My '57 gas gauge has always worked fine, sending unit is properly grounded, all harness and gauge connections are tight, and I have 12 volts at the gauge feed terminal with the ignition on. Starting yesterday it suddenly shows "full" all the time when the ignition is on (tank is half-full), and with the ignition off, it drops only to 3/4-full instead of to "empty" like it used to. Circuit logic tells me that this indicates a failure in one of the coils in the gauge rather than a sending unit problem, as a sending unit problem shouldn't have any effect on the needle position with the ignition off. Any thoughts on whether I'm headed in the right direction or not? Thanks!
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Re: '57 Gas Gauge Problem
John,
If the gauge "basics" are the same for 57 as for 68 then this might help.
I experienced the same thing when rewiring my main dash harness last winter. My gauge went from reading 1/2 tank, which was correct, to going off the scale. I found I had somehow "disturbed" what I called a wafer thin "thermostatic coil" on the back of my gauge. (What I was told later, it's called a "resistor".) On the 68 gauge its about 1" long, 3/8" wide, metal tabs and holes at both ends for screw attachment and contact. The "body" appears to be some sort of insulated material (wafer-like) and has the tiniest of hair-thin wires coiled around it.
To try to make this short, I made many phone calls to the well known parts suppliers, (and I'll remember one impatient Tech for talking to a "dummy" like me and wasting his time), I found a place that would sell me the $10.00 resistor. It's "Redline Gauge and Clock Repair" (800-375-2310) at Humbolt, Tennessee.
Like I mentioned, if your gauge (or problem) was anything like mine, then hopefully this will support your suspicions. Best wishes. Tom #24014 -
Re: '57 Gas Gauge Problem
John,
If the gauge "basics" are the same for 57 as for 68 then this might help.
I experienced the same thing when rewiring my main dash harness last winter. My gauge went from reading 1/2 tank, which was correct, to going off the scale. I found I had somehow "disturbed" what I called a wafer thin "thermostatic coil" on the back of my gauge. (What I was told later, it's called a "resistor".) On the 68 gauge its about 1" long, 3/8" wide, metal tabs and holes at both ends for screw attachment and contact. The "body" appears to be some sort of insulated material (wafer-like) and has the tiniest of hair-thin wires coiled around it.
To try to make this short, I made many phone calls to the well known parts suppliers, (and I'll remember one impatient Tech for talking to a "dummy" like me and wasting his time), I found a place that would sell me the $10.00 resistor. It's "Redline Gauge and Clock Repair" (800-375-2310) at Humbolt, Tennessee.
Like I mentioned, if your gauge (or problem) was anything like mine, then hopefully this will support your suspicions. Best wishes. Tom #24014Comment
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