Wedge TR 8 Fuel and Engine temp guages

[carl w french]

They are DOA on my 1980. It looks from a quick peek at a friends shop manual as if they do not run off of a voltage regulator. What is the most common reason for thier failure and the best fix (or any fix).

First of many questions.....

 

[Mickey Richaud]

Hey, Carl -

First thing to check would be the electrical connections on the back of the gauge panel. Not too difficult to remove.

Once you have access, you'll see that there is a sheet of plastic on which is a printed circuit for all the gauges and dash lights. Not the best design, but if kept in order, it is functional. Disconnect all the terminals, clean them, and apply dielectric grease. Be careful cleaning the copper plating, as it's pretty thin on the plastic. Should clear up your problems, and you may even have the bonus of brighter dash lights! (While you're in there, pull the green plastic bubbles for the lights and clean them up - will help with brightness as well.)

Mickey

 

[DNK]

There are dash Lights???

 

[philman]

If my FHC sits for a long time it takes a couple of warm up cycles for the temp guage to register.

 

[carl w french]

There are dash Lights???

Ya know, I dont know that. I have never lit them up at dark. The pods come up tho.

The other guages work fine FWIW.

 

[tdskip]

Carl - I think what Don is referring to is that the dash and especially the panel lights on TR7/8 are really dim.

It does raise a good point, which is that several of the bulbs were either missing or burnt out when I started sorting mine out.

Pulling the dash top is pretty easy, probably worth a look.

What you've learned about the wiring of your MGB applies to the Wedge are far as trouble shooting goes. The guys will point out the difference, like Mickey and others have done...

 

[carl w french]

What is the easiest way to access the gauge pod? You mention from the top.....Manuals on order but right now I am flying blind.

 

[Mickey Richaud]

What is the easiest way to access the gauge pod? You mention from the top.....Manuals on order but right now I am flying blind.

Carl -

Stand by. If you don't get an answer before I can get to the house and pull the manual out, I'll report back. Basically, you take the top piece off, and you can acess the screws that hold the panel in place.

As I said, I'll get the manual out and give you the specifics - much better than my feeble memory!

 

[carl w french]

There are dash Lights???

Took the car for a ride after dark and no, I do not have any lights on the entire dash. The aftermarket stereo is lit but is it. What may this be telling me? I do have the idiot lights and the other gauges.

 

[DNK]

Sounds like my car. Did you twist the Rheo,or did you know there was a rheo?

 

[chrisc]

Carl,

Similar problems in mine also....my dash lights are fine (although weak). I'm heading down the path of cooling sensor and tank sender/float.

Do your fans work? That's another famous area for problems and previous owner "ingenuity".

Chris

 

[Mickey Richaud]

Carl -

Here's a link to the TR7 repair manual. Big PDF file, but it's all there. Instrument panel removal is on p. 394.


https://www.zen21606.zen.co.uk/TR7man.pdf


Have fun!
Mickey

 

[carl w french]

I wondered about the rheostat (not high on my list of suspects). My mechanic this morning told me where to find iy and I'll check after eating lunch (gotta find the trip odo reset as well)...

I replaced the temp sender with no joy. Sender in the tank is on my list of possible things to toss if I cant solve that.

They do work. It is a paranoid feeling having no temp gauge and no fans right off. They do cycle off/on however