1970 GT

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Re: 1970 GT

Postby jamezz666 » Fri May 22, 2020 3:39 pm

Turns out the gauge is the problem! Just been messing with it and I believe it's something inside the gauge shorting, as I've taken the gauge off and tested it straight off the battery, using the fuel sender. Now I've got too decide what I'm going to do about it :(
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Re: 1970 GT

Postby rizzo » Fri May 22, 2020 8:10 pm

Glad to see some nice pics, the front looks really good i like the colour you must be happy with the results so far, its been a long road for you, keep up the good work. :D
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Re: 1970 GT

Postby jamezz666 » Fri May 22, 2020 9:08 pm

rizzo wrote:Glad to see some nice pics, the front looks really good i like the colour you must be happy with the results so far, its been a long road for you, keep up the good work. :D


Thank you! She looks better in the pictures, but as I said too my dad "she's 50 years old and I'm no master craftsman" :lol: the paint is a bit patchy, but it's a nice colour. Vauxhall flame red if I remember correctly.

Just attempting to solve my fuel gauge problem. Turns out the gauge wasn't working properly, due to some sort of connection issue. Ive managed to get the gauge working, but now it's the universal fuel sender that I bought, that is miles off on the reading. Ive been trying to find information, on how to calibrate the gauge.
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Re: 1970 GT

Postby jamezz666 » Sun May 24, 2020 1:12 pm

So after fiddling with the electrics last night, i found that the gauge was working and the wiring was fine.
The new universal fuel sender has to be drastically altered and so does the gauge for them both too work.
This isn't a how too, as i wouldn't want anyone to damage there parts using a guide from me, but this is just what i did.

With the fuel gauge unaltered and connecting the universal sender, the gauge will read full with the sender at full and when you move the arm of the sender down 1/4" nothing happens and then it starts to come down on the gauge, but bottoms out at 1/2 a tank, with the sender arm all the way down.

Now.. Two things too remember with these senders, they're very sensitive that the slightest movement, alters the gauge a lot and 1/4" of the fuel sender movement before stopping at full does nothing.

I'll come back too the sender, but this is what i found with the gauge and there's a drawing below showing what the gauge is like. With the gauge apart, you will find that there is 2 small coils. Right i was led too believe that the only earth you have, is the earth from the sender touching the tank and that isn't true. The internals have to earth through the housing of the gauge to the gauge mounting plate, that's mounted too the dash otherwise the gauge will not work.

so.. The two coils from what i found, alter the sensitivity of the magnetic pull of the needle left or right. So looking at my drawing below showing the inside of the gauge, the left coil pulls it too empty and right pulls it too full and on the sides of the coils, you will find there are two small bolt heads, that once they're slackened off you can move the coils up or down. Must add! > they have a very fine wire each coming from them, which will break easily without taking care. (jumping a head a bit here as i'm in work) but in my situation i set the coils both equally opposite each other, with the coils fairly high to take out some of the sensitivity in the gauge. IN my situation i could only ever get slightly above empty to Full, so what i did i bent the needle back a bit, so it would show empty and still line up with full.

now back too the sender. The arm on the sender had too be bent both sides of the pivoting point. The arm on the side to stop for empty had to be bent backwards (away from stop) 2mm so the sender could get a bit more travel to lower the gauge to empty and the arm on the arm on the side that stops for full, had to be bent forwards (towards stop) 5mm to take out the free movement, in which the sender didn't alter the gauge as it was already showing full.
The arm with the float will want warming with a blow lamp, to alter the length of it, close too original sender.
My fuel gauge works fine now and responds really well!

see pics below, but hopefully the above was readable as i just rushed too write it! but i best get back too work, as i can hear my dad shouting me! :lol:


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Re: 1970 GT

Postby rizzo » Sun May 24, 2020 8:54 pm

If you look at the left sender the pcd looks larger than the other, assuming thats an optical illusion :D
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Re: 1970 GT

Postby jamezz666 » Sun May 24, 2020 10:13 pm

rizzo wrote:If you look at the left sender the pcd looks larger than the other, assuming thats an optical illusion :D


Funny thing you mention that... after spending hours doing it all, I looked at both of them and thought "oh *Bleep*". Turns out it fits a treat! But as you say it's an optical illusion
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Re: 1970 GT

Postby rizzo » Mon May 25, 2020 11:21 am

im glad you said that after all the hard work, :)
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Re: 1970 GT

Postby Alfie-G » Tue May 26, 2020 11:02 am

Hi James, some gauge theory that may help, but not confuse, hopefully. You always have two coils in a moving coil meter or gauge, but not to drive the pointer in different directions.
Coil 1: the power comes through and down to the sender which will use up some of the power and drop some of the voltage depending on where it is sitting, current flow through the coil will drive the pointer to full scale deflection. I don’t know if this would be full or empty for your car, but any current flow will go all the way without the rest of the gubbins in the gauge.
Coil 2: along with that gubbins coil two is a control, it has a back EMF induced into it by this current flow which is in opposition and proportionate to that flowing in coil 1. This is to stop the needle going full scale deflection unless that is the fuel state.

Your fuel gauge will be affected by a bad earth at the tank. Have you checked that the tank itself is earthed properly?
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Re: 1970 GT

Postby jamezz666 » Sun May 31, 2020 6:14 pm

Managed to get the front end back together, and still have the passenger side to mop but it's getting there. i'll be tackling the rear window next week, as it's going to be a complete cut and shut job of the rubber :angrywife: . also while fiddling with the tank, i've noticed the passenger rear spring mount, has rot to where the cup bolts the the square tube piece :roll: .

been quoted £255 to have the rostyles blasted painted and lacquered, which i'm unsure if it's good or not of a price, as this will be the first time i've ever paid too have it done! i'm use to spraying them with spray cans or using a paint brush :lol:

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Re: 1970 GT

Postby jamezz666 » Mon Jun 08, 2020 4:41 pm

Side opening window rubber now in. I purchased them from eBay listed for classic mini and they was perfect and very easy fitting! one of the best £30 i've ever spent :D
Side window will be fitted tomorrow.

James

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