Vettrocious

I just fixed the battery gauge on one 63, now the other car's gauge is acting up... Gremlins are loose...

This cluster was just put back in after Vintage Air was installed. Now the battery needle faces down, although it still seems to work

Any ideas?





Thanks,

Mike

65GGvert

It's my understanding that the 63 didn't have stops at the upper and lower ends of the needle swing and when the voltage is driving it in one direction or the other the needle will swing past the stop and point down instead of up. The dampening fluid is probably not doing it's job to stop the rapid movement of the needle.
One thing you might try is to connect a battery charger to the battery and turn the key off and on a few times to see if the needle will swing back up past the 90 degree mark and back to where it belongs. You could also disconnect one of the wires on the gauge and connect a small 1.5 volt battery to the terminals momentarily to see if it will swing back up. It's a very sensitive battery gauge (voltmeter) that works on small voltage drops on a length of wire running from the starter to the horn relay, so that 1.5v battery would give you quite a swing. You might have to experiment with just how quickly you can connect and disconnect the 1.5 volt battery from the gauge before you get it to stop in the up position and then the next time there's a surge, it can go back. The only true fix I know of is replacing the dampening fluid in the gauge or replace the gauge.

65GGvert

You can see the stops on this 65 gauge.

Vettrocious

I unplugged it and tried a new gauge, which worked fine. Changing it is a PITA, so I'll use your suggestions to try to figure out what's wrong with his one first.

Interestingly, when I turn on the key, the discharge makes the needle move clockwise, the opposite of what I would expect...

Mike

jdk971

do a search, i believe this has been covered before. jim

65GGvert

That's because the same side of the gauge wire is attached to the same point as it was so it will swing toward the lower voltage end, which is still to the left, but now it would be clockwise.

Vettrocious

Thanks guys, it took about six tries with the 1.5 volt battery to get it to stay pointing up, but all is good now

Mike

Vettrocious

Looks like I need to install the new gauge after all: every time I start this car the needle flips to the bottom again. I sure do hate taking the cluster out, though

buns

I can see the stop pins in the picture you posted. Can't figure out how the needle is getting by them, unless it is not fully seated.









Another picture of a new gauge.

babbah

You don't need to pull the cluster to get the gauge out. If you pull the cluster forward enough you can easily remove both gauges and replace the Battery Gauge - Ive done it many times on mine.

rtruman

Vettrocious

Ok, we'll give that a try...

Thanks,

Mike

Frankie the Fink

That needle looks bent sideways and prob enough outward to bypass the stops....tat gauge is done. I know somebody here replaced that gauge without a cluster pull but it has to be tedious....as that side of the cluster's small gauge rear housing will have to come off to get to the instrument.

Vettrocious

I agree, Frankie, working upside-down under the dash, half blind because my blended specs don't help at all in that position, trying loosen the rear cover and squeeze that gauge out from under it, would appear to be way harder than just taking the cluster out, once the cluster is already loose and moving on the studs I've inserted in the mounting holes. Removing it will give me a chance to put LEDs in the gauge lights too...

Frankie the Fink

Yeah - but I'm gonna say this....its best to pull the steering column to get the cluster COMPLETELY out....some say they can just lower it -- never tried it that way. The issue with pulling the column is all that 63 one-year-only stuff to be dealt with...the whacky turn signal setup, the rare upper column bearing, the use of a bushing under the horn button instead of the usual spring. You have to be REAL careful to note how things go and how you adjust them on reassembly.

If you can do the job without dropping the column its worth a shot.

Chuck Gongloff

If it keeps flipping to the bottom, something isn't wired correctly.

Years ago, the ammeter gauge flip happened to me. I had connected a battery charger lead incorrectly.

I also used a small battery and flipped the gauge back to normal, and it's been fine for years.....decades even.

Something is wrong.. it shouldn't flip over every time you start the car, and it should show a discharge moving LEFT towards the minus 40 side.... not RIGHT to the plus 40 side.

Vettrocious

I've taken the cluster out a few times in the past by just dropping the column, so I even had the studs on hand. It's tricky job, but if you've done it once it, becomes a bit less of a problem.

Frankie the Fink

My Doc Rebuild wiring diagram shows both ammeter wires go to the bulkhead connector - might be worth a look-see...

Vettrocious

I've had trouble with that connector on both 63s since I replaced the engine harnesses with Lectric Limited wiring. Several times the battery gauge hasn't worked at all. Same problem on both cars. Just had to adjust the plug on the other car last week, as the gauge on that car didn't work. The connector doesn't seem to engage properly and/or knocks the pins into the mating connector. Seriously thinking about going to another supplier and getting rid of these harnesses.

Frankie the Fink

Lectric Limited is a top harness vendor and most don't have issues with it but Chuck is right. Something is amiss, what you're seeing is not normal.