Temp guage 🤒 trouble. What now?

[rcl700]

While trying to put the guage cluster back into the dash today I messed up. 

Iv been so careful to protect the temp guage all these months, but today I believe I cracked the line  😵. I had my arm behind the cluster when I felt wet cold spay from behind the temp guage. I'm at a loss now. What can I do? Are these in anyway repairable? I'm crushed and defeated... 

[TodFitch]

There are shops that can repair your temperature gauge.

 

Or, if you are reasonable handy and comfortable with a soldering iron, you can fix it yourself. See https://www.ply33.com/Repair/tempgauge

[Sniper]

I see your problem, you were on your head when you were installing it, lol.  You might find someone that has a spare if you can't fix yours. 

 

Or, if you are feeling a bit blingy I submit this option

 

https://boeseengineering.com/product-category/dodge-gauge-panels/plymouth-gauge-panels/1946-1948-plymouth-car-gauge-panels/

[rcl700]

I actually really like the look of these but for now I'm 6v pos. ground, all stock. I just need to get get running. I have never driven the car I have the motor out. New cluch,resurfaced flywheel, 230, and I'm in the process of rewiring the car (first time rewiring anything vehicle 🙄) 

 

Grandpa's car, off the road for 30+. I just hate that all the care I took to protect that guage, I still messed it up. 

 

Hopefully  Grandpa will be proudly looking down one day when I'm out diving under her own power. 

 

May just have to keep going on the build until I can come across a replacement or find someone who knows how to repair this guage. 

 

I'm slowly plugging away at this car. 

 

[53windsor]

I went and bought an aftermarket mechanical gauge from the flaps (friendly local auto parts store) until I can afford to get mine fixed, or learn to do it myself. Installation was pretty straight forward, I just lay it in the ashtray until I get rich/ambitious.

[rcl700]

4 hours ago, 53windsor said:

I went and bought an aftermarket mechanical gauge from the flaps (friendly local auto parts store) until I can afford to get mine fixed, or learn to do it myself. Installation was pretty straight forward, I just lay it in the ashtray until I get rich/ambitious.

You were able to find a guage that the line fit the block threds or did you have to adapt? 

[TodFitch]

1 minute ago, rcl700 said:

You were able to find a guage that the line fit the block threds or did you have to adapt? 

The typical aftermarket mechanical temperature gauges come with an assortment of fittings for the various common sizes of threaded openings in the block. At least when I have repaired my temperature gauge, one of those fittings was the correct pipe thread for the opening in my engine’s head.

[DJK]

Had mine rebuilt by Autoinstruments 

                                 47 Ford Street

                                 Martinsville, Va.24112

                                 276-647-5550

Or you can check Hemmings Motor News, there are companies advertising in there that repair them.

[Bob Riding]

20 hours ago, Sniper said:

I see your problem, you were on your head when you were installing it, lol.  You might find someone that has a spare if you can't fix yours. 

 

Or, if you are feeling a bit blingy I submit this option

 

https://boeseengineering.com/product-category/dodge-gauge-panels/plymouth-gauge-panels/1946-1948-plymouth-car-gauge-panels/

Spendy!

[Sniper]

Only if you get the gauge and bezel kit.  You can use whatever gauges you want and buy the bezel ala carte.

 

 

[Dan Hiebert]

Andy Bernbaum Auto Parts advertises that they'll fix temp gauges, too.  Last time I checked, it costs about the same as an NOS one.  I'll probably be in the marked to get mine fixed soon, it's been kaput as long as we've owned the car.  It's got an aftermarket gauge in it that came with all the appropriate bezels and fittings, SunPro brand bought at Pep Boys in El Paso, TX.

[OldDad67]

They are easy to repair I have one in my 49 P15 that I did plus one on my 52 Chevy hardtop and one i did for a friend on a 34 Plymouth. I pick-up manual gauges at swap meets and use the line and bulbs to graft on the original style gauges works great, Just need a little soldering skill and some oil line tubing and ice in a bucket. If an old guy like me can do it anyone can.

