fuel gauge

[len bloomberg]

hey guys.i am new to the site. i live in fort macleod alberta about 135 miles south of calgary.i just purchased a squarebird 1958.it is a restored show car.i think i got a screamin deal. 13,000.00. fuel gauge doesnt work. any thoughts on where to start??is there anything there that was a major problem or is it just when the car was finished some years ago they didnt hook it up.also it doesnt go into park properly and it scares the bejeebers out of me.i seem to be fishing for park .i have owned a couple cruise a matics over the years but this one seems excptionaly bad in the park lincage dept.i would like to think it parked better than this when it was new and i gotta fix it.i see someone had installed a micro lock way under he dash to mickey mouse fix it but i am not happy with it.please help.len

[Dakota Boy]

Shift plate:

http://www.squarebirds.org./detent_thunderbird.htm


fuel gauge? lift the mat in your trunk and see if the wire is hooked up. There is a little round sheet metal cover in the center of your trunk floor that will need to be removed in order to see it. Then you should get yourself a copy of the Ford Shop Manual for your new car. It has a whole section on this topic.

[Guest]

Hey Len,
Does your temp gauge work? If not it maybe a bad CVR!

To add what greg said, when checking the sending unit in the truck. Also make sure the retaining ring is grounded! Rust and paint sometimes cause grounding problems on these old cars.
ANYTIME YOU ARE WORKING WITH THE GAS TANK HAVE A GOOD FIRE EXTINGUISHER NEARBY!!!
Richard D. Hord

[simplyconnected]

Column:
Your steering tube may have slipped or shifted. Follow the Shop Manual. Loosen two large bolts at the dash and move the outer shell to its proper place.

Sending unit:
Richard's right. I usually go to an un-used corner of the gas tank, away from the seam weld, and drill a hole for a small screw. 8-32 is plenty big enough. Use a bolt and nut to tightly bond (connect) a copper stranded wire with a ring terminal staked-on. Connect the other end of this bonding jumper to a good ground, preferably on the chassis. Then, you may check the operation of the gauge. If you need more help, ask. - Dave

[len bloomberg]

fuel gauge and shifter

many thanks for your help.where can i get a good shop manual.i have one for my 50 meteor and use it all the time but it came with the car.

[Guest]

Hey Len,
They have them posted several times on Ebay! I bought a original and have used it so much the spine was broke and coming apart! I just got me a reproduction a little while ago. I will also keep an I out for one and let you know!
Richard D. Hord

P.S. Found a shop/service manual, Ebay item #130650187846

[Mickfly70]

I got myself a manual off ebay for $25 plus about $10 S&H. So the one that Richard suggested (for $26.12 + 12.86) sounds like a fair deal.

Mine originally sold for $3.00 in 1960.

The manual is a very good resource but this forum plus the technical links and advice from keen members is all you need. Plus a good attitude.

My 2 (canadian) cents

[Anders]

All Vendors sell them. Larrys take 36.36 for it. It´s always good to keep one in the car if anything happend during driving.

[len bloomberg]

shop manual

Hey Len,
They have them posted several times on Ebay! I bought a original and have used it so much the spine was broke and coming apart! I just got me a reproduction a little while ago. I will also keep an I out for one and let you know!
Richard D. Hord

P.S. Found a shop/service manual, Ebay item #130650187846

thanks richard.len

[JohnG]

Does your temperature gauge work?? (at all)

If Yes, this helps narrow the Fuel Gauge problem down as they both run off the same 6V power supply.

If No then you need to get out a multimeter and see if there is any voltage being supplied to either gauge.

Once that is addressed, then you run into a very common problem in old cars: poor grounding. This happens due to corrorsion and painting. No grounds should be taken for granted. Simple things like sandpaper, files, Dremls and so on can remedy them, while a small set of jumper cables can help decide.

Common locations of this problem are: temp sending unit, fuel sending unit, and antennae at the least.

Part of getting your car back in good shape is establishing lots of good electrical connections.

[Dan Leavens]

Len welcome and also glad to see another 58 in Alberta. If you need anything going through your process send me a PM e-mail and I can give you my phone number up here in Calgary. There are many resources as you can see on our site

[len bloomberg]

thanks for the info john. i have a shop manual ordered and am not gonna do to much till i get it.len

[YellowRose]

fuel gauge

Hi Len, while you are waiting for your shop manual to come in, check out the Technical Resource Library (TRL) and read up on adjusting the fuel/temp gauge, troubleshooting it, and the Constant Voltage Regulator (CVR) unit. It might be defective and need a replacement. You can get them from the Tbird parts houses, but if you do, ask where it was made at. I am told that the ones made in China can have problems. I went the electronic route with mine the last time it went out.

The link to the TRL is always part of my signature element. Just click on the link to go there.