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TR2/3/3A TR3 Erratic fuel gauge finally quits....testing?

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karls59tr

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TR3 Erratic fuel gauge finally quits....testing?

Not getting a reading on the gauge. Ground and wiring looks OK. I'm thinking of running a live wire from the Batt as an initial test to see if I can get the dial to move.Any suggestions?
 
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TexasKnucklehead

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Re: TR3 Erratic fuel gauge finally quits....testing?

A wire from the battery?

I'd start by using a volt meter to check for 12v on one of the fuel guages terminals, and ground on the other. If you want to see the guage move, dissconnect the side that is not connected to +12v (the sender side) and ground/open it (acting like the sending unit).

You probably have an open to the sending unit, or a bad ground at the sending unit, but it's nothing you can't track down with a cheap multimeter.
 
MGTF1250Dave

MGTF1250Dave

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Re: TR3 Erratic fuel gauge finally quits....testing?

Aloha Karl,

A 9V transistor radio battery connected to the fuel gauge is a safe and simple tester. The battery will supply enough power that should produce movement of the needle if the gauge is working, but not powerful enough to damage anything.

Here is a link to a very comprehensive article on how to test and calibrate the gauge:

https://mgaguru.com/mgtech/electric/fg_06.htm

You can build the test unit for about $25 (US) with parts from Radio Shack.
 
Geo Hahn

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Re: TR3 Erratic fuel gauge finally quits....testing?

Or you can just get an assortment of resistors for a buck or so and jury-rig the equivalent of that tester. That is what I did using the MGA site as a guide for testing. Was able to bring a dead gauge back to life.
 
martx-5

martx-5

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Re: TR3 Erratic fuel gauge finally quits....testing?

I've calibrated several gauges for the Triumph club using the resistors. It works out to be very accurate if you have an original tank unit. I found that some of the aftermarket tank units don't have the same length of swing...usually the arm is shorter, and then you have to apply the fudge factor to get a decent approximation of tank contents.
 
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