59 gas & temp gauge problem

[barrysmith]

My gas and temp gauge went squirrely, they started off moving backwards and now do not work at all, is there a way to check if just the guages are bad?

I ordered the voltage regulator for them just in case that was the issue, but I do not want to put in new gauges if the regulator is the problem and then blow those guages.

Where is that darn regulator located?

I have looked under the dash until I am cross eyed and still do not see it.

Thanks,

Barry

[Guest]

Hey Barry,
The Constant Voltage Regulator is behind the instrument cluster mounted to the back of the cluster between the speedometer and the fuel/temp gauges!
I hope you ordered a electronic replacement. They give better service! And allot of the new replacement one are made in China!
Richard D. Hord

[barrysmith]

Hey Richard, I probabley got one of those china deals.

Ordered it from fleabay, is there a way to tell from looking at it?

I'll order another one if it is, aint no China S@$#! going in my bird!

Thanks for the location of it.

Barry

[Guest]

Hey Barry,
I will have to do some searching and see if they have China on them. Mine went bad in Christine and Ray was the one that suggested I get a electronic one. If you need that information I will have to also dig it up, or maybe Ray can tell you!
Keep us posted!
Richard D. Hord

[jopizz]

It's a little easier to replace if you remove the fuel/temp gauge. It's between that and the speedometer and held in by two bolts.

[YellowRose]

59 gas & temp gauge problem

The information on the electronic CVR is on the Technical Resource Library web page. Go up to the Technical Resource Library Forum, click on the new link I put up there and scroll down. You will find the contact information there. I do not think there is any way of telling if you got a Chinese version or not. You would have to ask the guy who is selling it where he gets his CVR units from. My CVR unit was NOT on the back of the instrument panel as Alexander showed us in his Technical Tip. Mine was mounted to a post behind the instrument panel. Yours could be there also. It all depends on who has had their fingers on that instrument panel or CVR unit and has replaced it in the past.

[barrysmith]

Thanks everyone, will try to locate it again tommarow.

Any way to check the gauges ?

Barry

[Guest]

These also need to mounted to good ground (something metal) to work properly!
Richard D. Hord

[barrysmith]

THANKS

Repalced the pod, but still no working guages

Guess I will wait for some gauges to come up on fleabay.

[Guest]

Hey Barry,
It may have fried them, before it went out!
Richard D. Hord

[YellowRose]

59 gas & temp gauge problem

Before you go replacing your gauges, make sure your Constant Voltage Regulator (CVR) unit is working properly. As Richard said, make SURE you have a good ground connection first. Using a meter, check the input side to see if you have 12volts going into the CVR unit. If so, you know you have input voltage. Then check the output side going to the gauges to see if you have an output reading of something between 1 & 6 volts, with it probably fluctuating. If you do, then your CVR unit should be working correctly. IF you have 12 volts coming OUT of that CVR unit, then your CVR unit is fried... AND it might have also fried your gauges because they are 6Volt gauges... If you have 12volts coming out of the CVR unit, buy another one, from one of the Tbird parts places for about $20-$25 OR spend about twice that and buy the electronic one listed on the Technical Resource Library web page. After going through several CVR units, and spending about $75 doing so, I bought the electronic version and have had no problems since.

[barrysmith]

Thanks, I had one of those cvr units here already and installed it and the gaues still do not work.

It is grounded fine, checked it with my idiot light, and it is getting 12 volts to it, Lit up the light as well.

I will put a meter on it though and check as sugested on output of the new cvr.

Thanks,

Barry

[Rigormortor]

Thanks, I had one of those cvr units here already and installed it and the gaues still do not work.

It is grounded fine, checked it with my idiot light, and it is getting 12 volts to it, Lit up the light as well.

I will put a meter on it though and check as sugested on output of the new cvr.

Thanks,

Barry

You can replace the old CVR with a solid state chip from Radio Shack, part number 7805, a 5 volt regulator. It has 3 legs, 12 volts in, ground and 5 volts out. I have been using them for a while in my 59 Dodge and just put one in my 59 Bird a week ago. It works great and only costs 1$

[YellowRose]

59 gas & temp gauge problem

I have checked out the Radio Shack Model 7805 unit and it has gone up in price big time! It is now $1.59! I have added it to the Technical Resource Library web page. Others there also say they have been using it for their gauges and it works well. That is a big savings over the cost of the other one! We know it is working for others, so you might want to save yourself some money and try one of these if you have to replace your CVR unit.

http://www.squarebirds.org/picture_gallery/TechnicalResourceLibrary/trl.htm