[TR] Fuel gauge troubles

Sun Aug 18 11:34:54 MDT 2019

Eureeka!  As you and Randall pointed out, I think that's it.  I swapped out
the speedo unit with an NOS one during restoration and didn't change the
voltage stabilizer from my orig speedo which was probably already changed to
Neg ground.  Since all worked prior to disassembly and had already been
converted to neg ground.  Let me dig it up in the parts bin and swap it out.
I also did grounding tests on temp and fuel sending units and still not
working.  Both of those gauge feeds are downstream of the voltage stabilizer
so that's the next thing to check. Nothing like getting all of the bugs out
of a fresh restoration.  

Thanks,

Jim H

From: Dressler Jr., Edward Thomas <etd at psu.edu> 
Sent: Sunday, August 18, 2019 1:18 PM
To: Jim Henningsen <trguy75 at gmail.com>; 'Randall' <tr3driver at ca.rr.com>;
'Triumphs' <triumphs at autox.team.net>
Subject: Re: [TR] Fuel gauge troubles

If you changed to negative ground you need to have a negative ground voltage
stabilizer.

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From: Triumphs <triumphs-bounces at autox.team.net
<mailto:triumphs-bounces at autox.team.net> > on behalf of Jim Henningsen
<trguy75 at gmail.com <mailto:trguy75 at gmail.com> >
Sent: Sunday, August 18, 2019 11:40:23 AM
To: 'Randall' <tr3driver at ca.rr.com <mailto:tr3driver at ca.rr.com> >;
'Triumphs' <triumphs at autox.team.net <mailto:triumphs at autox.team.net> >
Subject: Re: [TR] Fuel gauge troubles 

Thanks all for the feedback.  I'm heading out this afternoon for some
tinkering.  I didn't mention this since I didn't think related, but the temp
gauge is also not working, and didn't realize it might be the voltage
stabilizer unit.  Hmmmnn.

Jim Henningsen 

From: Randall <tr3driver at ca.rr.com <mailto:tr3driver at ca.rr.com> > 
Sent: Saturday, August 17, 2019 8:25 PM
To: Jim Henningsen <trguy75 at gmail.com <mailto:trguy75 at gmail.com> >;
'Triumphs' <triumphs at autox.team.net <mailto:triumphs at autox.team.net> >
Subject: RE: [TR] Fuel gauge troubles

Quick and dirty test : Remove the wire from the sender, turn the key on, and
ground the wire while watching the gauge.  If the gauge starts to climb
towards full, then the gauge & wiring to it are probably OK.  Probably best
to not leave it this way for long, but a few minutes won't hurt.

My next suspect (especially since it worked before restoration) would be the
grounding for the sender.  IIRC the TR4 grounds the same as TR3, meaning not
very well.  I like to add a ground wire from the stud on the sender to one
of the tank mounting bolts.

Use an ohmmeter to check the sender.  I don't recall the exact numbers
offhand, but it's something like 100 ohms empty and 10 ohms full.  If it
seems to work backwards (low resistance empty and high resistance full),
you've got a TR3 sender instead of TR4.

Also worth checking the temp gauge if the first test above doesn't work.  Do
the same thing, pull the wire off the sender and ground it.  If temp gauge
doesn't respond either, it's probably the voltage stabilizer.  Seems like
maybe it's mounted over in the passenger footwell on a TR4, but honestly I
don't recall for sure.

-- Randall

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From: Jim Henningsen <mailto:trguy75 at gmail.com> 
Sent: Saturday, August 17, 2019 6:54 PM
To: 'Triumphs' <mailto:triumphs at autox.team.net> 
Subject: [TR] Fuel gauge troubles

Help, I'm calling the TR bat phone again.  Switching projects to get my car

ready for AACC southeastern fall nationals on Mobile AL.  1962 TR4 CT5212LO.

Fuel gauge worked prior to restoration but not after.  Car is switched to

neg ground.  Orig fuel sender float was sunk in tank.  Removed it and

verified there is gas in it.  Hoping there is a way to rebuild it since orig

part.  Put in a new sending unit from TRF this morning and added 7 gallons

of gas and it still doesn't work but float rises.  The needle moved ever so

slightly right above E then dropped back down with ignition on.  I even used

a coat hanger to manually raise the float in the gas tank to "full" with

ignition on but needle still didn't work.  Ignition in "On" position, but

not running.  

My thoughts.

1. Bad gauge?

2. Wires reversed on fuel gauge from resto impacting since it is neg not

original positive ground.  Running generator that has been polarized to neg

ground.  

3. connections at new sending unit not secure. Neg is to ground and positive

to pos on sending unit

4. new sender bad

Any thoughts on the possible easy fix before going through the list

tomorrow.  Also, if anyone is looking for a nice 73 Stag with hardtop,

manual tran, that has been owned by a TR owner of 60+ tyears and avid VTR

member, it is for sale in Tally.  I am trying to help the family find a home

for it.  Email me offline if you would like pics and contact info.

Many thanks,

Jim Henningsen

Ocala, FL

60 TR3A

61 TR3A

62 TR4

75 TR6

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