Temp Gauge Won't work

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If the fuel gauge does work the power supply is good. Attach your temp sender wire directly to ground and turn the ignition switch on. The gauge needle should move smooth and swift to max hot. If it doesn't move at all , first thing I would check is the nuts attaching the gauge to the printed circuit board on the back of the panel.
 
70orangeswinger said:
Will do kind sir. The gas gauge does work so I will do as you say and see what happens. Thanks for the info.
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Those are stamped tin nuts and they can cut through the copper trace on the board if overtightened. I will loosen both nuts a little. The gauge will move just a tad in the panel so the nuts will land on a new location.
Disconnect th neg' battery cable. Use a 3/8 deep well socket on a 1/4 drive finger ratchet to snug them up. Retest, report results.
 
yes sir you'll probably need a gauge. It's not common for that gauge to fail but it happens. A broken connection in the bulkhead connector or pin on the printed circuit board can be checked once the panel is removed.
On the plus side, once the panel is out you can clean all the contacts, replace all the light bulbs, lube the speedo cable and wiper linkage, and more.
 
70orangeswinger said:
Thanks for the help Redfish. Do you know where I can find a gauge?
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There aren't any new ones. Yours a standard or rallye panel ?
Someone may have a good used one available. Post in classified parts wanted section.
As a last resort I can restore your gauge.
 
Thanks man for all your help and if it comes down to it I will be in touch about restoring my gauge. Mine is a standard dash- 68 and 69 only?
 
You can send the temp gauge to Redline Gauge Works for a repair, the average cost is $65. Give them a call at (661) 259-8891 and ask for Shannon he can walk you through some other test and also give you some tips on other things that can be done to your gauge cluster while you have it out.
 
You can also pop your gauge out and put a 25 ohm resistor in series with a 12 volt source and see if it moves. Tie the resistor to one lead of the meter and ground the other. Apply your 12v source to the end of the resistor. If it moves your meter is most likely good.

Basically the whole circuit in the car is really simple, it's 2 resistors in series with your regulated source. One fixed resistor being the gauge, the other variable resistor being the sending unit.
 
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