Gas Gauge Not Working

[SPF Required]

The sages of C-bodies to the rescue once again!

thank you @Ghostultramarine for getting this topic going. I had all but given up on my gas gauge. But after reading this and doing a bit of looking around, I think the missing ground strap at the tank may have been my (main) problem.

squeezed under the rear of the car today and sure enough, no ground strap:

I also happened to notice that the sender wire was also just barely hanging on (that’s why a referenced main problem).

Jacked up the car and put it on stands. Got some wire and electrical tape. This is just a temporary fix to see if indeed this was the issue:

Turned the key to on and viola, my gauge is working! Going to run around town in it for a bit and then top of the tank to see how close to calibrated it is…. But calibrated on not, something is better than nothing. I had had nothing!

thank you!

 

[Gerald Morris]

The sages of C-bodies to the rescue once again!

thank you @Ghostultramarine for getting this topic going. I had all but given up on my gas gauge. But after reading this and doing a bit of looking around, I think the missing ground strap at the tank may have been my (main) problem.

squeezed under the rear of the car today and sure enough, now ground strap:
View attachment 477285
AVS2 Carburetor #1902 500 CFM With Manual Choke, Satin Finish (Non-EGR)
I also happened to notice that the sender wire was also just barely hanging on (that’s why a referenced main problem).

Jacked up the car and put it on stands. Got some wire and electrical tape. This is just a temporary fix to see if indeed this was the issue:

View attachment 477286

Turned the key to on and viola, my gauge is working! Going to run around town in it for a bit and then top of the tank to see how close to calibrated it is…. But calibrated on not, something is better than nothing. I had had nothing!

thank you!

You're welcome! Now, obtain some new WIRE, and connectors, run it from the dash to the tank. I advise RUBBER TAPE if you must tape anything, but you need to follow directions on how to use rubber tape. You can contrive a good variety of grounding adapters for your fuel tank and sending unit, so long as they're mechanically AD electrically secure! A new termination for the blue gauge wire would be best too. Retire the old one with honors.

 

[Ghostultramarine]

I’m glad you got yours working!

I know I’m (slowly) approaching it, as well as all the other stuff (electronic) on mine.

Two months ago only the headlights worked (and the convertible top).

 

[SPF Required]

I’m glad you got yours working!

I know I’m (slowly) approaching it, as well as all the other stuff (electronic) on mine.

Two months ago only the headlights worked (and the convertible top).

I have been watching your other threads too. You are doing a great job breathing life back into your car. On the gas gauge front, I did install the solid state repop voltage limiter in the cluster when I had it apart last year (got my from Vans at that time). I thought that would fix my issue but it didn’t. If you haven’t made that switch yet, hopefully it too will help you.

The gauge was only registering a half tank. I drove my car for about 35 miles. I did see the gauge drop a little. Filled it back up when we were done, but it only moved the needle up to just under 3/4 tank. So for now that will be my ‘full’ mark. Like I said earlier, something is better than nothing.

will be working on a more permanent fix to the grounding strap soon (I think I found some on eBay), and replacing the sender connector as @Gerald Morris suggests too.

chalking this day up as a win!

 

[Ghostultramarine]

I haven’t replaced the voltage limiter on the dash yet. I was going to order one but shipping was $40(!).

 

[Gerald Morris]

I have been watching your other threads too.
....
will be working on a more permanent fix to the grounding strap soon (I think I found some on eBay), and replacing the sender connector as @Gerald Morris suggests too.

chalking this day up as a win!

If you all roll with this gauge from Autometer,

https://www.autometer.com/pub/media...c303224f3701ca10b95d6c87373f59/8/8/880785.jpg

you can kiss the 5V stuff goodbye! That's advantageous, as higher voltage is less attenuated by wire length and such.

2

 

[Ghostultramarine]

I do like that idea BUT that leaves the stock gauge abandoned and just sitting there.

If they had a gauge that would fit the dash ...

 

['66 Fury I]

The same voltage limiter is available from National Moparts, no exchange on the dollar and less shipping. LC

 

[Gerald Morris]

I wonder if the Autometer gauge can be made to fit into that dash. I know the old gauge from my '66 instrument panel has a larger face than what's seen from the front: I took it out. BUT, I suspect one MUST remove the front lens of any modern gauge to fit the face into the old instrument panel. Redline fits SOME modern gauges into the old panels....

 

[Ghostultramarine]

The same voltage limiter is available from National Moparts, no exchange on the dollar and less shipping. LC

I checked their site. It’s $95 for the $50 part ...

 

[Gerald Morris]

I checked their site. It’s $95 for the $50 part ...

Go here:
RTE limiter - rte

 

[Ghostultramarine]

That’s the one that defaults to $40 shipping.

I’ll just email them.

 

[SPF Required]

That’s the one that defaults to $40 shipping.

I see what’s happening. Their system bases the shipping cost on location…. I bet your costs are higher because of your Canadian address. Hopefully you can work something out when you contact them directly.

FWIW, I plugged in my address here in California and it showed $12 for economy shipping, 2-7 business days.

 

['66 Fury I]

I checked their site. It’s $95 for the $50 part ...

So sorry about that! I bought mine in April (?) and the price was a lot less. I can't find the paper work, but I'm sure all told it was less than $100CDN in my hand.
The unit works well. Only difference noted is that the gauges move up more slowly initially, as the new limiter provides constant voltage, whereas the old style provided a shot of 12v until the unit "warmed up". I'm sure you will be pleased. Install was simple. Lindsay

 

[thethee]

If you don't really care about the how you could also just make your own like I did. Only need, IIRC, a #7805 voltage reg. (+5v, 1a, to-220) and a small capacitor, ~ 10 uF @ 100V and you can solder them onto the instrument circuit board. Total cost for me was less than a dollar.

There was an article online that I found this info from but don't know if I could find it again.

 

[thethee]

If you don't really care about the how you could also just make your own like I did. Only need, IIRC, a #7805 voltage reg. (+5v, 1a, to-220) and a small capacitor, ~ 10 uF @ 100V and you can solder them onto the instrument circuit board. Total cost for me was less than a dollar.

There was an article online that I found this info from but don't know if I could find it again.

Found it, this article explains what I did.

 

[Gerald Morris]

There are hundreds of 12V-5V DC-DC regulators and convertors on ePay, if you want to do a little soldering, which you can get for less than $10 U.S.. Check it out

24V to 5V 10A DC DC Converter Step Down Voltage Regulator 12V 5V Buck Module USA | eBay

I bought a pair a couple yrs ago. They work, but I went with a good gauge, which works better.

 

[Ghostultramarine]

Here is a video that shows how to test your dash voltage limiter:

 

[Kaim]

^^^^ This what Cbody67 is talking about.
View attachment 470378

I was wondering here, what is the last c-body model year that used this clamp? Was it 1968?

 

[Davea Lux]

I was wondering here, what is the last c-body model year that used this clamp? Was it 1968?

This type of strap was used from 1962 to 1976 on most mopars.

Dave