smith's temp gauge repair

[John Shand]

Hi I purchased some smiths gauges only to find the temp gauge not working, on inspection
it must have a leak in the bulb connection and the ether has gone, any one repaird one of these? I expect we open up the bulb re fill with ether and solder it back together?

John

ps I would realy like to go electric with the 270deg face, as both the oil and water temp
require fluid removal before removing them, electric just un clip a wire, and go

 

[Jim Rosenthal]

John, I used all electric Smiths gauges, the Bourdon tube ones are too temperamental. I don't know how you would refill a gauge with ether- I can't imagine soldering with ether anywhere near you, it ignites so easily. I use it for starting my diesels in cold weather....

Is there a Smiths dealer in OZ? If not, you could try the Gauge Guys in the USA, in Minnesota. They have done fairly well by me so far.

 

[Phil]

John:
I had the same problem with a temp gauge bought at a swap meet. My repair consisted of swapping out the face of the gauge onto an electric gauge. Essentially the electric gauges are voltmeters. Put the proper sender on your motor and you will be good to go.
The Smiths bezels twist off with only 1/8 turn, and the gauge face comes out easily. The only requirement is that you swap out identical movements, I have done a few and they work well.
Cheers
Phil

 

[Seymour Snerd]

No warranty expressed or implied, but I found a writeup on how to repair one of these things. Doesn't sound all that hard.

1933 Plymouth Temperature Gauge Repair

 

[Nick]

J I can't imagine soldering with ether anywhere near you, it ignites so easily.

Probably explains why the one I tried soldering many years ago exploded.

Regards

Nick

 

[John Shand]

Probably explains why the one I tried soldering many years ago exploded.

Regards

Nick

Sounds like fun, I was planning to use a electric iron not the gas torch, if you keep the ether cold it don't turn to gas, I used to use it in model engines,

Phil,
I have done a few mods with tacko swaps over the years so no problems to change
the gauge out but what did you use as a doner gauge, I still want to use the 270 deg movement and original housing and face, my trade is in electronics so have no problem
making it all work, just a matter of a doner gauge

 

[Seymour Snerd]

Sounds like fun, I was planning to use a electric iron not the gas torch, if you keep the ether cold it don't turn to gas, I used to use it in model engines,

I looked on Summit Racing and sure enough you can still buy ether-driven gauges for ~$17 US.

 

[Phil]

John:
I was using Smiths bottom read gauges with 90 deg. sweep. I used a water temp movement to give me an oil temp gauge by switching the face. The face came out of a capillary oil temp gauge that was damaged, bought it for $2 at a swap meet.
One note to mention, I had radio interference from the smiths "Voltage stabilizer", (really a bi-metal strip that opens and closes rapidly to yield approx 9 volts). I looked at a couple of setups for the regulator, but eventually used a 9v zener diode in line with the gauge supply, and it works OK. The gauges are designed to work on a 9v supply.
I would think that any 270 deg. sweep smiths electrical unit such as water temp, or even fuel level would work. I have also "fooled" some gauges with resistors in either series or parallel to decrease or increase the reading because senders weren't available or the readings were off, and we corrected them against a good reading from an accurate unit.
Good luck
Phil

 

[Jac Mac]

John, if your up Te Anau way sometime, look up an [older] guy by name of Bill Cline, used to work for Young Brothers--auto electricians--- should be able to put you on the right track, I can remember him fixing those gauges...just hope his memory is still on track so that he can...