[C1] Replace Instruments - or Repair?
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 297
Likes: 164
From: Excelsior Springs, MO
2023 Corvette of the Year Finalist - Modified
2022 C1 of the Year Winner - Modified
C1 of Year Finalist (performance mods) 2019
Replace Instruments - or Repair?
I've almost completed my C1 Restomod. Now comes the working out of the various bugs and re-doing things I don't like.
My gauges are now about 50%. The Oil pressure always worked fine (mechanical), and My aftermarket Volt meter to replace the AMP gauge
has finally come to life.
Issues:
1. The Fuel gauge works, but fluctuates wildly - I'm wondering if a replacement of the sender would fix this.
2. The Temp goes from 0 to MAX after the car has been running for about 5 minutes. I've put a temp light on the engine, and it's never been hotter than 180. I've changed the senders twice.
(I'm running a 2003 LS6 engine with the sender in the passenger head)
3. The Speedometer works fine, but is about 10 to 15 MPH fast. I'm told the gearing is correct in my 4L60E. Can speedometers just run fast because they need to be adjusted?
Lot of questions. I bought a set of Auto Meter Classic gauges to put back in the dash... but when the volt meter came to life, I started to think about having the Fuel and Temp gauge repaired????
Didn't have much luck finding the Repair guys, so I thought I would throw this out.
Thanks
My gauges are now about 50%. The Oil pressure always worked fine (mechanical), and My aftermarket Volt meter to replace the AMP gauge
has finally come to life.
Issues:
1. The Fuel gauge works, but fluctuates wildly - I'm wondering if a replacement of the sender would fix this.
2. The Temp goes from 0 to MAX after the car has been running for about 5 minutes. I've put a temp light on the engine, and it's never been hotter than 180. I've changed the senders twice.
(I'm running a 2003 LS6 engine with the sender in the passenger head)
3. The Speedometer works fine, but is about 10 to 15 MPH fast. I'm told the gearing is correct in my 4L60E. Can speedometers just run fast because they need to be adjusted?
Lot of questions. I bought a set of Auto Meter Classic gauges to put back in the dash... but when the volt meter came to life, I started to think about having the Fuel and Temp gauge repaired????
Didn't have much luck finding the Repair guys, so I thought I would throw this out.
Thanks
Last edited by ironheadvette; Mar 14, 2017 at 11:20 AM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 7,356
Likes: 870
From: Norcal CA
2018 C1 of Year Finalist
Check your grounds on the sender. The gauge grounds to the back of the house. You might want to make sure there is a good ground there. Someone painted the inside of the housing then it will not ground.
dunno on the temp sender.
You can get a special converter (not sure what the name is)... But you send in your speedometer readings and they will create a box for it. I heard some people are using it. Its a company in socal area. Dunno if it has something for a 4L60E. I think they take your GPS readings and will adjust to that based upon tire size, rear ratio and transmission specs.
Might be helpful:
http://www.hotrod.com/articles/elect...kyard-builder/
dunno on the temp sender.
You can get a special converter (not sure what the name is)... But you send in your speedometer readings and they will create a box for it. I heard some people are using it. Its a company in socal area. Dunno if it has something for a 4L60E. I think they take your GPS readings and will adjust to that based upon tire size, rear ratio and transmission specs.
Might be helpful:
http://www.hotrod.com/articles/elect...kyard-builder/
Last edited by jimh_1962; Mar 14, 2017 at 11:31 AM.
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 12,468
Likes: 1,548
From: Camp Verde AZ
C1 of Year Finalist (performance mods) 2019
2017 C1 of Year Finalist
You can have modern gauge guts put behind the original small gauge faces. I did that with my '37 Ford streetrod. It wasn't cheap, but it looks exactly 1937 factory Ford, and brand new with the faces refinished, also. And works with modern fuel tank, oil pressure and temp senders.
