'26 gas tank gauge question.

I am hoping someone can tell me how best to remove the 'pointer' (for want of a better word) from the gauge without messing it up. I have a repro dial which I wish to fit as a replacement for the original which has lost all it's markings. Perhaps someone who has done this before can save me from making a mistake?

Ray.

Hi Ray

There are two ways of doing this. The first is to pull the gear from the bottom of the shaft. This is fraught with danger as the gear is made from die cast zinc alloy. With age the zinc expands and grips the shaft. The force necessary to punch the shaft out of the gear may shatter it. In any event the gear should be very well supported before attempting this method. Careful application of heat, alternated with WD40 or similar and a few exploratory taps may get you there. The second is to remove the pointer from the top. The pointer is held onto the shaft by a brass collar riveted at the top and can be driven off the shaft with a very fine punch. Again, the pointer needs to be well supported. I would suggest, in both cases using two pieces of steel butted together with a hole the same size as the shaft drilled between them.

If you choose the first method and break the gear you might try Myers for a replacement. They sell a complete assembly and may be able to supply individual gears.

Hope this helps

Tony

Thank you Tony. The job is just as I suspected - tricky!:eek:

I have seen the gears in Myers catalogue. Are they easy to replace? It might become apparent how they are attached but I could do with some more advice if possible.

Ray.

Hi again Ray

Please disregard the last advice - it was based on the way I did mine (and probably the hard way). I just went downstairs and tried a quick experiment on a very rusty old incomplete gauge assembly. The pointer is just pressed onto the top of the shaft.

Hold the assembly in a vice with a bit of support under the face. You will see the end of the steel shaft in the middle of the brass ferrule in the pointer. Take a 1/16" punch and give it a careful whack. The shaft should drive out easily (mine did). The pointer will be supported by the old face.

I measured the reduced section of the shaft as 1/16'' so you might be better to use a punch just slightly smaller so not as to spread the ferrule - say 1.5 mm. That said, I would suggest that you be very careful when pressing the pointer back onto the shaft. Avoid any impact on the gear - maybe hold the shaft up with a pair of vice grips (mole grips?) under the face so the gear is not sitting on anything and receiving the blow on the pointer.

Sorry about that - oldtimers seems to have hit

Tony

That's an enormous help, Tony. I will give it a go as you suggest.

P.S. I'm 60 in a couple of weeks and the senior moments are getting the better of me already, so I understand where you are coming from......

Ray.

My thanks again, Tony. Job done. I now have a fully operational fuel gauge - which I can read!

Ray.

You guys have fancy gages... Mine is just a wooden stick. I am saving up to get one of the Myers repro units.