TR2/3/3A TR3A Temp Gauge Not Working. Help!

[60TR3A]

My car needed a new head gasket which was done a month ago. It's running fine except for the fact that the temp gauge stopped working. Not sure if it's related to the recent work or just serendipitous. I didn't notice the gauge when I drove the car home from the shop and it's been sitting in the garage for a month before I took it out again last week and noted the gauge not working. I checked at Moss Motors and they don't seem to sell the sending unit/cable assembly or the gauge. Any advice will be appreciated. Thanks.

 

[DornTRoriginal]

I would get it rebuilt from Nisonger Instruments (not sure of correct spelling) in New york, phone number is 914-381-3600 it will cost about $150, they have a great reputation I plan to get all my gauges done in the near future. You can find them on the web too!

 

[martx-5]

Just as a point of information...The gauge, sending unit and cable as you call it is actually all one piece. The sending unit section of the gauge is a bulb filled with ether that is connected via a tube (with a spring like sheath around it for protection) that goes to a bourdon tube inside the gauge. Pressure from the heated ether changes the shape of the bourdon tube that is connected to the gauge needle.

It's a closed system and if it gets compromised, the ether will leak out and render the gauge inoperative.

It's possible to repair them yourself as I've done it using the instructions below...
https://www.ply33.com/repair/tempgauge

However, it only lasted about three years, as stress and vibration on my soldered joint failed. I then sent it out to Nisonger.

 

[TR3driver]

Lots of other choices besides Nisonger's. West Valley Instruments or N. Hollywood Clock (both near Los Angeles) might be slightly cheaper and they both do excellent work.

The old Bourdon tube gauges are fragile enough (I've ruined several of them in various ways) that I finally converted to an early TR4 temp gauge instead. Looks practically identical (no one has spotted the difference yet), but seems much more rugged.

 

[mrv8q]

+1 WVI. They did mine 8+ years ago, working fine....

 

[TuffTR250]

Randall, is the TR4 temperature gauge electric and use an electric sending unit? Thanks!Regards,Bob

 

[TR3driver]

Randall, is the TR4 temperature gauge electric and use an electric sending unit? Thanks!Regards,Bob

Yes, exactly. The sender screws into the same threads in the thermostat housing as well. You just need to add a voltage stabilizer and some wiring.

Very early TR4 had the same curved glass and exposed needle pivot as the TR3 gauge. Later TR4 units have flat glass and a shroud over the pivot that makes them look a bit more 'modern'. But if you swapped in the curved glass from your old gauge, I think it would still look at home in a TR3 dash.

 

[Crankshaft]

If a guy was in the market for usable TR4 temp gauge and an upper adjustable steering column, where would he start looking? Other people find things on ebay, but I just don't seem to have much luck there.

 

[60TR3A]

Just as a point of information...The gauge, sending unit and cable as you call it is actually all one piece. The sending unit section of the gauge is a bulb filled with ether that is connected via a tube (with a spring like sheath around it for protection) that goes to a bourdon tube inside the gauge. Pressure from the heated ether changes the shape of the bourdon tube that is connected to the gauge needle.

It's a closed system and if it gets compromised, the ether will leak out and render the gauge inoperative.

Probably happened when the head was pulled to replace the gasket or else is due to the fact that the tube was only hand-tightened when it was reconnected after the head got installed. WHatever the cause, it now needs to be rebuilt. Thanks for the information!

 

[TR3driver]

If a guy was in the market for usable TR4 temp gauge and an upper adjustable steering column, where would he start looking? Other people find things on ebay, but I just don't seem to have much luck there.

Ebay can be frustrating; takes a lot of looking and even then many sellers don't correctly advertise what they have. Your best bet is to set up several searches and then check them frequently. Don't forget the UK version of eBay; although many sellers there don't tell eBay that they will ship overseas, I've had good luck in asking if they will. A gauge would be small enough to go by Royal Mail "small packet", which is reasonably priced and not too much hassle.

There are also several people in the US that break TRs when they get them, so it's worth calling around. TSi, Triumph Rescue, Triumphs Only are a few examples. Around here, I would also try "The Shop" (aka John Nichols) and Albert Roth. There's also a fellow near Indy that breaks TRs, but I'm afraid I don't recall his name offhand. Ask Ted at TSi, I'm pretty sure he'll know who I am thinking of.

Or just joining your local club and asking around at meetings will sometimes turn up what you need.

I got my TR4 temp gauge from a TR owner on the east coast, who is sadly no longer with us. Unfortunately I was too upset by the news of his passing to even ask what happened to his toys and powder coated parts collection.