I hate the look of autometer gauges in c1 Corvettes. It looks like everybody elses restomod that didn't put a bunch of thought into it. Just my personal opinion, I am sure some like white face gauges.
Doug
I hate the look of autometer gauges in c1 Corvettes. It looks like everybody elses restomod that didn't put a bunch of thought into it. Just my personal opinion, I am sure some like white face gauges.
Doug
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 4,389
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From: Lexington,NC,USA
C1 of Year Finalist (track prepared) 2019
You may not want to do anything this drastic, but here is my solution to the temp gauge problem:
http://www.carols62.com/temp_gauge.htm
Does your 4L60E have an electronic speed (VSS) output? If so you can use a Cable-X box to convert the VSS signal to a cable drive. The Cable-X unit has a set of DIP switches that allow you to correct for any axle ratio or tire size.
Charles
http://www.carols62.com/temp_gauge.htm
Does your 4L60E have an electronic speed (VSS) output? If so you can use a Cable-X box to convert the VSS signal to a cable drive. The Cable-X unit has a set of DIP switches that allow you to correct for any axle ratio or tire size.
Charles
Last edited by cbernhardt; Mar 14, 2017 at 04:51 PM.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 297
Likes: 164
From: Excelsior Springs, MO
2023 Corvette of the Year Finalist - Modified
2022 C1 of the Year Winner - Modified
C1 of Year Finalist (performance mods) 2019
Great Ideas - keep em comming!
Thanks to Jim Doug and Charles....
I'll check the fuel sender ground. I'm pretty sure I ran a separate ground wire to the Frame. It won't be too hard to check.
On the 4L60E transmission... I should have included the fact that I've changed out the Tail shaft housing. The modified one has a gear drive for the speedometer cable, as well as the VSS speed sensor for the computer.
I'm running the stock cable, so this may be an issue of changing to a larger Driven gear at the trans.
Thanks for the pictures on converting the Autometer gauges. Since the
Fuel and Temp live in the same housing, maybe I do a gauge-ectomny
On both of them. I hadn't considered this route.
To your point - I've installed the LED dash lights in the housing - and they really look great. I would like to keep the old appearance too. I see some very nice Restomods - but I went with my wife's wishes to keep things as stock looking as possible. I think it is the way to go.
I'll check the fuel sender ground. I'm pretty sure I ran a separate ground wire to the Frame. It won't be too hard to check.
On the 4L60E transmission... I should have included the fact that I've changed out the Tail shaft housing. The modified one has a gear drive for the speedometer cable, as well as the VSS speed sensor for the computer.
I'm running the stock cable, so this may be an issue of changing to a larger Driven gear at the trans.
Thanks for the pictures on converting the Autometer gauges. Since the
Fuel and Temp live in the same housing, maybe I do a gauge-ectomny
On both of them. I hadn't considered this route.
To your point - I've installed the LED dash lights in the housing - and they really look great. I would like to keep the old appearance too. I see some very nice Restomods - but I went with my wife's wishes to keep things as stock looking as possible. I think it is the way to go.
Last edited by ironheadvette; Mar 15, 2017 at 01:36 AM. Reason: My pictures seem to have rotated 90 degrees since I posted them?
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 297
Likes: 164
From: Excelsior Springs, MO
2023 Corvette of the Year Finalist - Modified
2022 C1 of the Year Winner - Modified
C1 of Year Finalist (performance mods) 2019
On Resto vs Original... as it pertains to Steering wheels
I was all over putting a 15" steering wheel in the car - for more leg room,
Easier entry/exit. So I bought a polished Conor Wheel.
Problem was - it totally blocks out the Speedometer - which I paid $500+
On the conversion tail shaft, so I could I could cable drive the speedo.....
The picture of the thicker/smaller wheel shows the 70 mph... but when you sit in the seat, the rim bocks it.
At wife's urging, I painted the original wheel and installed it. I love it.
Can see the speedo, and when my arm lays on the door sill, I can reach the larger original steering wheel.
