Gauge repair.

Can this be fixed and still work right? This was in an LT1 trans am I bought, and the asshat helping me cut the wire. Want to use it in the 9c1

I want to say that those type of gauges use a little copper tube that contains a pressurized gas of some sort, which continues from the sender all the way into the gauge, and that if the gauge tube is even bent, it renders it useless. However there are different types of those gauges too, so this might not be the case?

No tube, I did check that. Seems to be just copper wore.

If you're SURE it's not a tube (the tube looks like a real thick copper wire and has a coating over it sometimes), I'd try just soldering it back together...it kind of looks like the tube kind to me in the picture, as if the tube was crimped shut where it was cut and made it look like a cut wire. I'm not there looking at the thing though...

The old Impala has one of those in it, and I think it's the tube kind, it started acting up and doesn't read right...they're a PITA!

i'll check again.

That's a bourdon tube temp gauge. It's junk now.

Only two types of temp gauge, electrical and mechanical.

The tube ones are filled with alcohol and as they heat up the alcohol makes a spring tighten pulling the linkage on the needle.

It's a sealed unit. No repair available.

He'd a had trouble wiring it anyway... ... ...

Ironfistdog wrote:

That's a bourdon tube temp gauge. It's junk now.

Only two types of temp gauge, electrical and mechanical.

The tube ones are filled with alcohol and as they heat up the alcohol makes a spring tighten pulling the linkage on the needle.

It's a sealed unit. No repair available.

Would you say the tube kind are worth getting? My car has a pair of matched (cheap Summit but matched) gauges under the dashboard...I was going to replace the temp one since it isn't working, but can't find an exact matching gauge anymore...

That being the case I was thinking of just getting a new set so they all look the same.

Tube is the ONLY way to go in my opinion. I alway use sunpro's and have good luck.
Most of the newer style bourdon tube gauges have a coiled wire around the tube to protect it.
I've never had one fail me due to a leak in the tube.

In fact my c10 has electrical gauges that I plan to "bash" out of the dash to replace with an aftermarket mechanical one,

I wouldnt bother with the mechanical type
Electric is quick & easy & nowadays, accuracy is a given
Snaking tubing is a HUGE PIA.....imo

Yeah but a mechanical one doesn't "fry" due to an electrical problem somewhere.
Also the vehicles that I would put one in DONT have 200 lbs of useless stuff on the firewall/under the dash so it's a fairly easy job.

Haha, as "modern" as the '74 could be considered by some car clubs, there's a remarkable lack of crap on the firewall. It still looks like a PITA to snake the tube in there though. It's weird because the gauge will still work a little then nothing. In fact I think it does nothing now, the alcohol probably leaked out slowly. I don't even know what happened to it, I never touched it BUT the tube is all bent out of shape in a few places. It doesn't even have that coiled wire going around it.