Anyone here know about 55 Chevy gauges?

[raidmagic]

Anyone know how they work? I have a temp gauge and I am trying to find out how to test it and how it hooks up to the engine. Anyone with knowledge on this? Thanks

 

[old round fart]

Most electric gauges work on current. It has voltage applied to one side of the gauge other side to a sender in the block. As temp rises the resistance changes in the sender the current changes and the needle deflects a set ammount. What's the problem?

 

[raidmagic]

So the old 55 gauges were electric? So I would need to source a sending unit for this to work? I am trying to find out if it is any good and how I would go about hooking it up to make it work in something other than a 55 Chevy.

 

[Todd]

post a picture of it. we can tell for sure by looking at the back.

 

[rooster57]

Some old gauges had a copper thermol couple (Bourbon tube) that went to the waterjacket to feed the gauge feedback.

 

[raidmagic]

Here's the back. The temp gauge is the upper right hand connector.
Everything else in the cluster works so I don't mind sourcing another if I can just verfiy if this is good or bad. Thanks

 

[rooster57]

Remove the temp gauge from the housing it must have a pos input on it somewhere and the single post is the sender input from the gauge do you have an ohm meter??? if so check for resistance from the center post to the case. Should be no continuity The input from the sender is usually a high resistance ground. And as the temp rises the ground resistance changes ,so apply a small voltage to it like 1.5 volts from a D cell battery or a 9 voly battery. if their is a problem your less likley to have a big arc with a small battery and its pleanty of voltage to operate a gauge.

 

[raidmagic]

Remove the temp gauge from the housing it must have a pos input on it somewhere and the single post is the sender input from the gauge do you have an ohm meter??? if so check for resistance from the center post to the case. Should be no continuity The input from the sender is usually a high resistance ground. And as the temp rises the ground resistance changes ,so apply a small voltage to it like 1.5 volts from a D cell battery or a 9 voly battery. if their is a problem your less likley to have a big arc with a small battery and its pleanty of voltage to operate a gauge.

I'll give that a try, thanks.

 

[putz]

Eckler's Classic Chevy: Find
Try this site they seem to have the parts needed.
Jim

 

[jmr122848]

Oh Oh, I think you have a problemo. It looks like a Mechanical guage with the sender brocken off (I have a Studabaker guage cluster with the same problem :sad and I have yet to find a fix.

 

[rooster57]

I first thought that also but the tube if broken off is VERY smooth break. I thought all these early 50 were the bourdon tubes to the block. But i had a 57 chev pickup and it had a factory 6 volt gauge. When i converted to 12 volt i had to use an aftermarket temp gauge.

 

[rooster57]

Take the gauge out of the cluster if it doesnt have a coil or and armature its mech and your gona need to rethink your cluster.

 

[raidmagic]

Yep it's mech. I'm going to keep this setup and just find a place to put a temp gauge. I had to add oil pressure to it anyway so I'll just get creative.

 

[Youngster]

check the '58-9 pick ups for 12 volt gauges....

Ron

 

[jmr122848]

I first thought that also but the tube if broken off is VERY smooth break. I thought all these early 50 were the bourdon tubes to the block. But i had a 57 chev pickup and it had a factory 6 volt gauge. When i converted to 12 volt i had to use an aftermarket temp gauge.

The break on mine was very clean, I personally know the idiot that broke it

 

[norseman]

its been 22 years but I coulda swore my 55 chev temp gauge was a mechanical unit....someone prove me wrong please!!

 

[rooster57]

No i think your right i had a 52 parts truck and it was mech also.