Kool48

Will a simple 6 volt lantern battery be sufficient?

Won't a straight 12 Volts to gauge burn it up ? Hence voltage reducer being used. I'm going to town now to get a 6 volt SLA battery about 12 bucks no biggie. But when I go to install this gauge back into my car which is now 12 Volts. I need a voltage reducer correct ? I think my Runtz went bad last night some how during my testing. So now I'll have to come up with another reducer of some sort.

Well I still haven't got either of my fuel gauges to do anything at all I've had them on the bench for a week or better now. I have a 3rd coming hopefully this week. Grounding is not my problem, cleaned the points also. I'm getting 7 Volts at the sw Ing stud. But also have 7 Volts at both 1 and 2 studs on gauge alone nothing else connected. I am guessing that the working wrapped around the flat heating bars are bad. I don't know if it should be getting voltage to 1 and 2 studs. The wire I believe has a varnish that should shield it from contacting the bars. But I could be wrong. I even have a thermo temp gun. There is no change in temperature when connected to battery or disconnected. So I know the bar is not heating up and expanding. Any other thoughts?

What do you mean by a constant current ? The Runtz has 12 volts in and 6 volts out. Yes it's a constant current . Should it vary ? And if so what is the difference of that and a small 6 volt battery as you mentioned. I'm confused. I'll go get the battery. Just don't understand what the constant means. Thanks.

Ok here is my latest on my testing. 3 gauges. 1st original. It's shot. The other 2 I have. Well I can't get no movement what so ever using a Runtz reducer on the ING SW stud. And yes it shows 6 volts at stud 12 volts on other end of Runtz. So I've tried every which way I could and nothing. Then I just now was messing around with the gauges. If I connect a straight 12 volts to the IGN SW stud and the ground stud 1 to the battery then it starts to sweep to full . If I go to stud 2 it goes back to empty. I don't hold it on more than a few seconds. But they do move. So why is it I can't get anything to move when I have 6 volts at the stud. Keep in mind I'm simply using the power in and grounding 1 or 2. No sending unit. Now I have a bit of hope but still am confused.

Yes I'm interested. Let me know asap. Thanks

Yes please do get back to me on that. Thank you.

Just wanted to clarify. My car is a 48. Not 46. Sorry. But part should be the same from 46 to 48.

Thanks shel and Plymouth Adams. I'm still searching. So anyone that has one to sale please let me know. Thanks

Can anyone tell me where I may be able to find a Winshield divider for my 1948 Special Deluxe Business Coupe. The over all length of the outside piece is 15"s. The inside piece is 14"s. I did post in classifieds , so I hope I'm ok here also. I bought one. But it's to long. Here is couple pics for reference only. This what I have now. But need the 15" one as mentioned above. Thanks. You can call or text me also 217-619-3113. Chris . Maybe someone has the correct part # for this part also.

Well I got my 3rd fuel gauge today. Hooked up on bench just as I have the others. No movement from needle at all. 7 volts going in at the SW ING stud. I made up 2 new wires to go from gauge to sending unit ( it's also on bench ) . Sender and gauge grounded together at the battery. I'm at a total loss now. Can you please tell me what it is I'm doing wrong here. Or what I need to check for. This is getting very frustrating. I've done exactly as the manual says to do. This 3rd gauge does show me a bit different things when checking resistance ( with my ohm meter) . It shows around 44 Ohms either way on studs 1&2. I need help here. . Yes I swung the float arm up and down . Thanks.

Plymouth Adams ,. Have you got a chance to see my pics here on sending unit testing. And if so. Are they ok ? I'll be getting my 3 rd fuel gauge today through fedex. So tonight I want to test it on the ( bench ). With sending unit on the ( bench ) as well. Any suggestions. I will be using a 12 volt battery and a runtz 12/6 volt reducer on fuel gauge. Thanks

My 1948 P15 I just bought 3 months ago or so. The previous owner had already installed a 12 volt conversion. Along with those same led 12v brake and turn signals. Looks great. We'll until last weekend. Now I keep blowing the 10 amp fuse for the signals only. Not the brake light. So I'm chasing get that problem now. Not sure if it's in the turn signal control on column or in the lights or wiring. Kinda hard to narrow it down. But I love the lights. I believe Speedway sales them.

