlimited resistance (bad ground or break somewhere). I'm thinking it was the ground from the fuel tank. Anyway, sound like it's all good now.

Interesting. Most of the guys on this site prefer to have the A51 Strato Bucket seats in a performer like a W31. If you're looking for a bench seat? Check with Eric (jensenracing77) Scott (Oldspackrat) Brian (507OLDS) or John (2blu442). One of them is guaranteed to have the seat. You will almost certainly have to re-upholster it to match your car though. Legendary Upholstery is among the best. https://www.legendaryautointeriors.c...ileCatalog.pdf You can also get good stuff from Fusick Automotive; I believe they get their material from PUI

That was funny! BTW where are you?

 

Allan,
I'm in WV. We had a big storm Friday, poor electrical power with no AC, ouch. Might be weekend before we are fully back up.

Of my Olds, it does not have A/C. Manual brakes and steering only, which also define W31's. I have seen on the internet W31's sold with power brakes, but this is not correct. Something about the camshaft limits power to the power brake system, and W31's more intended to be raced, thus manual steering only.

Again, thanks for the info.

juanpablo

 

Yes, I heard that too. Something about the cam/performance that doesn't allow enough vacuum.

Armstrong steering isn't that bad once the car is rolling. It's when you have to do those tight turns at really slow speed that it's a bit tougher.

BTW, sorry I called your car a W30 - I should have read the post better. It's a great looking car! When you find the bench seat, you'll be able to get some good $$ out of selling the buckets. So if your car was a bench, was it a floor shift manual or a column shift auto?

Sounds like you are trying hard to keep it as stock as possible. Good for you!

 

Allan,
my car was a bench seat with 4 speed manual shift on the floor. As mentioned the bench was trash so I replaced it with the buckets. The carpet has a void between the two seats, but that doesn't bother me.

Of specifics, when I redid the 350 I used the 442 W30 transmission, for it shifted better. Also replaced the 1970 rear bumper, for it was bent, with the 1972 rear bumper, for the 72 bumper is in excellent condition.

I still have the 1970 transmission, drive shaft, and a good 70 rear bumper. So, when I redo it I will switch these parts and make the car back, including the bench seat.

I also have the right and left doors, one is from the 72 442 (gold w/strip and logo), other from 1970 olds (light blue in good condition), and I believe I have both right and left front fenders.

Not sure what I will do with this stuff. Likely take the car to a good body shop and ask them to restore the car to "moderate condition", then sell off the other parts.

One question: who is good at rebuilding the original quadra-jet carb? For, if the car sets for more than 6 hours I have to "prime" the carb to help it start.

I am thankful for your assistance.
Juanpablo

 

Juan, I would send it to Danny (70Wcars). He's in San Antonio Texas but that is his specialty. He rebuilds Q-Jets and calibrates them to your specific motor. He also doesn't charge too much. If you're interested I can give you his number on PM...I'm sure he'd love to help you out.

I actually just talked to him today, he finished up a Q-jet for a friend of mine and was dropping it off. Let me know...

Steve

 

Steve,
Man where were you last year with that info?? Send me his info via PM, I have a 73 QJet I might want done later this year.

 

Hey not wanting to be intrusive but what makes a speedo make a clicking noise at any speed over about 30 mph?

 

Could be a dry cable, what car is this on?

 

Hey Alan ,its on my 72 -Brian

 

Ok, got it - the one you got with the chebby wheels.
Does the speedo needle jump around a bit when you first start up then get steady around 20+? Have you done any work to the tranny in the last while? I'd shoot some lithium into the cable. Bit of a PITA, have you ever removed the speedo cable from the speedo on your car yet?

 

yep chebby wheels but no trim rings now,yes the speedo does jump around a lot beginning at the 25 mph mark or so ,no I haven't touched the cable yet ,lithium in a can?

 

Yup the spray stuff. It should also have a spray tube for the nozzle. You want something that will run all the way down the cable and keep it lubed. I've found Silicone or Teflon spray does that better.



To get the speedo cable off see page 12AA-2 of this link:
http://wildaboutcarsonline.com/membe...ection_12E.pdf BTW, what they don't tell you (implied knowledge of GM mech) is that you press the spring retainer holding the speedo toward the speedo back so it clears the retainer on the speedo head. When you reinstall, line up the speedo cable/head carefully. Gently press together till the spring retainer snaps back into place.


BTW, if you have big hands this is a pain to do.

 

Steve,
thank you for your help for a quadra-jet rebulder.
Juanpablo

 

John, you're welcome. I sent his information via private message.

 

I am in neeed of this info so I am going to make a post so I wont lose it. My gauge isnt working and this weekend I am determined to have it fixed.