In the 51 owners manual i found a section that says if you pull the light switch out and turn it clockwise you can "adjust the instrument lights". does anyone have any background on a possible history behind this? was this a "premium" feature? im just wondering because my repro OEM gauges dont have lights.. at least i dont think. ill figure this out once i do the wiring.
Owner of the most temperamental 1951 3100 in existence
thanks for the information, ill have to see. the mercury tube for my temperature gauge blew up so ill have to disassemble it. ill look then. thanks for the history too!
Owner of the most temperamental 1951 3100 in existence
Mercury tube? That might not be quite correct. Bulb type temperature gauges are hard to repair. If one has to replace, I would think about variable resistance or electric type, my 2 cents.
i bought a OEM instrument cluster. it was most likely mercury because of how it just kinda dripped everywhere. ill find out when i open it up . either way i ordered another one from classic parts and ill install it soon.
Owner of the most temperamental 1951 3100 in existence
I always thought there was ether in those original tubes?????? Back when I did mine, the 37 and 52, it cost as much to have it repaired as it did to buy one. Not sure about to day and most likely there is shipping either way. Keep us posted Mr. Dane
If you read Mr. Dane's original "post he states that he purchased a "repro OEM" cluster. So when he says "OEM" he is referring to reproduction parts, not original. So, one can only guess what material is in the temperature tube. Alvin is correct, the original mechanical temperature gauges used ether(with a small amount of glycerine). This would look like water and evaporate very rapidly, giving off a smell that would remind those of us over 60 of anesthesia in an operating room. Mercury, on the other hand, is a metal that is in a liquid state at room temperature. This will look very shiny, silver and the droplets will hit a hard surface and break into hundreds of small droplets scurrying about and have no odor. So, Mr. Dane what did the droplets look like when it dripped everywhere?
Kent
Last edited by Lightholder's Dad; 01/06/20194:14 PM.
update: its just a shop oil of some kind. smells like 90wt and synthetic mixed together, its nasty. either way the reason it leaked is one of the solder points broke causing a bad seal.
Owner of the most temperamental 1951 3100 in existence
i found in my gauge cluster two plugged holes. i shined a old flashlight through one and sure enough it lit up one half of my gauge. ill just have to figure out how to install some lights in the holes.
Owner of the most temperamental 1951 3100 in existence
just have to figure out how to install some lights in the holes.
Find an old harness and harvest the light sockets for your truck. If you can't locate an old harness, try NAPA, Auto Zone, Advance, etc. The photos below show what you need. The single wire uses the cluster housing as the ground the 2 wire has a separate ground wire. Just run a wire from the sockets to the light switch. Harold
Liquid form of mercury is especially dangerous because it vaporizes at room temperature. And when it vaporizes, it fills the air with tiny, invisible mercury atoms that are both scentless and soluble in oils or fats. If mercury vapor is inhaled, it is easily absorbed by the body, where it first gets into the lungs and from there into the blood and the brain. The nerve poison can cause sleep disorders, agitation, and paralysis. Even a simple thing such as a broken thermometer can lead to mercury poisoning. It can be particularly dangerous in a children's playroom if liquid mercury seeps into cracks and corners and is left undisturbed to vaporize. "It's not like with hot water - water vaporizes and is gone. But mercury vaporizes more slowly, it can take days or weeks, and could be inhaled over a longer period of time,"