Edited March 3 by OldDad67

[Saskwatch]

8 hours ago, OldDad67 said:

They are easy to repair I have one in my 49 P15 that I did plus one on my 52 Chevy hardtop and one i did for a friend on a 34 Plymouth. I pick-up manual gauges at swap meets and use the line and bulbs to graft on the original style gauges works great, Just need a little soldering skill and some oil line tubing and ice in a bucket. If an old guy like me can do it anyone can.

Would you consider creating a “how to”post on repairing these temp gauges? 
  I for one would be most interested and grateful !   👍

[Los_Control]

This is something I have wanted to try, have not done it yet though.

 

The key is to get the bulb on the end very cold. There is a gas inside the tube that makes the gauge operate ... gas expands with heat and makes the needle move.

So when you freeze the donor gauge, all the gas is sucked into the bulb on the end.

You prepare the original gauge by cutting the old line off leaving some of it  and clean and sand it ready for soldering.

Will need a larger tube to act as a coupling.

 

Now take your frozen gauge and quickly cut the tube off of it and clean and solder it to the original gauge ... the solder job needs to be airtight.

And this has to be done before the gauge thaws out and releases the gasses ... why @OldDad67suggestion to have a bucket of ice for the bulb to sit in is a great idea.

 

My issue is finding a suitable donor gauge. I had a old gauge from the 1980's-90's with the metal tube and it worked fine and planned to use it as a donor ... then it leaked and is no good.

Then I ordered another one off of ebay, modern gauges are using some sort of plastic tubing and not a suitable donor to solder to a metal tube.

So that is the issue with fixing them now as I see it ... we need to find a manufacturer that still uses metal tubes that is suitable for a donor.

[TodFitch]

1 hour ago, Saskwatch said:

Would you consider creating a “how to”post on repairing these temp gauges? 
  I for one would be most interested and grateful !   👍

See: https://www.ply33.com/Repair/tempgauge

 

[Loren]

Any time I can support my local speedometer shop I do. They’re swiftly going the way of shoe repair shops.

When I have the dash apart the speedo goes in for lube and calibration.

The last time it was off by 5 mph! Since that is just outside of the enforcement limit, I think I saved myself a ticket.

Cheap “bulb type” temp gauges were about $30 and I have one for when the stock one is sent out for repair.

The cost of repair is really spendy! If I remember it was $300! However the shop replaced everything from the cylinder head to the back of the gauge, so there were no weak spots or unseen cracks. The last one I had done was a while ago so your mileage may vary.

It’s hard to compare the cheap replacements with the cost of a repaired original, I know.

[TodFitch]

4 minutes ago, Loren said:

Any time I can support my local speedometer shop I do. They’re swiftly going the way of shoe repair shops.

Off topic, but so far as I know there are no local automotive instrument repair shops near me. But there is a very good shoe repair shop very close by. In addition to shoes they will also repair various leather goods, etc.

[Plymouthy Adams]

I moved some 30 years ago and I happened to be back int he area and drove by the shoe repair place and it reminded me that I left a pair of shoes there just before I moved.  Odd chance but what the heck, stopped in and inquired of my shoes, they will be ready next Tuesday

[Los_Control]

15 minutes ago, TodFitch said:

But there is a very good shoe repair shop very close by. In addition to shoes they will also repair various leather goods, etc.

Saddles, harness, boots ... yes sir we have that shop also ... no speedometer shop though 

[Bob Riding]

I sent mine to Lauderdale Speedometer. Refurbished it and set it back to zero. Great work- nice people.

[Loren]

If you’re on the left coast, in Reno, NV there’s the shop I use. Nevada Speedometer

I am a little fuzzy on the address cause you know Reno must be close to hell, close enough you can see Sparks!

A local joke sorry.

[OldDad67]

15 hours ago, Saskwatch said:

Would you consider creating a “how to”post on repairing these temp gauges? 
  I for one would be most interested and grateful !   👍

Todd Fitch posted the article on how to do this