Packardfrank Posted March 18, 2021 Share Posted March 18, 2021 Looking to repair the temp gauge on our 32 Nash. What type of fluid is used and what is the technique for repair? Ours was damaged being removed from the block. There is some fluid left in the bulb. Thank you very much Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edinmass Posted March 18, 2021 Share Posted March 18, 2021 Guage guys repair them all the time. I know a few who fix them in their garage. You need eyther, fluid, and a soldering iron. Do yourself a favor......send it out. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edinmass Posted March 18, 2021 Share Posted March 18, 2021 PS- they suck, and almost never read correctly. Many people put fluid in them without hooking them up to the tank. After fifty years and twenty five different cars, I have never gotten them to work correctly longer than six months. Have a storm come by, and the guage will read full or empty regardless of amount in the tank. Fix you odometer, and fill the tank every 75 miles........foolproof, and a lot less aggravation. They were broken when new. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bryankazmer Posted March 18, 2021 Share Posted March 18, 2021 In case you do work on it, be aware that "ether" describes a wide class of compounds - some of them are very volatile and very inflammable, exploding or flashing easily. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edinmass Posted March 18, 2021 Share Posted March 18, 2021 3 minutes ago, bryankazmer said: In case you do work on it, be aware that "ether" describes a wide class of compounds - some of them are very volatile and very inflammable, exploding or flashing easily. That’s what makes them entertaining! Nothing like a flash over fire and explosion to wake up the wife! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grimy Posted March 18, 2021 Share Posted March 18, 2021 Additionally, the original compound which provided the red color is now a hazardous material and is not available--readily available, at least. The substitute material fades to a very pale, difficult-to-see pink in short order. I suggest you follow Ed's guidance, calculate your worst mpg and refill halfway to empty on mileage. Now if your odometer doesn't work either, that's a problem.... 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bryankazmer Posted March 18, 2021 Share Posted March 18, 2021 And then she complains about having to drive you to the ER. Mine cannot always distinguish between my commentary associated with a bolt rolling to distant places and that associated with a self-inflicted injury. An ether is also what makes meth labs burn so well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Packardfrank Posted March 18, 2021 Author Share Posted March 18, 2021 It is the temp not the fuel gauge. Sadly it was working perfectly until we sent the head out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edinmass Posted March 18, 2021 Share Posted March 18, 2021 A broken clock is right twice a day, a functional King-Sealy is never right ever, from day one. It’s like dating a paranoid schizophrenic intravenous drug user with a bunch of personality disorders. Not very reliable.......unless you want to play guess how many miles we can drive before we run out of gas. My employer insists that every item in our cars function 100 percent perfectly. Except a King-Sealy. I explained to him my salary is less expensive and less aggravating than trying to make one work. So, he just brings me everywhere when he drives the car.......I keep the tank full. We haven’t run out of gas..........yet! 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Packardfrank Posted March 18, 2021 Author Share Posted March 18, 2021 What fluids are used?? It is the temp not the fuel gauge. Sadly it was working perfectly until we sent the head out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grimy Posted March 18, 2021 Share Posted March 18, 2021 7 minutes ago, edinmass said: It’s like dating a paranoid schizophrenic intravenous drug user with a bunch of personality disorders. How would you know, Ed? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bryankazmer Posted March 18, 2021 Share Posted March 18, 2021 I believe the original fluid was acetylene tetrabromide with a red dye added. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dl456 Posted March 18, 2021 Share Posted March 18, 2021 Frank, Call the "temperature gauge guy" Roy Martin 802-862-6374 Dennis 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Packardfrank Posted March 18, 2021 Author Share Posted March 18, 2021 Thank You to all. Ed, we are especially grateful for all of the advice that you offered. The Nash project has gone much smoother thanks to you 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edinmass Posted March 18, 2021 Share Posted March 18, 2021 47 minutes ago, Grimy said: How would you know, Ed? I just look in the mirror! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Packardfrank Posted March 18, 2021 Author Share Posted March 18, 2021 1 hour ago, Grimy said: Additionally, the original compound which provided the red color is now a hazardous material and is not available--readily available, at least. The substitute material fades to a very pale, difficult-to-see pink in short order. I suggest you follow Ed's guidance, calculate your worst mpg and refill halfway to empty on mileage. Now if your odometer doesn't work either, that's a problem.... It’s the temp gauge. Sadly it was working great( matched out instant read temp gun) till we messed with it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Packardfrank Posted March 18, 2021 Author Share Posted March 18, 2021 6 minutes ago, edinmass said: I just look in the mirror! Must have made for some interesting dates! