The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Can I change the tube on the heat gauge?

Here's the situation. Th previous owner of my '48 half ton cut the tube from the heat gauge to the engine. I acquired a second gauge cluster with a complete heat gauge, but when I went to swap them I noticed that the replacement gauge has a longer needle and it's painted white, while the original is red. I dont see a way to change the needle, and it looks like the tube is soldered in. Is there a way to remove the tube from the one gauge and install it on the other? :confused:

no - called a capillary tube and has a liquid that transfer the temp info - the setup is a complete closed assembly and if the tube is cut/broken, it will never work again unless professionally rebuilt - get some of yer girls fingernail polish and paint the needle red

Bill

I think you can buy a replacement heat guage for about $40 from Jim Carter or Chev's of the 40s. Then you could sell the one that doesn't match on e-bay or here.

red58, that would work, except that although the part numbers match on the two gauges, the needle is significantly longer on the good gauge, and I think it's gotta be darn near impossible to shorten it. I'll probably have to go with NM51's suggestion.

Thanks to both of you.

Check Hemmings Motor News. There are a number of shops that repair gauges and advertise there.
www.hemmings.com

Thanks, Tiny. I checked Hemmings, but didn't see any gauge rebuilders or restorers there. What category were they under?

Watch E-Bay "53 chevy parts and accesories" but I must warn you it's addictive, I spend an hour + a day

Your tools are picked up and played with,what is called a shop Grimlin. These verry fast small furry animals with big ears and large eyes will return what ever they have taken when they get done exporing and playing with it.When one has my tool I just go to another task and before you know it he's done with it and has returned it.Only caught a glimpse of him one time.They hang out anywhere work is going on.

Beaver, I have a "48 Chevy Truck" search and you're right. I can spend a long time on there.

D&M Restorations in Greenville S.C. can fix your capillary tube. Diane and Mike are nice folks and do very good work. Did all my guages on my 37 and lots of guages for friends around this area. 1-800-722-0854 or 864-421-9959

Do a "keyword" search for "gauge repair". I did & it turned up 70+ hits. Most weren't applicable but I saw several that might fit the bill. You just have to scroll through them.