Moto-meters, T-stat thread

[Special Coupe Frank]

I once ran across a website where a person restored a Plymouth temperature gauge, much like a Red Ball Motometer, at home. I have the link at my computer at home. When I get home tonight I will try to add it to this thread.

The common DIY repair for bourdon-tube in-dash temp gauges is to buy a modern mechanical gauge with the correct size bulb, and carefully transplanting the new bulb and tube onto the old gauge head.

This is done by packing the new bulb in a large container of ice / salt mix to keep it at freezing or below, to prevent the alcohol / ether mix from escaping, then carefully un-soldering the capillary tube from the new gauge head, and moving it to the antique gauge-head ( already prepped to receive the new tube) and re-soldering.

My guess is the problem is find a temp bulb that will work with the Moto-Meter gauge hose-adapter...

 

[tiquer]

Nope, different Bob

Ok sorry for the mistake.

 

[fritznbud]

I no longer buy from Mac's or Vintique.

I'm happy to say the nice lady answering the phone at Mac's said she would accept it back, and issue a full refund. I have no reciept but i do have the box it came in. We have sold out folks. To the chinese and whoever else that wants to flood our market with junk parts. Zero quality control. And LIE....vintique trash boasting "proudly made in the USA" and the side of the box says made in taiwan...maybe it's just a chinese box Update...nice lady never returned the refund call. I kept the pkg. from the mail until i heard back from her so if Bob shares his thermometer retro-fit, i'll be gutting mine. I have to say, i was getting used to looking out the windshield at it.

 

[Karl]

I read once that you can tie a string to those and swing it around in a circle so the centrifugal force will move the red stuff back down to the bottom of the glass tube where it belongs. I have never tried that, but I think it is a bunch of horse puckey. Maybe I am wrong though.......

Sure is Never worked for me-First of all you have to tie the string to something and the only thing you can tire onto is the bottom. So I reckon swinging it will push it out rather than in - I guess it depends on your centrifugal force vz centripital accleration. What I do is put a blow torch on the base for a few seconds -The red stuff shoots right up to the top and when it settles the bubbles are gone (for a while!)

 

[Bud]

As promised: here is the link. http://www.ply33.com/Repair/tempgauge

 

[fritznbud]

Sell it to me and I will convert it into an accurate motometer.

Bob

Thanks Bud, I'd sure like to know where i could find a thermo probe like Bob's to install in my meter case. I searched the internet for an hour for one like this. Maybe good 'ol Bob could share his secret??