Check it out....
Easier entry/exit. So I bought a polished Conor Wheel.
Problem was - it totally blocks out the Speedometer - which I paid $500+
On the conversion tail shaft, so I could I could cable drive the speedo.....
The picture of the thicker/smaller wheel shows the 70 mph... but when you sit in the seat, the rim bocks it.
At wife's urging, I painted the original wheel and installed it. I love it.
Can see the speedo, and when my arm lays on the door sill, I can reach the larger original steering wheel.
Check it out....
Last edited by ironheadvette; Mar 15, 2017 at 01:41 AM. Reason: why do these flip sideways?
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2003
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From: Cottonwood AZ
C1 of Year Finalist (performance mods) 2019
There is a thinner 15" look a like wheel (same thickness as original wheel) that I bought through Corvette Central that I can see my speedo with. They offer it painted or unpainted. I bought it unpainted but it took about 1 1/2 hours of sanding to remove the flashing on the wheel before it could be painted.
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 2,251
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From: Imperial Missouri
Same situation here with the smaller steering wheel and not being able to see the speedometer but the larger rubbing on my leg. I usually just drive with the traffic or use my GPS or watch my RPMs.
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2016
Posts: 211
Likes: 33
From: FL
Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I seem to remember reading in the book "road to top flight" where the fellow was restoring his C1 and stated that the temp gauge always read hot(over heating) even when the engine was not. IIRC he stated it was normal for them to do that. I'm away from my books at the moment.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 297
Likes: 164
From: Excelsior Springs, MO
2023 Corvette of the Year Finalist - Modified
2022 C1 of the Year Winner - Modified
C1 of Year Finalist (performance mods) 2019
Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I seem to remember reading in the book "road to top flight" where the fellow was restoring his C1 and stated that the temp gauge always read hot(over heating) even when the engine was not. IIRC he stated it was normal for them to do that. I'm away from my books at the moment.
thanks for the note.
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2016
Posts: 211
Likes: 33
From: FL
You are probably right as I have no experience with them. It's found on page 82 of the book "road to top flight". Next to the picture at the top of the page it talks about some idiosyncrasies such as the speedometer that is almost 10% faster than actual speed and a temperature gauge that "always" reads hot because the sending unit is the wrong ohms. The author goes on to state that at the time the book was written, no one makes a proper sender unit but suppliers are working on it.
Edit: The book is about a 59 model.
Edit: The book is about a 59 model.
Last edited by 65BotaHam; Mar 15, 2017 at 10:50 AM.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 297
Likes: 164
From: Excelsior Springs, MO
2023 Corvette of the Year Finalist - Modified
2022 C1 of the Year Winner - Modified
C1 of Year Finalist (performance mods) 2019
I tend to believe your last statement - "no one Makes a proper sender".
It occurred to me at 2:00 AM this morning - that I have a temp sender installed in my aluminum radiator to control the relay for the electric fan. It is set to come on at 180 degrees so the fan will kick on and off. It works fine. I'll bet these other senders I purchased are the same way - no increasing ohms as the temp rises- just an ON/OFF at the 180 mark.
Thanks for the note. I'm thinking some brand new Autometer Gauges are getting ready for a transformation. (Although I might pick up a cheap two gauge holder, and connect them before tearing out the dash pod.}
It occurred to me at 2:00 AM this morning - that I have a temp sender installed in my aluminum radiator to control the relay for the electric fan. It is set to come on at 180 degrees so the fan will kick on and off. It works fine. I'll bet these other senders I purchased are the same way - no increasing ohms as the temp rises- just an ON/OFF at the 180 mark.
Thanks for the note. I'm thinking some brand new Autometer Gauges are getting ready for a transformation. (Although I might pick up a cheap two gauge holder, and connect them before tearing out the dash pod.}
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2005
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From: Camp Verde AZ
C1 of Year Finalist (performance mods) 2019
2017 C1 of Year Finalist