Thanks Plymouth Adams. I took some pics. But yes my sending unit is out of the tank and on the bench . So all testing I have been doing for the past few weeks has been on the bench , sending unit and the fuel gauges. Using a 12 volt battery and a runtz reducer on the fuel gauges . Just noticed that my runtz reducer and another small piece of wiring laying behind sending unit in pics Those are NOT connected to anything Just wanted to clear that up.

Ok. Well I have read the manual over and over. Still no positive results. I don't understand what it is I'm missing here. When checking for resistance , from the sw ing stud to either 1 or 2 studs on gauge. I get 30 ohms on #2 stud. But #1 stud is iffy. I can get it to read around 26 ohms by moving the heating bar a bit. But other than that I'm at a loss. Can someone please tell me what I'm doing wrong based on past couple replies. Thanks. I have another ( my 3rd gauge coming. It'll be here mid next week sometime. But sure would like to know if my 2 gauges are just bad or not. Thanks.

Well I still haven't got either of my fuel gauges to do anything at all I've had them on the bench for a week or better now. I have a 3rd coming hopefully this week. Grounding is not my problem, cleaned the points also. I'm getting 7 Volts at the sw Ing stud. But also have 7 Volts at both 1 and 2 studs on gauge alone nothing else connected. I am guessing that the working wrapped around the flat heating bars are bad. I don't know if it should be getting voltage to 1 and 2 studs. The wire I believe has a varnish that should shield it from contacting the bars. But I could be wrong. I even have a thermo temp gun. There is no change in temperature when connected to battery or disconnected. So I know the bar is not heating up and expanding. Any other thoughts? OK now you have me scratching my head lol. I'll take another good look at my manual. Not sure what it is that im over looking. But hopefully it'll hit me. So may I ask this question. From what I've said in my past post , does my gauge (s) sound like they may be good ? But my testing procedure is in correct ? Thanks alot Plymouthy Adams

Well I still haven't got either of my fuel gauges to do anything at all I've had them on the bench for a week or better now. I have a 3rd coming hopefully this week. Grounding is not my problem, cleaned the points also. I'm getting 7 Volts at the sw Ing stud. But also have 7 Volts at both 1 and 2 studs on gauge alone nothing else connected. I am guessing that the working wrapped around the flat heating bars are bad. I don't know if it should be getting voltage to 1 and 2 studs. The wire I believe has a varnish that should shield it from contacting the bars. But I could be wrong. I even have a thermo temp gun. There is no change in temperature when connected to battery or disconnected. So I know the bar is not heating up and expanding. Any other thoughts?

Did you ever bench test your fuel gauge ? I'm curious as to what I may be doing wrong. I know the sending units seem to be the ones that go bad before the gauge. My sending , I absolutely know for certain is working. I've tested it several times now with my ohm meter. But can't get the gas gauge to do nothing.

1st. I do have my owners manual, and have read the testing instructions for fuel gauge. I have the gauge that came in car plus I bought a 2nd. My gaugres are 2 wire thermostatic type . Or ginal for my 1948 Plymouth Special Deluxe ,car has been converted to 12 volt before my time. I'm familiar with the Runtz reducers and I have a few. I've tested both gauges the same way. Runtz connected to ( ign sw) lug on both. I get 12 Volts at input lug and 7 Volts at gauge lug. 1-2 connected from gauge to sender and moving float up and down. Using a 12 volt battery I ground both gauge and seeing unit (0-30) ohm sending unit ,and yes I've checked it. It is good . I can not get gauge to do anything at all. When I test gauge for voltage it seems to be getting the 7 Volts on both sides of the heating bars. I've researched here and many other places. Am I testing wrong. Or are these gauges bad ???? I'm at a loss here. If there bad , can they be repaired and if so who does it. I removed resistor from my 2nd gauge since it's being reduced with Runtz. I've come to the conclusion that my gauges are bad. But seeking others input before buying another. Thanks. Trying to get pics but having problems. I'm using my Fluke DMM meters. Thanks in advance

Just wanted to say thank you very much for letting me join this site. My name is Chris and this is my 1st Plymouth ever lol. I love this car and enjoy driving it very much. I have quite a bit to learn about this beauty. Thanks again.

Is there anyone out there today that had catalogs for these cars. I need a few things and having hard time locating them. Like for instance I want to use factory oil gauge. Someone before me took line off and replaced with the under dash guages. I need the line that runs from engine to guage. Also like the heater valve and controls. Thanks. Chris