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TR2/3/3A Tr3 temperature gauge route

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sp53

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Hi tr3 people, I have a question on the path and position of the temperature gauge on tr3. I started working on this thing under the dash and turned into a perfectionist and know I want to know what the proper path and position is for a temp gaugeeeeeeeeeeeeee. I know what it is in the engine compartment, but I am really not sure under the dash. Mine sits next to the speedometer under the oil gauge and then it takes this circuitous round route heading for the clove box and goes in behind the heater then down the battery box and out the firewall. Is that right?

George
 
The guages should be arranged as follows;
Top left, oil pressure
top right, Fuel level
bottom left,Water temp
bottom right, Ammeter

or swap side to side if you have a Right hand drive (brit. spec.)
I'm not sure of the under dash routing, but be careful not to kink the capillary tube.I don't know anyone in the U.S. who supplies or repairs them. I've looked.
 
The TRA concours manual does not identify any specifics on the routing but I did find this in one manual...

capillary%20tube.JPG


BTW, you say your temp gauge is next to the speedo... didn't most TR3s have the speedo on the left, tach on the right (opposite for TR4)?
 
[ QUOTE ]
The TRA concours manual does not identify any specifics on the routing but I did find this in one manual...

capillary%20tube.JPG


BTW, you say your temp gauge is next to the speedo... didn't most TR3s have the speedo on the left, tach on the right (opposite for TR4)?

[/ QUOTE ]

Great diagram, George. Unfortunately, my redo doesn't look anything like that! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/jester.gif Oh well, at least it works..

Regarding placement of the tach and speedometer, my arrangement is tach on the left, speedometer on the right. I believe that was the usual placement for the TR3's.

OOPS - Just checked my source - Piggott's book - and indeed the speedometer was normally placed on the left. But this was changed in '58, and some earlier ones had them reversed. Bottom line is that there were a lot of discrepancies.

Mickey
 
[ QUOTE ]
Bottom line is that there were a lot of discrepancies.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes, a lot. Even the TR3 owners manual show the center cluster with different arrangements depending which page you're on. Factory photos also show gauges moving around.
 
Aloha,

I'll add my appreciation to George for that great diagram. I just installed a capillary type gauge last weekend in my TR3A, commission # TS28418E. Like Mickey, mine isn't a match but more importantly to me, it works. I would think a major consideration is to avoid tight bends in the tube. Fortunately it does go through the correct firewall hole. A previous owner had converted to an electric Temp gauge from a TR4. I'm sure most people didn't notice the mismatch gauge but after a few years it was screaming at me.

Regarding the placement of the Speedometer and Tach, mine is Speedo to the left and Tach to the right. I based this on the small hole in the bottom edge of the metal dashboard for the trip odometer reset knob to extend through.

As for the gauges in the center cluster, it seems the Oil Pressure gauges is always upper left. The rest of mine are Water Temp upper right, Ammeter lower left and Fuel lower right.

I have a question on installing the capillary tube in the thermostat housing. Is there some type of sealant I should use between the bulb and the "compression nut".

Safety Fast,
Dave
 
[ QUOTE ]
Regarding the placement of the Speedometer and Tach, mine is Speedo to the left and Tach to the right. I based this on the small hole in the bottom edge of the metal dashboard for the trip odometer reset knob to extend through.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm pretty sure my dash had that hole (in the stamped sheet metal) for both the left and right positions... though once the dash is covered only one hole may be visible.

[ QUOTE ]
As for the gauges in the center cluster, it seems the Oil Pressure gauges is always upper left. The rest of mine are Water Temp upper right, Ammeter lower left and Fuel lower right.

[/ QUOTE ]

Mine are the same as yours, proving... exactly nothing.

[ QUOTE ]
I have a question on installing the capillary tube in the thermostat housing. Is there some type of sealant I should use between the bulb and the "compression nut".

[/ QUOTE ]

I would mainly be concerned about that connection seizing rather than leaking. Mine may never come loose... I soak it in PB Blaster everytime I am working under the bonnet just in case I someday want to remove it but it is really stuck. Many have had to decapitate the t-stat fitting to get the connection loose (good used t-stat housings are much cheaper than temp units). Liberal use of anti-seize or perhaps teflon tape would be in order I think. Part of the problem may be the steel-on-aluminum contact.
 
I have a 59 TR3, my gages are tach on left, speedo on right, oil press. top left, fuel top right, water temp bottom left and amp bottom right. This matches the pic's in the parts manual and other manuals that I have. I also took pic's of them before I stripped the car before I started the work.

Don
 
Hi Geo and thanks that is just what I wanted to see. I have seen that picture somewhere, but forgot where and exactly what it look like, so thanks. And thanks to the rest of the participants for their advice. I really enjoy this forum because it is little things that freak me out when I am working on one.
Anyways thanks all, George
 
Don,
That's the same gauge layout as in my 59 TR3. So that's at least 2 votes for this particular layout on 59's... then again, as Mickey said earlier in the thread, there were a lot of discrepancies.
-Jiri /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cheers.gif
 
British Miles close to Philadelphia sells refurbished TR3 temp gauges with rebuilt capillary tubes. I bought mine last year from him for $159 plus a $50 core charge. I'm thinking of switching to an electronic TR4 version -- any thoughts about that?
 
Not a straight swap -- will require a voltage stabilizor... or you could look for an early TR4 curved glass gauge as I think these looked like the TR3 gauge -- later TR4 gauges have the shrouded needle.
 
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