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1933 10 six light fuel gauge repair

martynbuckley
Posts: 11
Joined: Wed Sep 14, 2016 10:17 am
Location: Oxford, UK

1933 10 six light fuel gauge repair

Post by martynbuckley »

I have the original fuel gauge in a box of parts.
Any suggestions on who may be able to refurbish it?
I believe they had mercury in them back in the day?

Simon Hyslop

Re: 1933 10 six light fuel gauge repair

Post by Simon Hyslop »

If the glass in the gauge unit is sound - tube in it, that is, not the front glass,; if the small pipe from the gauge to the tank unit has no air leaks or obstructions, if the tank unit is working - it is possible to refill the gauge with telegauge fluid. The name escapes me this second but it's not mercury. Vintage Supplies sell it (or used to sell it - I've just looked quickly but don't see it) but you need two bottles now to fill a gauge as it came from America and there was some issue with the quantity it was supplied in . If everything else is correct, it's self adjusting and provided you don't touch the small wires that go into the glass tube, after a few miles running it should show the correct level.

However (you knew that was coming !), it would appear that as over the years more people have all had a go at fixing these units, there are multiple faults to fix and just refilling them will not be a long lasting fix. The tank unit is not anything like an electrical unit nor is it interchangeable in a straightforward way with a conventional sender.

There are some options. Willie McKenzie - Austin Reproduction Parts - makes new LED based units to mimic the appearance of the dashboard gauge and can make these fit your existing parts. He also supplies, I believe, tank units to replace the originals and work with the LEDs. The price of this does not come cheaply.

You can, or could, buy an LED indicator from China for peanuts but some experimentation with a sender unit would be needed to make the system work, plus it would need incorporating neatly in the gauge - probably all contributory to why the ARP unit isn't cheap.

A firm in America can repair King Sealey units which are very similar to the Hobson units, it's the same basic design.

Find a stick and stick it in the tank to accurately know the petrol level. This is a highly accurate and reliable technology. The BSA engineers had the foresight to know that owners would need to do this and made the tank easily accessible through the filler tube to make this possible.

If you do opt for the last option, the hole in the dash is possibly more usefully filled by installing a decent temperature gauge for the radiator although I now live with the telegauge not working having poured several bottles of fluid into it over the years.

Those are only my suggestions in brief, we've had topics in the past on this subject which might be worth looking at again and if you like the sound of one option, why not write back with what it is and anyone who has experience of that route will maybe write back with helpful suggestions. The only one not to write back about is the stick. To misquote Joseph, "Any stick will do..."

frenchy
Posts: 83
Joined: Fri Feb 12, 2016 1:57 pm

Re: 1933 10 six light fuel gauge repair

Post by frenchy »

I have tried over the past ten years to get my telegauge to work but to no avail. The temperature gauge works well but despite every effort including refurbishing the
tank unit, new pipe and refilling the gauge with the liquid and following all the instructions the fuel gauge will not operate. I live in hope that one day the liquid will rise in the gauge and give a reading. I have yet to meet an owner with a fully working fuel gauge. I carry a piece of white plastic small bore flexy pipe ( complements of Peter Riches) marked with red tape to indicate amount of fuel.


Regards Frenchy

martynbuckley
Posts: 11
Joined: Wed Sep 14, 2016 10:17 am
Location: Oxford, UK

Re: 1933 10 six light fuel gauge repair

Post by martynbuckley »

Thanks for the quick reply.
The gauge is not in the dash, someone has swopped in another gauge (not connected to the fuel tank)
I already use the accurate stick method, but wanted to change the dash back to original, ideally working,
I think it is a hobson telegauge, is there a rebuild link anywhere? I am not sure if the tube is still there, it may well be missing.
If there is a rebuild link, i can check what is present, missing & broken.
I have a temp gauge on top of the radiator :)

frenchy
Posts: 83
Joined: Fri Feb 12, 2016 1:57 pm

Re: 1933 10 six light fuel gauge repair

Post by frenchy »

I am unaware of any restoration information for these units. The instructions for refilling the liquid in the fuel gauge are available. I have no doubt that it is possible to repair these gauges but the cost would be very high. The temperature gauge and capillary are a sealed unit and again require expert attention. Also very costly.
Not a very encouraging reply , regards Frenchy


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watkindj
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Re: 1933 10 six light fuel gauge repair

Post by watkindj »

martynbuckley wrote: Thu May 14, 2020 1:30 pm
I think it is a hobson telegauge, is there a rebuild link anywhere? I am not sure if the tube is still there, it may well be missing.
If there is a rebuild link, i can check what is present, missing & broken.
I have a temp gauge on top of the radiator :)
just located this among papers is it of any use ??
Hobson Telegage instructions.pdf
(1.61 MiB) Downloaded 42 times
Darren
South Cambridgeshire
XJ Registrar &
LD10 Registrar
LD10 Website Webmaster Incorporating (Worldwide Lanchester LD10 Register)
http://ld10.awardspace.co.uk

lilykill
Posts: 189
Joined: Fri Mar 19, 2021 4:30 pm
Location: Swansea

Re: 1933 10 six light fuel gauge repair

Post by lilykill »

I currrently have all of my gauges being cleaned and calibrated by Speedy Cables, https://speedycables.com/
They should be able help if you cannot do it yourself.

Petelang
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Re: 1933 10 six light fuel gauge repair

Post by Petelang »

The fluid used is a carcinogenic substance, hence many repairers won't touch them these days. I asked Speedograph Richfield to do mine but they declined.
I think, apart from leaks, the problems will be in the unbelievably small bore tube of such long length which over many years could be blocked or damaged. I have no idea where you could get such tiny bore tube to replace it. My one I blew through with compressed air and checked for leaks along its length, seemed OK.
The other problem of note, the sender in the tank is an assembly of many brass pieces all soldered together and with ethanol attacking such items you may find it falling apart. Mine was, had been repaired before too and greatly distorted plus, the job was a devil to solder back together in correct positions. You warm up one joint and the others give way. I ended up finding a good one on ebay and slightly adapted it. I put the fluid mentioned above in, but it never worked so I adopted the foolproof stick in the tank neck solution.
Peter Langridge
Cloud Nine Classic Weddings, Nottingham.

Peter Grant
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Posts: 503
Joined: Thu Mar 10, 2016 10:02 pm
Location: Sydney, Australia

Re: 1933 10 six light fuel gauge repair

Post by Peter Grant »

Hi Pete,
if by chance you have any contact at Speedograph Richfield could you ask them if they have managed to get the castings done for the gear reduction boxes as would fit the Special Sports?
I have been emailing them for probably a year now, I ordered one and paid for it, but they have not given me any responses to me emails asking how things were progressing as they said that they had to wait for the foundry to make new castings as they were out of stock.
They did offer to refund me and I could pay once the part was in stock but since said it was fine i would wait for the delivery.
I think Trevor Pickering from WA would also like one sent out so they have at least two on order for Australia!
Cheers
Peter Grant

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