Fuel Gauage Rebuild/check
Thread Starter
Formerly "Shimmer"
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 510
From: Lexington, KY
Fuel Gauage Rebuild/check
71 442
While I've tried to test my fuel gauage which is out of the car I don't really trust myself. Any recommendations where I might send it or talk to to have it checked out?
While I've tried to test my fuel gauage which is out of the car I don't really trust myself. Any recommendations where I might send it or talk to to have it checked out?
Connoisseur d'Junque
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 21,183
From: The Hudson Valley
Al, here's what you do:
Take a look at your wiring harness / fuel gauge plug.
One wire will be green, the other will be pink.
Connect the green gauge terminal to +12V from a battery or somewhere in your car.
Go down to Radio Shack and buy a pack of 5 47Ω, ½ watt resistors (271-1105) or a pack of 5 22Ω, ½ watt resistors (271-1103).
They're $1.19 a pack, so you could splurge and get both.
Connect a 22Ω resistor to -12V (Negative battery terminal, car ground, whatever) and connect the other end to the other fuel gauge terminal (where the pink wire used to be connected). The gauge should go to ¼.
Now disconnect the resistor from the gauge, and connect a second 22Ω resistor to the end of the first resistor that was connected to the gauge a minute ago. Connect the other end of the new resistor to the gauge terminal. It should read ½.
Now add a third resistor in series and reconnect. It should read ¾.
Now add a fourth (four resistors in a row, head to tail). It should read FULL.
(as you add resistors, you might want to consider using a bit of electrical tape to keep things from touching each other).
You could do the same thing with the 47Ω resistors, only you'd have to settle for either ½ (one resistor) or FULL (two resistors in a row) (or get into connecting them in series-parallel strings, which I don't think you're in the mood for).
Here's a diagram:
That's all there is to it - the gauge will either work or it won't.
- Eric
Take a look at your wiring harness / fuel gauge plug.
One wire will be green, the other will be pink.
Connect the green gauge terminal to +12V from a battery or somewhere in your car.
Go down to Radio Shack and buy a pack of 5 47Ω, ½ watt resistors (271-1105) or a pack of 5 22Ω, ½ watt resistors (271-1103).
They're $1.19 a pack, so you could splurge and get both.
Connect a 22Ω resistor to -12V (Negative battery terminal, car ground, whatever) and connect the other end to the other fuel gauge terminal (where the pink wire used to be connected). The gauge should go to ¼.
Now disconnect the resistor from the gauge, and connect a second 22Ω resistor to the end of the first resistor that was connected to the gauge a minute ago. Connect the other end of the new resistor to the gauge terminal. It should read ½.
Now add a third resistor in series and reconnect. It should read ¾.
Now add a fourth (four resistors in a row, head to tail). It should read FULL.
(as you add resistors, you might want to consider using a bit of electrical tape to keep things from touching each other).
You could do the same thing with the 47Ω resistors, only you'd have to settle for either ½ (one resistor) or FULL (two resistors in a row) (or get into connecting them in series-parallel strings, which I don't think you're in the mood for).
Here's a diagram:
That's all there is to it - the gauge will either work or it won't.
- Eric
Thread Starter
Formerly "Shimmer"
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 510
From: Lexington, KY
Al, here's what you do:
Take a look at your wiring harness / fuel gauge plug.
One wire will be green, the other will be pink.
Connect the green gauge terminal to +12V from a battery or somewhere in your car.
Go down to Radio Shack and buy a pack of 5 47Ω, ½ watt resistors (271-1105) or a pack of 5 22Ω, ½ watt resistors (271-1103).
They're $1.19 a pack, so you could splurge and get both.
Connect a 22Ω resistor to -12V (Negative battery terminal, car ground, whatever) and connect the other end to the other fuel gauge terminal (where the pink wire used to be connected). The gauge should go to ¼.
Now disconnect the resistor from the gauge, and connect a second 22Ω resistor to the end of the first resistor that was connected to the gauge a minute ago. Connect the other end of the new resistor to the gauge terminal. It should read ½.
Now add a third resistor in series and reconnect. It should read ¾.
Now add a fourth (four resistors in a row, head to tail). It should read FULL.
(as you add resistors, you might want to consider using a bit of electrical tape to keep things from touching each other).
You could do the same thing with the 47Ω resistors, only you'd have to settle for either ½ (one resistor) or FULL (two resistors in a row) (or get into connecting them in series-parallel strings, which I don't think you're in the mood for).
Here's a diagram:
That's all there is to it - the gauge will either work or it won't.
- Eric
Take a look at your wiring harness / fuel gauge plug.
One wire will be green, the other will be pink.
Connect the green gauge terminal to +12V from a battery or somewhere in your car.
Go down to Radio Shack and buy a pack of 5 47Ω, ½ watt resistors (271-1105) or a pack of 5 22Ω, ½ watt resistors (271-1103).
They're $1.19 a pack, so you could splurge and get both.
Connect a 22Ω resistor to -12V (Negative battery terminal, car ground, whatever) and connect the other end to the other fuel gauge terminal (where the pink wire used to be connected). The gauge should go to ¼.
Now disconnect the resistor from the gauge, and connect a second 22Ω resistor to the end of the first resistor that was connected to the gauge a minute ago. Connect the other end of the new resistor to the gauge terminal. It should read ½.
Now add a third resistor in series and reconnect. It should read ¾.
Now add a fourth (four resistors in a row, head to tail). It should read FULL.
(as you add resistors, you might want to consider using a bit of electrical tape to keep things from touching each other).
You could do the same thing with the 47Ω resistors, only you'd have to settle for either ½ (one resistor) or FULL (two resistors in a row) (or get into connecting them in series-parallel strings, which I don't think you're in the mood for).
Here's a diagram:
That's all there is to it - the gauge will either work or it won't.
- Eric
Thread Starter
Formerly "Shimmer"
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 510
From: Lexington, KY
Anyhow didn't respond as requested so guess I'm going to have to send it off. Has a couple of loose pins but still got voltage through. My bride said it never did work right since she had the car (1971). Thanks again!AL (sparky)
.
Thread Starter
Formerly "Shimmer"
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 510
From: Lexington, KY
Yep! No more hair pulling. Jerry at ClockWorks recommended Instrument Services. Also, D&M as recommended also. Will call them today and see.
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