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TR2/3/3A oil gauge

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sp53

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I am working on my oil gauge and the needle was rusty. I tried to sand the rust off with some 400 paper and did ok, but the back has rust also. What I want to is remove the needle, so I have more control and just soak it in lacquer thinner and then sand and paint it. So does the needle just pull straight off? It must? But I do not want to trash the coil spring.
Steve
 
Interesting...all the gage work I've done, I don't have any recollection of ever removing one of those needles. I think I put something under mine to support it while I sanded.
 
That is what I have been doing John and it is probably the best plan. Years ago I sent a temp gauge out for repair because the gas tube was broke. The gauge itself was beautifully clean and I get sent back this gauge with a cloudy looking needle that started to rust bad, so I guess what I am saying is they never removed it either and just painted over it, time to practice my patients and sand slowly.
steve
 
I've studied all my pics...Like you I would assume the needle could be gently twisted off, so long as you hold the rear arm to protect the clock spring. I may have even tried it, but it's been 3 years since I had my big gauge cleanup, so a lot of the details are fuzzy.
 
You may have already figured it out.
It's a push fit, very easy to remove.
See attached.
Remove the works from the case.chuck it up with your vice.
Get a firm grip in the shaft with needle-nosed pliers
The shaft needs to remain steady.
While holding the shaft, pinch and twist the needle with your thumb and forefinger
Off it comes:joyous:
That's the good news.
The bad news is you have to get it back on at the exactly the same spot
in order to have the gauge be correctly calibrated. :blue:
 

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Now I have a headache or fear ache or playing it too save ----either way ====it is all Franks fault because I know that will work if I am any good, but it still could be rusted on the bottom. Pinch for a reason or just to grab Frank?
steve
 
Good to know!

I had a scare with my temp gage...which is really an identical gage internally to the oil pressure gage. I let the new engine get too hot, so it boiled over...the gage went from full scale hot to pegged on the lower stop. Randall warned us about overheating the gage!

I was bummed thinking I would have to pull all that capillary back out to fix the gage and then re-install it again. I had a thought, and was able to pull the gage out of the dash enough to take it all apart. I found the gage got so hot the little wire popped off the needle arm. That was easy to fix, but now I had to re-calibrate it. I boiled water in the kitchen, and ran the pot quickly out to the car to dip the temp sending bulb into it. I would set the gage to 212 degrees, and then remove the bulb from the pot, cool it off and set the 90 degree stop. After about 3 times running from kitchen to car I got it recalibrated. Put it all back together, never having to unthread the capillary.

Lesson learned...never over temp or over pressure these mechanical gages!!
 
Thanks Frank I could not find the nerve to just go for it, but with your experience I went for it and the needle came right off. I put a mark where it was and if I need more oil pressure I will move the need down some.

I learn a lot working on the speedos also and the little marks they have to set the needle back on in place--- then pull it back to the stop pin for calibration, got to love these cars there is so much that can be done.
Peace out steve
 
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