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Packardfrank Posted March 18, 2021 Author Share Posted March 18, 2021 4 hours ago, edinmass said: PS- they suck, and almost never read correctly. Many people put fluid in them without hooking them up to the tank. After fifty years and twenty five different cars, I have never gotten them to work correctly longer than six months. Have a storm come by, and the guage will read full or empty regardless of amount in the tank. Fix you odometer, and fill the tank every 75 miles........foolproof, and a lot less aggravation. They were broken when new. Thank You Ed. Just so I am clear , the gas tank and temp gauge work on the same principle?. The temp gauge is our issue and it seemed to be working fine until we had to remove the bulb to have the head machined Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave39MD Posted March 18, 2021 Share Posted March 18, 2021 Try to find the post by ply 33 that describes repairing a temp gauge. What I remember you buy a new gauge from a parts store, put the bulb in dry ice, and solder the line on to your tube. Lots of comments on how dangerous it might be but I would do it if needed. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trimacar Posted March 18, 2021 Share Posted March 18, 2021 4 hours ago, edinmass said: PS- they suck, and almost never read correctly. Many people put fluid in them without hooking them up to the tank. After fifty years and twenty five different cars, I have never gotten them to work correctly longer than six months. Have a storm come by, and the guage will read full or empty regardless of amount in the tank. Fix you odometer, and fill the tank every 75 miles........foolproof, and a lot less aggravation. They were broken when new. That’s funny. My rule with my 31 Pierce is 100 miles, fill it up, and I watch the odometer and do it on zeros. I still carry 2 gallons of gas just in case, have helped others but so far not myself... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edinmass Posted March 18, 2021 Share Posted March 18, 2021 15 minutes ago, Packardfrank said: Thank You Ed. Just so I am clear , the gas tank and temp gauge work on the same principle?. The temp gauge is our issue and it seemed to be working fine until we had to remove the bulb to have the head machined No gas gauge is atmospheric and has no volatile fluids......but it is very corrosive! So a temp gauge can blow up in your face, the gas gauge lies like a rug and will melt the paint of your dash. Fun stuff! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Packardfrank Posted March 18, 2021 Author Share Posted March 18, 2021 10 minutes ago, Dave39MD said: Try to find the post by ply 33 that describes repairing a temp gauge. What I remember you buy a new gauge from a parts store, put the bulb in dry ice, and solder the line on to your tube. Lots of comments on how dangerous it might be but I would do it if needed. Dave Thanks Dave ! Tried to find it but no luck yet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alsancle Posted March 18, 2021 Share Posted March 18, 2021 I don't know who this King Seeley guy was but I hate him. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave39MD Posted March 18, 2021 Share Posted March 18, 2021 I found it; https://www.ply33.com/Repair/tempgauge 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Packardfrank Posted March 18, 2021 Author Share Posted March 18, 2021 4 minutes ago, Dave39MD said: I found it; https://www.ply33.com/Repair/tempgauge Thank you so much!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Packardfrank Posted March 18, 2021 Author Share Posted March 18, 2021 48 minutes ago, edinmass said: No gas gauge is atmospheric and has no volatile fluids......but it is very corrosive! So a temp gauge can blow up in your face, the gas gauge lies like a rug and will melt the paint of your dash. Fun stuff! Thank you Ed!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Wetherbee Posted March 18, 2021 Share Posted March 18, 2021 49 minutes ago, alsancle said: I don't know who this King Seeley guy was but I hate him. His first firstborn was Lucas, the Prince of Darkness... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Str8-8-Dave Posted March 19, 2021 Share Posted March 19, 2021 2 hours ago, Mark Wetherbee said: His first firstborn was Lucas, the Prince of Darkness... That's why Brits drink warm beer- Lucas makes the refrigerators. They tried branching off into the clock business one time too, ever hear of Stonehenge? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bradsan Posted March 20, 2021 Share Posted March 20, 2021 If your temp gauge needs no other work, the www.ply33.com instructions are simple and easy to follow. In my case, the donor gauge was about $29 and so far it was the easiest and cheapest thing on the car to restore myself. Just used regular ice cubes in water and moved quickly. The only issue to be mindful of is that the donor bulb and its fitting dimensions match whatever orifice is available on the engine. Oh, and use the solder sparingly, the ID of the tubing is tiny. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Packardfrank Posted March 20, 2021 Author Share Posted March 20, 2021 Thank You! Where did you get your donor bulb?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bradsan Posted March 20, 2021 Share Posted March 20, 2021 Frank Picked it up at my local auto parts store. It was a rebadged offshore gauge for one of our local offshore equipment vendors. Likely neither would be familiar to you since I'm in Canada. Pep Boys, O'Reilly's , Rockauto etc should have them. Just make sure it is a 'mechanical' gauge . They are getting harder to find BTW since everything post 1960 is likely electrical . Here's an example https://www.rockauto.com/en/parts/dorman,7123,temperature+gauge,641 Just try to make sure your soldering operation is as far away from the bulb as possible. I made the splice pretty close to the gauge head. They all work on the same vapor pressure of the ether so as long as they are a mechanical gauge they should be fine as a donor. The only downside is that the wire wrap around the copper tube may not look authentic but since my original gauge came with a cloth type wire loom over it, i just slid put a new piece of that over the whole thing before soldering. Of course if you have a problem leak in the gauge head the gauge will stop working pretty quickly again! Brad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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